"We just love the location, love that town center, community feel." Brian Vetere, a co-owner of Coughlin's Law, said that to the Observer-Reporter in August 2025. He was describing 615 E. McMurray Road, which was then a vacant, overgrown doctor's office directly across the street from the Peters Township municipal building. In the same interview he said he hoped to open in "September, October of 2026."
That fall has come and gone. The building on the lot is now called Common Ground Kitchen & Taps, and its website says it is under construction and opening January 2027. So the fireside room meant to anchor the town center won't be part of this holiday season. Instead, the season's dated events in and around Peters Township take place in public and parish rooms: the Peters Township Public Library, the Community Recreation Center on Meredith Drive, and a school gym at the Upper St. Clair end of McMurray Road.
How a Fall Opening Became a January One
The project has changed names, owners' timelines and phases over roughly 15 months.
| When | What happened at 615 E. McMurray Road |
|---|---|
| August 2025 | Coughlin's Law proposes a third location and schedules a liquor license transfer hearing for council's Aug. 25 meeting |
| November 2025 | Peters Township planning commission approves the development |
| December 2025 | Six Hundred Fifteen Southbound LLC buys the property for $850,000 |
| January 2026 | Demolition of the old building begins |
| February 2026 | Township confirms the new name, Common Ground, with the same owners |
| Now | Website lists "Under Construction, Opening January 2027" |
The liquor license is coming from 3529 Washington Ave. in Finleyville, the former site of The Hunting Lodge Restaurant. In February, Township Manager Paul Lauer told the Observer-Reporter that the site had "an approved site plan, and an approved permit," and that the builders were waiting "for the weather to break."
The approved plans call for a 6,630-square-foot restaurant with 1,640 square feet of outdoor seating and 77 parking spaces. That means about a fifth of the planned dining space is outdoors, which makes a January opening an indoor-first debut.
What the Building Is Meant to Be
Somewhere between the first hearing and the build, the concept changed too. Coughlin's Law is a gastropub known for burgers and ribs at its Mount Washington and Ohio Township locations. Common Ground's own site describes something different:
- A seasonal scratch kitchen with seasonal American fare
- A wood-fired pizza oven
- A full bar with craft beer on rotating taps and cocktails
- Indoor fireplaces, plus an outdoor patio
The site pitches the place as one where "families come for dinner on Tuesday and couples come back to on date night," with "a room that feels like it's been here a while, even on the first night." The owners post construction photos on a build page for anyone following the progress.
The Pizza Place That's Already There
Common Ground is going up a few addresses from an established pizza spot. Lorenzo's Pub and Pizza is at 607 East McMurray Road and serves pizza, hoagies, calzones and more, with dine-in, takeout, delivery, catering and patio dining. Its posted hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday, per Lorenzo's website.
By January, that stretch of East McMurray Road across from the municipal building will have two pizza-centered restaurants a few addresses apart, one a pub and the other built around a wood-fired oven. Until then, Lorenzo's handles dinner on that stretch, and the season's dated events happen at the venues below.
Where the Season Meets Instead
From this Saturday through mid-December, the dated holiday events here are organized by a parish guild, the township library and the township's parks department. Here they are in date order.
- Joy of Christmas Craft Show, Saturday, Nov. 21, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Labouré Ladies Guild of St. Catherine Labouré Parish runs this annual show at St. Louise de Marillac School and the LeGras Parish Center, 320 McMurray Road. It sits in Upper St. Clair, at the other end of McMurray Road from the township building. Crafters fill the school gym, the cafeteria and the parish center. Admission is $2 and includes a ticket for the guild's crafts raffle. There's also a bake sale, a 50/50 raffle and snacks for sale, according to the parish's event page. The Almanac lists more than 100 artists and crafters. Strollers aren't allowed inside, so plan to carry little ones.
- Holiday Book Sale, Nov. 24 through Jan. 5. The Peters Township Public Library sets up its annual sale in the library lobby. It runs right through the time Common Ground is scheduled to open.
- Jubilee Ringers, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 7 to 7:45 p.m. A holiday bell-music performance at the library.
- Elf on the Shelf Kick-Off Party, Thursday, Dec. 3, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Crafts and activities at the library for children in pre-K through grade 3, plus a chance to name the library's elf.
- Peters Township Holiday Kickoff, Friday, Dec. 4, 6 to 8 p.m. Peters Township Parks & Recreation hosts this free evening at the Community Recreation Center, 700 Meredith Drive, Venetia. The event listing promises crafts, games, refreshments, letters to Santa and a visit from Santa. Questions go to Parks & Recreation at (724) 942-5000.
- Embroidered Holiday Ornament, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 6 to 7:30 p.m. An adult program at the library where participants stitch a candy-cane ornament.
Details for each library program are posted on the Peters Township Public Library events calendar.
One Road, Both Ends
McMurray Road runs from the parish campus at 320 McMurray Road in Upper St. Clair to the town center Vetere described, where the build at 615 East McMurray Road faces the municipal building. The craft show at one end opens the season this Saturday, Nov. 21. The library's book sale runs until Jan. 5, which is right around when Common Ground says it will open.
So the corridor's new restaurant arrives after the holidays, and the season itself belongs to a guild bake sale, a bell choir and a Santa visit at the Rec Center.
Whether you're thinking about how Common Ground's January opening could change the McMurray Road town center or just want to know what a home near it is worth, The Bingham Team follows Peters Township one address at a time. Get your free home valuation, and we'll walk you through what's changing on your side of McMurray Road.
