LOOK. >> THIS IS THE HOUSE WHERE AUGUST WILSON WAS RAISED. BUT NOW, IT HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A CONTEMPORARY, PERFORMING ARTS HUB THAT IS READY FOR ITS GRAND OPENING. PAUL ELLIS SHOWS OFF THE NEW AUGUST WILSON HOUSE. >> THE FENCE WAS AN ARTISTIC OPPORTUNITY. >> HE IS THE NEPHEW OF THE LEGENDARY PLAYWRITE. HE SAYS DURING THE LATE 1990’S THEY TALKED OFTEN ABOUT TURNING WILSON’S OLD HOME INTO SOMETHING SPECIAL. >> HE WAS VISITING MONDAY, AND HE SAID -- >> ELLIS SAYS HE AND WILSON COMMITTED TO TURNING THE PROPERTY INTO AN ARTS EDUCATION AND PROGRAMMING SPACE. >> I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY AND HE ASKED ME WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO WITH IT. WE WERE HAVING THESE SERIES OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MAKING IT AN ACTIVE ARTS SPACE. >> IN FEBRUARY 2005 ELLIS PURCHASED THE PROPERTY. EIGHT MONTHS LATER HIS UNCLE AUGUST WILSON PASSED AWAY. BUT ELLIS SPENT THE PAST 15 YEARS BUILDING ON THE PROMISE. >> THIS IS THE INFAMOUS BACKYARD THEATER. >> MORE THAN 7 MILLION DOLLARS IN CAPITAL INVESTMENTS PRIVATE DONATIONS AND FUNDRAISERS PAID FOR THE RENOVATION. AUGUST WILSON HOUSE NON-PROFIT GROUP FOUNDED BY ELLIS. THE BACKYARD IS NOW TURNED INTO A THEATER SPACE FOR FUTURE PERFORMANCES. A LIGHTED BOARDWALK LINES THE PERIMETER OF THE PROPERTY. BRICKS ARE LAID WITH THE NAMES OF FINANCIAL DONORS. AND IMPRINTS OF A CHILD’S FOOTSTEPS REPLICATE THE PATH WILSON WALKED WHEN RETURNING HOME FROM SCHOOL. >> THE RESIDENTS OF THE HILL DISTRICT HAVE LOOKED AT THE BLIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROPERTY FOR MANY MANY YEARS AND WANTED US TO DO SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT WITH IT. SO IT’S BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE. >> I LOVE AUGUST WILSON. >> ACTOR DENZEL WASHINGTON WILL BE AMONG THE CELEBRITIES ATTENDING THE GRAND OPENING WHICH WILL BE AN ALL-DAY AFFAIR. >> IT’S MONUMENTAL, IT’S TRANSFORMATIVE, IT’S A BIG DEAL, IT’S THE CULMINATION OF MANY, MANY YEARS OF HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION. THIS IS WHERE ARTISTS WILL CREATE SHOW AND TELL. THIS IS WHERE A CITY A COMMUNITY , AND VISITORS CAN EMBRACE THE LEGACY OF A GREAT AMERICAN PLAYWRITE. IN THE HIL
Grand reopening of Pittsburgh's August Wilson House
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Updated: 9:52 AM EDT Aug 14, 2022
It has been almost four years since plans were launched for a major renovation of the historic August Wilson House in Pittsburgh.The building on Bedford Avenue in the Hill District now houses an arts center and community space.See the renovated August Wilson House: Click the video above to watch the report.Paul Ellis, Wilson's nephew, says during the late 1990s, he and his uncle talked often about turning the home into something special. "He was visiting one day, and he said, 'I'm going to buy the house I grew up in' and I said, 'I'm already on it,'" Ellis said. Ellis said he and Wilson committed to turning the property into an arts education and programming space. "I was in the process of acquiring the property, and he asked me what I was going to do with it. We were having these series of discussions about making it an active arts space," he said.In February 2005, Ellis purchased the property. Eight months later, his uncle passed away. Ellis spent the past 15 years building on the promise. More than $7 million in capital investments, private donations and fundraisers paid for the renovation. This was spearheaded by the August Wilson House nonprofit group, founded by Ellis. The backyard is now turned into a theater space for future performances. A lighted boardwalk lines the perimeter of the property. Bricks are laid with the names of financial donors and imprints of a child's footsteps replicate the path Wilson walked when returning home from school. "The residents of the Hill District have looked at the blight associated with this property for many, many years, and wanted us to do something significant with it," Ellis said. "So it's been a labor of love."Acclaimed actor Denzel Washington was among the celebrities attending the grand opening, which will be an all-day affair."It's monumental, it's transformative, it's a big deal, it's the culmination of many, many years of hard work and determination," Ellis said.
PITTSBURGH — It has been almost four years since plans were launched for a major renovation of the historic August Wilson House in Pittsburgh.
The building on Bedford Avenue in the Hill District now houses an arts center and community space.
See the renovated August Wilson House: Click the video above to watch the report.
Paul Ellis, Wilson's nephew, says during the late 1990s, he and his uncle talked often about turning the home into something special.
"He was visiting one day, and he said, 'I'm going to buy the house I grew up in' and I said, 'I'm already on it,'" Ellis said.
Ellis said he and Wilson committed to turning the property into an arts education and programming space.
"I was in the process of acquiring the property, and he asked me what I was going to do with it. We were having these series of discussions about making it an active arts space," he said.
In February 2005, Ellis purchased the property. Eight months later, his uncle passed away.
Ellis spent the past 15 years building on the promise.
More than $7 million in capital investments, private donations and fundraisers paid for the renovation.
This was spearheaded by the August Wilson House nonprofit group, founded by Ellis. The backyard is now turned into a theater space for future performances.
A lighted boardwalk lines the perimeter of the property.
Bricks are laid with the names of financial donors and imprints of a child's footsteps replicate the path Wilson walked when returning home from school.
"The residents of the Hill District have looked at the blight associated with this property for many, many years, and wanted us to do something significant with it," Ellis said. "So it's been a labor of love."
Acclaimed actor Denzel Washington was among the celebrities attending the grand opening, which will be an all-day affair.
"It's monumental, it's transformative, it's a big deal, it's the culmination of many, many years of hard work and determination," Ellis said.
