GATEWAY TO DOWNTOWN LIVING
When American Bridge Corp. transferred Matt Murphey back to Pittsburgh, he bought a four-bedroom house in Emsworth. "I thought I wanted the big house in the 'burbs," he says, "but I realized it was too much space. I had three seating places with three sets of furniture. It was absurd."
Murphey became re-acquainted with downtown when he enrolled in graduate school at Point Park University. He had enjoyed urban life when he lived in Alexandria, Va., and Lisbon, Portugal, so two years ago he made the decision to move into the city. "This move made the most sense - to have just what I need," says Murphey, 37, who works as an accounting coordinator at American Bridge's steel-fabrication plant in Coraopolis.
He eventually settled on Gateway Towers. He knew the building because American Bridge had built it in 1964, and the company had maintained an apartment there for years. The location and amenities sold him. Gateway has a full-service staff - doorman, front-desk clerk, porter and two maintenance workers as well as indoor parking. And a $1 million exterior renovation has just been completed, he notes.
Inside Murphey's home, pictures and renderings of bridges fill the walls while Max, his three-legged cat, holds court in the living room. Huge windows offer panoramic views of the Point, Hilton Hotel, Fifth Avenue Place and Mount Washington. Murphey says he also appreciates the green space around Gateway. "Point State Park is like my front yard except that I don't have to mow it."
The move has worked out even better than he expected: "I know more of my neighbors in my 'vertical neighborhood' than I did in my cul-de-sac [in Emsworth]."
Downtown people are social. On Light Up Night and during Steelers season, there's a party every week, says Murphey. He runs into neighbors at Palomino restaurant and at sporting events. Murphey also enjoys downtown's theaters, and those are just a hop, skip and a jump away.
Gateway has Wednesday socials outside during the summer and monthly socials at different condos during the winter, says Murphey. He tries to take advantage of all there is to do in downtown Pittsburgh - like ice-skating in the winter at PPG Place and hanging out in Market Square when the weather is nice.
"I'll try anything that's new," he says, and the PDP is a great resource for what's happening every week. Murphey's found that people who live in downtown have a "fresh outlook, regardless of their age."
Murphey's downtown living experience makes him bullish on the future for Pittsburgh. "It's one of the best things I've ever done, and I've lived in a lot of places."
DOUBLE-HEADER ON PENN AVENUE
Mike Gianantonio decided to move to town because he was sick of the commute. He lived off McKnight Road, past Ross Park Mall where "you hit traffic before you hit traffic," he jokes. He had friends who lived in the Penn Garrison Lofts and liked the design, openness and price of their apartments. He decided to give the building a try. "I got two hours [a day] of my life back," he says.
Gianantonio lived happily in his two-bedroom apartment for two years. A year ago, his girlfriend, Krista Fullen, moved in, and space got tighter. Then they added Lola, a black mixed-breed puppy, to their family, and they definitely needed more room.
Gianantonio and Fullen were in a quandary. Their lease was up in May. They loved the architectural design of their apartment; they adored city living, but they weren't sure they could afford to buy a condo downtown. "Then we met someone at August Henry's [City Saloon] who said to check out the tax abatement," says Fullen.
Pittsburgh's 10-year tax abatement can save buyers in qualifying buildings up to $6,180 per year in city and school-district taxes for 10 years. That changed the whole equation for Gianantonio and Fullen; they bought a condo down the block at 941 Penn Ave., which is also the name of this building, a former warehouse.
"I'm glad we did it," says Gianantonio, "we got a lot more." Thanks to the tax abatement, they were able to afford more house and other amenities. Most of all, they are thrilled to keep their urban lifestyle. "Fireworks, to us, is every Friday night," laughs Fullen. On Sundays they go to breakfast at the William Penn Hotel or the Courtyard by Marriott. A lot of sports teams stay in those hotels, says Gianantonio; you never know whom you will meet. They have drinks at Sonoma Grill; they walk to Pittsburgh Pirates games. In the fall, they watch college football at Jerome Bettis Grille 36.
In addition, dog owners create their own downtown community, says Fullen, who works in the marketing department at Dick's Sporting Goods in RIDC Park West by Robinson. "As soon as we got Lola, I started meeting so many people." She walks their puppy on the trail by the river. "There are always people running and riding their bikes. The kayakers are out.... I've never felt unsafe, and I'm walking the dog at all hours of the night."
Gianantonio says he feels spoiled living and working downtown as an attorney at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman and goes for weeks without driving. "I lose my car sometimes," he laughs. The 30-something couple are happy to be buying in their same Penn Avenue neighborhood: "We're not even going to have to rent a moving van," says Gianantonio.