Mar 19, 2018 By Harry Funk staff Writer hfunk@thealmanac.Net 4 min read

The Historical Society of Mt. Lebanon is embarking on the second phase of renovations to its headquarters and history center at 794 Washington Road.

With contracts totaling $351,000 awarded last month by the Mt. Lebanon Commission for construction, electrical, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning work, the building soon will be bustling with activity.

“This phase is everything we need to do to open up on Washington Road and operate out of the first floor,” Jim Wojcik, historical society president, said. “So when it’s done, we can reopen the history center and start putting exhibits on again.”

In addition to a new HVAC system, the latest round of renovations features installations to accommodate people with disabilities, along with a new electrical system with LED lighting throughout the building and construction of a code-compliant stairwell from the basement to the second floor.

Restoration work in the former residence includes reinstalling decorative skylights, which have been reconditioned by Williams Stained Glass Studio of Castle Shannon, in the first-floor ceiling panels.

“It’s really amazing how much better they look. They did a great job on them,” Wojcik said about the Williams staff, “and I’m anxious to see what it’s going to look like when they put them back into the ceiling.”

He anticipates work on the overall project starting this month, and the deadline for completion listed in the documents is Aug. 25. Historical society members are looking toward a grand reopening of the center in late September or early October.

“While our plans haven’t been finalized, we want to display an exhibit from our past that was very popular and appeals to a broad spectrum of people in the community,” Wojcik said, with the exhibit that the society used for the Mt. Lebanon Centennial Celebration in 2012 a strong possibility.

Also, society members hope to work with the Mt. Lebanon Fire Department, which was founded in 1918, with its centennial celebration. Wojcik mention the possibility of an additional exhibit at the history center to complement one planned at the public safety building.

The big event on the historical society’s calendar is the Dec. 1 opening of “We Can Do It,” a World War II exhibit in conjunction with the Senator John Heinz History Center that will run in Mt. Lebanon through the end of January.

“Although we’re hosting it, we’re doing it in partnership with the other South Hills historical societies,” Wojcik explained. “That’s kind of what we want to do: make it a regional asset.”

Built prior to 1933 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, the structure at 794 Washington Road served as the residence of Dr. Donald McMillan and his family starting about 1945. The property now is owned by the municipality, which has a lease-to-own agreement with the historical society.

The first phase of major renovations started in 2016 to address some major trouble spots, most notably repairing the leaking roof. Other aspects included removing asbestos and interior walls that were not original to the building.

The historical society has secured grants and generated money through private donations to pay for the work, and more visible fundraising efforts will start soon. The society also seeks volunteers for its capital campaign committee and plans to form an advisory board to focus on the best avenues for bringing in revenue.

For more information, visit lebohistory.org.