oliver’s pourhouse expansion

oliver’s pourhouse expansion | greensburg, pa

commercial architecture  |  adaptive reuse and new construction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Project Background: A popular Greensburg restaurant needed expansion, but renovating the neighboring, significantly altered former Thomas Drug Store proved economically unviable. Furthermore, this sparked a community debate about preserving any remnant of the old and embracing new development. This unbuilt project faced economic feasibility challenges, the existing structure’s fate, urban revitalization, contextual integration on a complex corner lot with a significant grade change, and building code compliance.

Project Challenges: The primary obstacles were the prohibitive cost of renovating a compromised building with a basement tenant, the limitations of the existing structure, community discord over demolition versus preservation, unique site challenges (connectivity, views, grade transition), regulatory hurdles, and the need to balance respect for the urban context with the desire for revitalization.

Project Solution: Our firm proposed a contemporary structure in 2014 to ensure economic viability and operational efficiency. The design thoughtfully addressed the corner lot’s conditions: a connecting storefront, a street-engaging dining area, and a glass corner resolving the grade transition. We secured approvals from the HARB and City Council, navigating community concerns by emphasizing the potential for positive urban revitalization. The schematic design provides a foundation for a new chapter in downtown Greensburg, moving beyond the limitations and debates surrounding the former structure.

Client: Roy and Natalie Bodnar, Owner, Oliver’s Pourhouse, Robokyo