In 2005, Cleveland’s MCM Company and the Ferchill Group transformed the former H.J. Heinz processing plant into Heinz Lofts. Twelve years later, the same ownership group hopes to implement a similar model of success with Heinz at 950 North Shore, a 151-unit upscale apartment complex in the former Heinz Services building.
The $37 million renovation began in 2015. Built in 1930, the stately red brick structure previously housed an auditorium and office space for Heinz employees. As a Historic Tax Credit project, much of the building’s original grandeur and architectural flourishes have been maintained throughout the structure.
The building—actually two separate buildings conjoined by a grand entry space—is managed by Monroeville’s Amore Management. They, along with MCM and Ferchill, were the original team behind the nearby Heinz Lofts, though none of them are any longer affiliated with the neighboring structure.
Patrick Conley, general sales and leasing manager at Amore, says that besides the historical pedigree, Heinz at 950 boasts both top-of-the-line amenities and a top-notch location: the building rests along the North Shore trail and the banks of the Allegheny River, one block from the 16th Street Bridge and the heart of the Strip District.
“I call it urban living with a rural feel,” says Conley. “You’re in the city with the city view, but you have the river right there and you can drop a kayak or go fishing. It gives people another dimension to living in the city.”
In the bowels of the building are two separate, state-of-the-art gyms, one of them a “virtual fitness center” with on-demand exercise videos. There are also community game rooms with pool and foosball tables, a bike and kayak storage area, conference rooms, 24-hour emergency maintenance, and an outdoor courtyard scheduled to open this summer.
Fifty-six unique floor plans are employed among the 151 units. Each has the same kitchen with Whirlpool appliances, granite countertops and white cabinetry. Each unit boasts original elements like marble or terrazzo flooring, exposed steel beams and humongous floor-to-ceiling windows with views of neighboring Troy Hill, the Strip and Downtown Pittsburgh.
“There are a lot of great developments that have happened and continue to happen in Pittsburgh, but it’s about what fits peoples’ lifestyle,” says Conley.
Units range from $1,180 for a one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit—which the property manager calls “studios on steroids”—to $2,295 for two-bedroom, two-bathroom units. Rent includes underground parking in a heated garage.
