Transformation of the Municipal Building Over the Years Becky Brindle, USC Township
You know you’re in Upper St. Clair when you drive down McLaughlin Run Road and pass the municipal building. The traditional brick structure with its tall cupola has become an Upper St. Clair landmark. Evolving over the years, the original shell of the municipal building was first constructed in 1959. It was a small, L-shaped facility, housing only the police and public works departments. About ten years later, the first major addition to the building was constructed. A special dedication ceremony took place on May 24, 1969. The new space housed the Township government offices, the Upper St. Clair School District (USCSD) administrative offices, the Township Library, and the post office. The last major physical reconfiguration to the municipal building was included as part of “Project 2000,” a label coined in the early 1980s when the next several decades of the building’s use was being planned. Completed in 1987, that project included a
Rendering of the anticipated outdoor courtyard, with access from the library
Rendering of the new municipal building; view from back of building
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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY
Fall 2021
library addition and reallocation of the Township administrative offices and police department. Beginning in 2010, the Township began a series of phased renovations to incorporate functional efficiencies, cosmetic enhancements, upgraded equipment, and other improvements. Now, nearly 40 years after planning for Project 2000, the Township is planning the building’s use for decades to come. Plans for the NextGen Municipal Building Renovation project are now underway. The first project discussions started in 2018, after the USCSD announced its plans to move out of the municipal building and erect its own building on the campus of the high school. At the direction of the Township Board of Commissioners, Township staff developed a conceptual plan in 2019 to reallocate the vacated space for Township use, with an emphasis on improving the layout, providing operational efficiencies, and enhancing the experience of residents and the public as they engage with the Township. One of the most anticipated renovations in the project is a new, one-level library. The renovation will shift the kids’ library from the third floor to the second floor. The children’s portion of the library will move to the vacant School District space and a new,
