Formerly Pittsburgh’s “second downtown,” East Liberty suffered under the weight of failed 1960’s urban renewal planning, becoming physically and economically isolated. The site, which sits on the edge of East Liberty and the prosperous Shadyside residential and commercial district, serves as a zipper-development to re-link Shadyside with the redeveloping East Liberty district

The design strategy for the project was to capitalize on the “market” environment of the existing structural shell with its tall space, brick walls and the massive structural elements needed to remove the bearing walls. This industrial “market” environment was extended to the structure and skylight of the “façade addition” with its exterior corrugated metal, oversized masonry units and its glazed “market” canopy. Mushinsky-Voelzke Architects designed the interiors, and Perfido Weiskopf Architects designed the building and site.

The development team coordinated a significant public-private venture off site, to restore traditional traffic patterns, and to create site access necessary to secure tenant commitments. Support from the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority and city and state transportation engineers allowed these changes to be undertaken in record time. East Liberty Development, Inc, a non-profit community development corporation participated as a project partner to help integrate community design goals with the master planning and project design effort, and to help raise significant foundation and economic development resources. The developer and architect used these resources to set a new benchmark for the quality of design and materials for this market-changing development. The Whole Foods Market has been an unprecedented economic success, and remains one of the chain’s top performing stores nationally since its opening, paving the way for more development of EastSide and redevelopment of the core of the East Liberty neighborhood.