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This is a building in Bellevue, Pa. Right on Lincoln Ave on the bus line. The building contains an Indie Department Store with new, vintage, and artist-made goods, a creative persons workshop, along with many other ideas that are in the works.
What is 517521?
Well, in short, it is a 27,000sqft building at 517-521 Lincoln Ave.
But for a more in depth answer, we need to go back a little. In 2000, Sabatino DiBattista did what the locals said was impossible, he opened Vivo, a high-end restaurant in Bellevue. Now after 5 years, Vivo and Mr. DiBattista have both been critically acclaimed numerous times. Following the success of Vivo, DiBattista helped his sister and brother-in-law open Frankfurters, a hot dog shop a step above others that has been named, “the best hot dog shop in a 20 mile radius of Pittsburgh” by Pittsburgh Magazine. Shortly after that, DiBattista convinced Roberto to bring his Authentic Pizza shop to the streets of Bellevue. Since then, Roberto has received international attention in National Geographic World Traveler. Then in fall of 2003 DiBattista opened Affogato, a coffee shop that has a feeling somewhere between a grungy coffee shop that peaked in the ‘90s and today’s Starbucks that line most streets in America. Affogato, which was recently named the “..1 coffee shop in Pittsburgh, is also the start to the story of what 517521 is.
Late 2003, DiBattista was in Affogato talking to customers seated around the circular bar, when he met Andy Rubacky. Rubacky, a 28 year old graphic designer was intrigued by Dibattista’s desire of starting a local magazine. Rubacky, who at the time had 10 years of magazine experience approached DiBattista to discuss the magazine. The two instantly saw eye to eye on matters of what the area needed and both had the creativity and desire to see it happen. While the idea of a magazine has never been forgotten, many little projects have put the magazine on the back burner until the time was right. DiBattista put Rubacky in charge of Affogato, and the two worked together on more ideas of how to help bring attention to the community. Then in fall 2004, the old G.C. Murphy building at 517-521 Lincoln Ave. went up for sale. The two knew they had to have this building; otherwise it would have been taken over by yet another dollar store. They weren’t short on ideas for what to do with the space. There were discussions of a store, a small business incubator, movie theatre, playhouse, lofts, Skate Park, auction house, antique mall, coffee shop, dance hall, art gallery, night club, the list is endless. The thing is, the way the two work together and discuss ideas baffle most people, so after a few partners that didn’t think the project could work, the two struggled forward to try to make it happen. “Either we know what we are doing, or we are complete freakin’ idiots.” the two have been overheard saying. So, working on every possible idea to buy the building, DiBattista and Rubacky, took every approach they could think of to make their plan work. For awhile it looked almost hopeless, since they had endless ideas but a lack of funds to even purchase the building. Until, a customer of Affogato and Vivo heard what they were trying to accomplish, and offered to help financially with the purchase of the building. So with the ability to purchase the building, they were ready to start planning which idea would be a good start. Well, with the building already zoned as retail, a retail shop it would be. So, the first floor would become a department store, with a twist. Instead of a lot of the typical things you would find at the mall, where everything is mass produced, they wanted something with some individualism. That is where 517521, a department store of sorts, got its start. The idea was a New, Vintage, and Artist-Produced department store. A place where things were pretty much one of a kind. The plan is much bigger than the retail shop. The shop is basically a spring board to the bigger and better ideas. “We want to do a movie theatre, a small independent one that shows B-movies, cult classics and foreign and art films. But there are a few things that need updated to change the buildings code into a movie theatre. So we are using the retail shop to bring in the funds to make that possible,” both Rubacky and DiBattista have claimed. So when people shop at the store, they aren’t just shopping at a store, they are helping to bring a much anticipated theatre into town. The other part of the plan for the first floor was to give young entrepreneurs a place to start a small business. So if someone has a dream to open a comic book shop, they can come into 517521 and do it with greater ease than in their own store front. “With a building of this scale, it’s easier to have a comic book shop, since its sharing overhead with a lot of other things,” Rubacky has said. The first to take advantage of the low overhead space is a local couple that wants to open a skate shop, with local and national skateboards and skate clothing. After doing a survey of people in Bellevue, Rubacky found that a lot of their ideas were things that others thought were missing in Bellevue. So with the space they can give artists and entrepreneurs a store presence with very low cost to them as well as a unique store that isn’t just selling product. Its providing an experience that is unique for everyone. Some enjoy seeing the old G.C.Murphys that many worked in during their youth; others take comfort in the products that remind them of their childhood, and then youth like finding things that they have never seen before. For the rest of the building, they are working on Thinktank: a workplace for creative minds. “There is still a plan to include a movie theatre into the building, it’s just a little bit further down the road,” DiBattista says.
There is still an attempt being made to produce the local magazine that started this story. The old manager’s office on the mezzanine level of the building will house the magazine office as well as the marketing department for everything that will reside at the address 517-521 Lincoln Ave.
So, in answer to your question, what is 517521?
It’s a building at 517 -521 Lincoln Ave. that its owners hope to fill with unique experiences for its patrons and hopefully bring some cultural events that will draw some attention to the little town of Bellevue.
Who I'd like to meet: Creative People. People who are leaders. Anyone that thinks outside of the box. Entreprenuers. Musicians. Functional Artists. Writers.
Come and party with Squonk Opera on Friday May 22nd at 8:00 pm at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers’ Melwood Screening Room for the Galaxy Premiere of Astro-rama!
Astro-rama is a joyous large scale outdoor event that unifies an audience in creating humanity’s message for far-flung galaxies. The show features live music, dynamic video, 3 stories of scaffolding, a 40' radio telescope, cherry pickers, scissor lifts and a giant robot. Astro-rama was filmed over 2 chilly nights in October 2008 at Pittsburgh's Schenley Plaza.
Astro-rama premiere and party with the Squonkers. Friday, May 22, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. for $25 Pittsburgh Filmmakers’ Melwood Screening Room 477 Melwood Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Squonk Opera and the Lively Arts College of Fine Arts Performance Plus present Indiana County: The Opera.
Come celebrate Indiana County with a new installment in our ‘Hometown Series’, a show that has been called “noisy, colorful, funny, outrageous” by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and “a quirky, playful, music- and image-driven piece of performance art “ by the Tribune Review.
Our show is not exactly ‘opera’, but a multi-media live concert that weaves music with video projections, props and puppets. To see more of what we do, check out our website at http://www. squonkopera. org.
Indiana County: The Opera includes amazing Indiana based dance and choral groups, and lots of video interviews with Indiana County residents.
Friday, January 30 at 8:00 pm Fisher Auditorium IUP Performing Arts Center
Tickets are available in advance at the Hadley Union Building, at iuptickets. com, the door starting at 7:00 p.m. or call (724) 357-2547 for information
Come join us and say Hi! Hope to see you there! Squonk Opera
What people have been whispering about is TRUE! Strange sightings… Unexplained phenomena. . . scientific anomalies… Squonk Opera will be responding to the cover-ups with… ASTRO - RAMA!
With 3 stories of scaffolding and a 40 ft radio telescope, Squonk Opera will take you on a wild visual and musical celebration of the universe and our place in it.
Part symphony, part cacophony, Astro-Rama dares to go where no multi-media/theater/performance group has gone before.
Rising in scissor lift platforms and cherry pickers, Squonk will compose a proud message from our species, power up and transmit.
Stand with us, and the truth will be revealed.
Pittsburgh, PA at Schenley Plaza, Oakland October 15-18, 2008
Weather permitting, all broadcasts begin at 8:00 p.m., are outdoors and are FREE for all bipedal primates!
What do you give a city that has everything? Why not its own opera! Help kick off the 250th birthday year of the 'burgh with the return of Squonk Opera's roast/toast of the formerly smoky city in a little show we call Pittsburgh: The Opera! We debuted this show in June of 2006 and sold out the run, so we're bringing it back for 4 shows only, January 17-20 at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty (or Eastside as some people like to call it). Since the last run of Pittsburgh: The Opera, we’ve done operas for Baltimore, St Louis, Albany, College Park, Columbia, Chester County and South Orange as part of our touring series (put your hometown's name here): The Opera. But none of them compare to Pittsburgh. So redd up your room, grab your terrible towel and tap your inner yinzer for a rollicking good time with all of the other jagoffs. Yinz better be there!
Thursday, January 17 at 8 pm Friday, January 18 at 8 pm Saturday, January 19 at 8 pm Sunday, January 20 at 3 pm
Kelly-Strayhorn Theater 5941 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Tickets: $12 in advance $15 at door general admission $8 students, seniors $10 groups of 10 or more (all group sales must be in advance)
Available at the door or from ProArts Tickets via telephone at 412.394.3353 or secure website www.proartstickets.org
For more information about Squonk Opera or to see scenes from Pittsburgh: The Opera visit www.squonkopera.org
"In order to be really hip, you can’t have any notion of being hip. And that’s what Pittsburgh is. No one thinks this place is hip. So, it is the hippest place on earth!” -Rick Sebak from Pittsburgh: The Opera
So, I know this an informal invitations and I don't want to sound like an advertisment.
But I am playing on a show on April 14th at The DV8 Espresso Bar and Gallery in Greensburg with my friend Jack B-Nimble.(From B-Nimble and the Boys)
It is on Saturday April 14th at 7pm. It looks like it'll be a great time.
It won't cost you anything. So come on out, have some coffee, enjoy the art, and listen to some good tunes.
208 s. Pennsylvania Ave.
www.myspace.com/dv8espressobarandgallery
DIRECTIONS!!!
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THE DEBUT FROM PITTSBURGH’S OWN
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features appearances from Mario Dones of the Sole Vibe, Charon Don of JujuMob/Hands Down, Proseed & Brick(SGE FAMILY) and more. Also features beats from Ulliversal, Sebmaestria, Tommy Wong, Pete Rock, The Alchemist, and more!
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