IN Penn Hills Summer 2014 | Page 32

Photos by Mike Buzzelli RAISE the ROOF The Penn Hills Coffeehouse Music series is rocking the Penn Hebron Garden Club barn. By Mi ke B uzzelli D on’t be alarmed if you hear beautiful music coming from a 180-year-old barn down on Jefferson Road. The Penn Hills Coffeehouse Music series is rocking the Penn Hebron Garden Club barn, and Howard Davidson, Penn Hills planning director, is the man with the plan. Davidson says, “I started the Coffeehouse at the Penn Hills Library to add more activity to the building and show that a library can be more than just books.” But a new space opened up, or, rather, an old space with the garden club barn. Davidson says, “The Library Coffeehouse went well,” but for now, people are flocking to the barn for live music. The Penn Hills Community Development Council (PHCDC) wanted to save the barn for the area. It offered to lease and manage the building for the garden club. The PHCDC now takes care of leasing the building. The council can use the building as its headquarters and the barn can be rented for private parties or events. Davidson mixes his love of music with his day job as planning director. He uses the Coffeehouse Music series as a way to bring more people to the barn, recruit new PHCDC members and show off the building. 30 724.942.0940 to advertise | Penn Hills “It’s a great place to play original music and try out new stuff. It’s the best way to evolve. Art lives in improvisation.” – James Hovan