PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II - Page 97

BrianTH · #**1921** Posted **Oct 3, 2012, 9:45 PM**

It definitely just gets worse over time, but I don't see any alternative right now to waiting for a better political climate.

Austinlee · #**1922** Posted **Oct 4, 2012, 4:32 PM**

I found this awesome upshot look of the PNC block.

Clockwise starting at 12 o'clock: Two PNC, Three PNC, One PNC, (small building at bottom - ???), K&L Gates, EQT Tower.

http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/nikond700,photoshop/Interesting

George Woods · #**1923** Posted **Oct 4, 2012, 5:00 PM**

The smaller building is 300 Sixth Avenue—the building that houses GNC's headquarters. Awesome picture.

Austinlee · #**1924** Posted **Oct 4, 2012, 5:20 PM**

Another random thought: I would love to go up near the top of the Gulf Tower; Look how badass Liberty Avenue looks from above.

Austinlee · #**1925** Posted **Oct 4, 2012, 5:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Woods

The smaller building is 300 Sixth Avenue—the building that houses GNC's headquarters. Awesome picture.

Oh, sweet. Thanks. I always wondered which building they were in.

Austinlee · #**1926** Posted **Oct 4, 2012, 5:24 PM**

Here's some more info on the design of the Tower at PNC Plaza. I copied this from the construction thread.

"The windows on the exterior of the tower's double skin will be controlled by the building management system which will monitor environmental conditions. The system will open (left) and close (right) the tall and narrow glazed units."

"To determine the optimal configuration of the tower and the solar chimney, engineers relied on several tools, including CFD analyses of the pressure, temperature, and velocity of the air inside the tower."

"The tower's chimney is comprised of two shafts at the building's core and is topped by a glass-roofed chamber that traps solar radiation."

Source http://archrecord.construction.com/proje...-PNC-Plaza-Gensler-slideshow.asp?slide=1

Wheelingman04 · #**1927** Posted **Oct 5, 2012, 3:54 AM**

Im all for BRT!! But when is this downtown to Oakland corridor going to be under construction and finished? What are your opinions on timing of this project? Cost? I think they need to start on this as fast as possible. The state needs to have a dedicated long-term funding solution. Hopefully PAT can invest in the city/metro instead of cutting everything and having these insane budget problems

P!tt$bur&h · #**1928** Posted **Oct 8, 2012, 2:10 PM**

Has anyone heard of the impact that the NHL cancelation of a select number of games has had, if any, on the future development of the former Civic Arena site?

Photo credit: the Pittsburgh Penguins http://penguins.nhl.com
http://cdn.nhl.com/penguins/bc/images/3233.f.jpg

This will not only revilative the area but in effect create an entire new section of town that will compliment Duquesne University but also link downtown with an improving Hill District (no really, they are doing good work thus far). Out in Columbus, OH their arena literally created a new part now officially called"the Arena District"

markson33 · #**1929** Posted **Oct 8, 2012, 4:50 PM**

The lockout should have no effect on the development of the hill. It will probably be two years before they can even start construction and 3-4 years before anything gets built.

Private Dick · #**1930** Posted **Oct 9, 2012, 10:49 PM**

Condos planned at historic site

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/business/news/condos-planned-at-historic-site-655940/
October 3, 2012 12:22 am
By Mark Belko / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A historic Downtown building that at one time manufactured the leather belts that helped to drive Pittsburgh's steel industry could be next in line to go residential.

Architect Tony Poli briefed city planning commission members Tuesday on a proposal to convert the two top floors of the seven-story Hartley-Rose Building at 425 First Ave. into luxury condominiums, with more floors to follow in the future.

Owner David O'Loughlin said he is hoping to capitalize on the surge in demand for housing Downtown, where a number of buildings have been converted into apartments or condominiums.

"The market is what dictates what happens to the building. Market demand for the development of housing Downtown is significant. It's a very wonderful evolution that's occurring. People want to live Downtown," he said.

Built in 1907, the white brick and terra cotta building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is now utilized by doctors, lawyers and other professionals.

But it is best known as the former factory and warehouse of the Hartley-Rose Belting Co., which existed from 1932 to the 1960s. The firm manufactured the continuous leather belt, a steel industry staple used to convert the raw power produced by stationary steam engines into usable form, according to the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation.

Hartley-Rose supplied Carnegie Steel, the forerunner of U.S. Steel, and the Jones and Laughlin Co., whose headquarters was located just two blocks from the factory and warehouse, the foundation said.

The building was designed by Benno Janssen and W.Y. Cocken.
Mr. O'Loughlin said the condos will be "$1 million plus units" with 3,000 square feet of space, lots of light and views of the Monongahela River. "Everything will be first class," he said.

He hopes to get started on the seventh floor condo, which will feature a rooftop deck, by January and have it completed by early summer. Mr. O'Loughlin estimated the conversion cost at $300 to $400 a square foot.

Private Dick · #**1931** Posted **Oct 9, 2012, 10:50 PM**

Also Tuesday, the planning commission approved a 1,180-square-foot addition to the cafe and construction of an outdoor patio at the Giant Eagle Market District in Shadyside. The cafe will expand from 30 seats to 100 and 25 to 30 will be added outside. With the expansion, the Giant Eagle will introduce beer sales at the location.

Jonboy1983 · #**1932** Posted **Oct 10, 2012, 1:46 AM**

Nice to hear about both of those.

Off topic, but I was in the Burgh this weekend for my cousin's wedding which was at the Sheraton Station Square. What was up with the new paint scheme for the Majestic? I understand they repainted all their boats, but on the Majestic, it looks cheap... I like the older style with "Gateway Clipper Fleet" arced around the paddlewheel-shaped thing in the back and the ribbon of lights around the edge of that. It lookes like they just did away with that and IMO it doesn't look right...

Private Dick · #**1933** Posted **Oct 10, 2012, 2:17 AM**

^ Speaking of new paint jobs... what's going on with BNY Mellon? Is it going to remain how it is now? The brown is awful. And why did they decide to paint a 725-foot steel plate building again?

BrianTH · #**1934** Posted **Oct 11, 2012, 12:33 AM**

Here is an old article on the skin of Dravo Tower (as it was then called). I assume the steel was painted to protect it from rust:

http://books.google.com/books?id=XBZpIPL...nepage&q=dravo%20tower%20painted&f=false

Personally, I much prefer the new color scheme.

Austinlee · #**1935** Posted **Oct 11, 2012, 2:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Here is an old article on the skin of Dravo Tower (as it was then called). I assume the steel was painted to protect it from rust:

http://books.google.com/books?id=XBZpIPL...nepage&q=dravo%20tower%20painted&f=false

Personally, I much prefer the new color scheme.

Wow, thanks for the link. Interesting stuff. I didn't know that the Mellon Tower was "cutting edge" in any way when it was built.
I like the quote that it is across the street from the "Ultramodern US Steel tower". lol Really? Never knew Corten steel was "ultramodern" in any time period.

Jonboy1983 · #**1936** Posted **Oct 11, 2012, 3:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Wow, thanks for the link. Interesting stuff. I didn't know that the Mellon Tower was "cutting edge" in any way when it was built.
I like the quote that it is across the street from the "Ultramodern US Steel tower". lol Really? Never knew Corten steel was "ultramodern" in any time period.

Yeah, seriously. I thought PPG was more "cutting edge" than just about anything else built in that time period, considering its facade is glass...

Anyway, intriguing read on One BNY Mel -- uh, I mean Dravo Tower...

Are they even around anymore? When did it become known as One Mellon Center anyway?

themaguffin · #**1937** Posted **Oct 11, 2012, 12:21 PM**

I agree that it falls under modern. The Steel building also clearly stood out, not just in size, but the bold black steel-ness of it all definetely.... compared to the pre-war stuff and post war standard glass boxes.

glowrock · #**1938** Posted **Oct 11, 2012, 1:29 PM**

So nobody's posted anything about the new proposal by Millcraft for the former Saks building downtown? Main features are a large parking garage, 20,000sf of retail at ground level, roughly 100 apartment units above the garage. All in all, doesn't sound too bad at all. Just a garage, no doubt it would be terrible, but add in a decent amount of retail and a good number of residential units, it makes it a heck of a lot more palatable!

Aaron (Glowrock)

Private Dick · #**1939** Posted **Oct 11, 2012, 2:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonboy1983

Yeah, seriously. I thought PPG was more "cutting edge" than just about anything else built in that time period, considering its facade is glass...

Anyway, intriguing read on One BNY Mel -- uh, I mean Dravo Tower...

Are they even around anymore? When did it become known as One Mellon Center anyway?

You have to remember, it was 30 years ago when it was built. A steel-plate curtain wall was (and still is) pretty unique. Most buildings, particularly of this size, are clad in stone, masonry, or glass. Glass curtain walls (like PPG) were nothing new at all at the time.

I don't think it was ever really known as the Dravo Tower. Dravo Corp was a big industrial conglomerate -- shipbuilding/bridges, machinery, steel pipelines, etc. Some family members worked for the company at their shipyards near McKees Rocks/Neville Island. Dravo built hundreds of those landing craft ships for WWII... the huge types that carried tanks and troops to the beaches with the door on the bow.

Dravo's not around anymore... they became a subsidiary of USSteel like so many other industrial firms and then whatever divisions remained were bought by others. Based on my memory (I was only about 8 or 9, but I remember how exciting it was as a kid going downtown with all the big buildings going up in the early 80s) the tower was always the Mellon Tower, as Dravo was already owned by US Steel when it was being built.

markson33 · #**1940** Posted **Oct 11, 2012, 3:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by glowrock

So nobody's posted anything about the new proposal by Millcraft for the former Saks building downtown? Main features are a large parking garage, 20,000sf of retail at ground level, roughly 100 apartment units above the garage. All in all, doesn't sound too bad at all. Just a garage, no doubt it would be terrible, but add in a decent amount of retail and a good number of residential units, it makes it a heck of a lot more palatable!

Aaron (Glowrock)

I'm waiting to see what the renderings look like. If it is six stories of garage and three stories of apartments then its going to be a dud. It could have potential though, if they decide to go up instead of out.

Generally, its probably a good project for downtown.