Historic Designation Process, Including Public Hearings, for
The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science,
Pittsburgh

Also, Walter C. Kidney, Architectural Historian for the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, and Chris Siefert, Project Director of the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, both attended and testified in support of nomination.

Chris Siefert, Project Director of the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh attended hearing, but did not testify.

Although Chris Siefert, Project Director for the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, had attended the two previous public hearings before the Historic Review Commission (and testified at the first hearing in February), there was no Children's Museum representation at this hearing.

Criterion number 3: Its exemplification of an architectural type, style or design distinguished by innovation, rarity, uniqueness, or overall quality of design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship;

Criterion number 4: Its identification as the work of an architect, designer, engineer, or builder whose individual work is significant in the history or development of the City of Pittsburgh, the State of Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic region, or the United States;

Criterion number 10: Its unique location and distinctive physical appearance or presence representing an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community, or the City of Pittsburgh.

Following this presentation, Commission Chairman Michael D. Eversmeyer said that he seconds the staff's judgment on the three criteria. Then the Historic Review Commission of Pittsburgh voted UNANIMOUSLY to recommend, to Pittsburgh City Council, that The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science be declared a City-Designated Historic Structure. Commissioner William Barron made the motion for this recommendation; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Linda Metropulos. The vote was 4-0 with the following Commissioners voting in favor: Michael D. Eversmeyer, AIA - Chairman, Ronald S. Graziano - Secretary, Linda Metropulos, and William Barron.

Preceding the public testimony, Pittsburgh Historic Preservation Planner Angelique Bamberg presented the Historic Review Commission staff's appraisal of the historic nomination and the positive recommendation of the Historic Review Commission. She stated that the staff found that The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science met three (of a possible ten) of the Historic Review Commission's criteria for historic designation (only meeting one criterion is necessary for historic designation) --

Criterion number 3: Its exemplification of an architectural type, style or design distinguished by innovation, rarity, uniqueness, or overall quality of design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship;

Criterion number 4: Its identification as the work of an architect, designer, engineer, or builder whose individual work is significant in the history or development of the City of Pittsburgh, the State of Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic region, or the United States;

Criterion number 10: Its unique location and distinctive physical appearance or presence representing an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community, or the City of Pittsburgh.

Following this presentation and the public testimony, the City Planning Commission voted, unanimously, to recommend historic designation of Buhl Planetarium to Pittsburgh City Council.

Other media coverage: News item about the upcoming hearing aired on All-News Radio KQV-AM 1410 KHz during morning drive-time [Glenn A. Walsh heard it at about 8:25 a.m. (EDST)] on Wednesday morning, July 13, 2005.

City Council: Gene Ricciardi (President of Council), James Motznick (President Pro Tempore of Council), Luke Ravenstahl (represents District 1 - Pittsburgh's North Side), Bill Peduto (Chairman of Council's Committee on General Services, Technology and the Arts, responsible for City lands and buildings).

City Clerk's Staff: Mary Beth (Bea) Doheny (Deputy City Clerk), legal stenographer (contracted).

Historic Review Commission of Pittsburgh: Michael Eversmeyer (Chairman of Commission), Angelique Bamberg (Historic Preservation Planner), Maria Burgwin (Commission Staff Member).

Neither the official owner of the Buhl Planetarium building (the City of Pittsburgh, represented by the City Administration), nor the current tenant of the building (the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh) sent a representative to this public hearing.

Ms. Bamberg presented a short synopsis of the history of Buhl Planetarium, to City Council, as well as the official recommendation of the Historic Review Commission supporting (by a unanimous vote) the designation of The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science as a City-Designated Historic Structure. Mr. Eversmeyer also made a short statement regarding the Commission's affirmative recommendation for the historic nomination of Buhl Planetarium.

There was a short discussion regarding the fact that the City Administration (which administers ownership of the building for the City of Pittsburgh) had never taken an official position on the historic nomination, and, in fact, no administration official had attended any of the previous public hearings (three public hearings before the Historic Review Commission and one public hearing before the City Planning Commission). Ms. Bamberg said that the City Administration usually allows the public process, for each historic nomination, to go forward so the public's reaction to each nomination receives the most attention. Councilman Jim Motznick commented that, considering that there had been four previous public hearings over the last six months on this issue, the City Administration had ample opportunity to make its views public; hence, it must be assumed that the Administration does not object to the nomination.

Although the Children's Museum did not send a representative to this public hearing, Chris Siefert, Project Director for the Children's Museum, had testified at the February 2 hearing before the Historic Review Commission that the Children's Museum supports the historic designation of Buhl Planetarium.

At the July 13 hearing, City Council President Gene Ricciardi publicly announced his support for the historic designation of Buhl Planetarium.

All spoke in support of the original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science being declared a City-Designated Historic Structure. No one spoke in opposition to the historic designation of Buhl Planetarium.