Troy Hill Fire House granted historic designation

Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday granted historic designation to the Troy Hill Fire House.

The two-story brick structure, located on Ley Street, is now used for civil service purposes.

The city’s Planning Commission unanimously recommended the site for historic designation, after the Historic Review Board made the same recommendation.

City Council unanimously voted to make the historic nomination official on Tuesday. Councilman Ricky Burgess was not present for the vote.

In introducing the nomination to the Planning Commission in April, Sarah Quinn of the Department of City Planning called the site an “identifying landmark” for the Troy Hill neighborhood.

The building dates to the 1890s. It serves as a centerpiece of the neighborhood and is commonly seen in photos of events or celebrations in Troy Hill, Quinn said.

More on the Troy Hill Fire House:

• Troy Hill Fire House nominated for historic designation
• Planning Commission recommends Troy Hill Fire House for historic designation

Because Troy Hill is a relatively isolated neighborhood set high on a hill, response times for fires in the neighborhood was slow in the era of horse-drawn wagons.

Early maps show many houses in Troy Hill were constructed of wood frame and set close together. That made establishing a fire department in the neighborhood a priority, according to the historic designation nomination letter.

Several other fire stations throughout the city have also earned historic designation, according to Quinn.