St. Bernard to launch revitalization with a party

The City of St. Bernard will launch the first phase of its revitalization with a demolition party this Friday, from 5 PM to 8 PM.

Four buildings at the northeast corner of Vine and Bertus streets will be demolished to make way for a new two-story, 12,000-square-foot building.

Designed by Cornette/Violetta Architects, the building will feature two ground-floor retail spaces with office space above.

A sidewalk bumpout will provide space for restaurant use, which the St. Bernard Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) is pursuing.

Construction on the new building will likely begin late this fall.

An updated rendering was recently revealed at a joint meeting of the CIC, the Vine Street Business Association, and the North Avondale Neighborhood Association, who worked together to create a structure that business owners and residents wanted to see.

"It turned out perfect," says Sarah Wilson, project administrator for the CIC.  "Everyone was wowed.  You could feel the excitement."

Future revitalization phases will revolve around the revival of Vine Street and infill housing along the Phillips Avenue canal bed, and green building practices will be pursued for new construction and building rehabilitation.

"We'll be working on a streetscape to improve the overall look," she says.  "And we'd like to create a niche that we can fall into by being as green as possible."

Wilson believes that Vine Street's biggest asset to business location is its walkability.

"Everything is right on the street, and you see people walking all the time," she says.  "Many people in St. Bernard walk to work.  The customer base is definitely there."

The party will be held in the municipal parking lot next to WesBanco, 4517 Vine Street, and will include refreshments and demolition specials from local businesses.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Sarah Wilson, project administrator, St. Bernard CIC