Modern building with large windows and brown panels, surrounded by trees and a sidewalk.

Detective Building

Architect: moss Architects
Interior Designer: Schoolhouse Electric (Brian Faherty)
Developer: Owen Gabbert, LLC

  • In 2015, Brian Faherty – owner of Portland-based Schoolhouse Electric – came across the perfect building for his newest retail outpost in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood. Built in 1972 for AAA, the building had iconic mid-century modern elements, which attracted Faherty immediately. But the building, later home to the investigative branch of Pittsburgh’s Police Bureau, had been abandoned for nearly a decade and was in a state of complete disrepair. Having made a name for himself restoring and preserving elements of American design, Faherty could see what no one else had in years: The Detective Building was worth saving.

    Owen Gabbert, LLC had worked with Faherty in the past, so it was exciting to partner on this venture, especially given the opportunity to apply the same type of adaptive reuse approach used on 1900s wooden warehouses in Portland to a newer concrete and steel building in the rust belt. Part of the challenge in this project was envisioning how to help return the building to its original luster, while adding modern amenities. The Owen Gabbert, LLC team worked alongside the Schoolhouse design team, the contractor and Pittsburgh’s mossArchitects, to decide what elements could be renovated and maintained, which fixtures and materials could be salvaged and weaved into the design, and what could be replicated or innovated upon based on the history of the building.

    As the developer on The Detective Building, work began with lining up financing for the purchase of the building across four different loans and assisting in acquiring the space from the urban renewal agency that owned it at the time of purchase and continued through management of the design and construction. In the end, after three years of collaboration, we are proud to have turned a once dilapidated building into more than just a beautifully renovated new presence for Schoolhouse Electric, but also a co-working space, Beauty Shoppe, and an aptly named coffee shop, The Bureau. Today, The Detective Building shines as an emblem of what The Schoolhouse Electric brand is best known for: “… the preservation of American manufacturing, thoughtful living and purposeful design.”

Modern lounge area with blue and brown sofas, two pedestal stools, a low coffee table, and geometric wall art. A dining area with yellow chairs and pendant lights is visible in the background.
A modern living room with two gray armchairs, a blue round side table with a clock and notebook, a potted plant, and a wall-mounted black lamp.
Modern living room with brown leather sofa, blue cushions, pendant lights, plants, bookshelves, and wall clocks
Wooden panels with intricate carvings in a modern indoor setting with plants and a small chair.
Modern office space with desk, brown chair, and decorative lamp, adjacent to a plant and doors labeled 304 and 305. A person walks in the background.
Modern office space with a large wooden table, colorful chairs, table lamps, blue armchairs, and large windows with natural light.
Modern open-plan office space with desks, chairs, overhead lighting, and exposed ductwork.
Minimalist cafe interior with menu board, espresso machine, pastries, and plants
Modern reception desk with wooden slats, plants, framed art, clocks, and shelves in a well-lit office or hotel lobby.
Interior scene with a beige upholstered armchair and matching ottoman, a black floor lamp, and a small round table with a potted plant, all against a green wall with a wooden slat accent on the right.
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