Mt. Lebanon Design Guidelines

The objective of the Design Guidelines project is to assist the Mt. Lebanon Partnership, the main street economic development organization in the municipality of Mt. Lebanon, with the development of Design Guidelines for the municipality’s historic Uptown District, which serves as a central business district for Pittsburgh’s South Hills suburbs and comprises a portion of the Mt. Lebanon National Historic District.

Mt. Lebanon is an example of one of the first and most significant automobile-oriented suburbs in Western Pennsylvania and was also home to a major streetcar loop for a line that originated from Downtown Pittsburgh. Centered on Washington Road, Uptown Mt. Lebanon is home to numerous historic structures, primarily from the early-to-mid-twentieth century. As part of the project scope of work, Landmarks SGA meticulously documented the styles, characteristics, and conditions of the buildings in the Uptown commercial corridor, both contributing and non-contributing. Landmarks SGA is also working with the Mt. Lebanon Partnership to coordinate two public meetings to engage business and property owners in the corridor on crafting the Design Guidelines and informing them about façade and building improvement grant opportunities. Finally, Landmarks SGA staff will be producing a Design Guidelines document and accompanying resources for the Partnership, including recommendations for a new sign ordinance and educational materials.

Developing Design Guidelines for the Uptown District is an important step in providing property owners with knowledge of the appropriate treatment of historic buildings and the potential financial benefits of conforming with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. The Design Guidelines will also be important for future implementation to provide a framework for consistent reviews of future projects, whether they are renovations of existing buildings or new construction/infill projects. In providing recommendations for massing and scale, materials, colors, windows, doors, storefronts, and signage, the Design Guidelines will be formatted to be straightforward and easily understandable to the average business or property owner.