The north end of Point Breeze feels like a working-class neighborhood, but it was once the home of Pittsburgh’s wealthiest families. In the middle of the community is Westinghouse Park — formerly entrepreneur George Westinghouse’s estate. That property, along with the lawn of Henry J. Heinz, was transformed into a greenspace in 1918. You can still see Heinz’ original carriage house (now the Meade Place apartment building), the stone wall that surrounded the estate, and a decorative iron fence along Penn Avenue.
Point Breeze North on the Pittsburgh neighborhood map. (pittsburghpa.gov)
First: Coffee
Commonplace Coffee’s newest location is in Rockwell Park, an eight-building campus on a former industrial site. It has all of the familiar flavors, but with lots of space for coworking, meetings, or just catching up with friends. Fall drink specials are out right now: orange spice mocha, spiced pear latte, and hot Thai tea.
Next Stop: Co-Op Shopping
If you’re passionate about the environment, organic food, and supporting local businesses, grab your reusable tote bag and head to East End Food Co-Op. It’s been around for more than 40 years, and you can find lots of local goods, as well as bulk items like beans, flour, spices, and more. Don’t forget to grab a Leona’s Ice Cream sandwich on your way out!
RIP to these Pittsburgh potties at Construction Junction. (Francesca Dabecco / City Cast Pittsburgh)
Final Fun: Creative Reuse
Want to go on a treasure hunt? Construction Junction is a center for salvaged, reclaimed, and repurposed materials — there’s even a section dedicated to toilets, which to me, looks like a graveyard for Pittsburgh potties. It’s a great place to find small home project items like tile, light fixtures, or hardware. Construction Junction is also a drop-off recycling site. Find out what materials they accept.
If you prefer crafting over construction, swing around back to the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse. It’s like a garage sale, your grandma’s sewing stash, and the clearance aisle in an old Pat Catan’s, all combined. P.S. They’re accepting internship applications.
