Goodwill, Burns & Scalo make partnership official - Pittsburgh Business Times:

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Goodwill hosted the press today to confirjm its relationship withGreen Tree-bases Burns & Scalo, which made public its pland to convert the seven-story structure into an apartment building of between 60 to 70 units, along with street-leve l retail. “We decided on an actiomn plan withBurns & Scalo, and we’re confident we can get said Mike Smith, president and CEO of which has operated out of the buildinb for more than 40 “Today we find ourselves at a crossroads regardinyg our surroundings.
” Goodwill initiated a request-for-proposal processs last fall to choose a developedr that can both help it find a new facility in whicnh to move its administrative operationds and then eventually buy its collection of Carson Street properties that include both its main buildinvg as well as some surrounding parcels, excludingg Goodwill’s store. Smith emphasized again that Goodwill’ current facilities are costly and inefficient to maintain and would be too expensive to putting out an open call for suggestiond of potentialnew locations.
Jim a principal of Burns & Scalo, lookeed forward to helping Goodwill to further its mission with a new headquartera and eventually buy and redevelopits property. He described the buildingg as “made for apartments” that he tentatively planz to redevelopment into one and two bedroon units rentedat market-rate prices, with parking providerd underground. Scalo gave a rough estimate that such a redevelopmeng would costbetween $12 milliobn to $15 million. “The building is clearly the jewel of theSouthj Side,” said Scalo, who believes the projecf may be eligible for historifc tax credits.
First, however, Burns & Scalo must help Goodwill find a new a quest that so far has proven elusive due tothe nonprofit’d need for a one-floor facility to best accommodatw its host of disabled clients that is close to ample public transportation. Its major challenge is an urban environmengt because of the mismatch of city neighborhooda well served by public transportation are typically too densely developed to have newly buil t facilities thatoffer 100,000 square feet on a single floor that Goodwilol is seeking. “The challengew is great because they’re looking for the Cinderella’s Scalo said.
Because of that unknown, Goodwill’sw relationship with Scalo is so fara partnership, with no agreementds of sale for any property. Mayor Luke Ravenstaho pledged to help in the processdif needed, with potential assistance for the .