You Can’t Build That Here — H.G. Imhoff House — 100 N Linden Ave
December 15, 2024
Our fifteenth entry in the You Can’t Build That Here series takes us to a converted manor in Bloomfield .
For our fifteenth entry in our “You Can’t Build That Here!” series, we jog up Murray Ave through Squirrel Hill and take Linden Ave to Point Breeze.
Each entry in this series highlights a currently existing building that would be illegal to build under the existing zoning code. The purpose is to highlight how flawed our zoning code is.
We now turn our attention to 100 N Linden Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15208—a three-story, ten-unit apartment building situated at the corner of Penn Ave and N Linden Ave in a single family zoned bit of the East End. Located in a walkable and very bikeable neighborhood, this building is a 15 minute walk from the Trader Joe’s at Bakery Square and less than 10 minutes from Mellon and Westinghouse parks. Four bus lines have a stop near the property, with the 71C stopping directly in front of the building (4,67,69 stop on N Dallas).
Historical Context
This property was built between 1882 and 1890 and was one of three adjacent houses belonging to the Imhoff family. Two of the three are still standing and have been converted into apartments while the third, the oldest and largest of the three, was demolished and its lot subdivided allowing for the construction of six duplexes and six apartment buildings each of which could have their own You Can’t Build That Here entry. In fact there is only one house on the whole block which conforms with the zoning code.
Zoning Analysis - Why you can’t build it!
The property occupies a 9,164 square foot lot and is located in an R1D-L (Residential Single-Unit Detached, Low Density) zoning district. Under the current zoning regulations, the following constraints apply:
- Density Restrictions: The R1D-L zoning designation permits only single-family detached homes. The existing ten-unit apartment building exceeds this limitation.
- Lot Size Requirements: The zoning code mandates a minimum lot size of 3,000 square feet per dwelling unit. For ten units, a total of 30,000 square feet would be required. With only 9,164 square feet available, the property provides approximately 916 square feet per unit, falling significantly short of the requirement.
