House Near August Wilson's Childhood Home To Be Demolished Over Safety Concerns
HILL DISTRICT (KDKA) - The home connected to August Wilson's childhood home is set to come down after neighbors' recent concerns regarding its safety.
Gerald Brown Jr. has lived next to the historical Hill District site of August Wilson's boyhood home since the 1970s.
Over time, he's seen the house slowly deteriorate to a level that he says just isn't safe.
"Anybody could be walking past it and this front wall could come down. They're done for. I could be under here cleaning my car, I'm done for," he said.
Brown's done everything imaginable to have the condemned home demolished, but has been unsuccessful.
"They said it would have to come down, but no one's done anything about it," Brown Jr. said.
Daisy Wilson Artist Community Board Chairman Rob Pfaffmann is the architect for restoring where August Wilson grew up at 1727 Bedford Avenue. He said he's been worried about the integrity of 1725 for some time.
After visiting recently, he noticed the front facade had moved 4 inches and that something needed to be done.
Pfaffmann wrote to the city, saying that the property he once hoped to restore just can't be.
"These kids walk back and forth to school. There's nails sticking out of this because it was blown out. I mean, what about the kids? They [have to] walk out in the street," Brown Jr. said.
Now, the city promises it will come down in the next few months.
KDKA-TV's Christine D'Antonio spoke with the building inspector supervisor for the city Thursday morning. A bid to tear the building down is going to go out on April 1. Then, he says the contract will be awarded mid-month with the project taking a total of 60 days to complete.
Pfaffmann said he'll collect bricks and woodwork from 1725's facade when it's demolished to reconstruct it. The building once housed shops and people that Wilson drew on for his plays.
The goal is to have both homes turned into a hub for artists.
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