PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Hmm, it seems like it will fit in well with the historic architecture around it (Oliver Bldg, Bank building/Lord & Taylors, etc) Also I think the parking levels look well hidden. That's a good thing.

Yeah, I don't think there is anything really wrong with this rendering. I liked some of the more interesting aspects of the older rendering, but I always wondered how practical they were, and in fact whether they would look as nice in real life.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

It would be cool if this thing could surpass the lofty heights of the 1896 Park Building... but alas.

Indeed.

However, if this thing actually wraps all the way around the Park Building (the lot itself being L-shaped in that fashion), it will actually be a pretty massive-looking structure. On aesthetic grounds I would still prefer the same mass in a more slender tower, but of course I'm not writing the checks.

[BrianTH]

A New York investor new to Pittsburgh, operating as "King Penguin", is buying the Lawyer's Building, with plans to renovate it, and possibly rename it The Pittsburgher (its name back when it was a hotel):

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...-former-pittsburgher-plans.html?page=all

The Pittsburgher:





This may just be a start for them:

The fact that King Penguin has landed its first Pittsburgh investment should spur the firm to buy more here. "We're trying to do more because we don't want to come down there just for one office building that's pretty small," he said. He said the firm is eyeing development opportunities for office projects, apartments and student housing. Describing market values in New York City as "just crazy," he said he sees plenty of appeal in the Pittsburgh market, with real estate prices often less than replacement cost and a diversified economy.
. . .
King Penguin likes to invest in real estate in areas that are gentrifying and sees Pittsburgh as good match for that strategy. He added he expects to be in the city more often in 2015 as King Penguin scouts for more deals here. "It's going to be a lot easier for us in the New Year because we're going to be there very often," he said in a telephone interview.

[BrianTH]

The first office building at BKSQ 2.0 is now fully leased:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...ake-remaining-space-in-first-office.html

As noted in the article, the building won't even be completed until spring of 2016. The latest tenant, Autodesk, is a tech company moving in from O'Hara.

[qwho]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

A New York investor new to Pittsburgh, operating as "King Penguin", is buying the Lawyer's Building, with plans to renovate it, and possibly rename it The Pittsburgher (its name back when it was a hotel)

Maybe they will develop the surface lot in front of it too.

[Urbana]

I personally found the old Saks design to be pretty gimmicky. I actually much prefer the new design

[Austinlee]

From its tiniest residents to its biggest ideas, Pittsburgh made some strategic moves in 2014 that have the potential to reap big rewards in 2015 and beyond.

http://www.popcitymedia.com/features/lilthingsfeature_121014.aspx

[SkyPittsburgh]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I'm interested in learning more. If they are just talking about replacing the apartment buildings nearest Rippey, that's fine--those are grim:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4663283,...3m4!1e1!3m2!1sRFFb54_zYE8alEdqwRGI8Q!2e0

There is a sign on those apartments that says, "Mellon's Orchard Apartments" which makes me think that they are the ones to be redeveloped, not the cooler, albeit worn out ones.

[Jonboy1983]

Regarding the Saks 5th Avenue site, didn't the PG article state that condos and rental apartments were going to be erected here? If that's the case, I wonder what the odds are this thing could be a few stories taller, which would be awesome. That would mean that this building would be some 16-plus stories tall.

When it comes to residential buildings, the taller the better.

[Minivan Werner]

Those old pictures of the Lawyer's Building are completely unrecognizable from what it is today. Can they restore the arched windows at ground level, and bring back the gap that goes up the center of the building?

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

Those old pictures of the Lawyer's Building are completely unrecognizable from what it is today. Can they restore the arched windows at ground level, and bring back the gap that goes up the center of the building?

I'd guess no on the bay, since it appears it was filled with new floor space, and I assume the original structure of the bay is pretty much gone.

On the base, I'm not sure they could go all the way back to original, but they could presumably do something new that was closer to the original. In fact if you look at it, it sorta looks like the windows were not really changed much above the ground floor, such that arches could still be used:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4391088,...3m4!1e1!3m2!1sgqaa5iUHR3GoTK_hOC_RGg!2e0

[Gilamonster]

Even though I'm not excited by the look of the buildings of the Oxford Three Crossings development, I am very excited that it will be bringing at least 600 new residents to the fringes of downtown in modern, newly constructed apartments. I am also disappointed with the collection of very low rise office buildings planned there....looks like about 5 floors each. I think all of the crying on here about the Point Park Playhouse should be redirected over here. Point Park, a small liberal arts, specialty University is never going to build tall but Oxford Development, is a development company! I realize the troubles they are having leasing their proposed new tower( 20 stories is a tower?!) at 350 Fifth but I still don't think I'm too greedy in hoping for a few 10 story buildings on that site. The office part looks like it should be somewhere on the Parkway West. Regardless, I'm still glad to see this development coming to town. Maybe there will be some increase in demand for the office space that is planned for the later stages and they will bump it up a little.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Gilamonster

Even though I'm not excited by the look of the buildings of the Oxford Three Crossings development, I am very excited that it will be bringing at least 600 new residents to the fringes of downtown in modern, newly constructed apartments. I am also disappointed with the collection of very low rise office buildings planned there....looks like about 5 floors each. I think all of the crying on here about the Point Park Playhouse should be redirected over here. Point Park, a small liberal arts, specialty University is never going to build tall but Oxford Development, is a development company! I realize the troubles they are having leasing their proposed new tower( 20 stories is a tower?!) at 350 Fifth but I still don't think I'm too greedy in hoping for a few 10 story buildings on that site. The office part looks like it should be somewhere on the Parkway West. Regardless, I'm still glad to see this development coming to town. Maybe there will be some increase in demand for the office space that is planned for the later stages and they will bump it up a little.

Yes it's great to get 600 new residents in downtown/strip.

As for 5 stories; It's not such a bad thing. That's Paris density.

[Gilamonster]

Well, it's been said that Pittsburgh does have the feel of a European city...

[BrianTH]

25th Street is a pretty long way from Downtown. I certainly wouldn't mind taller, but at that location I am OK with that scale.

Now if you were talking in the near Strip, west of 16th, say--that should be taller. North Shore between the stadiums or Lower Hill site? Same deal.

And in the very heart of Downtown? That would be a huge disappointment, and certainly would not justify tearing down historic buildings. In fact I think even their proposed 20-story building doesn't justify tearing down the Frank & Seder building, although I recognize I am may be in the minority there.

In short: I have very different standards for proposed buildings replacing empty lots and a generic truck depot past 25th Street than I do for proposed buildings destroying historic buildings between Wood and Smithfield. Which I think is quite rational. And Three Crossing is way more intensive than the Playhouse anyway.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Gilamonster

Well, it's been said that Pittsburgh does have the feel of a European city...

And a wise forumer once said that the strip around St Stanislaus and the produce terminal could make for a neat European style pedestrian plaza. And with 5-6 story buildings, the strip could become very euro-esque.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

25th Street is a pretty long way from Downtown. I certainly wouldn't mind taller, but at that location I am OK with that scale.

Now if you were talking in the near Strip, west of 16th, say--that should be taller. North Shore between the stadiums or Lower Hill site? Same deal.

Agreed, I hope they don't fuck up those three key areas.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I'm interested in learning more. If they are just talking about replacing the apartment buildings nearest Rippey, that's fine--those are grim:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4663283,...3m4!1e1!3m2!1sRFFb54_zYE8alEdqwRGI8Q!2e0

But I hope they are not talking about the apartment buildings at the corner of Negley and Rural--those are cool:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.465626,-...3m4!1e1!3m2!1s2eN1UL_3fZuSnMjoDB899w!2e0

Judging by the ownership information, the answer is likely all of the above. Mellon's Orchard I LP owns the entire block between Rippey and Rural. Of course, that doesn't mean everything will go down, but since no rehab is listed in the article, that's my guess.

The turning of an "adjacent house" into apartments comment is curious. There is a small house isolated behind the middle apartment block. It seems really weird though to retain that house (which from what I can tell is rather undistinguished) and not to retain the nice historic apartments down near the intersection with Rural.

[BrianTH]

That's a bummer.

[Urbana]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Judging by the ownership information, the answer is likely all of the above. Mellon's Orchard I LP owns the entire block between Rippey and Rural. Of course, that doesn't mean everything will go down, but since no rehab is listed in the article, that's my guess.

The turning of an "adjacent house" into apartments comment is curious. There is a small house isolated behind the middle apartment block. It seems really weird though to retain that house (which from what I can tell is rather undistinguished) and not to retain the nice historic apartments down near the intersection with Rural.

According to the URA document, the parcel in question is a couple blocks away from that site. Having nothing to do with those apartments at all. Or am I mistaken?