Peter Margittai and his family — wife Michele and daughter Sophia — were featured in the South Side Local Development Company’s 2004 Annual Report. In the report, Peter, a South Side resident since 1994, shared why he chose to live in this city neighborhood.

“We live in the South Side because it is a walkable, safe community offering public transportation, amenities, entertainment, a school for our daughter, and a place where we can walk to work,” Peter said.

After renting for several years, Peter and Michele purchased a row house “off East Carson Street.” Though Peter started his architectural practice while working in a “home office,” he moved the firm out of the house in 2004 and into an office located just three blocks away.

“Friends joke that I have the shortest commute,” Peter said. “But in our community, walking three blocks can take 30 minutes because you stop to talk to your neighbors.”

“Peter’s commitment to urban living, his neighborhood and design ideals set him apart from other architects and business owners in Pittsburgh,” said Anne-Marie Lubaneau, Executive Director of Community Design Center of Pittsburgh. “He has deliberately sought out an environment in which to live and establish a business based on the principles of urban living and good design.”

Peter volunteers as a Board Member of South Side Local Development Corporation, where he also serves on its Real Estate Committee. In addition, he serves on the Board of Neighborhood Development Ventures and volunteers as a consultant with Community Design Center of Pittsburgh.