Pittsburgh Catholic Newspaper - News and Features

News & Features

Focus on Renewal opens McKees Rocks arts center
archived from: 2008-10-27
by: Patricia Bartos

The new Father Ryan Arts Center in McKees Rocks is getting “universally positive” responses, said Father Regis Ryan of the facility named in his honor.

“It has turned out better than anyone hoped. It’s a beautiful site,” he said.

Father Ryan is executive director of Focus on Renewal, the social services agency that sponsored the center to bring music, dance, drama, crafts, art education and performances into the economically hard-hit community.

He greeted the center’s grand opening early this month with feelings of “great relief” that the years-long renovation process was completed. At the same time, he foresaw a new challenge — to keep it open. “It takes a lot of energy and a lot of money to keep it going,” he said.

The center’s director is Pat Moran. A native of McKees Rocks, an artist and former teacher, she first came to FOR two years ago through a partnership with Point Park University.

The school had teamed with the agency in a community outreach effort, providing teachers and students to lead classes for children and involve them in performances. Point Park still maintains informal ties, Father Ryan said.

The arts center is housed in the former Desks Inc. building at 420 Chartiers Ave., located across the street from the FOR library. The three-story structure provides 26,000 square feet of space, including a 120-seat theater on the first floor, with theater space, classrooms, studios and offices filling the second and third floors. It also includes a cafe.

The entrance features four 4-foot-by-6-foot mosaics in glass, ceramics, tile and other objects created by local artists and students and depicting the area’s residents, landmarks and history.

Work to convert the building began two years ago and included ripping out walls, excavation, installing concrete foundations, stairwells and steel beams to support a U-shaped mezzanine area.

The project began with $800,000 from the Sanders Consent Decree, and a subsequent capital campaign raised $4.2 million.

The decree sought to address discrimination in public housing in seven communities in Allegheny County, including McKees Rocks.

FOR leaders organized meetings with area residents to discuss the best use for the funds and together decided to create a center for people to come together and share ideas, traditions and focus on art and cultural presentations.

FOR has provided comprehensive human services in the economically depressed community for 39 years.

It transformed the former Equibank building into a community library and learning center, the former Union National Bank building into FOR’s main office, the former A&P store into FOR’s Sto-Rox Neighborhood Family Health Center.

It also established the Sto-Rox Plaza high-rise for seniors and opened the Butterfly Garden Early Learning Center in the former Holy Ghost School.

FOR launched a thrift store, transportation program, credit union and family programs such as Positive Parenting and a weekly farm stand.

Activity at the Father Ryan center is under way as fall classes in pilates, African art for kids, beading and puppetry, yoga and ballroom dancing have already begun.

Father Ryan also wants to attract the region’s many elderly residents through classes and exercise programs and give them a place for coffee and socializing.

That idea has energized him from the very beginning of planning — and gives him the greatest satisfaction.

“It’s the whole community aspect,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for community people to come together, get to know each other, come together in their talents and abilities. It’s always a matter of community.”

Architect John Baverso, a former student of Father Ryan’s at St. Thomas High School in Braddock, designed the center. The contractor was Arcon Contracting of New Kensington.

Call FOR at 412-771-6460 for information. The Web site is www.FatherRyanArtsCenter.org or www.forstorox.com.

E-mail this story