PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[AaronPGH]

Wait until Comcast's new tower is finished in Philly, then slap a big old spire on top of USX and take the tallest building crown back. Haha.

[Muckk]

Originally Posted by themaguffin

I don't really care about such things. OKC has a nice tall building, but it's very lonely up there.

That building is gorgeous. I was surprised when I found out it was going to be slightly taller than the Steel Building but I really like it nonetheless.

[BrianTH]

Peduto has a nominee for Director of City Planning, Ray Gastil. On paper, he looks great, including experience in Seattle and NYC (the latter as director of the Manhattan office):

http://pittsburghpa.gov/mayor/release?id=2919

http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/5882433-74/planning-gastil-peduto#axzz2xqAyXqfH

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...or-of-city-planning/stories/201404030263

Some more information:

http://gastilworks.com/?page_id=2

[BrianTH]

Article about redevelopment of Clark Building as apartments:

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/201...ow-house-apartments/stories/201404030149

Downtown’s newest luxury apartment complex will get its christening May 1, when the first tenants are expected to move into a building built in 1927 and named for James W. Clark, the founder of MGM. PMC is in the process of converting floors five to 23 into one- and two-bedroom apartments — a total of 228 units in all — with rents priced from $1,350 a month to $2,400 a month, plus water and electric. About 60 percent of the units have been completed. . . .

A rooftop deck offers even more commanding views of the skyline, the North Shore and the Allegheny River. Residents will have access to furniture and a grill, making it possible to have a hot dog while watching a ballgame from the rooftop. PMC also has built a state-of-the-art fitness center for residents. A 75-inch flat screen TV hangs from one wall, stirring thoughts of the old screening room.

This should keep PMC active in Pittsburgh:

Occupancy rates for the PMC apartment buildings Downtown ranges from sold-out at 526 and 908 Penn to 97 percent at the Penn Garrison, Ms. Paiano said. It’s 98 percent at the former Verizon property.

[Jonboy1983]

Originally Posted by doo dah

Oh, I know, there were lines to get in, at Willis Tower! It would be a tremendous attraction. Though I think it might have to be enclosed somehow, for safety.

How financially feasible would it be to have a platform all the way around?

I have at least an 8-foot-high glass wall in place around the edge. I know there's something similar in place at the Top of the Rock, which only slightly taller than US Steel Tower. As for such a platform all the way around, I think I'd keep it only on the side that faces the public plaza. I do have a 10-foot wide stone walkway that follows the perimeter of the building.

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

Wait until Comcast's new tower is finished in Philly, then slap a big old spire on top of USX and take the tallest building crown back. Haha.

Good one. I'm not entirely for Pittsburgh having the tallest building in the state either. This building has such a prominent skyscraper in its core, and it would be nice if it had something to draw even more visitors to the city.

Amenities of this new roof-top include

• Top of the Triangle restaurant, including banquet and event facilities

• A lounge, likely to be called 66 Lounge as a shout-out to the fact that it will occupy what would be the 66th floor.

• An interior observation deck directly above the restaurant and lounge space

• A glass-enclosed outdoor rooftop promenade housing two patios as well as an outdoor coffee shop or cafe for employees on their coffee and/or lunch breaks.

• A stone walkway would encircle the promenade, and the center would consist of grass and shrubbery.

• A 7-foot platform extending outward from the roof providing breathtaking views of the plaza roughly 900 feet straight down.

• 21 wind turbines fixed atop each of the main exterior columns to provide green energy to Pittsburgh's most prominent high-rise.

[/LIST]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Peduto has a nominee for Director of City Planning, Ray Gastil. On paper, he looks great, including experience in Seattle and NYC (the latter as director of the Manhattan office):

http://pittsburghpa.gov/mayor/release?id=2919

http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/5882433-74/planning-gastil-peduto#axzz2xqAyXqfH

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...or-of-city-planning/stories/201404030263

Some more information:

http://gastilworks.com/?page_id=2

That's a heck of a resume. I'm thinking Pittsburgh is in store for many great things.

[themaguffin]

It's unfortunate... the top of the triangle restaurant was up there for many, many years and was never replaced....

[xchris125x]

On the subject of tourist attractions...

As most of us know, George Ferris lived in Pittsburgh and won the bid to build an iconic entertainment device at the Chicago World Expo in 1893. With Ferris wheels becoming the 'in' thing to build as an iconic tourist attraction, Pittsburgh seems like an obvious location for one given the wheel's history.

My thoughts regarding the subject would be to not build one of the minimalistic and sleek new wheels like the London Eye or recently opened Las Vegas High Roller. Rather, build a wheel that emphasizes its steel structure like the original Ferris Wheel.

It seems that the city has enjoyed adorning the skyline with lights, whether in the form of signage (good and bad), or lighting packages like the Gulf Bldg. LED lighting packages have some very cool possibilities, but it would need to find the fine line of standing out without looking gaudy. But imagine the wheel lit up as a GIANT Steelers logo for Sunday/Monday night football on national TV.

Location is another issue. I'm not really sure where a large wheel could go. I just wanted to toss this idea I've had out there to you guys to see what you thought.

Ferris' original wheel with its hefty steel structure.


Newly completed Las Vegas High Roller

[BrianTH]

For a location, how about the narrow parking lot between Riverhounds Stadium and Fort Pitt Bridge/Tunnel, or on the other side of the Bridge? Interesting views of Downtown, the Point, and North Shore from over there, and vice-versa, and it would add even more drama to the amazing entrance into Pittsburgh through the tunnel. There is a pedestrian/bike bridge from Point Park you could use to add access. A more robust/traditional wheel there could tie in nicely with the bridge, Inclines, and Station Square. It could also add interest to Riverhounds Stadium (sort of like the rollercoaster near the Altoona Curve's ballpark).

I believe you have around 400 feet to work with there before you would be blocking views--for comparison the London Eye is 435 feet total, and I don't think we need to be breaking records. In fact the original Ferris Wheel was 264 feet, and I for one would love to see a fairly faithful replica.

[photoLith]

Im taking photos at Tekko, the giant Anime convention that happens this weekend, starting tonight and noticed their logo skyline is of Houston...

[acenturi]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

Wait until Comcast's new tower is finished in Philly, then slap a big old spire on top of USX and take the tallest building crown back. Haha.

A 280+ Ft Spire would be a bit much and probably require $$$$ to reinforce the building top base and develop a spire that big to withstand the wind shear. Without the BLADE, the new Comcast Building is "Currently" designed at 996'.

[daviderik]

Speaking of spire. The top of BNY Mellon Tower always looked unfinished to me.

[AaronPGH]

Originally Posted by acenturi

A 280+ Ft Spire would be a bit much and probably require $$$$ to reinforce the building top base and develop a spire that big to withstand the wind shear. Without the BLADE, the new Comcast Building is "Currently" designed at 996'.

I was just kidding!

[Jonboy1983]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

I was just kidding!

Hell, even I knew that, and I'm not one who picks up on sarcasm regularly.

I love the idea of a ferris wheel. I also think Pittsburgh could use such an attraction, but I think an undeveloped portion of the Northside might be a good choice...

[Steel City Scotty]

Originally Posted by Jonboy1983

I love the idea of a ferris wheel. I also think Pittsburgh could use such an attraction, but I think an undeveloped portion of the Northside might be a good choice...

I love that idea as well. It would be a nice reminder of the days of when Pittsburgh had a roller coaster at the Point.

[mikebarbaro]

Does anyone have photos of the old horse racing track on Brunot Island? Just curious. I always thought that island is a huge waste of space right now and should be targeted for some kind of development despite its lack of infrastructure.

[BrianTH]

Larimer is one of six or seven finalists for a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant from HUD:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...ch-for-larimer-to-win-30m-community.html

We've discussed the Larimer plan before--it would be truly transformative and a great example of how to leverage something like the renaissance of East Liberty into a much wider pattern of neighborhood reinvestment.

We don't know how many they will grant, but in the prior two rounds they awarded 4 and 5 respectively, so hopefully the odds are decent:

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=implementgrantlist.pdf

Edit: It is specifically six finalists, and with $109M in funding, they are likely to do 4 grants (they are usually in the $20-30M range):

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=..._indian_housing/programs/ph/cn/finalists

[SkyPittsburgh]

Originally Posted by mikebarbaro

Does anyone have photos of the old horse racing track on Brunot Island? Just curious.

http://oldpittmaps.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/brunots-island2.jpg
This is not really a picture, more of a painting, but it provides a general picture of the space.

Originally Posted by mikebarbaro

I always thought that island is a huge waste of space right now and should be targeted for some kind of development despite its lack of infrastructure.

I always fancied an urban park there, something really in the wilderness. In fact, Lewis and Clark stopped on that island on their adventure, and had quite the incident involving a rifle. (They shot a woman in the head) More information here: http://www.ohiorivertrail.org/attachment...0Brunots%20Island%20Bird%20Sanctuary.pdf

[BrianTH]

http://images.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/i...i10;viewid=FWAG2471.TIF;start=1;resnum=1

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by mikebarbaro

I always thought that island is a huge waste of space right now and should be targeted for some kind of development despite its lack of infrastructure.

It's been the site of generating stations for well over a hundred years, and there are a number of generating plants there now. Also, zero access other than via boat.

Over a century of heavy industrial contamination, existing electic power plants, no access... what kind of development is even realistic with those conditions?

Originally Posted by SkyPittsburgh

I always fancied an urban park there, something really in the wilderness.

The idea of a river/environmental education park with trails has been talked about for the island... basically a kayaker park. But with the power plants there, I don't think we'll see anything developed there for a long time.

[BrianTH]

Both ends of the island are relatively free of significant structures (except for a few towers/wires). So I am not sure there is a real physical impediment to some sort of park on one or both ends--safety and security are a different issue of course:

http://goo.gl/maps/3mPna

By the way, I acknowledge the power stations are a big deal. But otherwise, I think for park purposes you would probably just need one good pedestrian bridge (with limited access for park vehicles). That is what they did with Theodore Roosevelt Island in Virginia/DC, and it made for a very nice park:

http://goo.gl/maps/cNdLv