PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II - Page 294

Steel City Scotty · #**5861** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 1:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyPittsburgh

I walk past that site everyday and I can remember wondering "when will they ever start?" I'm really excited to see some development in Oakland moving forward.

Now if only UPMC (or some other entity) would start building something on the huge parking lot in Oakland where the Syria Mosque used to be...

SkyPittsburgh · #**5862** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 1:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steel City Scotty

Now if only UPMC (or some other entity) would start building something on the huge parking lot in Oakland where the Syria Mosque used to be...

I would much rather see a non-UPMC entity take over the property, something that could actually produce tax dollars, maybe a 15 story office/hotel/residential building.

Steel City Scotty · #**5863** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 2:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyPittsburgh

I would much rather see a non-UPMC entity take over the property, something that could actually produce tax dollars, maybe a 15 story office/hotel/residential building.

I agree. That's why I added the (or some other entity) part to my post...as wishful thinking.

glowrock · #**5864** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 2:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyPittsburgh

I'm really excited to see more hotels popping up downtown, especially close to the convention center!

Same here. The new hotels are certainly going to bring a lot of additional life into Downtown! Pittsburgh has been severely under-hoteled for many years now, and it seems that developers are finally noticing the problem and starting to rectify the situation!

Aaron (Glowrock)

BrianTH · #**5865** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 12:09 PM**

East Liberty Place South is getting ready to break ground:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2013/11/04/New-era-in-E-Liberty-housing/stories/201311040065

Quote:

The only reminder left of East Liberty's high-rise legacy -- a bare space at the neighborhood's western gateway -- is being reclaimed by the construction of a four-story complex of 52 new apartments and 11,000 square feet for retail. The $14.2 million East Liberty Place South, at Penn Avenue and North Beatty Street, will complete the redevelopment of the former site of the East Mall high-rise, which was razed in 2005.

Work began more than a month ago, but the official groundbreaking ceremony is 10:30 this morning because the site, which once held a gas station and dry cleaner, had to be capped and sealed and old foundations stabilized, said Jim Eby, senior project manager for Community Builders.

Some renderings previously posted:

BrianTH · #**5866** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 12:16 PM**

Construction may also start soon (knock on wood) on the Garden Theater:

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/4988562-74/theater-garden-zukin#axzz2jg7heBgG

glowrock · #**5867** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 1:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Construction may also start soon (knock on wood) on the Garden Theater:

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/4988562-74/theater-garden-zukin#axzz2jg7heBgG

Excellent news, no doubt about it!

Aaron (Glowrock)

Evergrey · #**5868** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 2:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Construction may also start soon (knock on wood) on the Garden Theater:

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/4988562-74/theater-garden-zukin#axzz2jg7heBgG

Finally... they had previously said construction would start back in March. City of Asylum's "Alphabet City" sounds like it will be pretty cool.

Steel City Scotty · #**5869** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 2:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Construction may also start soon (knock on wood) on the Garden Theater:

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/4988562-74/theater-garden-zukin#axzz2jg7heBgG

Haha, I love how Aaron (Glowrock) always puts cynical people in their place in the "Comments" section below articles...

glowrock · #**5870** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 3:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steel City Scotty

Haha, I love how Aaron (Glowrock) always puts cynical people in their place in the "Comments" section below articles...

Glad to be of service!

Aaron (Glowrock)

Jonboy1983 · #**5871** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 8:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by glowrock

Excellent news, no doubt about it!

Aaron (Glowrock)

Way to put that guy in his face.

I posted my own comments:

"I second your argument. If this parcel will have a development that will generate significantly more revenue for the city, when what does all the other stuff matter. The end result is going to be something huge for that neighborhood, and if you ask me, I'm an end-result/big picture kinda guy. I look forward to seeing this coming to fruition!"

BrianTH · #**5872** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 9:23 PM**

Article about East Liberty Place South groundbreaking:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/2013/1...ail-housing-complex/stories/201311040148

Work has already begun--they have some photos--which is a nice change of pace from the pattern of having a "groundbreaking" ceremony followed by months or years of inactivity.

glowrock · #**5873** Posted **Nov 4, 2013, 9:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Article about East Liberty Place South groundbreaking:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/2013/1...ail-housing-complex/stories/201311040148

Work has already begun--they have some photos--which is a nice change of pace from the pattern of having a "groundbreaking" ceremony followed by months or years of inactivity.

Wow, the comments to this article in the Post-Gazette are about as terrible as the ones in the Tribune Review over the Garden Theater Block Sale article!

What is it about internet news sites that make the most horribly inane people post comments that would even make the late, great George Carlin cringe?

Aaron (Glowrock)

BrianTH · #**5874** Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 1:50 AM**

I particularly love how every single time there is an article about a mixed-income development, a bunch of people will post like it is a brand new idea that couldn't possibly work.

photoLith · #**5875** Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 1:58 AM**

All the yinzer fucks still think the north side is complete ghetto and they probably still think East Liberty is a shithole, because none of them travel further than 10 blocks from their house and if they have to cross a river its like going to another continent.

glowrock · #**5876** Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 2:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

All the yinzer fucks still think the north side is complete ghetto and they probably still think East Liberty is a shithole, because none of them travel further than 10 blocks from their house and if they have to cross a river its like going to another continent.

Yeah, pretty much. I'd probably word it a bit differently, but I certainly think you're right on the money!

Aaron (Glowrock)

BrianTH · #**5877** Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 12:14 PM**

So Forest City is taking Station Square off the market, and looking at developing new residential itself:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...-no-longer-for-sale/stories/201311050136

I kinda wish they had found a buyer who would be VERY aggressive about adding new residential, but Forest City is capable of doing good residential projects as well.

popstar · #**5878** Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 1:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by glowrock

Yeah, pretty much. I'd probably word it a bit differently, but I certainly think you're right on the money!

Aaron (Glowrock)

It is strange how any article about the transformation of a city neighborhood is attacked in the comments section. I think there's a large contingent of people who want to see the city remain blighted in certain areas just to affirm their own uninformed, probably racist, views. Unfortunately, though, all of those ultraconservative (dumbass) comments can sway a reader's opinion about a subject. .. so thanks for taking the time to put them in their places.

DKNewYork · #**5879** Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 2:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

So Forest City is taking Station Square off the market, and looking at developing new residential itself:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...-no-longer-for-sale/stories/201311050136

I kinda wish they had found a buyer who would be VERY aggressive about adding new residential, but Forest City is capable of doing good residential projects as well.

Forest City was never going to be able to sell Station Square without taking a big hit. They overpaid for it then saddled it with a huge mortgage, both done thinking that they would get the casino. Now the development is worth only a bit more than the mortgage, which the prospective buyer would have to assume. While there was some serious interest by prospective buyers, the offers were low and stayed low due to the mortgage. FC would walk away from any sale with almost no cash.

I'm glad that they are moving on the residential. I just hope that they don't spin off the east lot as that would further damage the viability of Station Square.

Captain Crash · #**5880** Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 4:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

So Forest City is taking Station Square off the market, and looking at developing new residential itself:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...-no-longer-for-sale/stories/201311050136

I kinda wish they had found a buyer who would be VERY aggressive about adding new residential, but Forest City is capable of doing good residential projects as well.

On the topic of Station Square: the Riverhounds held a press conference last week regarding a new majority owner of both the team and stadium, Tuffy Shallenberger who owns a large construction company in Connellsville. In addition to using the extra money for already signing some higher profile players, they also brought up potential expansion of the stadium in the near future from about 4,000 to about 7,000 seats. The ownership also confirmed that they have investigated expansion beyond that as well, including cantilevering seating out over Station Square Drive.