PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[haimon]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

I can't wait to walk down Liberty Ave at night and see the whole Clark building lit up with people living inside of it.

was seriously loking for a like button for that comment! anyone have any squirrel hill development news? we keep losing more retailers....

[Found5dollar]

The South Highland bridge opened on wednesday. The mayor's blog (http://www.pittsburghpa.gov/mayor/successes) has this to say:

Yesterday evening, I had the pleasure of joining City and County officials and local community members to celebrate the reopening of the South Highland Avenue Bridge. Earlier this year, the bridge faced a deteriorating deck and corroding steel. Thanks to the joint efforts of City, State, Federal and other public agencies, the detours and traffic jams have come to an end. The full $4.4 million reconstruction is complete, making the bridge safe for all vehicles and pedestrians to travel between the thriving Shadyside and East Liberty neighborhoods.

[Found5dollar]

one step forward for the civic arena!

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...ermed-very-positive/stories/201310230074

[Found5dollar]

the AIA pittsburgh has announced their anual design Pittsburgh awards.

http://aiapgh.org/feature-articles/design-pittsburgh-2013/

[Evergrey]

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2013/10/28/ampd-group-to-open-first-downtown.html

Oct 28, 2013, 1:35pm EDT

AMPD Group to open first downtown restaurant

The AMPD Group, perhaps best known for such South Side operations as Diesel, Local Bar + Kitchen and SkyBar Pittsburgh, is ready to try its hand at upscale casual dining in the Cultural District, downtown.

The company, led by the DeSimone family, made official its plans to open a restaurant called Ten Penny at 960 Penn Ave. Ten Penny is shooting for an opening in late November in what was once a day-care center.

Adam DeSimone, AMPD Group’s managing partner, described the location as "one of the best corners in Pittsburgh" and it's close to a variety of new activity.

It's right across the street from both the Westin Convention Center Hotel and the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, and within the same block as restaurants such as Sonoma Grille, the Sharp Edge Bistro and Nine on Nine, along with the three-level location of Sienna Mercato in the works for the former Trombino building a few doors down.

“When we were presented with Ten Penny’s locale, my real estate background kicked in,” DeSimone said in a prepared statement. “I see the momentum Penn Avenue has as it’s becoming Pittsburgh’s ‘Dining Row. ’"

...

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/201...s-to-add-apartments/stories/201310250054

I meet with PMC frequently here in Philadelphia. My company works with them very closely. Not only are they planning/building several new apartment highrises here in Philly, but they just told us today that they are thinking about a new construction 20-25 floor apartment highrise in Downtown Pittsburgh. I'll keep you updated if they give us more information.

[AaronPGH]

Originally Posted by summersm343

I meet with PMC frequently here in Philadelphia. My company works with them very closely. Not only are they planning/building several new apartment highrises here in Philly, but they just told us today that they are thinking about a new construction 20-25 floor apartment highrise in Downtown Pittsburgh. I'll keep you updated if they give us more information.

That would be killer. Something like that has been missing from the PGH skyline. I'd like to see it closer to 30+ floors though.

A few taller apartment buildings would be great clustered around the Allegheny T-station on the north shore. Not only would it add a Vancouver-esque feel (with taller buildings spilling outside of the golden triangle), but I feel like they could really sell renters on the amazing views of downtown that they'd have from there.

[doo dah]

Sources: U.S. Steel pulls out as anchor tenant of planned $238 million Oxford Development high-rise

Hm.

[Jonboy1983]

I never thought US Steel ever considered relocating there to begin with, but what do I know?

Regarding a new downtown residential highrise, I would LOVE to see that, and I would also like to see taller apartment buildings on the North Side as well. As soon as I have my sketch-up of Chateau-Manchester into something I feel is presentable, I will export 2d images and post them here.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

That would be killer. Something like that has been missing from the PGH skyline. I'd like to see it closer to 30+ floors though.

A few taller apartment buildings would be great clustered around the Allegheny T-station on the north shore. Not only would it add a Vancouver-esque feel (with taller buildings spilling outside of the golden triangle), but I feel like they could really sell renters on the amazing views of downtown that they'd have from there.

PMC does not get overly ambitious with their projects. They are building three currently in Center City.

2040 Market- 13 floors
1900 Arch- 14 floors
23rd & Cherry- 25 or 26 floors

...and there is a MUCH larger demand for residential units in Center City.
If they say 20-25 floors expect that. They're not going to go taller.

[markson33]

That would be great if PMC would pursue a new construction project. If it were successful it would validate the feasibility of new residential construction.

Sounds like Oxfords high rise plans are dead. Note the comment about them dropping the financing company. Sounds like they had one bullet and it was a dud.

I wonder what this means for US Steel's requirement. If they stay put it would be a bummer, but might be best for the office market.

[doo dah]

I noticed today that the parking lot at the intersection of Ruskin, Bayard and Bigelow is starting to see some work - I take it that this is the Schenley Place project?
The shrubs have been pulled up and some 3 or 4 trees cut down, since this morning.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by themaguffin

From that picture, Rice looks neither great nor awful, but certainly not great.

I'm sure there are pictures that are more university centered that might do it more justice, but from the distant side view looks meh.

But a lot of campuses aren't beautiful, especially urban ones.

GA Tech here in Atlanta is nothing special, GA State is god awful and Emory is traditional sort of, but cold.

The most beautiful campus in Pittsburgh is probably Chatham University. It includes and is surrounded by robber baron era mansions and gardens and is absolutely stunning.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by doo dah

Sources: U.S. Steel pulls out as anchor tenant of planned $238 million Oxford Development high-rise

Hm.

Yeah, not much of surprise. The biggest suprise is that they even considered it. It seems to me that they definitely want their own campus to run like Alcoa or Dick's sporting goods. Many corporations prefer silicon valley-esque low to mid rise campuses instead of giant expensive skyscrapers it seems.

[BrianTH]

Personally, I wouldn't bet against US Steel just staying where they are.

[Wave]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Personally, I wouldn't bet against US Steel just staying where they are.

I agree. Often times sophisticated commercial tenants will create a "stalking horse" parallel lease negotiation in order to extract more favorable terms from their preferred landlord/building. You have a huge corporate tenant and a major office landlord and they both know exactly what they are doing. I think Oxford's building was just that, a lease negotiation tactic. I guess US Steel had to show their cards as the deadline for having a completed Oxford project by 2017 was nearing. That does not mean US Steel is not going to continue to hold their other cards close to their vest which would be wise and will continue to at least put on the charade that they are considering all options if they want to stay in their current space. In fact we may not know for another year or even two what they are ultimately going to do & they could legitimately be considering other options. But who would not want to be in the iconic tower that everyone associates with you and bears you name.

The US Steel Robinson/Southpoint/Cranberry Campus does not have the same ring or gravitas as the USS Tower, the tallest & largest buidling in Pittsburgh (even if it is graced by UPMC's obscenely large letters)

[photoLith]

Originally Posted by doo dah

I noticed today that the parking lot at the intersection of Ruskin, Bayard and Bigelow is starting to see some work - I take it that this is the Schenley Place project?
The shrubs have been pulled up and some 3 or 4 trees cut down, since this morning.

I never heard of this project, looks pretty good and in an Art Deco style that looks pretty legit.

[Evergrey]

SWPTA?

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/4961575-74/transit-county-authority#axzz2j7qCvZ3v

Southwestern Pennsylvania transit merger report is due out in April


By Bobby Kerlik

Published: Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, 11:54 p.m.
Updated 1 hour ago

A private firm hired by PennDOT to study the merging of Southwestern Pennsylvania's 10 transit systems — which has drawn interest from county leaders across the region — said on Monday it will present its findings in April.

Officials from outside of Alle­gheny County said forming a regional transit system is a good idea but are wary of taking on the costs of the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

“We've got to look at it. All of these small transit systems are dying on the vine. There's no federal and state funding. You want to see if you can consolidate some things, but a lot of details have to be worked out,” said Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi. “I certainly don't want to absorb (Port Authority legacy costs) to Washington County taxpayers.”

Andy Batson, who works for Michael Baker Corp., told members of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, made up of officials from 10 counties, the regionalization report is due to the Legislature on April 18. The company, hired for the $170,000 project, is in the midst of gathering data from the region's transit agencies and will analyze the data before reducing it into a report.

“It's not something where you'll see recommendations. It's fact-based and purely analysis,” PennDOT spokeswoman Erin Waters-Trasatt said.

The analysis could include opportunities for regionalization and consolidation “even if it's not wholesale,” Waters-Trasatt said.

The mandate for the study was part of a law passed by the Legislature in July that reorganized the Port Authority's board of directors. The law called for a study to examine privatizing the Port Authority, which Michael Baker is conducting.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said he's in favor of a regional transit system.

“I've been in support of this for a long time. If we can figure out ways to have efficiencies, then yes. It makes sense to have less cost,” Fitzgerald said.


...

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Personally, I wouldn't bet against US Steel just staying where they are.

US Steel's cost-cutting under new regime begins in earnest today. Announcement that they scuttled Oxford's new office tower followed by closures of Hamilton (ON) steel mill and Gary coke works.

[BrianTH]

Random note, but the site clearing for the East Liberty Transit Center complex is really moving along. The big shed-like building that housed the tennis courts is completely gone, and they are well into tearing down the former bus loop structures.

As a reminder, this is what they are planning to do with the site:



This image gives an idea of what they are aiming to do through the infrastructure phase:



And this is what they started with: