PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[BrianTH]

I think the original parcel in which Oxford's apartment building was supposed to go (between 26th and 27th and Railroad) is around 5 acres. So more parcels must be involved in this 11-acre expanded project--I assume something adjacent but I don't know which.

Edit: Dug up a list of 2014 RACP requests, including one for the Oxford project (they want $4.5M for the Intermodal Garage portion, apparently):

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...CPfg7j7wn2eqANuqDw&bvm=bv.66111022,d.aWc

It states:

Three Crossings is a $121 million mixed-use development project sponsored by Oxford Development Company, General Partner; and Hammel’s Express, Inc., the primary Limited Partner. The Project is situated between 25th and 27th streets on the Allegheny River, Railroad, and Smallman streets.

[BrianTH]

Some other interesting listings in that spreadsheet, including . . . .

Forbes Hotel Granite Building, LLC Allegheny City of Pittsburgh $5,000,000 $- An adaptive reuse of the historic Granite Building, a lively, unique, independent boutique hotel with 104 rooms, 1 restaurant, 3 bars, 5-star service, & close proximity to 14 major cultural venues and 18 corporate headquarters. A showcase for Pittsburgh, its people and products. A national & international destination, a meeting place for local residents, & a force for positive change in the surrounding community.

and

Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Allegheny City of Pittsburgh $3,000,000 $- The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium plans a $30,193,522 capital expansion project of the remaining six acres of undeveloped land on Zoo grounds. The expansion will include a renovated and extended internal pathway system, service road, and approximately 178,000 sq. feet of exhibit and building construction, including 19 new animal exhibits, restaurants, playground, classrooms, and a conservatory-style building.

and

Carnegie Institute Allegheny City of Pittsburgh $3,000,000 $- Approximately 60,000 square foot expansion to and 140,000 square foot renovation of the existing Carnegie Science Center building and associated site work.

and

Ferchill Group Allegheny City of Philadelphia [sic--must be a typo] $2,000,000 $- The Heinz Lofts II Project will transform this vacant, historic building that has been part of the Troy Hill neighborhood in downtown Pittsburgh since the 30’s into energy efficient, cutting-edge market rate housing on the North Side of the Alleghany River. While maintaining the historic features of the building, this renovation will bring 173 new apartments, including micro-units to the existing Heinz housing complex.

[BrianTH]

Updates, including video and photos, on "Aria Cultural District Lofts," the 40-unit residential conversion project in the (now defunct) Bossa Nova building in the Cultural District:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...review-aria-cultural-district-lofts.html
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...-building-transitions-to-apartments.html

[Wave]

Wow. that's quite a Tsunami of heretofore unknown development projects (or expansions on original projects) ....the only item in that group that I was aware of was the Science Center upgrades. Including the Oxford project and Aria lofts, this is like a month's worth of announcements in one group of posts! Way to go Brian!

Of particular interest:

1. The Zoo expansion is a big deal considering it's been long overdue for upgrades & expansion. This sounds very enticing. Six acres is a very nice amount of space to develop for an urban zoo and $30MM is not a small amount to spend on expansion.

2. The Granite Building boutique hotel....have not heard anything about this either, sounds VERY cool. Does anyone know anything more about this?

3. Oxford project expanded plans, also sounds amazing in terms of scale and how it could further move development forward in the strip district. $122MM is a large project. Consider that the entire Bakery Sq. II project is about the same amount of cost. or double the size of Eastside II in East Liberty. That's translates info a large development in the strip.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Some other interesting listings in that spreadsheet, including . . . .



and



and



and

[mikebarbaro]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Updates, including video and photos, on "Aria Cultural District Lofts," the 40-unit residential conversion project in the (now defunct) Bossa Nova building in the Cultural District:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...review-aria-cultural-district-lofts.html
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...-building-transitions-to-apartments.html

I LOVE that logo!

[Brentsters]

I posted about the funding request for the Granite Building hotel. Beautiful building and seems like a boutique hotel would be a great use for it.

Really the northern ends of Wood and Smithfield are ripe for development. I'd also like to see the old Smithfield Cafe building rehabbed.

[photoLith]

I dont see where theres 11 acres of developable land around 25th and 26th Streets in the Strip, that looks like only a couple acres, unless they are buying up adjacent properties that are still being used for shipping and whatnot.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by photoLith

I dont see where theres 11 acres of developable land around 25th and 26th Streets in the Strip, that looks like only a couple acres, unless they are buying up adjacent properties that are still being used for shipping and whatnot.

From the description, I am guessing it is basically an L-shaped plan, including 25th to 27th between Railroad and the river, and 25th to 26th between Smallman and Railroad.

[Jonboy1983]

Originally Posted by photoLith

I dont see where theres 11 acres of developable land around 25th and 26th Streets in the Strip, that looks like only a couple acres, unless they are buying up adjacent properties that are still being used for shipping and whatnot.

I think that's also where Pitt-Ohio Trucking Company is at now, and as you all know they're about to move to greener pastures allowing for their current grounds to give way to future development like this.

I'm strongly in favor of building a hotel on top of the AWC. Kathleen Kane should jump off a roof, or a bridge! Considering the center is about to go into foreclosure (if it hasn't happened yet) that contract should be considered null and void. That's how I'd look at it anyway...

That high-end condo project in the strip looks sweet. I can't wait to see others like it pop up there.

On a side note, I'm sick of reading about all these posters complaining about the lack of affordable housing. What do they want to have, pretty much all housing in the city deemed "affordable"? I know it's a bit off topic, but I thought of the remarks about the Lower Hill development discussion. I'm sorry, but given its spitting-distance proximity to Downtown, no portion of that should be considered "affordable" or "section 8" housing. Technically, that's part of the central business district. Whatever goes in there should be market rate. If you want affordable housing, they should look elsewhere in the city, perhaps in the middle and upper hill away from Centre Avenue.

Average annual household income in Pittsburgh is increasing, driven by this influx of younger professionals with higher and advanced education filling vacancies in the healthcare/tech/services fields (in spite of such growth slowing down somewhat). They're driving this market. I'm not against affordable housing, but there are some parts of the city where it absolutely does not belong, and not all of it should be considered as such. What ultimately happens is, since it's subsidized by the federal government, it will only be a short-term solution, more or less. It will only be a matter of time before once again these areas are in a state of disrepair.

You can disagree with me (I'm sure many will), but this is just based on several observations I've made in several urban areas...

[WillyC]

Originally Posted by Urbana

Another chapter in the ridiculous tale of the August Wilson Center. Now the goddamned state attorney general is involved.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2014/05/05/URA-state-agenc/stories/201405050210

The comments section on these articles have turned me against the NY developer.

If anything, I want to see the foundations get it now just to stick it to all the hiding in plain sight racists that comment there.

Also to stick it to the wannabes frontin like they bankstas when they don't know a darn thing.

[BrianTH]

McCaffery's plan for the Produce Terminal is not set in stone, but it takes a portal approach with a few public amenities (coffee shops, galleries, etc.) at the portals and then flexible work/live spaces in the remainder:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...on-produce-terminal/stories/201405070089

I like the idea of having public amenities at the portals (even just small shops lining them could be cool), but otherwise I am not quite as fond of the work/live approach in comparison to Ferchill's primarily residential approach since I would like to see as many residential units as possible.

[eschaton]

As far as I can tell, Hammel’s Express only owns the block bounded by 26th, 27th, and Railroad Street. This area is around 3.34 acres - perhaps a bit more if you count the sliver of land they own on the opposite side of the unused railroad right-of-way.

Pitt Ohio clearly does own more land around there under different holding companies. Here's a map indicating the Hammel's Express block plus three parcels in red which are clearly also owned by Pitt Ohio (as the same holding company also owns their office on the other side of 27th).

The remainder of the three blocks are taken up by different property owners. Some of the other nearby property owners may have sales which are contingent on approval going through, or already may be Pitt-Ohio front holding companies.

[themaguffin]

That's still a lot of land to work with.

[BrianTH]

Here is an article from back in 2010 when the Zoo's expansion was in the early planning stages:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...uarium-in-the-works/stories/201008090124

This article from last week also contains some references:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...ctor-Joseph-Gaspard/stories/201405030111

It would be cool to see all this coming together along with full implementation of the Heth's Run plan.

[BrianTH]

cityLAB's (somewhat controversial) "tiny house" plan is moving forward in Garfield:

http://www.popcitymedia.com/features/nextgenhousing050714.aspx

http://www.citylabpgh.org/blogs/tiny-houses/

The second link is to a blog that will be tracking the project. Apparently after a meeting last December, cityLAB determined the next step should be to show people how to actually go through the whole process, so they plan to build a house and then sell it off.

[Gilamonster]

[mikebarbaro]

Is that the base for the Tower Crane? It will be awesome seeing two cranes in the skyline at once!

[photoLith]

Those tiny houses are cool, hell I'd live in one but not at an asking price of 100k for like 250 square feet. Maybe make them 20-30k and I'd be interested. You can buy a normal sized house for that much around Bloomfield.

[BrianTH]

4moms may be moving from the Strip to the newly-renovated Fiserv building. Seems like a good fit--they do whacky futuristic baby stuff, and the Fiserv building is one of Downtown's most "futurama" buildings:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...new-80-000-square-foot-headquarters.html



Older article about renovations:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/pr...building-gets-35m-makeover.html?page=all

Sample of 4Moms products:

http://www.4moms.com/origami

No offense to Fiserv, but it would be nice if they switched the naming rights to 4moms--it is a well-known brand in certain circles and would diversify Downtown's branding.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Those tiny houses are cool, hell I'd live in one but not at an asking price of 100k for like 250 square feet. Maybe make them 20-30k and I'd be interested. You can buy a normal sized house for that much around Bloomfield.

I agree this is a niche product, but if you look at the survey responses cityLAB got, you can begin to understand the thinking behind those interested:

http://www.citylabpgh.org/8260/

These are people who want to live in walkable neighborhoods with good public transit, but they also want to build their own home, or at least customize it heavily, and they also want at least some space for a garden and such. Incidentally, the loft bedroom approach seemed really popular, which will tend to put you more around 400-500 sqft from the plans I have seen online.

Anyway, when you start adding up all those requirements, it becomes clear why you may not be able to get everything on that list at a better price. Of course most people with an equivalent budget will give up one or more things on that list to get more space, and conversely many people shopping with that list will have a higher budget. But I do think there is likely to be a small percentage of people for whom this would be ideal.

Finally, again looking at the survey, they are attracted to the idea of having multiple similar houses in the same neighborhood, but maybe not exclusively. So you can see why the idea of infilling a lot of small vacant lots in one particular neighborhood with cheapish land (like Garfield) might actually work really well.