Uptown redevelopment project to include space for food trucks, patio seating

Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority board on Thursday approved plans to sell an Uptown site to a developer that is aiming to bring commercial space and food trucks.

The board unanimously approved plans to sell the property at 23 Miltenberger St. for $60,000 plus costs to Pittsburgh-based Epic Development LLC.

Plans call for restoring the existing building and added first-floor commercial space, said Brandon Wilson, a project manager with the URA’s development services team.

An outdoor lot at the intersection of Miltenberger Street and Forbes Avenue will be used as an outdoor community and food truck space, complete with an outdoor patio dining area and electrical setups for the food trucks, Wilson said. The site should be able to accommodate up to three food trucks at once.

Food truck spaces will be rented on an annual basis, according to the URA, and one space will be reserved each year for an Uptown-based or minority-owned business.

Plans for the outdoor space include a landscaped patio, string lights, umbrellas, portable toilets and other amenities.

The “top-to-bottom” renovation of the existing building will include a “welcoming corner storefront cafe” on the bottom floor, according to information provided by the URA.

Renovations also will include new windows and restoration work.

According to the URA, the redevelopment project will include two apartment units. One is designated as affordable housing for people making no more than 80% of the area median income. According to information provided by the URA, monthly rate for that unit will be $1,450. The other unit, a market-rate apartment, is set to have a monthly rent of $1,550.

“Uptown’s lost so many of its historic turn-of-the-century buildings,” said Michael McAllister, principal at Epic Development. “I think this is a really terrific opportunity to create a community asset.”

The total project cost was estimated at over $455,000, according to Wilson.