Several generations of the Supertzi family often came together in this house to celebrate birthdays, holidays and other special occasions.
For more than 100 years, the three-story home that stands at 257 Oakland Avenue in Pittsburgh was the heart of the Supertzi family. It was where several generations gathered around the family table to celebrate holidays and special occasions.
Nancy Werder (née Supertzi) was part of the multigenerational family that lived in the home in the mid-1950s. She and her father and two brothers moved into her grandparents’ home after her mother passed away. “It was a wonderful place to grow up,” says Werder. “Anybody that came into the house was welcome! But thinking back, I imagine it was hard for my grandmother to climb those steep stairs so many times every day.”
Today, the family home has taken on a new life that will forever change the way other families live—and age—in their homes.
Members of the HHL research family gather around the dining room table.
Originally built in 1860—more than 60 years before the Cathedral of Learning was constructed—the property that is now the Healthy Home Lab needed extensive updates to accommodate the needs of a modern research team.
Pitt’s Office of Facilities Management reports they completed foundational repairs and renovations to the entire home that included resolving structural issues, repairing the main staircase and updating electrical deficiencies which included replacing the old knob-and-tube wiring with a modern electrical system.
Dave DeJong, senior vice chancellor for Business and Operations, credits the Real Estate and Facilities Management teams for bringing this inspiring vision to fruition. “We are excited to support the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences with this immersive, real-world research and academic program space that is improving the lives of others locally, nationally and globally.”
According to Werder’s sister-in-law Francine Supertzi, “The whole idea about the Healthy Home Lab coming up with ideas to help people stay in their homes longer—it’s great. It made selling the house a lot easier on the family.”
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This article originally appeared in the Fall 2023 issue of Facets magazine. Continue reading these articles about the Healthy Home Lab:
- Pitt’s Healthy Home Lab: Home Sweet Healthy Home
- For this Health Informatics Assistant Professor, Aging in Place is Personal
- The Pitt Healthy Home Lab is a New Home for Student Training
- Pamela Toto named director of the Healthy Home Lab