PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by GeneW

Totally Affordable Urban Homes in 'Second Tier' Cities



I'm pretty sure that most locals, myself included, look at $300K prices in Lawrenceville with horror and amazement but Curbed thinks that they're an example of affordability.

And it sold on 08/06/13 for $75,000

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

It is all relative--it has been a long time since a house in decent shape in a nice central neighborhood would go for so little in many coastal cities.

But hopefully we don't keep heading down the path blazed by those cities. With new builds necessarily costing around that much, it makes sense for nicely renovated older home to get up in that level as well. But if they start going way up above that cost, it is a sign there is some sort of supply constraint (as is true in most coastal cities).

We won't because very wealthy foreigners will never park that kind of money in an inland second tier major city, at least not in large enough numbers to skew the median sales price in the city and metro.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by SkyPittsburgh

I took a bike ride through the Chateau Neighborhood of Pittsburgh the other day. I always wish that area was of the same developmental value that other areas are. It's essentially a blank slate for developers, with great access to the river, as well as the north shore, "Amenities." The only problem that stands in the way is PA-65. However there was talk, after the movepgh plan, of doing the equivalent of the, "Big Dig" to that area, minus the tunnel.

They would use the existing 2-3 lane streets (https://www.google.com/maps/place/40%C2%...mH-nBngevYuuvCt0dg!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0) on the side of the road to take the traffic, re-connect the side streets, and include bike and pedestrian infrastructure. Looking at a PA-Traffic map, that road is used, in one day, about 32,000 cars per day (ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR...ffic_Volume/County_Maps/Allegheny_tv.PDF) , which, with some traffic reduction and calming, could be accommodated by those roads.

IMHO Chateau's connectivity has been kinda ruined by not only 65, but the poor development choices on that end of the North Shore. If instead of Rivers Casino there were some apartments plunked down there it could have developed more organically, parcel by parcel up the river. But not as it is.

Chateau isn't a total blank slate though. Some old buildings (albeit non residential) do survive there. A few of them have a pretty grand scale as well.

The area I see as the nexus of future North Side development is the meeting points of Chateau, Manchester, and Allegheny West. Basically the corridor along Allegheny Avenue, along with the further west portions of Western Avenue. The area is full of under-utilized parcels like surface lots, old warehouses, and fast food joints. And it's all a 5-10 minute walk from a T station. It would be a great place to put in some higher-density residential without messing with the established urban fabric of Manchester and Allegheny West very much.

[Steel City Scotty]

On the topic of bridge construction in the city, this article is two years old, but unless plans have changed, the Greenfield Bridge is scheduled to be imploded at the end of this year. It will then take two years or so to build a replacement above the Parkway East.

http://www.wtae.com/traffic/Greenfield-B...ld-cause-Parkway-East-headaches/18137150

Also - I drove by the Carrie Furnace site on my way from Pittsburgh's East End to North Versailles earlier this week, and I noticed some type of work is being done close to the Rankin Bridge, creating access down to the furnace. According to this article, it is a "flyover ramp."

http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourmc...40251-74/site-furnace-ramp#axzz3NivjW6fx

[Steel City Scotty]

I snapped this photo while walking down Fifth Avenue on Thursday. It shows the future site of Oxford's proposed tower with PNC's new building in the background.

[photoLith]

Still completely idiotic that they are tearing down that incredible building for a shitty glass box that won't even contribute to the skyline.

[designer3d712]

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/01/02/city-penguins-sued-over-development-of-civic-arena-site/

[photoLith]

Originally Posted by Steel City Scotty

On the topic of bridge construction in the city, this article is two years old, but unless plans have changed, the Greenfield Bridge is scheduled to be imploded at the end of this year. It will then take two years or so to build a replacement above the Parkway East.

http://www.wtae.com/traffic/Greenfield-B...ld-cause-Parkway-East-headaches/18137150

Also - I drove by the Carrie Furnace site on my way from Pittsburgh's East End to North Versailles earlier this week, and I noticed some type of work is being done close to the Rankin Bridge, creating access down to the furnace. According to this article, it is a "flyover ramp."

http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourmc...40251-74/site-furnace-ramp#axzz3NivjW6fx

Yes they've been working on that ramp for the better part of a year or more now as it's been nearly impossible to sneak into the abandoned furnaces to take photos of them due to night worker activity. Hopefully along with the new developments they're doing Down there they stabilize the historic furnaces and preserve them.

[Johnland]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Still completely idiotic that they are tearing down that incredible building for a shitty glass box that won't even contribute to the skyline.

Yes, seems another senseless loss of quality architecture. Isn't the next block south the one with a CVS and other low rise buildings that would be better candidates for the wrecking ball?

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by Johnland

Yes, seems another senseless loss of quality architecture. Isn't the next block south the one with a CVS and other low rise buildings that would be better candidates for the wrecking ball?

Or that surface parking lot on Grant next to the current Oxford Tower.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

We won't because very wealthy foreigners will never park that kind of money in an inland second tier major city, at least not in large enough numbers to skew the median sales price in the city and metro.

That's part of it, but I also think artificial supply constraints are a big part of it as well. So maybe things will never get as bad here as NYC, but I think they could still get a lot worse.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by eschaton

It would be a great place to put in some higher-density residential without messing with the established urban fabric of Manchester and Allegheny West very much.

Agreed. That T station is being grossly wasted as it stands, and some residential midrises with some ground floor amenities should be a great fit. After that, I think redevelopment would start spreading quickly.

[Steel City Scotty]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Yes they've been working on that ramp for the better part of a year or more now as it's been nearly impossible to sneak into the abandoned furnaces to take photos of them due to night worker activity. Hopefully along with the new developments they're doing Down there they stabilize the historic furnaces and preserve them.

I think that's the plan.

From the article I posted earlier...

It's unclear whether a single developer will come forth to take on development of the entire site or if it will be taken on as smaller, separate projects.

Earley said the hope is to develop a site with mixed uses that include light industrial projects. “One thing we don't want to do is repeat what's over at the Waterfront,” he said, referring to the shopping area across the river in Steel Valley communities.

He said work the Steel Valley Heritage Corp. is doing to develop the Carrie Blast Furnace site supports the county's efforts to design a sustainable mixed-use development site.

The furnace, a relic of the age of big steel, is slowly being developed as an art and heritage site.

“We want it to be a great focal point,” said Earley. “It's a wonderful amenity to have to build around.”

[photoLith]

They are almost done it looks like with restoring the skinny building downtown, I hope they eventually rip out that ugly 7 eleven bottom floor and restore that too though.

[Found5dollar]

2 things:

1) the land for "skyvue" in oakland is completely cleared.

2) i think we all missed the Urban Land Institute's final paper about transit in Pittsburhg. http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/Portals/0/ULI/ULI-FinalReport.pdf

[DBR96A]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

East72nd is a Clevelander.

No wonder it took all of 30 seconds for me to find a "Pittsburgh is full of hillbillies" comment when I looked up that asshole's posts. Seriously, what the fuck is it with Clevelanders and their assumptions of cultural, intellectual, economic, and even genetic superiority over Pittsburghers? It's utter bullshit, and the rote repetition of their talking points doesn't make it any less so.

Sports fan or not, if you want any idea how nasty and hateful Clevelanders can be about Pittsburgh, just read these. The conversations quickly and invariably devolve from team-bashing into city- and people-bashing. It's insane, and that kind of shit is probably part of why I've always felt more compelled to visit Columbus and Cincinnati instead.

[DBR96A]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Great shot of Duquesne University. Wish it were easier to take this angle.


Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/evad310/8389704316/

Proof that Pittsburgh needs an observation deck somewhere downtown.

Hell, the "High Point Park" idea sounds good, especially since it'll add some height to the U.S. Steel Tower, which might make it taller than the Transamerica Pyramid and the sore thumb in Oklahoma City.

[GeneW]

Pittsburgh Bike Share program officially set to start this spring.

[DKNewYork]

Originally Posted by photoLith

They are almost done it looks like with restoring the skinny building downtown, I hope they eventually rip out that ugly 7 eleven bottom floor and restore that too though.

The building is coming along nicely. The complete restoration of the first floor exterior will only happen after 7 Eleven vacates. I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to find out the end date of the lease. Apparently a prominent downtown retailer approached the URA with a serious offer to purchase both the Roberts and Skinny buildings but the URA decided---at least for now---not to sell.

[Jonboy1983]

Originally Posted by Found5dollar

2 things:

1) the land for "skyvue" in oakland is completely cleared.

2) i think we all missed the Urban Land Institute's final paper about transit in Pittsburhg. http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/Portals/0/ULI/ULI-FinalReport.pdf

Page 27 suggests re-examining the option for light rail or street cars, suggesting that BRT on Downtown-to-Oakland may not be the best option to improve headways or boost capacity. I'd have to agree with that. There is a bus lane along 5th Avenue already. While expanding LRT may be a bit more expensive at an estimated cost of roughly $2.5 billion, I think this will get us more bang for the buck versus going the cheapo route of BRT or larger buses...