A red lighthouse and a nature scene are proposed to replace plywood in a window and a door on the former Troutman department store on South Main Street in Greensburg.
The city's Historic and Architectural Review Board gave approval Tuesday for the recently formed Greenlight Engage to put murals in the windows of the vacant storefront.
"One of our main focuses is to get art on vacant fronts and buildings," Gabe Felice, Greenlight organizer, told the board last night.
He said the nature mural would go in the window front. The lighthouse with a bright candle where a lighthouse beam typically would shine is planned for the door. Both are in the section of the building directly below where the store's name currently appears on the Main Street front.
Felice and Steve Gifford, board chairman, said Greenlight has received permission from the Westmoreland County commissioners to put up the murals.
Painted canvases probably would be placed on the plywood so they can be removed if needed, Felice said.
The removal could be important because the neighboring First Lutheran Church has proposed buying the building, demolishing the section of the structure with the department store's name on it and creating a park. The section of the building used for housing and offices wouldn't be affected.
Church officials reached a tentative agreement with Westmoreland County officials earlier this year regarding the property.
Gifford said the park proposal is probably more than a year away.
"It depends on the wishes of the congregation of that church," he said to board members.
In another matter, the board tabled a decision on an exterior sign and new front for the Save-a-Lot store in the Greensburg Shopping Center.
Members asked owner Union Real Estate Co. of Pittsburgh to come up with other proposals that consider the appearance and names of neighboring stores in the same building wing as the grocery.
Most board members expressed concerns that the name and facade proposed for the store wouldn't fit in with the designs of other businesses in the East Pittsburgh Street shopping complex.
The matter is expected to be discussed further at next month's meeting.
In other business, board members:
• Approved a third-floor addition to Westmoreland Dermatology at 419 W. Pittsburgh St.
• Approved signs for Strassburger, McKenna, Gutnick and Gefsky law firm and attorney Eileen Billie, both at 206 N. Main St. They set the condition that the Billie sign be consistent in appearance with the Strassburger sign, which is already erected. The Strassburger firm needs to apply for a sign permit, members said.
• Granted a sign sought for the exterior of Johnny B's at 660 E. Pittsburgh St.
• Approved the demolition of a home at 707 W. Otterman St. Owner Fred Petrella said he wants to use the area for a parking lot for the neighboring North American Karate and Fitness business. The proposal will have to go before the city's planning commission.
• Tabled signs requested for East Pittsburgh Beverage and Dino's Fine Jewelry, both at 655 E. Pittsburgh St., until the August meeting.
Larger text
Smaller text
Print this article
E-mail this article
