PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II - Page 128

Minivan Werner · #**2541** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 3:04 AM**

^Seriously.. if NIMBYs can hault the construction of a mere 18 story building in the CBD there's something amiss.

Private D · #**2542** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 3:44 AM**

I think this one is going to end up being a real gem downtown.

I wasn't crazy about the copper color at first... and then when I realized it was going to be Cor-Ten steel, I thought it could actually be pretty awesome. Then when they said it wasn't going to be Cor-Ten, I was disappointed. Then when they said it was going to be stainless steel, my hopes were redeemed.

Jonboy1983 · #**2543** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 4:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

^Seriously.. if NIMBYs can hault the construction of a mere 18 story building in the CBD there's something amiss.

I never could stand NIMBYs and their narrow-mindedness. The only place for them is out in some random field in the middle of nowhere! There, they could have all the fricking land on God's green earth where nothing can or ever will be built at any time in the future.

B-o-o-h-o-o. My heart bleeds for them...

photoLith · #**2544** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 6:17 AM**

I've decided I'm moving to this city and soon. I love this — city!

BrianTH · #**2545** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 12:05 PM**

Pop City has an article on a neat little infill project in Lawrenceville, from the same team behind Croghan's Edge and a number of other similar projects:

http://www.popcitymedia.com/devnews/row38011613.aspx

Project website:

http://www.epropertiesdev.com/projects/980190970

I tend to like these mix-of-old-and-new infill projects in residential neighborhoods like this (at least when done tastefully), and the way they are adding third floors to the existing modest two-story rowhouses demonstrates how with a little ingenuity it is in fact possible to move these former working class neighborhoods upscale:

Of course that isn't unproblematic for a variety of reasons--these units are apparently going to be sold for $250K, which isn't horrible (just look at what a similar home would go for in a "hot" neighborhood in DC), and it is obviously a lot more affordable than the $375K they plan to ask for the entirely new units. But that is still beyond the means of many area households, and therefore for good or ill this project will contribute to the ongoing gentrification of Lawrenceville.

Nonetheless, I think this is a demonstration that we can in fact largely preserve Pittsburgh's remaining historic rowhouses, no matter how modest, and still meet what the market for urban housing is demanding. And again, in this case the renovations are at least more affordable than the entirely new homes.

glowrock · #**2546** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 12:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

I've decided I'm moving to this city and soon. I love this — city!

:

Aaron (Glowrock)

Evergrey · #**2547** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 1:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Pop City has an article on a neat little infill project in Lawrenceville, from the same team behind Croghan's Edge and a number of other similar projects:

http://www.popcitymedia.com/devnews/row38011613.aspx

Project website:

http://www.epropertiesdev.com/projects/980190970

I tend to like these mix-of-old-and-new infill projects in residential neighborhoods like this (at least when done tastefully), and the way they are adding third floors to the existing modest two-story rowhouses demonstrates how with a little ingenuity it is in fact possible to move these former working class neighborhoods upscale:

Of course that isn't unproblematic for a variety of reasons--these units are apparently going to be sold for $250K, which isn't horrible (just look at what a similar home would go for in a "hot" neighborhood in DC), and it is obviously a lot more affordable than the $375K they plan to ask for the entirely new units. But that is still beyond the means of many area households, and therefore for good or ill this project will contribute to the ongoing gentrification of Lawrenceville.

Nonetheless, I think this is a demonstration that we can in fact largely preserve Pittsburgh's remaining historic rowhouses, no matter how modest, and still meet what the market for urban housing is demanding. And again, in this case the renovations are at least more affordable than the entirely new homes.

Nice. I love Croghan's Edge... I look forward to more of their exciting designs.

Private D · #**2548** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 3:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

I've decided I'm moving to this city and soon. I love this — city!

Cool. Is a recent visit to Pittsburgh prompting this decision? If so, you're in luck, because if you love it now... it's way better when the weather's nice.

Private D · #**2549** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 3:50 PM**

That Lawrenceville development is great. I like skyscrapers and all, but this type of redevelopment/reinvestment in the core, on the human/neighborhood scale, is what really licks my —.

glowrock · #**2550** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 4:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Private Dick

Cool. Is a recent visit to Pittsburgh prompting this decision? If so, you're in luck, because if you love it now... it's way better when the weather's nice.

Not a recent visit, a current visit... He's staying at Casa de Glowrock right now!

(and yeah, I agree. If he likes it now, he'll really like it in a couple months when the weather's awesome!)

Aaron (Glowrock)

Private D · #**2551** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 4:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by glowrock

Not a recent visit, a current visit... He's staying at Casa de Glowrock right now!

(and yeah, I agree. If he likes it now, he'll really like it in a couple months when the weather's awesome!)

Aaron (Glowrock)

Ahh, a new guest at the infamous pit of sin, La Casa de Glowrock!

Don't let him get out of there without chugging a warm Iron City... if he can do it, then he has permission to move to Pittsburgh. Hope you guys have a good time.

Evergrey · #**2552** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 4:34 PM**

This should hopefully bode well for more infill developments like those highlighted by BrianTH and Private —:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2013/01/15/pittsburghs-job-creation-among-us.html

Quote:

Pittsburgh's job creation among U.S. leaders

Paul J. Gough
Web Producer-
Pittsburgh Business Times

Pittsburgh's among only two cities in the East -- and No. 4 in the U.S. -- that have regained all of its private-sector employment following the recession in the latest On Numbers/Business Journals analysis of employment between November 2007 and November 2012.

Pittsburgh's private-sector employment rose 24,800 -- 2.41 percent -- to 1.05 million in those two months five years apart, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That puts Pittsburgh into pretty select company. Only three Texas regions -- Houston, Austin and Dallas -- did better in terms of job creation between November 2007 and November 2012. Austin's labor market is slightly more than half the size of Pittsburgh but Houston and Dallas are both more than twice the size.

Only 14 of 102 metro regions managed to record a positive at all.

...

glowrock · #**2553** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 5:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Private Dick

Ahh, a new guest at the infamous pit of sin, La Casa de Glowrock!

Don't let him get out of there without chugging a warm Iron City... if he can do it, then he has permission to move to Pittsburgh. Hope you guys have a good time.

What, you want me to try to kill him with that swill?

Aaron (Glowrock)

markson33 · #**2554** Posted **Jan 17, 2013, 3:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

^Seriously.. if NIMBYs can hault the construction of a mere 18 story building in the CBD there's something amiss.

These guys aren't NIMBYS. BIshoff is using it to try to leverage Millcraft into buying his building. The Benedum Trees folks just wanted to talk to Millcraft about the impact on their building, but Millcraft wouldn't talk to them. It was pretty stupid really because Millcraft could have avoided the lawsuit if they would have just listened to a few small concerns.

photoLith · #**2555** Posted **Jan 17, 2013, 1:08 PM**

Im still in Pgh, I know this doesnt really relate to development but Id thought Id share a few of the photos Ive taken so far of this fine city.

ar7 (1 of 1)-78 by photolitherland, on Flickr

ar7 (1 of 1) by photolitherland, on Flickr

ar7 (1 of 1)-77 by photolitherland, on Flickr

ar7 (1 of 1)-74 by photolitherland, on Flickr

ar7 (1 of 1)-73 by photolitherland, on Flickr

ar7 (1 of 1)-72 by photolitherland, on Flickr

ar7 (1 of 1)-71 by photolitherland, on Flickr

ar7 (1 of 1)-70 by photolitherland, on Flickr

ar7 (1 of 1)-80 by photolitherland, on Flickr

ar7 (1 of 1)-69 by photolitherland, on Flickr

BrianTH · #**2556** Posted **Jan 17, 2013, 1:34 PM**

Very, very nice--you captured a lot of the feel of Pittsburgh.

Private D · #**2557** Posted **Jan 17, 2013, 3:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by glowrock

What, you want me to try to kill him with that swill?

Aaron (Glowrock)

It is a terrible beer, isn't it?

Very nice shots, photolith.

Evergrey · #**2558** Posted **Jan 17, 2013, 5:53 PM**

http://triblive.com/business/headlines/3313913-74/parking-bakery-project#axzz2HxLlqIdL

Quote:

More apartments planned for Bakery Square 2.0 project, single-family homes out

Published: Thursday, January 17, 2013, 12:04 p.m.
Updated 27 minutes ago

Plans to develop 20 single-family houses has been dropped in favor of a second apartment building at the $100 million Bakery Square 2.0 project in East Liberty that is being developed by Walnut Capital Partners.

But residents who attended a community meeting on the project on Wednesday at the Caalvary Episcopal Church in Shadyside questioned the decision and had other concerns about what they see as a lack of enough parking planned for the project.

“I was looking forward to having new single-family housing built there. Why have you eliminated them?” asked Bonnie Schwartz, a homeowner in the adjacent Village of Shadyside.

Todd Reidbord, a partner of Walnut Capital, is a major apartment owner in Shadyside, said his coming studied what kind of housing is preferred by employees of the orginial Bakery Square project. “(It) determined they preferred rental apartments, something we know more about,” he said

Reidbord said plans are to begin construction of the first apartment building in March with a June 2014 opening.

It will be a five-story, 175-unit U-shaped building with parking underground, and built on the Putnam Street side. Rents will range from $900 to $1,000 per month.

...

glowrock · #**2559** Posted **Jan 17, 2013, 5:57 PM**

Excellent news. There is a dire need for more apartment housing in Pittsburgh, especially in the East Liberty area. And it seems the apartments will at least be starting in a fairly reasonable price pointl, which is all the better indeed!

Aaron (Glowrock)

BrianTH · #**2560** Posted **Jan 17, 2013, 6:26 PM**

Yep, more apartments (without excessive amounts of parking) in locations like this are very much needed, and the stated rent is indeed reasonable for new units. SFHs on small lots would have been OK, but I think this is much better.

Incidentally, incumbent owners of nearby homes in particular should welcome this news. It should increase overall potential demand for the area and lead to further reinvestment in the nearby commercial areas (like downtown East Liberty--and note the lack of additional retail/restaurants in this phase of Bakery Square) without increasing the directly competing housing supply. That is a near-ideal combination of factors for their home values.