Developer looks to transform former Letsche Elementary School into mixed-income housing

A developer is looking to revitalize the former Letsche Elementary School in Pittsburgh’s Crawford-Roberts neighborhood into mixed-income housing.

The city’s Urban Redevelopment Authority on Thursday authorized a Rental Gap Program loan of about $950,000 to Beacon Communities Services for the project. The board also agreed to sell the developer a plot of land across from the school building for $30,000 plus costs.

The school building, which has sat vacant for about 15 years, will be converted into a 42-unit mixed-income apartment building, according to information presented to the URA board.

Thirty-four of those units will be designated as affordable housing, with 10 units for people making at or below 60% of the area median income, 19 for people making 50% of the area median income and five units for those making 20% of the area median income.

The median income in Pittsburgh is $59,400, making 60% of the AMI $35,640, 50% about $29,700 and 20% about $11,880.

Beacon is planning to construct four affordable townhomes on the plot across the street.

The project has earned about $1.25 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and it’s expected to generate more than $2 million in Federal Historic Tax Credits.

Total project costs are estimated to be about $18 million, according to information provided to the URA.

Beacon is hoping to begin work on the site around October, with plans to finish it by late next year or early 2024, said Michael Polite, vice president at Beacon.

The Hill Community Development Corp., the community group representing the area, has “expressed their support” for the development, which provides affordable housing and brings vacant properties into productive reuse, said Niklas Persson, an analyst with the URA.