Wilkinsburg Train Station

Poised to become a symbol of the business district’s revitalization.

The Wilkinsburg Train Station

As one of the borough’s most recognizable landmarks, the Wilkinsburg Train Station is poised to become a symbol of — and a catalyst for — the business district’s revitalization. Built in 1915 by Philadelphia architect Walter H. Cookson, the opulent station earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, and was included on the Young Preservationist Association’s Tip-Top Ten List as the region’s number one building worthy of preservation.

Vacant for more than 50 years, this 100+ year old beaux arts-style anchor building will become one of the most historically significant and architecturally unique buildings in the entire region, state and even the nation. It features a skylight, delicately patterned terrazzo and mosaic tile floors, a unique clock tower and polished stone pilasters and panels. Together with the Lohr Building renovation, these projects represent one of the largest commercial development investments in Wilkinsburg’s modern history.

The station is located on the East Busway, offering express service to Pittsburgh. Half a block away is busy Penn Avenue, and the station lies directly across the street from the Wilkinsburg Borough Building and Library.

View a history of the Wilkinsburg Train Station in pictures HERE.

In November 2021, the Wilkinsburg Train Station was featured in an article of Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits. Feel free to read the article here.

2021 Community Initiative Award

The Wilkinsburg Train Station was awarded the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office’s Community Initiative Award.

The Community Initiative Awards recognize the hard work and dedication of outstanding organizations, municipalities, agencies and individuals whose work embodies the theme of Pennsylvania’s statewide historic preservation plan. The plan provides a framework of activities and goals that will help Pennsylvanians better understand historic preservation and its benefits, appreciate their shared histories as told through historic places, and balance history and economic development to manage change within their communities. Read the full article here.

It’s $6.5 million renovation

Renovation of the existing site amenities and landscape
Comprehensive restoration of the building’s exterior
Restoration of significant historic spaces on the main floor
Renovation of the lower level
New restrooms
New site utilities, including water, sewer, gas and electrical service
New mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection services (completed according to historic property standards)

This mixed-use commercial property offers more than 8,400 square feet of leasable space between two floors — the historic lobby and the lower level, which was once a baggage area.

The completed project will include:

3,645 square feet on the main level, perfect for a brewery or high-end restaurant
4,780 square feet on the lower level,ideal for small brewery or tap room, office space, or retail.
3,500 square feet of additional courtyard space

Restoration of Wilkinsburg Train Station celebrated with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

In 1916, the Wilkinsburg Train Station opened with a three-day celebration and so much fanfare that more than 100,000 people are said to have attended. But when Amtrak discontinued service to the city in 1975, the station shut down, marking the end of an era for the once-prosperous city. For half a century, it sat rotting in a state of disrepair,...

In the news – Wilkinsburg Train Station project awarded state historic tax credit

Churches, train stations, and breweries: Historic buildings rehabilitated with the help of state tax credit Article by Boyce Buchanan - Featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 26, 2021 Imagine living in an apartment in an old church that houses a chandelier and pipe organ donated by Andrew Carnegie, eating at a restaurant in the lobby of a...

Inside the Wilkinsburg Train Station

Take a Sneak Peak with us Inside the Wilkinsburg Train Station This year, Wilkinsburg residents, and the Pittsburgh region at large, will finally reclaim a unique and irreplaceable landmark—an architectural treasure serving as a link between the community’s past and future. Though decades of neglect, changes in ownership, and shifting vision...

Historic Preservation Highlight, Plaster Edition

Plasterwork, the Masterful Craftsmanship of Harry Stites Visitors to the soon to be unveiled Wilkinsburg Train Station are encouraged to take a focused, lingering look upward as they enter the central waiting room, allowing their eyes to follow the repeating geometry of extruded dentils (think tooth-like forms), shadowed recesses, and precise...

Behind the Scenes with Historic Preservation Craftsman

Neal Mehrenberg is Bringing the Wilkinsburg Train Station's Marble Back to Life The passion and pride that Neal Mehrenberg brings to his work are evident almost immediately after one meets him on the job site, inside the expansive central waiting room of the Wilkinsburg train station. Mehrenberg, a bricklayer with Marsa, Inc., considers the...

You Have Been Heard

As a sign of support from the surrounding community, a grassroots capital campaign raised over $5 million, which was $2 million over it’s initial goal. The renovation is also made possible in part thanks to a generous $1 million contribution from The Richard King Mellon Foundation.