Connections Over Coffee: Recap of Nova Place’s Tenant Event on Stress Awareness

This week marked the inaugural event of our morning series, Connections Over Coffee. Tenants gathered for meaningful conversations, delectable treats, and a shared exploration of stress management techniques. Connections Over Coffee kicked off by fostering a sense of community and well-being among our diverse tenant base.

With April being Stress Awareness Month, the theme of the day centered around holistic well-being. We were fortunate to have Haley Tamilia, Union Fitness Head Yoga Instructor, join us. Haley shared insights and engaged in one-on-one discussions with tenants, guiding them through mindfulness techniques to manage stress effectively.

A giant whiteboard served as a communal canvas, where tenants wrote their stress-relief strategies on sticky notes. From meditative walks to indulging in hobbies, the board became a vibrant tapestry of shared experiences and collective wisdom.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the scent of delectable biscuits from our Northside neighbors at Wise County Biscuits. Nestled on the North Side, their savory biscuits provided the perfect canvas for an array of toppings. From indulgent sausage gravy to the sweet allure of honey butter and strawberry jam, or the tangy kick of pimento cheese, there was something to tantalize every palate.

As we savored our biscuits and sipped on coffee, apple juice, orange juice, or water, we were delighted by the delicious samples from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Their tasty treats offered a glimpse of what's to come as they prepare to grace Nova Place on Thursday, April 25th. Mark your calendars, because the first 50 attendees will receive a tempting BOGO deal on their signature Bundtlets!

As the event drew to a close, we departed with hearts full of gratitude to our tenants, neighbors, and collaborators for making this morning truly memorable.

Our next event in May will be lunchtime Bingo!

Follow our social @NovaPlace on Facebook and Instagram so you can see details on all our upcoming events!

March Madness Recap: A Slam Dunk Tenant Event!

Did you catch all the action at our March Madness event on Thursday, March 21st? If not, don't worry, because we've got all the highlights right here for you!

Betsy Ann Chocolates Easter Candy Pop-Up Sale:

First up, we kicked off the day with a sweet treat from Betsy Ann Chocolates. Their Easter Candy pop-up sale in our Concourse offered a delightful 20% discount on all purchases. From caramel-filled to dark chocolate delights, tenants indulged in a wide array of handmade chocolates.

March Madness Bracket Contest:

The madness continued as tenants submitted their March Madness brackets online for a chance to win big. Stay tuned as we'll be announcing the winner of the $50 Amazon gift card once the tournament is complete!

Live Streaming and Game Watching:

Throughout the day, we had the March Madness games streaming live for all to enjoy. From noon to 3:30 pm, tenants gathered at the Alloy 26 Auditorium to catch the games while they worked or during their lunch break.

Basketball Beer and Bites:

As the afternoon rolled in, we moved the party over to the Nova Place Conference Center for some Basketball Beer and Bites fun! Tenants checked in with a basketball-related trivia question for a chance to win a Tom's Watch gift card, plus everyone received a Nova Place basketball stress ball!

Beat the Clock Basketball Game:

The competition heated up with our indoor basketball game where tenants went head-to-head to beat the clock. Congratulations to Karim, our champion who won in a thrilling tie-breaking one-minute round! Karim walked away with a $25 Federal Galley gift card and a Nova Place branded basketball.

Delicious Bites and Refreshing Drinks:

Of course, no event is complete without delicious bites and refreshing drinks. From grilled and fried chicken tenders to buffalo cauliflower bites and sliders, there was something for everyone. 

Upcoming:

Mark your calendars because the fun isn't over yet! Join us this Thursday, March 28th, from 12:00pm – 1:00pm, for one last "Beat the Clock" shooting challenge!

We will have the game set up outside on the Plaza!  Stop by for one last chance to show off your skills and have basketball-themed fun!

Tenants will be given a set time to shoot. Whoever has the highest shooting score at the end of the hour will receive a prize!

A big thank you to all the tenants who joined us for a day filled with excitement, competition, and camaraderie!

Valentine’s Day Bingo Recap

On Valentine’s Day we invited our Nova Place tenants to join us for a special Valentine’s Day Bingo event!

Tenants gathered in the Concourse for five rounds of Bingo, including one cover-all finale round, complete with a grand prize winner— A date night for two!

Prizes included:

  • Round 1: Bouquet, Betsy Ann Chocolate, Nova Place Honey

  • Round 2: Bouquet, Betsy Ann Chocolate, Nova Place Honey
  • Round 3: Betsy Ann Chocolate covered pretzel sleeve, Betsy Ann chocolates, Nova Place Honey, Nova Koozie, Nova Cup

  • Round 4: Betsy Ann Chocolate covered pretzel sleeve, Betsy Ann chocolates, Nova Place Honey, Nova Koozie, Nova Cup
  • Round 5: Cover-all; Warhol date for 2, Bottle of Wine, Betsy Ann heart-shaped chocolate box, and a $25 Federal Galley Gift Card

 

We also had a special Valentine’s surprise for ten (10) lucky tenants participating in our Bingo event!

We taped a red heart to the underside of ten chairs in the Concourse. Halfway through Bingo, we instructed all participants to check under their seats for a red heart. If they sat in a red heart seat, they won our special Valentine’s Sweet Surprise Bag, consisting of Betsy Ann Chocolate and Nova Place honey!

Roses are Red,

Violets are Blue,

We here at Nova Place appreciate
tenants like you!

 

Our next tenant event will take place on Thursday, March 21, and will be March Madness-themed!

We will stream the tournament games starting at Noon in the Alloy 26 Auditorium, so if you have some free time feel free to stop by and enjoy!

Additionally, starting at 3:00 pm that afternoon we will have a March Madness-themed happy hour event in the Nova Place Conference Center, located next to Federal Galley! The happy hour will be complete with some light bites, and beverages in addition to March Madness themed games!

Coffee With A Kick at Nova Place

On Thursday, January 18th, we celebrated National Gourmet Coffee Day and National Thesaurus Day with all of our tenants at Nova Place.

To do so we had a happy hour event in our coworking space, Alloy 26. We coordinated with our on-campus cafe Eco Bistro to cater a delicious array of lite bites in addition to partnering with Coffee Tree Roasters to provide the coffee, both of regular variety and with a "kick."

The drink menu included:

  • Irish Coffee
  • Smores Mochatini
  • Coffe
  • Soda
  • Water

The food menu included:

  • Cheese & Crackers
  • Vegetable Tray 
  • Cream Puffs
  • Smoked Gouda & Apricot Preserves Grilled Cheese Strips
  • Strawberry, Banana & Nutella Crepes
  • Almond Biscotti
  • Tiramisu

We had a coffee bean stacking challenge in addition to a synonym challenge to further celebrate the national days.

Each tenant who wanted to participate received a card that had a word pertaining to the coffee theme. Tenants were then challenged to find their synonym match! Upon linking up with their synonym match, tenants were entered into our Federal Galley raffle for their chance to win a $25 gift card!

Keep an eye on your inbox for our Nova Newsletter and on our TVs for messaging about upcoming tenant events at Nova Place!

2023 Tenant Appreciation Holiday Event Recap

Our 7th Annual Tenant Appreciation Holiday Event at Nova Place took place last Thursday, December 7th from 11:30am – 1:30pm in the Nova Place Concourse.

Tenants gathered wearing their best ugly sweaters while carolers sang, shoppers shopped, and holiday cheer was spread!

Tenants checked in on the Terrace level of the Concourse to receive their free raffle tickets, in addition to placing their vote for our 7th Annual Gingerbread House Contest.

There is a judges panel for the contest each year in addition to a People’s Choice award, where the winner is determined by tenant voting! The winners of the Gingerbread House Contest for 2023 are as follows:

1st Place Award: ThoroughCare

2nd Place Award: Bohler Engineering

3rd Place Award: Gecko Robotics

People’s Choice Award: Everest Infrastructure

Tenants were happy to receive the giveaways provided by Faros Property Management at Nova Place! This year's giveaways included: a Christmas cactus, our Annual Hot Chocolate and Apple Cider Bar, in addition to two holiday cookies!

Tenants couldn’t wait to test their luck on this year’s raffles!

  • $25 Eco Bistro Gift Card
    Sponsored by: GDI
  • $25 Federal Galley Gift Card
    Sponsored by: Faros Properties
  • Dyson v8 Origin Extra Vacuum
    Sponsored by: GDI
  • Two Passes to Warhol Museum
    Sponsored by: The Warhol Museum
  • Haircut & Style from Brooke Rockwell
    Sponsored by: Brooke Rockwell Hair Design
  • 3 Jars of Nova Place Rooftop Honey (x3)
    Sponsored by: Faros Properties
  • Family Admit Four Pass to The Children's Museum
    Sponsored by: The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
  • Year Family Membership to The Children's Museum
    Sponsored by: The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
  • Bottle of Robert Mondavi Bourban BA Cabernet
    Sponsored by: Firewater Response
  • Bottle of Robert Mondavi Cabernet
    Sponsored by: Firewater Response
  • Bottle of Robert Mondavi Merlot
    Sponsored by: Firewater Response
  • Passes to the National Aviary
    Sponsored by: The National Aviary
  • $25 Gift Certificate to Tom's Watch Bar
    Sponsored by: CBRE

Tenants were excited to check out our holiday pop-up market and do some local holiday shopping! City Grows brought small pots for sale that would perfectly fit our Christmas Cactus Giveaway.


Vendors who attended were:

  • Betsy Anne Chocolates
  • Binko’s Pepper Sauce
  • Brooke Rockwell Hair Design
  • City Grows
  • Country Archer
  • Covered In Candy Custom Print
  • LGG Creative Art
  • Unforgettable Creations
  • Union Fitness
  • Urban Impact

Urban Impact was able to speak with tenants about who they are and what they do, in addition to speaking on our partnership for the 2023 Holiday Donation Drive where we are helping to provide supplies for youth programming focused on Education, Athletics, and Early Impact.

We also had a holiday photo booth set up for tenants to take a photo in front of and submit to us for their chance to win our Ugly Sweater Contest! The winner of our 2023 Ugly Sweater Contest is Eva M. of S&B! She won a $50 Eco Bistro gift card.

Be sure to follow us to stay in the know about future contests and event happenings!

Find us on FB & IG @Nova Place

If you’re a tenant subscribe to our newsletter at the QR code below!

Pretzel Day at Nova Place

Last Thursday, Faros Properties offered tenants their appreciation with Pretzel Day at Nova Place! We invited our tenants to the lobby of each building to solve a brain twister and get a soft pretzel and beverage.

Tenants were able to choose from salted and cinnamon sugar soft pretzels from the Philly Pretzel Factory paired with water, iced tea, or non-alcoholic beer!

Tenants lined up to get their brains twisted, and many successfully solved their brain twister, earning themselves a chance at a $20 Federal Galley gift card raffle. 

Thank you all for attending our latest Tenant Engagement Event!

 

Solar Concert Series Returns!

The Solar Concert Series is BACK! We have partnered with The Children’s Museum and Saturday Light Brigade to bring you weekly family-friendly live music powered completely by a solar-powered sound system, provided by Zero Fossil!

The concert series will take place EVERY Thursday in July and August. We encourage you to pack a lunch or order from Eco Bistro and enjoy your lunch by experiencing live music and community connection!

On select days we will have food truck lunch options for you to enjoy with family and friends as well! Food Trucks that are scheduled on Solar Concert Series days are:

  • July 14th Bulgogi Korean Grill
  • August 11th 5 Greeks
  • August 18th Nakama
  • August 25th Food Truck Totopo

The concert series will switch back and forth each week, being hosted at Nova Place and Buhl Community Park. If the weather does not permit the concert will be moved inside the Nova Place Concourse for dry and comfortable viewing.

Check out the concert series schedule to see our featured local artists of 2022 as well as location of that day’s event. Keep it movin’ and grovin’ We look forward to seeing you there!

Solar Concert Series Schedule

July 7 Miss Freddye’s Homecookin’ Band 
12:15 – 1:00 pm, Buhl Community Park
While keeping it bluesy, Miss Freddye vocally explores the genres of gospel, blues, classic rock and even a hint of country and bluegrass with this acoustic band.

July 14 – Liz McBride 
12:15 – 1:00 pm, Nova Place 
Original songs and acoustic renditions of folk and rock favorites with singer-songwriter Liz McBride.

July 21 – Alyssa Hankey 
12:15 – 1:00 pm, Buhl Community Park
Rust Belt folk rock with singer-songwriter Alyssa Hankey, a traveling troubadour born and raised in the hills of rural western Pennsylvania.

July 28 – Lindsay Liebro
12:15 – 1:00 pm, Nova Place
Original acoustic pop songs from Pittsburgh-native Lindsay Liebro.

August 4 – Louie Castle
12:15 – 1:00 pm, Buhl Community Park
Indie rock with singer-songwriter Louie Castle and his band.

August 11 – Big Blitz
12:15 – 1:00 pm
, Nova Place 
Noise jazz with saxophone and drum trio Big Blitz.

August 18 – The Meraklides
12:15 – 1:00 pm, Buhl Community Park 
Traditional Hellenic folk music with The Meraklides.

August 25 – Devilish Merry, the solar edition!
12:15 – 1:00 pm, Nova Place
Devilish Merry – the solar edition – is a trio that blends Appalachian and Irish melodies with powerful, ballad-based songs on American history and heritage.

The Solar Concert Series is a project of Nova Place, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, and Saturday Light Brigade.

Solar Power provided by Zero Fossil

Summer Kickoff on the Plaza Recap

Thank you to everyone who came out and enjoyed their afternoon outside on The Plaza with us!


Our Summer Kickoff Event was a success! Between cornhole tournament sign ups, practice, and Jenga, the game situation was locked and loaded! DJ Cake brought the VIBES perfectly mixing classic hits, throwbacks and current music – the perfect scenario for any groove move!


Eco Bistro’s cookout provided mouth-watering options such as burgers, all beef hot dogs, grilled chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, baked beans, potato salad, broccoli salad, coleslaw, beverages, ice cream, and lemon sherbet!


We were also joined by Billu’s Indian Grill Food Truck – cravings of every variety were surely satisfied.


Our prize wheel drew in a crowd and a variety of prizes were awarded, including:
- A Dyson Vacuum
- Eco Bistro Gift Cards
- Federal Galley Gift Cards
- Brooke Rockwell Hair Cut and Style Certificate
- Free Car Wash from Team Nutz
- Nova Place Rooftop Honey
- Nova Place Silicone Cups
- Nova Place Travel Mugs
- Nova Place Flash drive, Koozies, Post-its!
- Faros Keychain
- Nova Place Lunch Cooler Bag
- Nova Place Hat
- Nova Place Phone Charger

All of Thursday’s festivities were brought to you by Faros Properties as a token of our gratitude for having wonderful people like you working at Nova Place!

Storytelling in Pittsburgh

Taking place this weekend, the Moth GrandSlam takes 10 talented storytellers and puts them on stage to tell true stories live, without notes. The storytellers are then judged on their stories from start to finish.

According to the Moth website, since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented over 18,000 stories.

Moth shows are renowned for the great range of human experience they showcase. Each show starts with a theme, and the storytellers explore it, often in unexpected ways. Since each story is true and every voice authentic, the shows dance between documentary and theater, creating a unique, intimate, and often enlightening experience for the audience.

If you can’t make the event, The Moth podcast is also available for download with storytelling.

MYTHBURGH: Sunday, October 22, 2017

If you haven’t realized it yet, Pittsburgh is a pretty special place. But what is it that makes our city so unique? Some may say it’s the food, while others may think it is the size or even our weird Yinzer language. And then there are others who find our uniqueness through different stories told by true Pittsburghers. And that is what Mythburgh is all about: telling the stories that make Pittsburgh so unique.

On October 22 at 8p.m. Brillobox will be hosting another Mythburgh series. Brillobox uses its second floor to provide Pittsburghers with the highest quality entertainment and social experiences and the Mythburgh is the next best one!

This series will consist of a recurring cast of characters who will tell unique Pittsburgh stories through short plays and digital content. These stories will be focused on finding the inspiration and myth of our city in a creepy, epic and weird way. With tickets that are always ‘name your own price’ this is an event that you won’t want to miss!

Presented by 12 Peers Theater, this event will feature two playwrights: Amy Hartman and Matt Henderson and two directors: Caitlin Dobronz and Amy Hartman. It’s the event that pushes the limits of live theater so don’t miss out!

Nova Nights Party on the Plaza

Last September, we worked with Winslo6 to put on the very first Nova Nights Party on the Plaza. With 8+ food trucks, multiple beer trucks, live music, and the I Made It! Market, this event was a hit! So, we decided to do it again. But this time, there will be multiple parties on the Nova Place Plaza. These events will be on the second Tuesday of the month from April to July 2018. The official beer sponsor with be Federal Galley, Nova Place’s newest restaurant, and Winslo6 is currently working on booking food trucks and entertainment.

Mark your calendars for these can’t-miss parties on our Plaza, occurring from 4-8 p.m. on the following dates!
  • April 10th
  • May 8th
  • June 12th
  • July 10th