The West End neighborhood is located on the Ohio River just West of Pittsburgh, on a site across the West End Bridge from the North Side and situated below Mt. Washington and Greentree. 

Daniel Elliot, one of Allegheny County’s first settlers, owned a saw mill located where the Saw Mill Run stream entered the Ohio River, approximately one mile south of Pittsburgh’s Downtown. The 96.75 acres that he was granted would eventually become the West End village of Pittsburgh.

This area began to grow from having one saw mill to becoming an important industrial site due to its proximity to the river, coal, timber, and salt. In fact, it was timber from this area that was used in the 1759 construction of Fort Pitt, a British fort at the junction of Pittsburgh’s three rivers. Transportation across the river was made easier by ferry boats, which were operated under permit and ran on all three rivers.

After Daniel Elliot and his son eventually passed away, the 96.75 acres of land that they owned was given to John. B. Warden and John Alexander, who founded the village of Temperanceville on the site in the 1837.  The 1850s-60s brought heavy industry, including three rolling mills, one great mill, four saw mills, two glass factories, two oil refineries, two coke ovens, six coal mines, one salt works, and a steamboat yard. The village became a part of Pittsburgh on January 1, 1873.

Transportation through the West End was convenient from the time of the War of 1812 when River Street, now known as Carson, connected the West End to Pittsburgh. Railroads followed the route by the end of the Civil War, and once the automobile became popular, the West End was relied on as a traffic corridor, with the construction of the West End Bridge and the widening of Saw Mill Run Blvd/Route 51. 

It is estimated that 17,000 cars drive through the West End business district daily, and it’s no wonder because of the easy access to Downtown Pittsburgh, the Southwest neighborhoods, and the Northside.  The West End’s reputation as a “drive-through community” is something that Dru Imler, Director of the West Pittsburgh Partnership (WPP), hopes will change in the near future. She explains that “instead of catering to the vehicle, catering to the shopper” is now the strategy.  WPP and the West End Valley Business Association have started to put resources and energy into making the West End business district one of the highlights of Pittsburgh.

Today, walking through the West End business district is an experience much different than that found in most other Pittsburgh neighborhoods. The feeling is relaxed and encourages browsing in the stores and galleries along South Main Street, which recently underwent a $1.2 million streetscape renovation. West Pittsburgh Partnership is aware of the uniqueness of their main street and is using the village-like feel to their advantage. In order to revitalize South Main Street, WPP has focused on attracting high-quality investors and establishing a design community that generally caters to the 35 year old + crowd.

More than two dozen businesses have opened in the West End since 2002. Many of the new businesses are in the sectors of design, arts and entertainment, and home improvement—areas WPP is promoting and using to define the West End retail experience. Established businesses such as Ceramiche Tile, Artifacts, Armand’s Gallery, and James Gallery are helping to develop this niche. In addition, there are many cafés that fill in along South Main Street.

WPP is focused on the West End primarily as a business community, and a residential community second. Presently, there are around 425 residents that take advantage of amenities like the public Carnegie library. A new residential development is planned for South Main Street just above the business district, named “Stone Chapel Village” for the historic church that will mark the entrance. The plan includes 12 to 20 units of single-family, market-rate homes. Currently WPP is acquiring properties and preparing the site for construction, which will begin sometime in 2007.

The West End Bank Building, located at 22 Wabash Avenue, is a highlight of the West End Village, serving as a testament to West Pittsburgh Partnership’s (WPP) work in community revitalization. For Dru Imler, Executive director of WPP, the project was significant not just because of the benefits to the community, but because it is an example of using “economic development to preserve the historic fabric of the business district.”

      

In 2000, WPP received notice that National City, the only tenant with just three employees, was planning on closing the West End branch. It was then that WPP teamed up with developer H&S Partnership to acquire the building, and construction began in May 2001.  The enormous scope of work required involvement from more than just the developer, but from WPP’s board and community members as well, in order to make the redevelopment project a reality. 

There are now 24,000 square feet of usable space. Windows have been uncovered, and the third floor features the original ceiling, which had been hidden for 30 years. Nine businesses with over 60 employees now occupy the building, and the first floor contains a gift store, an Italian imports specialty store, a new café, and National City bank, who has signed a 25 year commitment to the location. The third floor will likely serve as a banquet hall, but nothing is definite at this time.  The West End Bank Building stands as a very important structure in the West End community, and serves as a sign of economic growth in the neighborhood and the businesses are appreciated by visitors and residents alike.