Riley's Pour House is closer to rebuilding but won't be open for another St. Patrick's Day

Riley's Pour House, a popular gathering spot for St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Carnegie, is still bouncing back nearly 16 months after it burned to the ground.  

Co-owner Joe Riley says 16 months earlier, it hasn't gotten any easier. 

"I think it's actually getting harder," Riley said. "We need to get this place back open."

Riley says it's frustrating to look at an empty lot. 

"It's not an indication of all the hard work we've been doing, and it takes a lot of time," Riley said. 

Renderings of the new pub were unveiled last August at a fundraiser to help the business rebuild. Riley said it was put out to contractors for bids, but they came back over budget, so they had to go back to the drawing board.  

"We had to make some hard decisions and with meetings with our architect, it was a slight redesign," he said. "So, we're confident that's coming along and we're going to get it back out." 

The loss of Riley's Pour House created two vacancies in the community's cultural district. In 2018, PaPa J's, which was right across the street, was also destroyed by fire. 

"They're saying it's the same thing," Riley said. "Well, there is a difference. We're coming up on 16 months and that's eight years."

In terms of a timeline, Riley says he doesn't want to speculate. 

"I'll tell you, things are moving quickly and falling into place, so I'm encouraged," he said. "I'm encouraged."