Quote:
Originally Posted by pj3000
I think the big difference in the situations is that one is a long-neglected church and the other is a commercial building in excellent shape.
It is difficult and quite expensive to use a church for anything other than a church/gathering space.
I think that the Mellon bank building absolutely deserves to be preserved. It is high-quality construction and a very unique design. I think I've mentioned it before that it would be incredible for a restaurant.
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Yeah, maybe I didn't make it clear, but I do think the bank is in fine shape and could easily be used as a commercial structure. I just don't know if I would want historical designation because it blocks any higher/better use from ever taking place on site. It's not just a Pittsburgh problem, but I wish there was more conditional ways to protect structures. Like, knocking down for a parking lot is bad, but knocking down for a 400-unit apartment building is worth it from a utilitarian standpoint.
I am guessing the real reason they want it knocked down though is the total lack of parking. It was clearly built during the pedestrian mall stage of East Liberty's development. That said, there are plenty of bank branches without any parking - including the new Dollar Bank branch right across the street.