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City Council holds public hearing on historic nomination for 1620 Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill North
Summary
Pittsburgh City Council took public testimony Sept. 11 on a resolution to designate the Anathin House at 1620 Murray Ave. as a historic structure; the property owner supports the nomination and the Historic Review Commission and Planning Commission previously recommended approval.
Pittsburgh City Council held a cablecast public hearing on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, on a resolution to designate the property at 1620 Murray Avenue in the Squirrel Hill North neighborhood as a historic structure.
The designation resolution — identified in the hearing as Bill 19 68 and described by the clerk as a “resolution providing for the designation as a historic structure under Title 11 of the Code of Ordinances” — was introduced and the clerk read that the property owner supports the nomination and that “there is no cause to the city,” according to the reading of the bill.
The nomination was presented to the council by Katie Reed of the Department of City Planning, who said the nomination record is DCPHN-2025-00088, filed by Matthew Falcone and Marissa Fogel on April 3, 2025, and that notices were sent on Oct. 28, 2025. Reed summarized the administrative record and public-review history: a viability hearing before the Historic Review Commission on May 7, 2025; a public hearing before the Planning Commission on June 3, 2025; and a public hearing before the Historic Review Commission on June 4, 2025. Reed said the Historic Review Commission voted on June 4, 2025, to give a positive recommendation to council, and the Planning Commission voted on June 3, 2025, to give a positive recommendation.
Leah Kamen, who identified herself as board chair of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) Pittsburgh and a neighbor, spoke in support of the nomination. Kamen said NCJW Pittsburgh is “the oldest Jewish women’s organization in North America” and described the Anathin House as serving for many years as a local meeting place and center for the organization’s activities in Squirrel Hill. Quoting Fred Rogers, Kamen said, “we live in a world in which we need to share responsibility,” and thanked the council and Councilor Seth Strassburger for considering the nomination.
No members of the public who were not already registered stepped forward to speak, and the hearing was closed. The council did not record a final vote or other formal action on the resolution at this meeting; the hearing served to receive testimony and the administrative record.
Records in the hearing show the nomination was submitted under the city’s local historic-designation procedures (Title 11) and that the property owner supports the nomination. The Historic Review Commission and Planning Commission both provided positive recommendations earlier this year. The council adjourned the public hearing after taking testimony and explaining the nomination record.
