March 31, 2025

Point Breeze North is a small neighborhood, covering only a few blocks; however, in that small space the neighborhood holds a rich history. During the gilded age, Point Breeze North was home to George Westinghouse and H.J. Heinz, two notable business men, among other rich residents. Westinghouse’s home, named Solitude, was home to him and his family from 1871-1914. During that time he built a workshop on the property and had a tunnel constructed to connect the two structures. In 1919 Solitude was knocked down and the property was turned into Westinghouse Park.

Today Point Breeze North is home to mixed architectural residential streets and The Factory, which houses businesses such as Gymkhana (where Pippa did gymnastics for a few years) and the East End Food Co-op, where Pippa and Edmund headed to grab some ice cream. After a short bus ride over, we grabbed dark chocolate almond ice cream bars, which we enjoyed at The Frick (not technically in the neighborhood but it is across the street), before taking a short walk through the streets and over to Westinghouse Park. The neighborhood is also home to nonprofit organizations such as the Point Breeze North Development Corporation and Construction Junction.

Fun Fact:
While drilling wells in 1884, Westinghouse discovered natural gas in his backyard. He went on to develop methods and machinery to use natural gas safely as an energy source.