PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[Johnland]

The fact that those pointless stupid stick-on ornaments are the default 'architectural' pizzazz just show where the national mindset is regarding building design. Most people probably wouldn't the overall design two seconds of thought. On this forum, naturally, mindless design sparks instant note and comment. But day in day out, I don't think most people even care about design. It does seem amazing that the landowner spends all that money and gets that for a finished product and the builder goer to some effort to put it up.

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by Johnland

Most people probably wouldn't the overall design two seconds of thought... But day in day out, I don't think most people even care about design. It does seem amazing that the landowner spends all that money and gets that for a finished product and the builder goer to some effort to put it up.

It seems to me that most people do not care about, or even notice, design... so it's never surprising when this junk is built.

It is by plan that buildings like this are such common constructions by real estate companies. They generally cater to constantly-in-flux retail, restaurant, small office, and residential apartment tenants. It's about bang for the buck and ease of adaptability... design is WAY down on the list of priorities.

These are easily disassembled buildings, which is possibly the only good thing about them.

[BrianTH]

They have in fact broken ground at The Gardens:







And random bonus shot of PNC Tower from a couple weeks ago. From this angle the building is going to look very wide:

[Wiz Khalifa]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

That's exactly what I think of too; That Continental has zero confidence in Pittsburgh as a modern city. That is primo land and they are throwing up the lowest common denominator. Columbus gets a lot of quality developments though from various developers.

I seriously doubt that. I think this is just another case of a "walmart" developer with lousy backwards vision overall ala Buncher. That will be my assessment unless of course someone can post pictures of something they have built somewhere that is actually visionary.

I just can't believe that anyone in the development business could have zero confidence in Pittsburgh after all that has come out in the last 5 years. Especially a company that has been entrenched in the city with numerous large assets for a while now. That logic just makes no sense whatsoever.

[BrianTH]

This could be pretty cool if done well:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...hington-war-remains/stories/201402030060

Two tall pine trees mark the borders of what developer Jeffrey Paul proposes as the site for 26 homes and a small park preserving the remains of a Civil War fort. . . . Mr. Paul's plan to preserve most of the area occupied by the 151-year-old earthworks has drawn support from community and historical preservation organizations. . . . Remains of the earth walls of the circular redoubt remained visible under the blanket of snow. The redoubt, a smaller supporting entrenchment, was one of 19 defensive emplacements dug in a few frantic weeks in the summer of 1863. That was when Pittsburgh residents feared their city might be invaded by Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army. Few traces remain of those fortifications, which were built on high ground all around the city and its suburbs. . . . About half the wall of the Bradley Street redoubt still stands. The remains have been given the informal name of "Fort Shultz" by neighbors who live on nearby Fingal Street. A hand-drawn wooden plaque describing the redoubt's history has been attached to one of the trees. Mr. Paul's proposal calls for replacing that sign with a monument in the center of the proposed park. While design details remain to be worked out, that memorial stone might be engraved with a map showing the locations of all the city's Civil War forts.
. . .
Funds for the new trail, the memorial stone and park construction would be borne by Mr. Paul's real estate company, Pomo Development Inc. . . . The project is on a fast track. Mr. Paul is expecting subdivision approval and issuance of building permits by April or May with at least one model home completed by September or October.

And, of course, there are already some NIMBYs attacking the idea in the comments.

Edit:

This 1960 topographic map may be a useful bit of background. I think the development in question would go roughly where the "Greenleaf Place Plan" is marked on this map, and I suspect the Civil War redoubt was located around where the "Greenleaf Place" cul-de-sac was supposed to go (certainly that seems like a logical place for a fort):

http://images.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/i...s;entryid=x-006r1960;viewid=006R1960.TIF

Also a useful picture . . . the white swirl marks what I believe would be the adjacent portion of Emerald View Park (this picture is from when that acreage was deeded to the park), and again I believe this development would be going somewhere into the green space immediately toward Downtown from the swirl:

http://www.alleghenylandtrust.org/emerald/EmeraldViewII.html

[eschaton]

I suppose I should list a few small developments I know about going into my neighborhood.

1. The last gap in Butler above Doughboy Square is going to get filled in soon. Desmone is going to be building "Squareview Apartments" at 3415-3417 Butler Street. This will include 12 residential units, first floor retail space, 12 underground parking stalls, and 10 bike parking spaces. 3147 Butler Street is currently occupied by the blighted J&K Place building. I'm presuming it's getting knocked down - Desmone isn't known for adaptive reuse, and the building has a hole in the back so large you could drive a car through it. Still, maybe they will try and salvage the facade. Because there are side windows on the last of the (unfortunately placed) Doughboy Square townhouses, presumably there will be a remaining street wall of five feet there. But it's an impressive change considering the block was 75% empty five years ago.

2. Local developer Botero is turning the "cobble house" at 260 42nd Street into an eight-unit apartment building. It's an odd building which is actually made out of Belgian block. Streetview doesn't do it justice. It seems it was built as an industrial building some time between 1910 and 1923 as an annex to a sand/gravel business (the remainder of which is now the vending machine distributor at the end of the block). Oddly enough, my wife looked at renting out empty "loft" space here years ago - the entire upper story was an open space full of carpet samples.

3. I don't know the details, but I was driving on 43rd Street with my family the other day, and saw signs up about the eminent redevelopment of this vacant space, which is one of the biggest gaps in our part of Lawrenceville. Soon three new for-sale rowhouses will go here, marketed at $400,000 each. Sadly, the rendering seemed to indicate they will have garages on their facade, but given the block has no alley access it's perhaps not surprising.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

And random bonus shot of PNC Tower from a couple weeks ago. From this angle the building is going to look very wide:

I'm copying that to the construction thread.

[designer3d712]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

I'm copying that to the construction thread.

It will be a little over 30ft taller than the K&L Gates Building.

[BrianTH]

Did anyone post about this article about the "Jimmy Johns" building along Liberty from a few days ago?

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...g-on-Liberty-Avenue/stories/201401300160

Mr. Weinheimer purchased the uniquely shaped triangular structure at 502-510 Liberty Ave. for $1.4 million earlier this month, with the intention of doing a full restoration. . . . The structure, referred to as a loft building, dates back to around 1880-1885, according to the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. A 1889 real estate map listed the owner as Jas. A. McKee. Built with brick walls and wood floors, the building has a prominent perch near the corner of Liberty and Stanwix Street across from Fifth Avenue Place. . . . The upper floors, with the exception of second-floor seating for both eateries, are vacant.
. . .
Mindful of the building's history, Mr. Weinheimer said that he is planning to restore the facade and its rear exterior, where plywood largely substitutes for window panes. "I really want to return it to its former glory," he said. . . . He has yet to decide on a use for the upper floors, but is considering both offices and apartments. The structure, he said, is one of the first historic buildings a visitor sees coming off the Fort Pitt Bridge into Downtown.

It is definitely good news. This is a great historic building in a very visible location, but it needs a little TLC. Properly restored it could be a significant contributor to the Market Square area, and I am personally hoping the upper floors can be done as residential.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

It is definitely good news. This is a great historic building in a very visible location, but it needs a little TLC. Properly restored it could be a significant contributor to the Market Square area, and I am personally hoping the upper floors can be done as residential.

I never thought the building looked that bad when it comes to the front facade. Really the worst aspect of the building is allowing those huge logos to block the upper floors. Maybe it just looks great in comparison to the Rosa Villa building however.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I never thought the building looked that bad when it comes to the front facade. Really the worst aspect of the building is allowing those huge logos to block the upper floors.

I agree--hopefully new signage is part of the project.

It does look a lot worse from Forbes, for the most part, although I hope they keep the Beckert Seed sign.

[ColDayMan]

Originally Posted by themaguffin

to be fair, all of those cities are relatively close to each other (and Dayton and Columbus were hubs???)

Dayton was Emery; Columbus was America West (which became US Airways).

[Brentsters]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

And random bonus shot of PNC Tower from a couple weeks ago. From this angle the building is going to look very wide:

With a good chunk of Wood recently restored and a few current and future projects along Smithfield, how long until the Warner Centre gets some love? In the not-too-distant future it could be circled by development, leaving it sticking out pretty badly. Especially the awful Forbes side.

[PITairport]

"The Internet search giant Google Inc. said Monday it will become an anchor tenant in a new office building planned in the Bakery Square 2.0 development in Shadyside."

http://triblive.com/business/headlines/5529819-74/square-google-bakery#axzz2sEkaIVSq

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Brentsters

With a good chunk of Wood recently restored and a few current and future projects along Smithfield, how long until the Warner Centre gets some love? In the not-too-distant future it could be circled by development, leaving it sticking out pretty badly. Especially the awful Forbes side.

Seriously, I used to eat in that food court a lot. It is pretty cool inside.

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by PITairport

"The Internet search giant Google Inc. said Monday it will become an anchor tenant in a new office building planned in the Bakery Square 2.0 development in Shadyside."

http://triblive.com/business/headlines/5529819-74/square-google-bakery#axzz2sEkaIVSq

World's worst-kept secret...

Aaron (Glowrock)

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I agree--hopefully new signage is part of the project.

It does look a lot worse from Forbes, for the most part, although I hope they keep the Beckert Seed sign.

Walked right by it on my way to the bus after work after reading the post, and I was right in my memory that really minus the signage the liberty facade just needs a coat of paint. Hopefully they'll pick some colors which really make the building pop.

Most of the ugly you can see in the alley from Forbes is from the building next to it, which is a different parcel entirely. Was last sold in 1979 for $225,000, which seems a rather high amount for the time period, given it's a pretty nondescript four-story storefront.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Most of the ugly you can see in the alley from Forbes is from the building next to it, which is a different parcel entirely.

Come to think of it, I actually walk down the alley (Delray Street) quite a bit, so I may be overestimating how much impact it has if you stick to Forbes. Still, it is pretty ugly on that side, with plywood in most of the window openings. On the plus side, except for the ground floor, it looks to me like most of the window openings themselves are original (meaning they haven't been bricked up or reduced).

[BrianTH]

FYI, they are starting to put in the foundations for the new houses being built in Homewood along Finance Street near Faison.

[PghSH22]

While reading an article discussing the future potential of "cold weather" cities hosting another super bowl, I came across this:

"The requirement for 30,000 hotel rooms takes Green Bay off the list, as well as Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. But this is obviously about more than adequate lodging. It's a week-long, high-profile event leading up to one of the biggest television events of the year."

Can someone tell me approximately how many hotel rooms Pittsburgh does have/will have post the construcion of some of the new ones in downtwon? Im not advocating for or want/think a super bowl should happen in Pittsburgh, just simply curious about our hotel capacity and how far off we currently are.