PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II - Page 454

photoLith · #**9061** Posted **Jul 23, 2014, 4:19 PM**

Yes, it very short, it needs to be at least 200' taller.

Evergrey · #**9062** Posted **Jul 23, 2014, 4:39 PM**

My dad visited on Sunday for the Pirate game... and he asked me if PNC was going to the tallest building in the city... I sadly had to tell him it would only be 6th or 7th.

Private Dick · #**9063** Posted **Jul 23, 2014, 5:44 PM**

It does make an impact from certain vistas, and particularly from ground level within the lower downtown area... but the fact that you can barely see it from the west (like when crossing the Birmingham Bridge) is disappointing to me and that it will appear shorter than William Penn Place and K&L Gates from most angles just pretty much 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵. As we've all said... wish it was taller... especially for the first significant skyscraper constructed downtown since the 80s... and one constructed by a major bank. It's like yay, Pittsburgh finally is getting a major new building downtown... wait, 33 stories... what?

Evergrey · #**9064** Posted **Jul 23, 2014, 6:39 PM**

http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/6493111-74/apartments-building-penn

Quote:

Developer pursues application for Strip District apartments

More rental apartments may be coming to the Strip District.

Zamagias Properties and JMAC Architects have filed an application for zoning approval with the Pittsburgh Zoning Board of Adjustment to convert the upper nine floors of the Penn-Rose Building at 1627 Penn Ave. into 72 residential units.

The hearing is scheduled for Aug. 7.

The application includes plans for a new three-story 77-car garage and an interior courtyard. First-floor retail would remain, as would the Vietnam's Pho restaurant occupying the floor.

...

Urbana · #**9065** Posted **Jul 23, 2014, 8:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evergrey

http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/6493111-74/apartments-building-penn

Where on earth would the courtyard go?

acenturi · #**9066** Posted **Jul 23, 2014, 8:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

Photos I took last night.
(Images not included - See Original Post)

You (and your camera) need to spend a weekend in Philly. As usual, your Pittsburgh photos are spectacular, particularly the perspective that you present.

guyFROMtheBURGH · #**9067** Posted **Jul 23, 2014, 9:35 PM**

Brian Aiken flew a drone over parts of the city for some dramatic views. Check out the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryhmTa6NHGE

BrianTH · #**9068** Posted **Jul 23, 2014, 9:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbana

Where on earth would the courtyard go?

Enterprise Bank also owns the adjacent lot on the west side, so maybe the parking and courtyard are going there.

TBone7281 · #**9069** Posted **Jul 23, 2014, 10:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Private Dick

It's like yay, Pittsburgh finally is getting a major new building downtown... wait, 33 stories... what?

33-ish. I saw 32 somewhere a few weeks ago (I swear it was PNC's site, but I can't find it.) And the official website only says "approximately 30 stories". On one hand, the number of stories doesn't totally reflect the actual height, but I agree that anything around the low 30s/<600 feet is really pretty mediocre.

Still, it's cool to see a skyscraper going up downtown.

BrianTH · #**9070** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 1:25 AM**

East Liberty is getting a brew pub next to the Hotel Indigo:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...pub-coming-to-broad-street.html?page=all

AaronPGH · #**9071** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 1:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBone7281

33-ish. I saw 32 somewhere a few weeks ago (I swear it was PNC's site, but I can't find it.) And the official website only says "approximately 30 stories".

they'll have the ribbon cutting ceremony when it opens and then the building will suddenly sink another floor, dropping it to 29 just when we think it couldn't be downsized any more.

KINGPIN · #**9072** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 12:37 PM**

Hello Everyone,
I wanted to thanks Evergrey and anyone else who is bringing attention to the wholesale destruction of beautiful buildings in Mckeesport. Last month, a group of concerned citizens met about the demolition of the old Mckeesport Water Authority Roundhouse, unfortunately, it was a case of too little...too late. We decided at that meeting to begin a Mckeesport Preservation group and held our first meeting last night at the Mckeesport Historical Society. We agreed to focus on the area around the Palisades and trying to ID historic/architecturally significant houses around the city that can be saved, and hopefully, try to acquire these houses to be sold We will be meeting next month (3rd Wednesday)and have a "assessment tour" planned for the Palisades/Marina district on Sunday Aug. 24. I'll update any info on the board if any changes on dates occur-as said we are a brand new group and things are very fluid at this time. All are welcome and we would love the support!
Thank You

themaguffin · #**9073** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 12:53 PM**

Quote:

but I agree that anything around the low 30s/<600 feet is really pretty mediocre.

I wish that the PNC building were taller, but it's hardly mediocre.

I think the worst part of it is, that many of the tallest buildings in cities are bank buildings and now PNC is in the top tier of banks. It's one of the biggest and likely the best chance for something truly major and that's not going to happen now.

BrianTH · #**9074** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 2:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KINGPIN

Hello Everyone,
I wanted to thanks Evergrey and anyone else who is bringing attention to the wholesale destruction of beautiful buildings in Mckeesport. Last month, a group of concerned citizens met about the demolition of the old Mckeesport Water Authority Roundhouse, unfortunately, it was a case of too little...too late. We decided at that meeting to begin a Mckeesport Preservation group and held our first meeting last night at the Mckeesport Historical Society. We agreed to focus on the area around the Palisades and trying to ID historic/architecturally significant houses around the city that can be saved, and hopefully, try to acquire these houses to be sold We will be meeting next month (3rd Wednesday)and have a "assessment tour" planned for the Palisades/Marina district on Sunday Aug. 24. I'll update any info on the board if any changes on dates occur-as said we are a brand new group and things are very fluid at this time. All are welcome and we would love the support!
Thank You

Great news and good luck!

photoLith · #**9075** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 2:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by acenturi

You (and your camera) need to spend a weekend in Philly. As usual, your Pittsburgh photos are spectacular, particularly the perspective that you present.

I have

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=211139

Good news on the McKeesport preservation group, hope you guys can make some headway, what they are doing is sickening. Bunch of uncultured morons with no respect for the past. If you need any photos or whatever, please contact me.

BrianTH · #**9076** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 3:59 PM**

A couple interesting pieces on immigration worth reading together (the comments to the first piece have some interesting thoughts and information; conversely you can ignore the national-politics elements in the second piece, which are not relevant to the point I want to make):

http://nullspace2.blogspot.com/2014/07/pittsburgh-immigration-stats-update.html
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/immigration-is-changing-much-more-than-the-immigration-debate/

My suggested takeaway (which is admittedly an old hypothesis of mine):

The Pittsburgh region has essentially missed out on the Latin American immigration wave, which has died off in recent years and probably isn't coming back to anything like prior peak levels. Latin American immigrants are spreading out a bit, but not fast enough to make a huge difference here. We'll probably gradually get more people with some sort of Latin American heritage in coming decades, but they will increasingly be native-born citizens, English-speaking, and mixed-heritage.

On the other hand, Pittsburgh may be well-positioned to get its fair share of the growing Asian immigration wave, maybe even a bit more than its fair share. And that is a good thing, because for the most part those immigrants are going to bring some valuable combination of education, skills, ideas, and/or entrepreneurship. And all that will have an influence on things like the location and nature of future potential demand for new development.

Evergrey · #**9077** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 4:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

A couple interesting pieces on immigration worth reading together (the comments to the first piece have some interesting thoughts and information; conversely you can ignore the national-politics elements in the second piece, which are not relevant to the point I want to make):

http://nullspace2.blogspot.com/2014/07/pittsburgh-immigration-stats-update.html
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/immigration-is-changing-much-more-than-the-immigration-debate/

My suggested takeaway (which is admittedly an old hypothesis of mine):

The Pittsburgh region has essentially missed out on the Latin American immigration wave, which has died off in recent years and probably isn't coming back to anything like prior peak levels. Latin American immigrants are spreading out a bit, but not fast enough to make a huge difference here. We'll probably gradually get more people with some sort of Latin American heritage in coming decades, but they will increasingly be native-born citizens, English-speaking, and mixed-heritage.

On the other hand, Pittsburgh may be well-positioned to get its fair share of the growing Asian immigration wave, maybe even a bit more than its fair share. And that is a good thing, because for the most part those immigrants are going to bring some valuable combination of education, skills, ideas, and/or entrepreneurship. And all that will have an influence on things like the location and nature of future potential demand for new development.

It seems like African immigration is picking up... and this is another region of the world that Pittsburgh is severely lagging on compared to many peer metros.

Austinlee · #**9078** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by themaguffin

I wish that the PNC building were taller, but it's hardly mediocre.

I think the worst part of it is, that many of the tallest buildings in cities are bank buildings and now PNC is in the top tier of banks. It's one of the biggest and likely the best chance for something truly major and that's not going to happen now.

Exactly

BrianTH · #**9079** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 6:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

I will never stop wishing the new PNC tower had maybe 10 more floors.

Having now eyeballed the topped-out structure from many angles--I think you nailed it. That would probably be just enough to make it look like it was standing up among the Tall Boys, rather than being tucked down below. It would probably also be enough to help it cross the line from looking a little squat to more elegant proportions.

Oh well. It should still end up an attractive and innovative building, and help enclose Market Square, and help fill the notorious Wood-Smithfield gap in the skyline. Perhaps most importantly for PNC, it will still look like the new "boss" for that cluster of highrises in the middle of Downtown.

BrianTH · #**9080** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 6:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by themaguffin

I think the worst part of it is, that many of the tallest buildings in cities are bank buildings and now PNC is in the top tier of banks. It's one of the biggest and likely the best chance for something truly major and that's not going to happen now.

Of course PNC managed to survive and ultimately thrive during the financial meltdown precisely because it is a pretty conservative bank. So in a way its somewhat modest but high-quality new HQ is appropriate for PNC, even if a bit disappointing for us.