Stone Pavilion at Carnegie Park

The Masciantonio Family, in cooperation with the Borough of Carnegie, is proud and excited to announce a joint public and private partnership to restore the Stone Pavilion at Carnegie Park to its original look and feel. We are planning a Fall 2024 Grand Reopening. Please join us in our two-year journey to make this historical gem from the 1940s into an even better venue by matching funds the Borough is seeking through various grant sources.

In honor of the late Masciantonios and generations of their families, learn about some history:

Like millions before him, Domenico Masciantonio had little work and worried about his future in the foothills of Italy near Chieti. Like many others, he loaded his few belongings and headed for the new world in the early 1900s with his brother Pietro and sister Maria.

The trio headed to Carnegie, PA for a new life. It is not known why they chose Carnegie except for the lure and promise of work. After returning to Italy to marry his wife Amelia, they settled in the Cubbage Hill area of Carnegie where they raised five children and Domenico practiced his trade as a stone mason.

During the Great Depression, Domenico made ends meet by working on numerous stone projects reportedly as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps or the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Examples of his stone craftsmanship are numerous throughout Carnegie and include the Carnegie Park Stone Shelter. Each is a work of art and a testament to their unyielding sturdiness against the test of time with not a crack in their facades.

Today, the stone shelter stands as a testament to our immigrant history both past and present. The exact date of construction is unknown but approximated to be around 1938, about 85 years ago. The shelter has been weathered over many decades and is in need of a full restoration with a few upgrades. Domenico’s family now in its sixth generation has partnered with the Borough of Carnegie to return the facility to its original and improved version.

Each year the stone shelter in Carnegie Park is used by residents from Carnegie and surrounding communities for parties and events. Church groups, Boys and Girls Club, Attawheed Islamic Center, Carlynton Youth Soccer, and Carlynton Wrestling use the shelter throughout spring and summer. Annually, it is used for Dogapalooza, the borough's Independence Day Fireworks celebration, and as part of the borough's Trail of Terror fundraiser. Since the COVID-19 pandemic demand has substantially increased. Previously, reservations were primarily for Saturdays and Sundays but now the calendar fills for each day of the week.

This project targets all of Carnegie Borough’s 8,134 population regardless of age, ability, race, ethnicity, income, sexual identity, or religious affiliation. All will benefit from park shelter enhancements. The shelter is currently ADA-accessible, and rehabilitation will include repairing the ADA ramp to improve accessibility. Using the Environmental Justice Areas Viewer tool, we've identified areas within all three of Carnegie’s census tracts that contain EJA block groups.

Census Tract #4689 EJA Census Tract - Poverty 30% Minority 19%

Census Tract #4689 EJA Block Group 3 - Poverty 47% Non-White 31%

Census Tract #4688 EJA Block Group 1 - Poverty 21% Non-White 21%

Census Tract #4687 EJA Block Group 1 - Poverty 8% Non-White 21%

Although deterioration is not currently structural in nature, needed repairs are extensive along with a few improvements that include the following:

SCOPE OF WORK

PREPARATION

Power Wash fireplace and the interior of the shelter and bathroom

CONCRETE WORK

Replace walkway and pad with ADA ramp

MASONRY

Repair and restoration of existing stonework

ROOFING

Metal roof replacement

DOORS/HARDWARE

Replace missing overhead 6 garage doors and new entrance door and hardware

FLOORING

Repair and seal concrete

PAINT

Interior walls and ceilings, Exterior doors and trim, Bathrooms

ELECTRIC

Replace light fixtures and outlets and lamp

PLUMBING

Repair sink plumbing

CARPENTRY

Add kitchenette casework and countertops and rework bathroom partitions (ADA)

WINDOWS

Add 4 glass block windows

Carnegie Parks

The gift given below will be managed by an approved 501c3 organization titled Stone Pavilion at Carnegie Park Association LLC, EIN 93-1910972. Any contribution is tax deductible. A report on our fundraising will be made available at intervals in the upcoming years. Please consider joining our family and friends to help fund this important community effort.