Downtown power broker Herky Pollock is putting real money behind his talk of reviving Smithfield Street.
Pollock’s firm, Legacy Development Partners, has purchased the roughly 85,000-square-foot building at 610 Smithfield Street in Downtown Pittsburgh, directly across from Mellon Square. The company is now exploring a possible conversion of the property into residential units.
The acquisition and early reuse plans were first reported by the Pittsburgh Business Times, which noted the building’s size and published a rendering showing one concept for redevelopment. The outlet identified Pollock and Legacy Development Partners as the buyer and said the firm is evaluating residential options for the longtime office building.
Timing Lines Up With Mellon Square Revival Push
The move lands just as public agencies are trying to breathe new life into the blocks around Mellon Square.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority has put a spotlight on activating vacant storefronts ringing the plaza and has issued a request for consulting services to study new retail and dining opportunities beneath it, according to the URA. At the same time, the city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure is wrapping up plans for a phased reconstruction of Smithfield Street that would widen sidewalks and upgrade lighting, work city planners say is meant to help coax private redevelopment along the corridor.
Pollock’s Downtown Track Record
Pollock is hardly a newcomer to this stretch of Downtown. He is a longtime broker and dealmaker who has repeatedly called for a coordinated strategy to revive Smithfield Street and has been involved in multiple transactions in the central business district, according to Pittsburgh Magazine. His public comments have emphasized the need for a cohesive approach to the corridor’s revitalization and drawn on years of experience in Downtown real estate.
Office-to-Housing Conversions Gaining Steam
The idea of turning older office space into housing is already moving from talk to shovels nearby.
The state recently celebrated the groundbreaking for Smithfield Lofts, a separate conversion project that will add 46 new residential units on Smithfield Street, most of them designated as affordable, underscoring the growing momentum for residential reuse in the heart of the city. The Pennsylvania DCED reported that Smithfield Lofts will rely on a mix of public and private funding and historic tax credits to preserve the building’s character while bringing new residents downtown.
What Comes Next for 610 Smithfield
For now, Legacy Development Partners is still weighing its options for 610 Smithfield. The Pittsburgh Business Times reported the purchase and noted that detailed redevelopment plans have not yet been released.
City reviewers, the Urban Redevelopment Authority, and downtown advocacy groups are expected to keep a close eye on any formal filings and on whether a future proposal leans toward rental apartments or for-sale units, a choice that ties directly into broader housing goals for the city. Breaking Ground has documented the URA’s recent push to steer more projects toward housing production across Pittsburgh, a backdrop that will frame whatever Pollock and his team ultimately bring forward for 610 Smithfield.
