PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by DBR96A

There sure as shit aren't 40 cities in better shape than Pittsburgh right now.

If you believe that statement... well, then I guess you must be one of those Pittsburghers... that's all I'll say about that because no amount of factual information can trump blind and misguided civic "pride".

Originally Posted by DBR96A

Quite honestly, I've literally never heard anybody but some Pittsburghers (and you) complain about the signage on the city's skyline.

Yeah, that's understandable... we probably run in different circles.

Originally Posted by DBR96A

With an attitude like that, you fit in perfectly in Washington DC. By the way, here's the Washington DC development thread.

And yeah, that was such a terrible attitude I displayed there talking about replacing "mook" with "jagoff" , since I've never heard anyone in Pittsburgh actually use the word mook and jagoff is a more appropriate Pittsburgh term of derision. No wonder I fit in so great here in DC! Never realized why before, but now I get it -- it's my mook, er I mean, jagoff attitude! 'Cause you know, we DC types are the bad guys, stealin' your hard-earned money and such... buncha stuck-up pussies too! Thanks for that link -- I'll check it out and stay with my own people, and you can have only "real" Pittsburghers in your discussion -- insularity rules!... and Pittsburgh sure could use more of it!

[DBR96A]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

If you believe that statement... well, then I guess you must be one of those Pittsburghers... that's all I'll say about that because no amount of factual information can trump blind and misguided civic "pride".

Enlighten me then. Give me a list, minimum of 40. I'll even format it for you:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.

Fill 'er in.

Originally Posted by Private Dick

...buncha stuck-up pussies too!

I was thinking "douchebag" instead of "pussy," but yeah, you got the right idea.

Originally Posted by Private Dick

Thanks for that link -- I'll check it out and stay with my own people, and you can have only "real" Pittsburghers in your discussion -- insularity rules!... and Pittsburgh sure could use more of it!

Have I told the transplant from Houston to get lost? No, because a) he knows how to praise just as well as he criticizes, b) when he criticizes, he criticizes constructively and without making gross generalizations, and c) he's capable of seeing the logic in a point of view that he disagrees with. Quite frankly, you haven't displayed any of these abilities.

It's not insularity if I form opinions of people on an individual basis.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

And yeah, that was such a terrible attitude I displayed there talking about replacing "mook" with "jagoff" , since I've never heard anyone in Pittsburgh actually use the word mook and jagoff is a more appropriate Pittsburgh term of derision. No wonder I fit in so great here in DC! Never realized why before, but now I get it -- it's my mook, er I mean, jagoff attitude!

Mook isn't Pittsburghese; That's the tag ID of Pittsburgh's most daring graffiti artist.

http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20011005graffiti1005p3.asp

He's retired now. His epic tag on the top of the 10th street bridge is his masterpiece.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/haikiba/196474930/

I'm not sure if he did the famous line of dinosaurs on the other tower in the background.

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Mook isn't Pittsburghese; That's the tag ID of Pittsburgh's most daring graffiti artist.

http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20011005graffiti1005p3.asp

He's retired now. His epic tag on the top of the 10th street bridge is his masterpiece.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/haikiba/196474930/

I'm not sure if he did the famous line of dinosaurs on the other tower in the background.

Yeah, I know about Mook the tagger. And I know plenty of mooks from Jersey. Just thought the jagoff tower fit in with Pittsburgh better. Those dinosaurs are awesome -- every time I see them I think about the set of brass balls it took to do that.

[Austinlee]

^And don't forget about that manufacturing plant right behind the bridge; A minor legend in the local rave scene: "Quality Rolls" lol

[Private Dick]

As for your 40 member list, fill it in yourself. I'll help you out though... it's real simple... start with cities that are not under state financial oversight... and havent been under for the past 8 years... and that haven't had to raid municipal tax revenue to bring their pension obligations to only 50% funded... and that do not still continue to risk the high likelihood of bankruptcy even after a decade of state oversight. Start there... you'll be able to find 40... that'll satisfy your very literal interpretation of "scores" if you want to be that way.

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

^And don't forget about that manufacturing plant right behind the bridge; A minor legend in the local rave scene: "Quality Rolls" lol

Lol. Quality Rolls. That's right. Making me miss Pittsburgh

[Gilamonster]

Someone thinks there are 40 cities in better shape than Pittsburgh? I guess I'm not surprised based on who it is. Go to google type in "Pittsburgh statistical economic rankings" do a little research then realize how foolish your comments look. Oh, also Pittsburgh was ranked America's most livable city by Forbes.com in 2011 which takes into account many factors and U.S. News and World Reports recently named Pittsburgh one of the best places to retire.

[Private Dick]

^ You also seriously don't think there are 40 (that was the number DBR gave in his literal interpretation of my use of "scores" -- which is fine because there easily are) cities in better shape than the city of Pittsburgh?

Have you not read the news about the city's budget woes for the past decade or so? You don't realize that the city is still trying to avoid bankruptcy after being under state financial oversight (Act 47) since the end of 2003 and still has nearly half a billion $ in unfunded pension liability... and over half a billion $ in debt? You realize that the only way the city had somewhat viable budget was because the state has pumped in tens of millions to keep it afloat? You have no knowledge of the budget-slashing that has been done to city services and infrastructure over the past decade? No knowledge of the Port Authority being slashed over 50% in three rounds of major cuts, and is still being recommended by many to enter chapter 9? Etc, etc, etc.

I guess not... especially if you are bizarrely citing Forbes and US News "livability" and retirement-friendliness rankings. Fyi, citing Forbes around here like it is a valid source of information is not going to get you too far.

Corporate and "non-profit" lettering and logos on downtown buildings don't necessarily translate to city fiscal health. That was the original point. And it is no more clearly demonstrated than in Pittsburgh. That's why I said there are scores (ok, maybe not the best word, but so what?.. the point is made and it still is factual) of cities in better shape than Pittsburgh and do not have their skylines loaded with lettering and logos. There are 40 cities in the US alone, that could easily fill DBR's list.

But whatever, you two can think what you want.

[BrianTH]

The financial state of the municipal government of the City of Pittsburgh is not identical to the overall status of the City. In other words, the municipal government is just one (relatively small) part of what makes up the City as a whole.

Incidentally, even defining what constitutes the municipal government of the City of Pittsburgh is awfully complicated, because we have created a bunch of special-purpose entities in which the City participates, sometimes in conjunction with other entities (e.g., the County). Part of the reason we do that is to isolate various assets and liabilities from the general account of the City, but that in turn makes it very difficult--essentially by design--to assess the overall financial state of local government as a whole.

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

The financial state of the municipal government of the City of Pittsburgh is not identical to the overall status of the City. In other words, the municipal government is just one (relatively small) part of what makes up the City as a whole.

Incidentally, even defining what constitutes the municipal government of the City of Pittsburgh is awfully complicated, because we have created a bunch of special-purpose entities in which the City participates, sometimes in conjunction with other entities (e.g., the County). Part of the reason we do that is to isolate various assets and liabilities from the general account of the City, but that in turn makes it very difficult--essentially by design--to assess the overall financial state of local government as a whole.

Factual info, to be sure.

[Austinlee]

Here's a pretty amazing pic I just stole from the Dallas rundown thread. This is a pretty huge highway capping project that could be referenced for the proposed highway cap between downtown and the old civic arena redevelopment site. It can be done!

[Jonboy1983]

Good post! The possible capping project pales in comparison to what is going on in Dallas. Its effects, however, will be colossal...

[markson33]

Make it happen! A park cap over I-579 would really do wonders for that section of the city.

[Towersteve]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Here's a pretty amazing pic I just stole from the Dallas rundown thread. This is a pretty huge highway capping project that could be referenced for the proposed highway cap between downtown and the old civic arena redevelopment site. It can be done!

Wow! THat is really cool. And it was done so quickly. This would be amazing in Pittsburgh.

[Austinlee]

I think having that one segment would do wonders for reconnecting downtown with the hill & uptown. I personally feel like it's a real missing link in the urban fabric and at a very important location, right next to the largest building in the Pittsburgh metro, the US Steel tower.

[Austinlee]

Speeeeaking of which......


Strip, Findlay considered for U.S. Steel headquarters
September 11, 2012 12:41 am
By Mark Belko / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/loca...steel-headquarters-652821/#ixzz26BWwtP2b

Sites in the Strip District and Findlay appear to be the favorites in the search by U.S. Steel for a new headquarters, although the steelmaker still could end up staying in its longtime home Downtown.

The 37-acre tract in the Strip is owned by the Buncher Co. and is part of a proposed office and residential development now tied up before city council. The other frontrunner is a 116-acre parcel off McClaren Road owned by District Judge Anthony Saveikis.

At the same time, the steelmaker has not ruled out the possibility of remaining in U.S. Steel Tower, the 64-story skyscraper on Grant Street that has been its home since 1971. The corporation will have the ability to move elsewhere, if it so desires, when its lease expires five years from now.

One property that apparently has not made the short list is the 28-acre former Civic Arena site. That's despite the fact that U.S. Steel CEO and chairman John Surma has a $2 million stake in the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team that has development rights to the land.

Since the news broke last spring that U.S. Steel was considering a move from its longtime Downtown headquarters, the company has played its cards close to the vest.

Asked about the apparent favorites for the headquarters, the steelmaker, in a statement, said, "We are exploring alternatives for the location of our headquarters in order to arrive at the best long-term business solution for our company when our lease in the U.S. Steel Tower expires in 2017."

Earlier this year, U.S. Steel surveyed its employees about their preferences regarding a site for a headquarters and about 80 percent of them responded. The company has not released the results.

U.S. Steel reportedly is weighing a traditional Downtown office setting against a campus-like setting, one that the land in the Strip or in Findlay could accommodate. It is said to be looking for 800,000 to 1 million square feet of space, enough not only for the 1,800 employees in U.S. Steel Tower but also for workers now at other locations in the region.


Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald have appealed to the company to stay Downtown. Some corporate leaders have done so as well. Mr. Fitzgerald has said having U.S. Steel in the Golden Triangle strengthens not only the urban core but the region as a whole.

The corporation currently occupies 471,000 square feet of space in U.S. Steel Tower. It is the building's second-largest tenant behind UPMC, which leases 780,000 square feet of space and has its name atop the skyscraper..........


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/loca...steel-headquarters-652821/#ixzz26BWwtP2b

[glowrock]

Oh dear god, not a suburban campus near the airport! Putting it in Buncher's new Strip District development would be a pretty damn nice thing, though. Certainly would spur a huge amount of development in the area!

Aaron (Glowrock)

[Dale]

I don't suppose they'd consider building another skyscraper, would they ?

[Jonboy1983]

Originally Posted by Dale

I don't suppose they'd consider building another skyscraper, would they ?

I suppose they would. The article states they are considering more of a traditional downtown development as opposed to a "campus-like" setting. Something else to note: local officials are trying to talk them into staying downtown -- especially with possibly considering the former Arena site considering the company's stake in the Penguins...