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Buchheit retires after 40 years with facilities management

Supervised construction or renovation of every building

Peter Buchheit retired as the director of facilities management at the University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday after nearly 41 years of overseeing the construction and upkeep of the campus’s buildings and grounds.

Buchheit came to Pitt-Bradford in 1979 after five years of serving as the director of the Department of Health and Buildings for the City of Bradford.

“My first education was in building and construction technology,” he said. As an employee, he earned a Bachelor of Science in business management from Pitt-Bradford in 1992.

“It has really been an adventure,” Buchheit said, adding that he has grown professionally with the job. “I truly have been supported by Pitt in my education, in my extracurricular activities and Pitt allowing me to attend professional conferences throughout my career.”

In 2008, the University of Pittsburgh honored Buchheit as one of four university-wide recipients of the Chancellor’s Award for Staff Excellence in Service to the Community.

In his four decades at Pitt-Bradford, Buchheit has seen nearly nonstop expansion of the campus.

“There isn’t a building on campus that I haven’t participated in its construction or its renovation,” he said. The first building he supervised the construction of was the Frame-Westerberg Commons. It was followed by Hanley Library, Blaisdell Hall, seven new residence halls, and renovations and additions to Swarts, Fisher, the Commons, and the Richard E. and Ruth McDowell Sport and Fitness Center.

“Every building is a learning process,” he said. “I had some great mentors throughout my career, particularly (architect) Al Filoni, who really mentored me throughout my career.”

Buchheit’s favorite building to construct was one designed by Filoni – Blaisdell Hall, the university’s art and communications building.

“It was just a fun one to build,” he said. “The fun ones are when you have great contractors.”

He’s also overseen “an amazing staff,” including more than 300 student workers who have worked in facilities management during his tenure.

“That’s been one of the things that has been most gratifying – working with students and seeing them mature as they go through their education, then having them approach me 20 years later.”

Buchheit has not skimped on sharing his expertise with those off campus. He is or has been an active volunteer and advisor with the YMCA and YWCA, CARE for Children, St. Bernard Parish and Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems.

He plans to continue his volunteer work, play some golf, go fishing and visit his daughters in the Pittsburgh area.

After 40 years of being on call, he may even turn off his cell phone. “I won’t miss waking up when the wind blows and waiting for the electric to go out,” he said.

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