If you're interested in doing exterior work on a property that's located in a City-designated Historic District, approval by the Historic Review Commission is required. This process is called development review. Development review is required for:
- In-kind repair or restoration of HVAC replacement, fencing replacement, signage replacement, roofing replacement, and painting.
- New construction, exterior alterations, additions, and demolition of buildings.
- Repair, removal, replacement or alteration of materials, windows, doors, roofing, light fixtures.
- Repair, removal, replacement or alteration of HVAC, fencing, walls, gates, non-conforming signage.
Development reviews are not required for:
- Interior alterations, unless the interior is designated
- Gardening or landscaping
The first step is completing a Permit online at OneStopPGH and paying the appropriate filing fee. An application for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) is also required to be submitted as part of the OneStopPGH permit application. Please upload the Certificate of Appropriateness Application form within the OneStopPGH portal.
Prior to submitting your application, visit the Historic Designation & Districts webpage. Scroll through the List of City of Pittsburgh Designated Site and Districts to find your District and view the associated Design Guidelines.
Applications must be received at least 13 business days prior to the next available Historic Review Commission (HRC) hearing date. In order to confirm your project in on the agenda, verify your application has been received by emailing historicreview@pittsburghpa.gov. Only complete applications are included on agendas. If an application is determined by staff to be incomplete, staff will note which specific items are required to continue the project review.
- Apply for a permit application at OneStopPGH
- Download, fill out, and submit the Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness form with your OneStopPGH application.
- Upload a full design narrative, photographs, drawings & renderings, proposed exterior materials information, and a site plan / survey. These are all required materials for project review.
- Email historicreview@pittsburghpa.gov with questions.