PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[Private Dick]

The Lower Hill neighborhood has been long gone for over half a century. The Lower Hill area was a predominantly black neighborhood for approx. 25-30 years; the Civic Arena was on the site for 50. What's going on right now, is a ridiculous situation.

That being said... if the demand for large scale expansion of the CBD with tall office and condo towers built going up the hill from downtown existed, the city and Penguins would not be engaging in such conversations.

[TBone7281]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Surprised at Oregon as it's a low population state on the opposite side of the country that has a long-term job creation problem. Perhaps there's a lot of young hipsters from here moving out there for barista and beekeeping jobs.

Probably not too far off the mark. I personally know 2 people who have moved there in the last couple years. One is in healthcare. The other is artsy-fartsy... she has worked on clothes for a couple of the stop-motion movies they've done out there. Coraline, ParaNorman and now The Boxtrolls.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

The Lower Hill neighborhood has been long gone for over half a century.

I agree that on some level, we have to realize you cannot actually undo the past. You can just try to learn and make better decisions for the future.

That said, there is a lot on the agenda I don't mind--I don't mind a robust affordable housing requirement, I don't mind preferential hiring of locals, I don't mind a TIF with a lot of money being reinvested nearby . . . what I do mind, however, is things that really only seem to have symbolic value, as opposed to things that could actually help out some people.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I agree that on some level, we have to realize you cannot actually undo the past. You can just try to learn and make better decisions for the future.

That said, there is a lot on the agenda I don't mind--I don't mind a robust affordable housing requirement, I don't mind preferential hiring of locals, I don't mind a TIF with a lot of money being reinvested nearby . . . what I do mind, however, is things that really only seem to have symbolic value, as opposed to things that could actually help out some people.

I just want a huge blank slate site adjacent to Downtown to be dense and urban (and market rate)... and not have a scale similar to Summerset at Frick Park.

But of course the fundamental question 'Is this appropriately urban?' is ignored as self-interested sports teams, self-appointed neighborhood leadership and self-centered politicians squabble over totems, symbolism and historical grievances.

[BrianTH]

Skyvue is a go!

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...roves-389-apartment-skyvue.html?page=all

Annoying exchange, however:

While board commission Barbara Valaw asked the development team what will happen if more residents own cars than there are available spaces, Ambling expects that won’t happen as residents live there to be in walking distance of work or school.

Holmes said that other recent apartment projects Ambling has developed in Atlanta and elsewhere resulted in only 35 percent to 65 percent of the parking spaces being used, despite what he described as an ever-present concern. “It’s a concern everywhere you go,” said Holmes of parking.

[BrianTH]

Shocker--when people actually sit down to talk with 980 Liberty, they are more than willing to work out a deal to help the reborn AWC be a success:

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/201...ugust-Wilson-Center/stories/201409240067

This makes sense, as the more successful the AWC is in the future, the more it will increase the value of the hotel.

[eschaton]

Sorry, this is an aside, but I'm trying to come up with a full list of downtown hotels either under construction or in planning.

Hotel Monaco (James H. Reed building) - 247 rooms
Embassy Suites (top of Oliver building) - 230 rooms
Unknown brand (August Wilson Center) - 200 rooms
Hilton Garden Inn (Gardens @ Market Square) - 198 rooms
Drury Hotels (Federal Reserve building) - 180 rooms
Holiday Inn (new construction) - 99 rooms

Projects which look to be dead or aren't confirmed:

Unknown brand (Convention Center) - 500 units
Hilton Garden Inn (Ross Street - former jail site) - 156 rooms
Unknown brand (Salvation Army building) - 125-130 rooms

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Projects which look to be dead or aren't confirmed:

Unknown brand (Salvation Army building) - 125-130 rooms

Latest I could find (KDKA - Aug 22 2014)

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2014/08/2...-for-more-hotels-in-downtown-pittsburgh/

The most recent announcement of a hotel conversion in Downtown Pittsburgh is the old Salvation Army Building.

It’s now slated to become a hotel called Distrikt with about 135 rooms.

www.distrikthotel.com

[Brentsters]

Strada posted something in August basically saying they were at the NY Distrikt Hotel preparing to create one in Pittsburgh.

[Evergrey]

Does this portend a redevelopment opportunity?

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...te-working-on-deal-to-move-to-north.html

Post-Gazette working on deal to move to North Shore

Sep 24, 2014, 2:32pm EDT

...

With its new printing press now up and operating in Findlay Township, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is working on a deal with Continental Real Estate Cos. to take a 30,000-square-foot office at the company’s North Shore Place I & II, companion office buildings near completion close to PNC Park, according to sources familiar with the plan who spoke anonymously to protect their business relationships.

The potential deal would enable the Post-Gazette to establish a new office for the newspaper’s editorial and administrative staffs on the North Shore while the company works with Continental to devise a future plan for its longtime building at 34 Boulevard of the Allies, a property larger than the PG’s office needs now that the newspaper is no longer printed there.

...

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Does this portend a redevelopment opportunity?

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...te-working-on-deal-to-move-to-north.html

Potentially good news on two fronts: redevelopment opportunity for that prime spot close to the Point and a prominent commercial tenant moving to the North Shore -- potential to seed the area for even more office development and an extension of the CBD across the river.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Does this portend a redevelopment opportunity?

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...te-working-on-deal-to-move-to-north.html

Tear down 34 BotA and build tall!

[BrianTH]

I'd be more excited if they weren't talking about Continental doing the project.

Anyway, I'd love to see the old building restored back to something close to original, with an attached tower added in the parking lot area.

[Minivan Werner]

Continental will probably chop a couple stories off the existing building.

[Jonboy1983]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Sorry, this is an aside, but I'm trying to come up with a full list of downtown hotels either under construction or in planning.

Hotel Monaco (James H. Reed building) - 247 rooms
Embassy Suites (top of Oliver building) - 230 rooms
Unknown brand (August Wilson Center) - 200 rooms
Hilton Garden Inn (Gardens @ Market Square) - 198 rooms
Drury Hotels (Federal Reserve building) - 180 rooms
Holiday Inn (new construction) - 99 rooms

Projects which look to be dead or aren't confirmed:

Unknown brand (Convention Center) - 500 units
Hilton Garden Inn (Ross Street - former jail site) - 156 rooms
Unknown brand (Salvation Army building) - 125-130 rooms

I thought they were at least planning to build a Hotel Monaco. Heh, I'm staying in the Hotel Monaco in Baltimore in a couple of weeks. I'm treating my wife to a weekend getaway for our anniversary. That hotel is in the former HQ of the B&O Railroad. They seem to have a thing with turning older ornate office buildings into high-end boutique hotels. This could be another one with some kind of spa service (either a full spa or one where the concierge has masseuses give in-room massages).

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Tear down 34 BotA and build tall!

I would love to see that happen, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm not holding my breath for the North Shore either. Continental needs to have a crash course on what it means to develop parcels in/near a large city CBD. At the same time, the City needs a crash course on better urban planning practices...

[BrianTH]

The state is paying Point Park $5 million to tear down historic facades Downtown and replace them with a low-rise academic building (also known as the Pittsburgh Playhouse project):

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...ayhouse-to-Downtown/stories/201409250199

[BrianTH]

Just to rant for a moment--

Random comparison, but the other night I was in Philly for business, and we ate dinner at one of the places on this block:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.949833,-...3m4!1e1!3m2!1sSbTmcyrQX1eZMp_o21a3Cw!2e0

It was a fantastic area at night--despite the narrow sidewalks and busy streets, people were still filling all the outside tables, and between the eclectic, often historic, architecture and funky restaurants, it was just a very pleasing area.

The thing that frustrates me to no end is that we could have had that on Forbes between Wood and Smithfield. All those historic facades could have fronted more places like the Penn Avenue Fish Company, and such an area would have served basically as an extension of Market Square that bridged the gap up to the "grand boulevard" Peduto envisions on Smithfield.

But now, thanks to the Warner Centre, PNC Tower, the new Oxford building, and Point Park, instead we are going to get a boring, souless, corporate/institutional dead zone.

Oh well.

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Just to rant for a moment--

Random comparison, but the other night I was in Philly for business, and we ate dinner at one of the places on this block:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.949833,-...3m4!1e1!3m2!1sSbTmcyrQX1eZMp_o21a3Cw!2e0

It was a fantastic area at night--despite the narrow sidewalks and busy streets, people were still filling all the outside tables, and between the eclectic, often historic, architecture and funky restaurants, it was just a very pleasing area.

The thing that frustrates me to no end is that we could have had that on Forbes between Wood and Smithfield. All those historic facades could have fronted more places like the Penn Avenue Fish Company, and such an area would have served basically as an extension of Market Square that bridged the gap up to the "grand boulevard" Peduto envisions on Smithfield.

But now, thanks to the Warner Centre, PNC Tower, the new Oxford building, and Point Park, instead we are going to get a boring, souless, corporate/institutional dead zone.

Oh well.

Speak the truth, BTH!

I'm spending my life at this point between DC, Philly, and Pittsburgh. I've been in Philly a lot this summer and fully agree about the good vibes in the center city area at night. I'm constantly thinking while there that I wish Pittsburgh had something comparable to the tight, lively street scene (present in Philly even on the side streets).

[BrianTH]

On more happy news, some additional background on the project to turn a Deutschtown church into a contemporary arts center:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...ing-north-side-church-into.html?page=all

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

Continental will probably chop a couple stories off the existing building.

No doubt