Many of you may have received letters in the mail recently regarding the expansion of the Historic District. Because of a recent court decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the City of Pittsburgh is required to approve the Mexican War Streets Historic District Expansion. A timeline of the events that led to this decision is available here.

This means that all projects involving exterior alterations to buildings within the Historic District that are visible from a public street or way must be reviewed and approved by the City’s Historic Review Commission before the project starts.

The general boundaries of the Mexican War Streets Historic District are Brighton Road to Federal Street (on the east and west) and North Avenue to Jefferson Street (on the south and north). Below is a map of the new boundaries. Here is a handy tool to help you determine whether your property address falls within the boundaries.

The Commission does not review interior alterations, nor does it review proposed uses for properties. Its jurisdiction is limited to the external appearance of structures and includes proposals for additions to buildings or for their relocation or demolition. 

When reviewing applications for exterior changes, the Historic Review Commission will refer to the Mexican War Streets Guidelines to determine whether the proposed changes are appropriate. You can find the guidelines here. Please follow these guidelines when considering a project involving exterior property changes. Here is a Historic Review Commission application form for exterior work.

The City recently held a virtual meeting to discuss the changes. If you missed the meeting, you can watch it here on demand. A list of questions and answers from the meeting is posted here. 

As a preservation advocacy organization, the Mexican War Streets Society remains committed to helping our neighbors better understand their historic buildings, how to preserve them, and how to navigate the city application process. If we can be of any help or guidance, please reach out to us.

This expansion proposal predates many of our tenures on this board (and for some, our residence in this neighborhood), but we are hopeful that we can work with all of our neighbors, the City, and the Allegheny City Central Association to ensure that the guidelines and policies in place only serve to strengthen and enrich our beautiful community.

Have a question about the Mexican War Streets Society’s bylaws? See the latest version here.