PITTSBURGH | Three PNC Plaza | HEIGHT | 23 FLOORS - Page 5

Evergrey · #81 Posted **Jun 14, 2008, 9:35 PM**

Three PNC Plaza

Gilamonster · #82 Posted **Jun 25, 2008, 5:02 AM**

The windows are going up!

Austinlee · #83 Posted **Jun 25, 2008, 5:06 AM**

I like that glass, gila. It looks like it's gonna turn out more like a San Francisco or Boston style modern midrise; Which I wish we had more of in Pittsburgh.

Gilamonster · #84 Posted **Jun 25, 2008, 5:11 AM**

I very much like the color. Since Three PNC is relatively close to the PPG Complex, I guess this is Pittsburgh's Glass district.......

Evergrey · #85 Posted **Jun 25, 2008, 5:35 AM**

I also love the color of the glass!

Gilamonster · #86 Posted **Jul 4, 2008, 12:10 AM**

Look at post # 80 from qwho to compare the progress.

Johnland · #87 Posted **Jul 5, 2008, 11:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilamonster

Look at post # 80 from qwho to compare the progress.

I have really liked this building from the beginning. I thought the sleek and very contemporary design added to the overall urban fabric of the city and that particualr neighborhood, as is demonstrated in the 1st photo above. I think the broadside positioning along Fifth will form a wonderful context as the backdrop for the small scale, multi-style older Market Square buildings. The old against the new concept which, to me, increases urban vitality.

However, I am dismayed to see the lower street-level floors being clad in blank walls. Blank walls are the number one no-no in design. They deaden spaces, not enliven them. The view down 6th St toward now seems to 'dead-end' at that clunky, blank base. Does't that end of the building face the new little square created by the elimination of older buildings on that small odd shaped block? They should have designed a much better relationship to the street. It's the case of all skyline and no street level action.

Gilamonster · #88 Posted **Jul 5, 2008, 4:24 PM**

I agree with you Johnland. The base is very disappointing and unfortunately a trend on
new buildings here. Look at the newly completed 151 First Side Condos in the picture
directly below. For you forum browsers unfamiliar with the 'Burgh, that is the building
directly to the right of the white building with "National City" on it. Nonetheless,
I am confident the building will be spectacular above the base. The skyline shots will be
gorgeous with that colored glass. Speaking of skyline shots......

From Point State Park:

Johnland · #89 Posted **Jul 5, 2008, 6:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilamonster

I agree with you Johnland. The base is very disappointing and unfortunately a trend on
new buildings here. Look at the newly completed 151 First Side Condos in the picture
directly below. For you forum browsers unfamiliar with the 'Burgh, that is the building
directly to the right of the white building with "National City" on it. Nonetheless,
I am confident the building will be spectacular above the base. The skyline shots will be
gorgeous with that colored glass. Speaking of skyline shots......

Nice skyline shot! That must've been taken from Mt. Washington.

And you're right about 151 First Side's blocky base. It's just so out of context with the streetscape. You'd think the building design would revel in its urban location and address the streets and sidewalks that surround all four sides. That neighborhood is actually a quaint little slice of old Pittsburgh, just a super city location - so why the blank walls?? I guess it's the age old problem accomodating the car park, as stupid, mundane and boring as it is.

Dr Nevergold · #90 Posted **Jul 14, 2008, 3:56 AM**

Pittsburgh has always had a knack for creating elegant buildings for their time, even US Steel looks elegant for a 1960's designed building that opened in 1970. Its not a concrete block, afterall...

The new PNC building definately holds onto that tradition, but as agreed with others if the ground level isn't going to have retail and be open to the public, this building is going to really lose out on what new buildings should be about.

But that still doesn't detract from the fantastic design above.

Evergrey · #91 Posted **Jul 17, 2008, 4:43 PM**

the ground level will have retail... it's just the side behind other buildings that will not have a street-level interface

Gilamonster · #92 Posted **Jul 18, 2008, 1:31 AM**

We must need more skyscrapers on this side of town. The USX Tower and Mellon I are tilting downtown towards uptown! Or perhaps amateur photography.....

Austinlee · #93 Posted **Jul 18, 2008, 2:45 PM**

Quote:

We must need more skyscrapers on this side of town.

Yeah, I agree completely. The other side of downtown looks more filled out.

RamsayHank · #94 Posted **Jul 18, 2008, 5:05 PM**

So I was in Pittsburgh over the weekend and I got some pictures of the construction:

I'm liking the blue-green glass...

Some North Side impact on the skyline:

Gilamonster · #95 Posted **Jul 18, 2008, 9:30 PM**

RamsayHank, nice shots, especially the last one. There is a building going up in Chicago called "Aqua" but I think the aqua colored glass on this building is a lot better looking. I'm impatiently waiting for the glass to climb a few more floors, but one can allready see how impressive it will look when the building is completed.

Dr Nevergold · #96 Posted **Jul 19, 2008, 9:03 AM**

Actually, this shot puts into perspective how TALL Pittsburgh's skyline is. Just look how short those 15-20 story condos and offices like National City look relative to PPG, Mellon, and US Steel. Due to its relativity to the hills its hard to sometimes realize how tall the skyline is, its certainly in the top 10 downtowns of America height-wise. With its downtown subway and open small business environment/ground level shops, the city has a more urban feel that puts it in a class above other more populated cities like Phoenix, Atlanta, or even older competitiors like Detroit.

Besides the height, look how Pittsburgh is layered. There's an appropriate number of super talls, there is an appropriate number of tall highrises, and there is an appropriate number of average and lower height midrise/highrises. Its obvious when you say Pittsburgh you talk of a real, serious city and not some upstart wannabe.

Johnland · #97 Posted **Jul 19, 2008, 2:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonTO416

Actually, this shot puts into perspective how TALL Pittsburgh's skyline is. Just look how short those 15-20 story condos and offices like National City look relative to PPG, Mellon, and US Steel. Due to its relativity to the hills its hard to sometimes realize how tall the skyline is, its certainly in the top 10 downtowns of America height-wise. With its downtown subway and open small business environment/ground level shops, the city has a more urban feel that puts it in a class above other more populated cities like Phoenix, Atlanta, or even older competitiors like Detroit.

Besides the height, look how Pittsburgh is layered. There's an appropriate number of super talls, there is an appropriate number of tall highrises, and there is an appropriate number of average and lower height midrise/highrises. Its obvious when you say Pittsburgh you talk of a real, serious city and not some upstart wannabe.

You're so right about 'layer' look to downtown Pittsburgh. That is one of the aspects of the city that just draws me to it over and over. It's just so richly textured. All those blocks of the small old vintage buildings serve an immensley vital role in actually supporting the taller newer buildings. They provide an exceedingly interesting context - small/large, old/new, brick/steel, arches/squares, etc. Here in Tampa, the urban scape is 90% from the last several decades, so all is more or less the same. Put together, downtown Tampa is flat, one-dimensional, boring. Pittsburgh is just one of those urban gems. It's honest. No one sat down and tried to make it look like something. They do that here in Tampa, they try to look like Miami, or New Orleans, or Savannah. And it's all so contrived and trite. Pittsburgh earned it's look by evolving over time, overcoming floods, fires, pollution, population growth, industry decline, etc. It is what it is and I love it!

Gilamonster · #98 Posted **Jul 19, 2008, 4:20 PM**

Austinlee · #99 Posted **Jul 19, 2008, 10:49 PM**

Good observations Brandon. The variety and layering is what makes Pittsburgh one of the most balanced and most memorable skylines in the country.

philopdx · #**100** Posted **Jul 20, 2008, 4:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonTO416

Actually, this shot puts into perspective how TALL Pittsburgh's skyline is. Just look how short those 15-20 story condos and offices like National City look relative to PPG, Mellon, and US Steel. Due to its relativity to the hills its hard to sometimes realize how tall the skyline is, its certainly in the top 10 downtowns of America height-wise. With its downtown subway and open small business environment/ground level shops, the city has a more urban feel that puts it in a class above other more populated cities like Phoenix, Atlanta, or even older competitiors like Detroit.

Besides the height, look how Pittsburgh is layered. There's an appropriate number of super talls, there is an appropriate number of tall highrises, and there is an appropriate number of average and lower height midrise/highrises. Its obvious when you say Pittsburgh you talk of a real, serious city and not some upstart wannabe.

If only you could get rid of that concrete monster blocking the city from the riverfront. That would be a spectacular greenway. Portland actually ripped down its west side expressway to make way for a park.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_McCall_Waterfront_Park

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbor_Drive