PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[Muckk]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Although I don't mind it as much, I agree. There are at least two major things I don't like about Stage AE. One is the diagonal line they carry through the south facade:



To me that is completely discordant with the industrial vibe, and kinda ruins the illusion it could be a re-purposed building.



To me it again seems discordant with the industrial theme, and unnecessary as an additional design element.

But straighten out that diagonal (at different heights as appropriate), and get rid of that unnecessary lintel-thingy, and I think it would look pretty good.

The only possible explanation I can come up with is it is an attempt at homage. Picture the inside of a theater. Your focus is drawn to the stage due to the shape. If you were to stand on the stage and look outward the ceiling would gradually rise, along with the floor but less extremely. The walls would go out a bit too. Being that the stage can also be used as an indoor venue, it's possible that the intent was to pay homage to that aspect of theater. It's as if the building is trying to tell you that a theater is inside while still trying to fit in to the neighborhood. It's unlikely that that is true but it's the only explanation I can fathom.

[DKNewYork]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Thanks for posting! That was very interesting...


He said the second phase is around ONE HUNDRED apartments or condos. Now 151 Firstside is what, 19 stories and it's only 83 apartments!

So I would guess that if the tower is built on top of said parking garage I would guess it might be around 18-25 stories.

Unless the apartments in the Millcraft-McKnight project are all studios. Aren't there sizeable apartments (two and three bedrooms) in 151 Firstside? I thought so.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

He said the second phase is around ONE HUNDRED apartments or condos. Now 151 Firstside is what, 19 stories and it's only 83 apartments! So I would guess that if the tower is built on top of said parking garage I would guess it might be around 18-25 stories.

151 First Side may not be indicative--it is a relatively slender tower, and I believe has some larger condos. Piatt might also now be thinking about larger condos, but in that case I am not sure it would remain as many as 100 units.

Just to give some other comparisons, PMC is talking 241 units in 18 floors of the former Regional Enterprise Tower (aka former ALCOA HQ). PMC is also talking 228 units in 19 floors of the Clark Building. River Vue (aka the former State Office Building) has 218 units in 16 floors. That is all in the 12-14 units per floor range.

So 100 units could be as few as something like 8 floors, on top of about 6 for the retail/garage part. That would put it around the same height as the Park Building, give or take.

Which would still be nice. And, of course, they could also go with a skinnier tower or larger units.

Edit:

By the way, it is a pretty big parcel, particularly when you include the L-part over to Fifth:

[BrianTH]

Lyft is bring the car-hire-by-app war to Pittsburgh:

http://triblive.com/business/headlines/5541832-74/lyft-drivers-car#axzz2sVwCq09D

Traditional taxi companies have been fighting services like this tooth-and-nail across the country because they have created for themselves regulatory cartels which restrict supply and jack up prices. But of course potential consumers in Pittsburgh would benefit hugely from the entry of these competitors, particularly because here we don't yet have the density of potential customers that would create a lot of roving cabs.

[SkyPittsburgh]

Mr. Peduto wants to bring 20,000 new residents into the city over the next 10 years. To do that, he will need more housing, and that is where the developers come in.

The mayor sees opportunities for more residential development on the South Side, particularly near SouthSide Works; the Strip District; and Homewood, a struggling neighborhood he is seeking to rebuild.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...using/stories/201402060184#ixzz2sXkehtyo

Well I'll be darned, 20,000 people in 10 years, we can do it, but that would mean many neighborhoods need to be re-vamped (Homewood, Hill District, Uptown for starters) as well as a better public transport system.

[BrianTH]

ALCOA has been doing some interesting things lately to try to expand the market for aluminum. They've been developing more aluminum car bodies . . .

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/5429575-74/aluminum-steel-ford#axzz2sVwCq09D

. . . and now they are trying to develop air-aluminum car batteries:

http://triblive.com/business/headlines/5543024-74/alcoa-aluminum-battery#axzz2sVwCq09D

Here is a little background reading on that sort of battery technology:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium%E2%80%93air_battery

Like many future battery options, the core idea seems very promising, but implementation at scale would require solving various problems. But maybe ALCOA joining the effort is a positive sign.

[BrianTH]

As usual, Peduto is saying some very encouraging things. I personally think that 20,000 goal is reasonable in the sense that I believe there will be more than enough potential demand to meet it. The potential problems are really on the supply side, including because of holders of development rights that are overly timid (or have conflicts of interest), land-value speculators, and NIMBYs of all sorts. So it would be extremely helpful to have a City administration that is serving as a counterweight to all that, pushing projects to be more, not less, ambitious when it comes to residential units.

Edit: Oh, and I completely agree we need to be thinking ahead when it comes to transit planning and investments if we want to keep all this positive momentum in the core area going. The BRT plan for Squirrel Hill-Oakland-Uptown-Downtown is not a bad start, and I still think looking into aerial gondolas could provide huge benefits for the cost. But that said, the Busways, including the East Busway, are currently underutilized, and you could accommodate a lot of new transit riders just by encouraging more TOD in and around the Busways. That's part of why it is great to see neighborhoods like Homewood and Larimer being talked about as major redevelopment sites in coming years.

And then there is the North Shore--the North Shore Connector is also currently underutilized, and of course you can also easily walk or bike to Downtown from there. So all the talk in that article about pushing Continental to start doing residential projects is fantastic news, and I hope Peduto pushes them to specifically do it at major scale (no more 3-story buildings!).

On the other hand, I am a little surprised there was no specific mention of the Penguins' development of the Lower Hill. That is another HUGE opportunity for a lot of new residential that would not strain any existing infrastructure. But there are some tense negotiations going on about the nature of that project, so maybe Peduto not highlighting that particular opportunity at this time is wise.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

And then there is the North Shore--the North Shore Connector is also currently underutilized, and of course you can also easily walk or bike to Downtown from there. So all the talk in that article about pushing Continental to start doing residential projects is fantastic news, and I hope Peduto pushes them to specifically do it at major scale (no more 3-story buildings!).

There's a building right across from Allegheny Station (here) which seems like it would be great for apartment/condo conversions. Good size, nice historic facade, and seems to be pretty underutilized at the moment. Plus it's one of the only lots in the area not owned by the Carnegie or the Stadium Authority.

Once you cross under 65, there's a hell of a lot of under-utilized parcels in the weird intersection of Allegheny West, Chateau, and Manchester. I could see a whole new neighborhood of TOD development springing up there. CCAC's extensive holdings might stop expansion into Allegheny West, but my gut instinct is CCAC will be moving to online education in the next decade anyway, and thus need far less parking and classroom space.

North Side Station was placed in a very awkward place. I think they should have put it on the other side of PNC Park, of Federal Street. But it is what it is now. It's surrounded by lots, so it has a lot of opportunity in the future, but it's in a much worse position for ever providing transit access to the North Side itself. Unless the DL Clark Building was repurposed as mixed-use (or something was built on one of the lots near it) I don't see TOD ever crossing the highway here.

[Brentsters]

Originally Posted by eschaton

There's a building right across from Allegheny Station (here) which seems like it would be great for apartment/condo conversions. Good size, nice historic facade, and seems to be pretty underutilized at the moment. Plus it's one of the only lots in the area not owned by the Carnegie or the Stadium Authority.

http://www.desmone.com/project/reedsdale-street-apartments/

[Wiz Khalifa]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

Cheap... that's why they use it.

It would be costly to add windows. Adds to construction costs significantly.

Not when the amount of glass needed would only be around 2% more that they have already used in this building. Let's be realistic here, 2% more glass would not come anywhere close to significantly increasing construction costs in this project.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Brentsters

http://www.desmone.com/project/reedsdale-street-apartments/

Cool!

It says "conceptual" though, and checking property records, it hasn't been bought by anyone new. I would presume they did the mockup to try and convince either the current owner or a potential buyer that it was doable, but at the moment, I wouldn't presume more.

I do think they should at least try and put one storefront on the first floor though. Something like a cafe would probably get enough foot traffic between residents, workers at Mercy Behavioral Health, and the few random people walking between Rivers/Heinz Field and lots to keep going until the area gained significant foot traffic.

[photoLith]

I wonder why that building hasn't been restored every time I walk past it. It's in a pretty good location.

In other news here's a new development on Washington rd on a former parking lot next to the mt Lebanon light rail stop.

[eschaton]

Mount Lebanon really has the potential for some great TOD.

I always wonder who the heck allowed these to go in though. Blah autocentric dendrite pattern with low density, and not a single unit is further than a 10-minute walk from the T. Such a waste of valuable property (and tax revenue). Only one way in and out of the development as well. I suppose they are at least duplexes and townhouses.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by eschaton

There's a building right across from Allegheny Station which seems like it would be great for apartment/condo conversions.

I've eyed that building myself for that purpose!

Plus it's one of the only lots in the area not owned by the Carnegie or the Stadium Authority.

I know the Steelers have their annoying tailgating issue, but we really need to be converting the parking lots around the stations to parking structures, freeing up the remainder of the land for further development. The surface parking lots on either of Allegheny Station are particularly tragic.

I could see a whole new neighborhood of TOD development springing up there.

Me too! Ridge Avenue alone seems to be lined with prime opportunities.

North Side Station was placed in a very awkward place. I think they should have put it on the other side of PNC Park, of Federal Street.

It got moved as a result of turning the Spine Line into the NSC--another tragedy.

It's surrounded by lots, so it has a lot of opportunity in the future, but it's in a much worse position for ever providing transit access to the North Side itself. Unless the DL Clark Building was repurposed as mixed-use (or something was built on one of the lots near it) I don't see TOD ever crossing the highway here.

The fundamental problem is they placed it at the base of Monument Hill. There is a possible solution to that problem, however--an aerial gondola route could go right up and over the Hill and into the North Side proper. You could do a CCAC station up top, an Allegheny West station along Brighton, then continue up Brighton past the Central North Side to Perry South, or turn along the tracks up along Manchester.

Just saying.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Mount Lebanon really has the potential for some great TOD.

I always wonder who the heck allowed these to go in though. Blah autocentric dendrite pattern with low density, and not a single unit is further than a 10-minute walk from the T. Such a waste of valuable property (and tax revenue). Only one way in and out of the development as well. I suppose they are at least duplexes and townhouses.

It's a shame that cemetary is so centrally located.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I know the Steelers have their annoying tailgating issue, but we really need to be converting the parking lots around the stations to parking structures, freeing up the remainder of the land for further development. The surface parking lots on either of Allegheny Station are particularly tragic.

My point is that property which isn't in the hands of the Stadium Authority or the Carnegie is probably more developable in the short term. In the long term we of course need to push for consolidation of North Shore parking into more garages, and develop the surface lots. But as a first step, the Reedsdale building seems like low-hanging fruit.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Me too! Ridge Avenue alone seems to be lined with prime opportunities.

As far as I can tell, the lot closest to 65 isn't even considered a parcel by the city of Pittsburgh. I dunno who the owner would be - presumably it's a public lot.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

The fundamental problem is they placed it at the base of Monument Hill. There is a possible solution to that problem, however--an aerial gondola route could go right up and over the Hill and into the North Side proper. You could do a CCAC station up top, an Allegheny West station along Brighton, then continue up Brighton past the Central North Side to Perry South, or turn along the tracks up along Manchester.

I've missed your gondola talk on the other site.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Mount Lebanon really has the potential for some great TOD.

Oddly enough, I think the Mt Lebanon stop itself has too much development already around it to make it a prime TOD location. A bit more can be done, but there are many other T stations where you could be far more ambitious just using land currently occupied by parking lots and throwaway commercial buildings.

Edit: In that area, I've always thought the Arlington to Willow stretch could be redone very ambitiously, and I believe they should be starting on the Castle Shannon project soon:

http://www.deltaone.com/Projects/Project-Profiles/Transit-Projects/Shannon_Transit_Village

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by eschaton

My point is that property which isn't in the hands of the Stadium Authority or the Carnegie is probably more developable in the short term. In the long term we of course need to push for consolidation of North Shore parking into more garages, and develop the surface lots. But as a first step, the Reedsdale building seems like low-hanging fruit.

Oh sure, I wasn't disagreeing with you, just expressing my frustration at the current state of affairs. It feels like a poke in my eye every time I am at that station and see all that wasted space.

As far as I can tell, the lot closest to 65 isn't even considered a parcel by the city of Pittsburgh. I dunno who the owner would be - presumably it's a public lot.

Interesting. In my rough mental master plan for the area, I thought you could do a parking garage there to serve as a noise barrier, then do little or no parking in structures on the other side of Ridge.

I've missed your gondola talk on the other site.

Don't tempt me!

[PittExpat]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Oddly enough, I think the Mt Lebanon stop itself has too much development already around it to make it a prime TOD location. A bit more can be done, but there are many other T stations where you could be far more ambitious just using land currently occupied by parking lots and throwaway commercial buildings.

Edit: In that area, I've always thought the Arlington to Willow stretch could be redone very ambitiously, and I believe they should be starting on the Castle Shannon project soon:

http://www.deltaone.com/Projects/Project-Profiles/Transit-Projects/Shannon_Transit_Village

I believe they want to build over the T Tracks

Mt. Lebanon's main business district lacks large parcels of developable land, but officials hope to use the “air rights” once owned by the now-defunct Mt. Lebanon Parking Authority for a transit-oriented development, where commercial and residential space could be clustered near the “T” public transit line.

Read more: http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/allegh.../delta-lebanon-development#ixzz2sZh1prsN
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/allegh.../delta-lebanon-development#axzz2sYzgBFEn

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Interesting. In my rough mental master plan for the area, I thought you could do a parking garage there to serve as a noise barrier, then do little or no parking in structures on the other side of Ridge.

Looking at the other side, CCAC has basically the entire southern side of ridge aside from the first building (the FL Haus building). It's junk and could easily be knocked down, but the area is still zoned EMI, so it might be hard to use it for anything but expansion of CCAC.

On the northern side of the street, CCAC owns basically all the parking lots. Only the Subway and Graybar Electric are not owned by them. On the following lot there are a few office buildings they haven't snapped up, along with a small lot attached to one.

Obviously the "Chatreau" side is a total mess of fast food places, underused warehouses, and the two houses which somehow survived. The one on Ridge looks fairly abandoned now, but the one at the end of Lincoln still seems to be in fine shape.

I should also say I'm a fan of the idea of directing the T down Fulton into Manchester. It seems doable if they get it back down to Street level, and 2-3 stops would make all of Manchester have good access. It's pretty much the only Lower Northside neighborhood which the T can be strung into. But if you did that, you'd be able to also develop the farther side of Ridge as well.

Oh, one last weird thing about the area. I noticed that the area along Merchant Street, for some odd reason, is zoned RM-M (high-density residential). This actually continues to Martindale, meaning there doesn't seem to be any zoning barrier to turning the rental lot across from the DL Clark Building into apartments at all. I wonder how and why this happened? Regardless, it seems by far the easiest parcel near North Side Station to turn into an apartment complex, since zoning is already all lined up.