PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II - Page 389

markson33 · #**7761** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 2:32 PM**

I've heard that too, but I would expect Walnut to move forward on the project quickly.

Evergrey · #**7762** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 2:38 PM**

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/5782595-74/ross-development-homes#axzz2wJPlvRRs

Quote:

Ross approves 300-home development

By Kelsey Shea

Published: Monday, March 17, 2014, 11:39 p.m.
Updated 2 hours ago

The first phases of the largest land development in Ross in almost 30 years were approved on Monday for property that was once home to Highland Country Club.

Ross commissioners OK'd a resolution that will allow developers to begin work in the spring on a development that will include more than 300 homes.

Financial woes closed the country club in 2011, and Limerick Land Partners, a Whitehall-based partnership between developer Dan Caste and Heartland Homes, bought the land in 2012.

Developers are in the process of demolishing the clubhouse.

The 120-acre tract off Highland Avenue that held the club and an 18-hole golf course is the largest piece of undeveloped property in Ross, Caste said.

Limerick's plan proposes building as many as 167 townhouses and 134 single-family homes on the site.

Caste estimates that the 300 residences will add about $80 million to Ross' tax base each year, which planning commission member Nelson Erb said is the largest development in the township since the construction of Ross Park Mall in 1986.

...

eschaton · #**7763** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 2:59 PM**

All of the buildings on the "Odeon" block are still owned by ELDI, according to the assessor's site, except for the last one at 6022 Penn Avenue, which has been owned by the same company since 1987.

DBR96A · #**7764** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 4:14 PM**

Is Pittsburgh's economy stalling?!

What the hell happened to the +10,000 to +15,000 year-over-year job growth? The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised everything majorly downward; in fact, Pittsburgh has now lost jobs year over year in some months toward the end of 2013.

Now I'm concerned that those who want to see Pittsburgh fail will win.

themaguffin · #**7765** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 4:45 PM**

I don't think it's that simple DBR and there's no need to be so defensive about the region. Unlike recent decades, it's doing better than a lot of places, with exciting things happening.

Evergrey · #**7766** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 5:10 PM**

There have been an unusual number of "mass layoff" announcements for the Pittsburgh region over the past few months (Heinz, Verizon, Highmark, USAir, EDMC, Pittsburgh Symphony, Cornertone Television, American Beverage, etc.)... at least the ones that make the newspapers. Perhaps that cumulative effect is taking its toll.

Normally the newspapers don't know how to analyze employment/economic numbers... and trot out alarmist headlines for month-to-month job losses (which are almost always due to regular seasonal factors)... but the Trib article is citing a year-over-year decline in January... which is troubling.

http://wesa.fm/post/pittsburgh-region-saw-flat-job-growth-2013

Quote:

Pittsburgh TODAY, a nonprofit research organization housed at the University of Pittsburgh, compared the seven-county Pittsburgh region to other similar metropolitan areas across the Midwest and East Coast, and found that the Steel City fared worst in terms of job growth.

“We actually had the lowest job growth of the 15 regions,” said Doug Heuck, program director for Pittsburgh TODAY. “In fact, we were the only one who actually lost jobs in that January year over year period.”

Still... it's a bit strange that this would be coming "out of nowhere". Pittsburgh has been one of the leaders in job growth among its benchmark peers until this most recent report... here's hoping there's just something screwy going on with these "preliminary" numbers... no need to ring the alarm yet.

DBR96A · #**7767** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 5:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evergrey

There have been an unusual number of "mass layoff" announcements for the Pittsburgh region over the past few months (Heinz, Verizon, Highmark, USAir, EDMC, Pittsburgh Symphony, Cornertone Television, American Beverage, etc.)... at least the ones that make the newspapers. Perhaps that cumulative effect is taking its toll.

Normally the newspapers don't know how to analyze employment/economic numbers... and trot out alarmist headlines for month-to-month job losses (which are almost always due to regular seasonal factors)... but the Trib article is citing a year-over-year decline in January... which is troubling.

http://wesa.fm/post/pittsburgh-region-saw-flat-job-growth-2013

Still... it's a bit strange that this would be coming "out of nowhere". Pittsburgh has been one of the leaders in job growth among its benchmark peers until this most recent report... here's hoping there's just something screwy going on with these "preliminary" numbers... no need to ring the alarm yet.

But the revised numbers for the last few months of 2013 show essentially zero growth as well. That's what worries me.

Evergrey · #**7768** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 5:38 PM**

Yeah... they seem to have revised every month in 2013 downward... which is weird. Notice that we were experiencing healthy y/y growth up through December of 2012... then January 2013 they revised y/y growth down to almost nothing.

AaronPGH · #**7769** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 6:05 PM**

I have quite a few friends in other cities trying to move here right now – very skilled young people. And they're having a bitch of a time finding a job. Most have given up. A personal anecdote, but it's really sad to see these types of people who actually *want* to be here not being able to pull it off.

One of them just gave up and moved to work for SoundCloud in Berlin instead. These are highly desirable people. Depressing.

Evergrey · #**7770** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 6:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

I have quite a few friends in other cities trying to move here right now – very skilled young people. And they're having a bitch of a time finding a job. Most have given up. A personal anecdote, but it's really sad to see these types of people who actually *want* to be here not being able to pull it off.

One of them just gave up and moved to work for SoundCloud in Berlin instead. These are highly desirable people. Depressing.

Perhaps photoLith's personal experience speaks to a broader trend here.

These flat job growth numbers do seem to run counter to the labor force trends discussed in this University of Pittsburgh report:

http://www.ucsur.pitt.edu/files/peq/peq_2013-12.pdf

photoLith · #**7771** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 7:28 PM**

I've been pretty well fucked since moving here going from crap paying job to crap paying job. The jobs are not here for young professionals unless you have loads of experience. The only reason I stay here is because I hate Houston so much even though there are loads of jobs there.

Austinlee · #**7772** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

I have quite a few friends in other cities trying to move here right now – very skilled young people. And they're having a bitch of a time finding a job. Most have given up. A personal anecdote, but it's really sad to see these types of people who actually *want* to be here not being able to pull it off.

One of them just gave up and moved to work for SoundCloud in Berlin instead. These are highly desirable people. Depressing.

The story of Pittsburgh....

Evergrey · #**7773** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 8:29 PM**

Interestingly, itt was just a month ago, Pittsburgh TODAY was touting Pittsburgh's economic strength...

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/201...rs-more-growth-here/stories/201402220041

Quote:

Stability spurs more growth in Pittsburgh

...

Job growth in Pittsburgh was 1.5 percent in 2013, according to the Department of Labor Statistics. The city ranked fifth when comparing wages and cost of living.

...

So... less than a month ago we're celebrating over BLS numbers that showed growth in 2013... now we have revised numbers showing decline... I'm not about to jump off a cliff because of these latest numbers... which seem to be fluctuating wildly.

2013 Census Estimates come out some day this month... so the drama continues...

DBR96A · #**7774** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 8:37 PM**

From what I'm guessing, the slowdown has to do with large decreases in the number of government, information and trade/transportation/utility jobs, as well as a slowdown in the education/health sector.

Evergrey · #**7775** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 8:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBR96A

as well as a slowdown in the education/health sector.

This has been a long-term issue... this sector really buoyed Pittsburgh up until a few years ago... then when everything else took off (finance, professional services, etc)... meds and eds really started to stagnate. There's a lot of macro issues that are affecting this once robust sector... but I also don't think UPMC/Highmark have been helping themselves with their ridiculous war and combative nature toward consumers. Every transplant I know here comments on how weird it is to see a constant barrage of commercials featuring the UPMC/Highmark war.

Also... higher education has been under a lot of pressure lately.

DBR96A · #**7776** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 9:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evergrey

This has been a long-term issue... this sector really buoyed Pittsburgh up until a few years ago... then when everything else took off (finance, professional services, etc)... meds and eds really started to stagnate. There's a lot of macro issues that are affecting this once robust sector... but I also don't think UPMC/Highmark have been helping themselves with their ridiculous war and combative nature toward consumers. Every transplant I know here comments on how weird it is to see a constant barrage of commercials featuring the UPMC/Highmark war.

Also... higher education has been under a lot of pressure lately.

If Pittsburgh is getting younger, and Pennsylvania is projected to have the slowest elderly population growth of all 50 states, then a slowdown in "meds" was probably bound to happen. Maybe by 2020, it'll be as hard to find a job as a nurse in Pittsburgh as it was to find a job as an elementary school teacher in 2000. As for "eds," there's a lot of pressure nationwide, not just in Pittsburgh.

The good news is, Pitt and UPMC are heavyweights in terms of medical research, and there are other companies like Mylan and Bayer bolster it, so my bet is that there will still be job growth in medical research, and those incomes will be high, but the growth will be offset by a gradual loss of low- to middle-income nursing and paper-pushing jobs. Basically, expect job growth to slow down, but not income growth.

Private Dick · #**7777** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 9:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

I have quite a few friends in other cities trying to move here right now – very skilled young people. And they're having a bitch of a time finding a job. Most have given up. A personal anecdote, but it's really sad to see these types of people who actually *want* to be here not being able to pull it off.

One of them just gave up and moved to work for SoundCloud in Berlin instead. These are highly desirable people. Depressing.

I left Pittsburgh a few years ago simply because I couldn't find a good job after aggressively searching/meeting/networking/interviewing for over year, while working two jobs in order to pay the bills. I wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. But I finally gave up and moved to DC... and landed a great job with a major consulting firm in 8 days.

8 fucking days to land a senior-level job in the nation's capital with one of the top management consulting firms in the world vs. a goddamn year and a half of hearing nothing or being rejected for far lesser jobs in Pennsylvania's 2nd largest city with local and regional firms... WTF?

I love seeing all the good developments happening in Pittsburgh, but I continue to hear stories about people in their late 20s and 30s with top-notch education and experience levels having a very difficult time finding a job in the Pittsburgh area. I really hope this is changing for the better, because I'd like to move back in the not-too-distant future... but prospects still aren't that encouraging.

Private Dick · #**7778** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 9:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBR96A

From what I'm guessing, the slowdown has to do with large decreases in the number of government, information and trade/transportation/utility jobs, as well as a slowdown in the education/health sector.

That is generally what has been happening in Cleveland (large losses in sectors)... which garnered a few "oh, poor Cleveland... too bad they aren't booming like Pittsburgh" responses on this thread.

To which BrianTH wisely reminded that it should be looked at from a larger regional perspective, realizing that economic trends occurring in a very closely-linked-to-Pittsburgh city like Cleveland can reflect or predict trends at home.

Steel City Scotty · #**7779** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 10:50 PM**

Wow, this thread has taken a "depressing" turn indeed.

My wife and I are planning to move to the Pittsburgh area in about two years, and for a long time, I've thought that "this is where all the young professionals are going to take all of the big, exciting jobs." Obviously, things can change between now and 2016, but this is the first I've heard anyone say that it's tough to find work in and around the city.

I'll be 30 this year, and my background is in communications, public relations and economic development, fields that are supposedly "booming" right now. We'll see if that's true when I start sending application materials to Western PA...

Private Dick · #**7780** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 11:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steel City Scotty

I'll be 30 this year, and my background is in communications, public relations and economic development, fields that are supposedly "booming" right now. We'll see if that's true when I start sending application materials to Western PA...

You will have a very difficult time finding a job in Pittsburgh by "sending application materials to Western PA". You might as well send them to the garbage can because you'll have the same amount of success. Find someone who can get you a job, and don't waste your time sending online applications, cover letters, and resumes.