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Reimagining Mt. Alvernia: A Landmark Campus Poised for Renewal

A wide-angle, panoramic photograph of the historic Mt. Alvernia Motherhouse. The large, three-story brick building features distinctive Gothic Revival architecture with arched windows, red trim, and a prominent central stone entrance with a large arched doorway. A central tower with a decorative peaked roof sits atop the building against a cloudy sky. A brick walkway and a green grassy slope lead up to the structure.

Within the past year, the Shaler Township Board of Commissioners granted a zoning change to the Mt. Alvernia campus located in the First Ward. Vacant since 2018, the Mt. Alvernia campus spans approximately 24 acres across both Shaler and Millvale. It features more than 200,000 square feet of historic buildings anchored by the magnificent Motherhouse constructed in 1897. Q Development seeks to revitalize the property and reintegrate it into the surrounding community, all while honoring its architectural legacy.

Q Development is a Pittsburgh-based real estate developer that transforms long-vacant, complex properties into productive places. Specializing in adaptive reuse and mixed-use redevelopment, the firm focuses on historically significant sites that require thoughtful planning, patient investment, and close collaboration with local stakeholders. Q Development is a long-term owner-operator and is committed to stewardship and lasting community value.

The zoning change limits the redevelopment of the Motherhouse to approximately 250 apartments and townhomes developed over time with a $45 million Phase I planned to feature approximately 75 to 80 units. The Mt. Alvernia Day Care & Learning Center will remain as part of the campus, thus creating a truly multigenerational environment.

That perspective is now guiding the Mt. Alvernia Revitalization, one of the most significant redevelopment efforts in the Shaler–Millvale area. This project is important to Shaler Township as we strive to maintain the architectural integrity of the historic Motherhouse and ensure the desires of the surrounding community and Shaler Township elected officials remain as agreed to early in 2025.

In their development plans, Q Development pursued historic designation for the campus, which is now officially listed as a National Register Historic District. The designation recognizes the significance of the work of the Sisters of St. Francis and reinforces preservation of the Motherhouse as the architectural centerpiece. Community collaboration has shaped the project from the outset. Q Development has participated in more than 20 community meetings with residents, municipal leaders, and planning officials in both Millvale and Shaler. As the project advances, continued collaboration with Shaler Township will focus on areas such as traffic, site circulation, and new construction.

With historic designation secured and zoning in place, the Mt. Alvernia campus is entering a new chapter. Q Development is honored to be entrusted with the revitalization of this landmark and remains committed to a thoughtful, transparent process as the project moves forward. The Mt. Alvernia Revitalization is poised to restore the campus to a vibrant, multigenerational venue that delivers lasting value for both Shaler and Millvale, as well as the Pittsburgh region, for decades to come.

An interior photograph of a grand, historic staircase inside the Mt. Alvernia Motherhouse. The stairs feature ornate black wrought-iron railings with a polished wooden handrail and a heavy, decorative black newel post. The dark wooden underside of the upper flights is visible against white walls. To the left, a small wooden desk holds a vintage rotary phone and a lamp beneath an arched window with wooden trim.

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