PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[BrianTH]

Here is a similar image (somewhat different coloring) from a P-G blog post of March 20, 2013:

http://blogs.post-gazette.com/news/the-r...t-oriented-development-ready-to-take-off



That basic version is also in this Youtube release from last September (and which is really very handy if you want to get an overall sense of how the project will progress, although they are not doing things in precisely the same order):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY4x_4A4img

[BrianTH]

Some interesting news in this post over at Building Pittsburgh (which, as an aside, seems to be collecting interesting construction news I personally don't see elsewhere):

http://buildingpittsburgh.com/2014/03/27/amazon-is-looking/

There are a couple of big commercial real estate projects happening. Master developer Buncher Co. is looking to qualify apartment developers to handle the construction of the first residential portion of its riverfront project in the Strip District. The first 100 units or more will be developed at the 21st Street access point to the site.

Online retailer Amazon is reportedly looking for 250,000 sq. ft. for later in 2014. Amazon’s requirements will limit the number of opportunities available in Pittsburgh but the more interesting note about its entry into the market is the potential for growth. If Amazon grows its fulfillment/logistics needs as it has in other regions, a facility that is three or four times as large should be expected inside five years.

Two quick personal notes:

(1) 100 units for a first building at the far end of the Buncher properties would be OK, and in fact I believe that is up from the 75 units they were originally discussing with the Ravenstahl-era URA. But I would love to see it be even more, and I believe the Peduto Administration is pushing the same direction;

(2) Reportedly, Amazon's long-term strategy is to provide same-day delivery for many items in most major U.S. markets. It is nice to see Pittsburgh getting into that pipeline, but it should be kept in mind that if Amazon succeeds with this vision, it will be putting a lot of competitive pressure on many traditional brick-and-mortar stores. Just something to keep in mind as we think about the retail component in new projects.

[Steel City Scotty]

I apologize if this has already been posted, but I didn't see it anywhere.

Pittsburgh Magazine has a feature article, titled "A Vision for the Rivers," linked on the homepage of their website.

http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/April-2014/A-Vision-for-the-Rivers/

Three "New Developments" are written about near the end of the article. I'm familiar with the Almono project in Hazelwood, but I don't think Allegheny Riverfront Green Boulevard in Lawrenceville or the Ohio Headwaters Development have been discussed much on this forum.

[BrianTH]

The Allegheny Riverfront Green Boulevard plan has come up periodically in the context of discussing the proposed Buncher developments in the Strip (the main question being to what extent Buncher's plans are compatible with that public plan).

[BrianTH]

Quick East Busway "eyeball" report:

1) A good chunk of the exterior of the Homewood Station senior project is now up. It is looking pretty nice--in fact I suspect it will eventually be easily confused for one of the new "luxury" apartment complexes going up in this era;

2) Just up the road, the new houses have been framed through the first floor. It is unfortunate this is not an apartment project, but they will be good-sized homes and hopefully they will be finished reasonably well and contribute to increasing the attractiveness of Homewood from the Busway;

3) At the East Liberty Transit Center, they have started some of the columns and walls for the parking levels (nearest the new Highland Bridge--towards the Target they are still digging). I am kind of interested to hear what they are nominally marking with the "groundbreaking" tomorrow;

4) Similarly, UPMC is now starting to put in the multi-level parking structure in their new site in Bloomfield--not the most exciting project, but it is going to be pretty massive as seen from the Busway.

[eschaton]

Here's an update on the downtown map, fixing the error I made and adding downtown hotels (and in one case, a soon-to-be hotel) in gold.



One thing that jumps out at me is the southeastern "quadrant" of Downtown (south of Fifth, East of Smithfield) is basically bare of non-worktime walkers. Obviously there's some high-density office towers in that area, but there's also a high number of parking garages/surface lots which is a tremendous under-utilization. Much more "old downtown" than what the rest of the area is becoming.

[JLuginbill]

More on Jason Lardo of Integrity Construction and his purchase of the Family Resources property and adjacent parcel.

http://triblive.com/business/realestate/5823596-74/spaces-building-parking#axzz2xXzVnV8O

[BrianTH]

I'd love to see the whole belt of underutilized blocks between Penn Circle W/Euclid and Beatty, Penn Circle N/Station Street to Penn Circle S/Centre, fill up with apartment buildings. East Liberty Place North and South are a good start, and it would be great to see that sort of residential density continue (or increase) given the proximity of those blocks to downtown East Liberty and the Busway station.

[Urbana]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

4) Similarly, UPMC is now starting to put in the multi-level parking structure in their new site in Bloomfield--not the most exciting project, but it is going to be pretty massive as seen from the Busway.

What site is this?

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Urbana

What site is this?

I think it is sometimes known as the Luna Park site. It is between Baum and Gross, down in the valley.

Older post on the project (with link to even more information):

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=6239165&postcount=5025

[BrianTH]

Another quick demographic aside:

http://www.businessinsider.com/pittsburgh-young-adult-boom-2014-3

Summary: 2005-2012, the Pittsburgh MSA had above-national-average population growth in the 25-34 cohort (post-college-years "young adults"). Combine that with below-average overall population growth, and you get an astounding ratio of young adult growth to overall growth:



This point sometimes gets lost when people focus exclusively on the overall population count--the relatively flat overall population count conceals a really dramatic change in the composition of that population, and in particular the Pittsburgh-area adult population is rapidly getting much younger on average. And all that helps explain things like why the rental market in particular is way tighter than you might have expected just given the overall population trends.

[BrianTH]

And here is how NIMBYs in Pittsburgh will eventually make it as unaffordable as any other Northeast city:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...omise/stories/201403310106#ixzz2xXmMU9xa

The "good neighbor" process has become an unwritten principle of Pittsburgh's Zoning Board of Adjustment. It asks that, before the board holds a hearing, a developer introduce his project to the people who live near it. Each side is expected to inch toward the other, with compromises if there is opposition. In the proposed development of a parcel on Josephine Street in the South Side Slopes, the case endured three continuances while the two sides met eight times. There have been three alterations to the plan. It went from 21 apartments to 18 to 15 to, finally, six townhouses that are likely to need one or two variances for dimensions.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...omise/stories/201403310106#ixzz2xZFhrNr3

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

And here is how NIMBYs in Pittsburgh will eventually make it as unaffordable as any other Northeast city:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...omise/stories/201403310106#ixzz2xXmMU9xa



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...omise/stories/201403310106#ixzz2xZFhrNr3

Related to this, one of my coworkers went to a presentation that was attended by Darlene Harris, Theresa Kail-Smith, R. Daniel Lavelle, and Ricky Burgess regarding the changes they want to the Pittsburgh land bank. Most of the stuff sounded pretty minor, but they also want to have city council people have vetoes on any transactions by the land bank in there area.

My opinions of this faction on city council (which was never high) have dropped considerably. Fortunately Cory O'Connor voted against originally, and seems to be in favor of more minor modifications to the bill, meaning these jokers could be circumvented.

[Wave]

And the tactic that developers will use (and currently do use) to counter this is to plan and announce much larger projects than they intend to build, so that when the opposition emerges they can then "decrease" the size of their project in order to compromise. This is done all the time to counter sometimes ridiculous nimby-ism and often archaic & antiquated zoning regulations.

I think this is what may have happened with the hot metal flats going down a story or two and also what happened with the Hyatt at Baum & Liberty downscaling. The developers of the Hyatt property were likely concerned by that location since the previous proposed development by DC Economou was stonewalled by adjacent residents. I also wonder if any of that was in play with the Mt. Washington former "edge" site. though they seemed to have financial issues and other problems.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

And here is how NIMBYs in Pittsburgh will eventually make it as unaffordable as any other Northeast city:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...omise/stories/201403310106#ixzz2xXmMU9xa



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...omise/stories/201403310106#ixzz2xZFhrNr3

[Wave]

They've also installed a "storyboard" display with renderings and other project info relating to the Eastside II and Transit center project right on the Centre Ave. side of the project on the construction fence. I drove by quickly so could not get a good view but it seems like the renderings were the updated ones.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Quick East Busway "eyeball" report:


3) At the East Liberty Transit Center, they have started some of the columns and walls for the parking levels (nearest the new Highland Bridge--towards the Target they are still digging). I am kind of interested to hear what they are nominally marking with the "groundbreaking" tomorrow;

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Another quick demographic aside:

http://www.businessinsider.com/pittsburgh-young-adult-boom-2014-3

Summary: 2005-2012, the Pittsburgh MSA had above-national-average population growth in the 25-34 cohort (post-college-years "young adults"). Combine that with below-average overall population growth, and you get an astounding ratio of young adult growth to overall growth:



This point sometimes gets lost when people focus exclusively on the overall population count--the relatively flat overall population count conceals a really dramatic change in the composition of that population, and in particular the Pittsburgh-area adult population is rapidly getting much younger on average. And all that helps explain things like why the rental market in particular is way tighter than you might have expected just given the overall population trends.

Excellent, excellent point. I have been saying this for some time. The elderly population is dying off fast; the baby boomers moved away during the 80s and 90s and tons of young professionals are moving into the city. This means Pittsburgh is going to transform into one of the youngest and most dynamic cities in the country in the near future.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Here's an update on the downtown map, fixing the error I made and adding downtown hotels (and in one case, a soon-to-be hotel) in gold.



One thing that jumps out at me is the southeastern "quadrant" of Downtown (south of Fifth, East of Smithfield) is basically bare of non-worktime walkers. Obviously there's some high-density office towers in that area, but there's also a high number of parking garages/surface lots which is a tremendous under-utilization. Much more "old downtown" than what the rest of the area is becoming.

Good point. But with PMC soon to renovate the beautiful former J&L Steel highrise along with the Salvation Army building conversion that should be a nice start to getting more people into that corner of downtown.

[chiaroscuro]

Developing a place for new Pittsburghers

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by eschaton

One thing that jumps out at me is the southeastern "quadrant" of Downtown (south of Fifth, East of Smithfield) is basically bare of non-worktime walkers. Obviously there's some high-density office towers in that area, but there's also a high number of parking garages/surface lots which is a tremendous under-utilization. Much more "old downtown" than what the rest of the area is becoming.

Should be a prime area for development... First Ave T station right there... close to river... but of course they put the fucking jail there and it's hemmed in by highways. Having the bike trail/Mon Wharf could be nice attributes, but the area is closed off by high-speed roadways, the bluff, and overpasses. Also, PNC firstside creates a major dead zone. That whole development licks my ballz.

Originally Posted by JLuginbill

More on Jason Lardo of Integrity Construction and his purchase of the Family Resources property and adjacent parcel.

Lardo? The guy's last name is Lardo? Jesus, that's a tough one to grow up with.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Another quick demographic aside:

http://www.businessinsider.com/pittsburgh-young-adult-boom-2014-3

Summary: 2005-2012, the Pittsburgh MSA had above-national-average population growth in the 25-34 cohort (post-college-years "young adults"). Combine that with below-average overall population growth, and you get an astounding ratio of young adult growth to overall growth:



This point sometimes gets lost when people focus exclusively on the overall population count--the relatively flat overall population count conceals a really dramatic change in the composition of that population, and in particular the Pittsburgh-area adult population is rapidly getting much younger on average. And all that helps explain things like why the rental market in particular is way tighter than you might have expected just given the overall population trends.

Pittsburgh is now officially a Midwestern city, I guess.

Overall, Business Insider blows my goat.

Originally Posted by eschaton

Related to this, one of my coworkers went to a presentation that was attended by Darlene Harris, Theresa Kail-Smith, R. Daniel Lavelle, and Ricky Burgess regarding the changes they want to the Pittsburgh land bank. Most of the stuff sounded pretty minor, but they also want to have city council people have vetoes on any transactions by the land bank in there area.

My opinions of this faction on city council (which was never high) have dropped considerably. Fortunately Cory O'Connor voted against originally, and seems to be in favor of more minor modifications to the bill, meaning these jokers could be circumvented.

Harris may very well be retarded and Burgess is a mentally ill asshole. Seriously, these people make important decisions about the future of Pittsburgh.

[Steel City Scotty]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

I have been saying this for some time. The elderly population is dying off fast; the baby boomers moved away during the 80s and 90s and tons of young professionals are moving into the city. This means Pittsburgh is going to transform into one of the youngest and most dynamic cities in the country in the near future.

As a "young professional" myself, I am very excited about this trend.

However, is there also a fear that Pittsburgh will start to become a much more expensive place to live as well?

For years, the city has been known for its affordable cost of living. Will that be sacrificed as a by-product of the demographic change in population?

A lot of young professionals live in cities such as New York (Brooklyn) and the D.C. area, and those are two examples of places notorious for high costs.