PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[Austinlee]

There's also a new roundabout in Moon Twp, right off of a highway ramp, Ewing Rd, which is interesting.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by DKNewYork

I don't have the addresses of the two Jeanette Street properties to be restored in this phase but it appears that the lot numbers are 176-H-256 and 176-H-246.

-256 is 520 Jeanette, a Foursquare. -246 appears to be a lot on the alley behind -256 (Wagner Way).

As to the one owned by the county, it looks as if it was badly expanded a couple times in the past and has, to my eye, limited appeal.

Yeah, it is a Frankenstein's Monster sort of building.

I haven't a clue what those warehouses look like---old and historic or more recent?

I've only seen them in person maybe once or twice as far as I recall. I don't remember them being new, but I also don't remember anything distinctive. Old sheds/garages is more or less the image that I recollect.

[BrianTH]

Pittsburgh has been ranked as a top 10 city in terms of percentage of office/retail space in "Walkable Urban Places"

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/17/walkable-urban-places-findings/10623587/

Full report here:

http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/locus/foot-traffic-ahead/

Not really a surprise who else is on the list, and Pittsburgh's inclusion makes sense when you think about its still relatively thriving historic urban business core (including Downtown and the East End). See here:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...cas-top-20-most-walkable-cities-and.html

But as the report and coverage are discussing, this is an important issue for future planning as it appears young people really are different this time, and so Pittsburgh will have to keep building on this area of strength to remain competitive as a destination for young talent.

Edit: Oh, and the report specifically notes that places like Pittsburgh have almost all their walkable areas concentrated in the core, with very little in the suburbs. I think as long as you also include the innermost suburbs (places like Wilkinsburg, Aspinwall, Mt Lebanon, and so on) in the core, that is largely correct.

That represents a real challenge for the long-run walkability of the Metro, but I think there are some reasons to hope. First, even outside the innermost suburbs, there are in fact historic urbanized centers, mostly along the rivers or formerly-prominent rail lines. Many of these have fallen on hard times, but with smart land-use and transportation policies (e.g., more investment in rapid transit along the historic transportation corridors, less investment in new highways through historically undeveloped areas), these could become new walkable bedroom communities and even satellite towns/cities.

Second, there is a whole movement afoot to figure out ways to "retrofit" autocentric suburbs to make them more walkable. I suspect Pittsburgh won't leap into this area too quickly, except with some TOD along the T and maybe the Busways, precisely because it still has lots of opportunities to reinvest in walkable areas without taking such extraordinary measures (this is in contrast to much newer metros whose main expansion occurred since WWII). But if and when it finally becomes necessary, it may benefit from all the other practices and technologies that are being developed elsewhere.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Pittsburgh has been ranked as a top 10 city in terms of percentage of office/retail space in "Walkable Urban Places"

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/17/walkable-urban-places-findings/10623587/

Full report here:

http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/locus/foot-traffic-ahead/

Not really a surprise who else is on the list, and Pittsburgh's inclusion makes sense when you think about its still relatively thriving historic urban business core (including Downtown and the East End). See here:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...cas-top-20-most-walkable-cities-and.html

But as the report and coverage are discussing, this is an important issue for future planning as it appears young people really are different this time, and so Pittsburgh will have to keep building on this area of strength to remain competitive as a destination for young talent.

And yet all we seem to hear about are new "flex" office buildings in the Airport Corridor.

Also... the inclusion of Atlanta of all places on that list really makes me question the methodology.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

And yet all we seem to hear about are new "flex" office buildings in the Airport Corridor.

Really? PNC Tower? BKSQ 2.0? Market Square Gardens? None of that rings a bell?

The report is pretty interesting on this issue, however. Pittsburgh falls into the category where office absorption in the walkable areas is positive, but they are still losing regional share to the autocentric suburbs. That puts Pittsburgh ahead of areas where absorption in the walkable areas is negative (e.g., Cleveland), but behind places where the walkable share is either growing or decreasing at a slower rate.

That would not be an ideal situation if it continues forever, but I think it is important to put those facts into the overall context of Pittsburgh's economic history. Pittsburgh had a big office building boom pre-WWII, and it has done a decent job preserving that legacy, so at least until very recently, there has not been a huge shortage of office space in walkable areas (this is indicated, among other things, by the relatively low premium for walkable-area office space in Pittsburgh). Conversely, Pittsburgh went through an extended economic bust period right when lots of other cities were going through a suburban office boom.

So I think the current ranking is reflective, at least in part, of a normalization process where Pittsburgh is going to be catching up a bit in terms of suburban office development. But with vacancy rates low and rents increasing in the walkable areas, I also think it will continue to have positive absorption in the walkable areas, and that process may well accelerate (with lots of potential for large office projects sitting right there in the North Shore, Strip District, Lower Hill, Hazelwood LTV, Penn Avenue/Busway corridor, and so on).

In short, as with so many other things, I see Pittsburgh being on the same track as many other Northeastern cities, just at an approximately 20-25 year lag. Maybe it would be better if it could just skip over some of those steps, but if there is a market here for more suburban office space (and some businesses still prefer it for various reasons), then I don't think we can entirely deny that market what it wants.

Also... the inclusion of Atlanta of all places on that list really makes me question the methodology.

This seems to reflect something I have heard about Atlanta before, which is that its office space is more concentrated than it is often given credit for. It is more its residential space that has become so sprawly.

[Evergrey]

Market Square Gardens is like 90k sq ft of office space atop a garage... token amount. It's like the Downtown equivalent of the hyper-conservative 3-story buildings Continental is building on the North Shore.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Market Square Gardens is like 90k sq ft of office space atop a garage... token amount. It's like the Downtown equivalent of the hyper-conservative 3-story buildings Continental is building on the North Shore.

It is actually 129K sqft of Class A:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gardens_at_Market_Square

The airport corridor project you are moaning about is 95K sqft:

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/201...opment-takes-flight/stories/201406140059

But these are just anecdotes. According to this report, almost 60% of the office space under construction in the region (about 1.45M sqft out of 2.44M total) was in the CBD or Greater Downtown:

http://www.colliers.com/-/media/Files/United%20States/MARKETS/Pittsburgh/Q114PghOfficeReport

Now that is only one snapshot, and a lot of that in fact is PNC Tower. Generally, in a market our size, those percentages can move around a lot with just a few projects starting or being completed. But if you really think "all we seem to hear about are new 'flex' office buildings in the Airport Corridor," you haven't been paying much attention.

Edit: Oh, and I think it is also worth mentioning that Oxford's new plans for Three Crossings in the Strip include 250K sqft of office space (notable in part because Oxford is the developer of the dreaded airport corridor project as well):

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...elopment-expand-strip-district-plan.html

Residential and hotel have been on a good ride in the core area, and hopefully that will continue. But office may be starting to perk up again, which likely is more or less a function of rents and general economic conditions getting to the point that office financing is becoming viable again.

[SkyPittsburgh]

New Planning Comission Schedule is Up:

1. CMU appears to be renovating a small building.
2. Cultural Trust is renovating a building at 943 Liberty Ave.

One more small building renovation, but other than that, all the rest is old stuff.
http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/schedule51/presentation-51-595.pdf

[daviderik]

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/bria...rian-O-Neill-column/stories/201406190066
Great Article from Brian O'Neill:
Apartments finally part of North Shore development
Sure, there has been $150 million in development between the North Shore stadiums in the past decade, but where are the apartments? And why is the newest office construction only three stories high?

Frank Kass is ready for questions like this. He’s the Columbus, Ohio, developer who has partnered with the Steelers and Pirates to build the hotels, office buildings, bars and restaurants betwixt the stadia. There the teams have development rights they must use or lose.

It‘s something of a balancing act. Every new building takes away surface parking even as it adds parkers. The Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority built a $29 million, 1,255-space parking garage eight years ago to replace some of what was lost, but that now fills every weekday morning as commuters access free subway rides Downtown...

[photoLith]

Someone is also doing something with that 8 or so story tall 1880s or so building on Liberty Avenue, the one with the Specialty Luggage Store on the bottom floor, theres scaffolding up and they appear to be taking that terrible 50s curtain wall off of it.

[Brentsters]

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by daviderik

Great Article from Brian O'Neil

Well, at least it is all laid out there. Giving sports teams control over adjacent development rights is bound to create conflicts of interest.

On the plus side, a 10-story residential building is OK for over there. In fact if everything had been 10 stories, it could have been pretty great.

[GeneW]

Preserving surface parking lots in an inner city area just so suburbanites can tailgate is just the stupidest thing ever. I'm still a fan of the Steelers but living for the last seven years within a few blocks of Heinz Field has really made me hate that part of Steelers fandom.

[Found5dollar]

Originally Posted by SkyPittsburgh

New Planning Comission Schedule is Up:

1. CMU appears to be renovating a small building.
2. Cultural Trust is renovating a building at 943 Liberty Ave.

One more small building renovation, but other than that, all the rest is old stuff.
http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/schedule51/presentation-51-595.pdf

woah! thats not just any small building renovation, that's the Panther Hollow Inn! Looks liek it is closing and being turned into some other type of restaurant.....

[BrianTH]

A Cultural District bike lane is moving forward:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/2014/0...y-lanes-in-Downtown/stories/201406200025



Of course the comments to that article are already filling up with the typical kneejerk autocentric BS.

[BrianTH]

Interesting article about the growing contribution of foreign companies to the local economy:

http://triblive.com/business/headlines/6307352-74/foreign-companies-pittsburgh#axzz35B5JtPyl

The claim in the article is they like Pittsburgh's skilled workforce, strategic location, and European vibe. Less attractive is the relative lack of direct international flights.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

A Cultural District bike lane is moving forward:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/2014/0...y-lanes-in-Downtown/stories/201406200025



Of course the comments to that article are already filling up with the typical kneejerk autocentric BS.

I am wary of turning 2-way downtown streets into 1-way streets. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see how this turns out.

Perhaps they should instead eliminate the parking lane and preserve two-way automobile traffic.

[Evergrey]

This is very sad. I just visited Connellsville for the first time in a few years last Saturday. It's a beautiful town in a stunning natural location, but is sadly super-depressed... entering into decline decades earlier than the rest of the region (1930s) when its coke industries started to stagnate.

Much of the Downtown building stock is vacant and in disrepair... though I did notice a couple are getting rehabbed.

But this building appears to be the most at-risk:

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2014/06/1...molition-of-connellsville-safety-hazard/

Councilman Requests Demolition Of Connellsville Safety Hazard

June 19, 2014 9:27 PM



PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A councilman is calling for the demolition of a Connellsville building that has been called a safety hazard.

Along E. Crawford Avenue, a long dead radio station’s call letters hang from an abandoned building. WCVI nowadays could stand for “will collapse virtually instantaneously.”

The three-story brick building has quickly slid into disrepair, shedding its parts over the last few years.

“Just sitting here, you can look at some glass that’s recently fallen off. I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know how safe I feel just standing here,” said Health and Public Safety Director Aaron Zolbrod.

Fayette County took over the building due to owed back taxes.

Three buyers put a bid on it, only to say no thanks. Connellsville officials say it’s the county’s building, so they need to finish what Mother Nature and gravity started.

“We’re in a situation now where this building has to come down immediately,” said Greg Ritch, of Connellsville City Council. “However, the county has responded verbally there’s not available funds to do so.”

...

[photoLith]

Originally Posted by Brentsters

Wow that will look amazing, when is that supposed to be completed?

[Evergrey]

more historic demolition

http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourmc...rtmore/6292355-74/mckeesport-homes-stash

McKeesport grant secures home demolitions




By Jennifer R. Vertullo

Published: Wednesday, June 18, 2014, 4:01 a.m.

The demolition of nearly 30 homes is under way in McKeesport as the city begins to revitalize the neighborhood surrounding the new Twin Rivers Primary/Intermediate School.

While a handful of abandoned homes were demolished with emergency funding before Twin Rivers opened for classes in January, Stash Trucking is taking on a 29-structure project this summer with Community Infrastructure and Tourism Funds.

The $180,500 grant, secured through the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development, will be used to tear down blighted homes in the area between Cornell and Union streets from Versailles Avenue back to Jenny Lind Street.

“We are extremely excited to finally begin the revitalization project of the city's Cultural and Educational Sector after the long process of meandering through bureaucratic red tape,” Mayor Michael Cherepko said. “We are collaborating with the school district to enhance their state-of-the-art educational facility by eliminating eyesores and creating open space for the construction of new homes in this area. This is a critical component in making our neighborhoods a better place to live.”

While demolition is not a regular CITF category, McKeesport's community development director A.J. Tedesco explained that the scope of this project is much greater than tearing down homes.

The area now defined as McKeesport's Cultural and Educational Sector is home to the new Twin Rivers Primary/Intermediate School along with the longstanding Carnegie Library of McKeesport, McKeesport Little Theater, First United Methodist Church and McKeesport Presbyterian Church. Residents hope to turn some lots into parklets and community gardens, and the city has hope for new residential construction.

“The overall project is good for the morale of the neighborhood,” Tedesco said. “Being a resident there, I understand that nobody wants to look at those kind of houses. With that area housing a new school, a library, a theater and two historic churches, it's in the city's best interest to well manicure that area.”

...