Former Catholic school on Mt. Washington poised to become loft apartments

A former school atop Mt. Washington with a commanding view of the Downtown Pittsburgh skyline is set to be converted into loft apartments.

Grandview Lofts would be located in the former Bishop Leonard-St. Mary of the Mount Academy building at 115 Bigham St. Its rooftop deck would offer the skyline view.

“I think it’s probably one of the best views in the nation,” said Dustin Jones of Mindful Grandview LLC, the developer behind the project.

That’s the reason Mindful bought the property in 2018 for $1.25 million. Jones also owns Mindful Brewing Co. in Castle Shannon.

Mindful is awaiting planning and zoning approvals for the apartments, Jones said.

“As soon as we get the approval,” work will start, he said. “We’re waiting to see what happens with everything.”

The Pittsburgh Planning Commission on Tuesday will consider whether to approve the plans for 34 loft apartments in the four-story building.

Rents are undetermined, but studio and two-bedroom lofts are planned, along with the rooftop deck and a business and fitness center. Similar apartments in Pittsburgh have rents that start at about $1,300 per month for a studio to more than $2,000 per month for a two-bedroom.

The Mt. Washington Community Development Corp. organized two meetings early last year to get input from residents about the plans. After those meetings, the group endorsed the project.

“It rehabilitates a vacant structure into something more,” said Gordon Davidson, the Mt. Washington CDC’s executive director.

The building is the former St. Mary’s Catholic school. It merged with Bishop Leonard school before it closed in 2012. The school was a ministry of nearby St. Mary of the Mount Church, a landmark that towers above Mt. Washington between the city’s inclines.

“They (Mindful Grandview) performed their own business analysis and we support them,” Davidson said.