PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II - Page 592

BrianTH · #**11821** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 3:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

Anyone else's heart sink the minute they landed on "Oxford & McKnight" in that article?

The question is whether this is going to be a fair bidding process--and then whether they will be held to their bid. If so, then they will need to beat out the other three companies. However, those are admittedly big "ifs".

By the way, here is the 360 Market Square (Indianapolis) referenced in the article. I don't love the base but the tower is interesting:

Not too far off from the original plans for the convention center hotel, in fact.

Evergrey · #**11822** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 4:27 PM**

Wow... I absolutely HATE that base.

AaronPGH · #**11823** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 4:29 PM**

If Starwood is throwing in on a corporate level, that could be promising. Maybe it's time for our full-fledged W Hotel.

The Indy tower ain't too shabby, but yeah – totally wrong base. The good news for that plot of land is that any base should be hidden from view by surrounding development. Also, no parking is necessary for this thing, correct? It would already exist on site... one less thing to muck up a design.

Minivan Werner · #**11824** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 4:31 PM**

So would the DLLCC hotel be separate towers or would it be essentially 1 tower with a thru-way under it along 10th street? I think the original design was was two half-circle towers that met in between over top of the street. It's a rather unique development site.

BrianTH · #**11825** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 5:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

The Indy tower ain't too shabby, but yeah – totally wrong base. The good news for that plot of land is that any base should be hidden from view by surrounding development. Also, no parking is necessary for this thing, correct? It would already exist on site... one less thing to muck up a design.

Yeah, you couldn't do a base that crappy on that site for lack of room, nor is there any need for it.

That said, the DLCC is pretty crappy itself on the bottom few floors of that side. So I am not going to tear out my hair if there is not a great base on this project, as long as it has pretty cool towers.

BrianTH · #**11826** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 5:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

So would the DLLCC hotel be separate towers or would it be essentially 1 tower with a thru-way under it along 10th street? I think the original design was was two half-circle towers that met in between over top of the street. It's a rather unique development site.

I guess we will find out. For purely aesthetic reasons I would probably more prefer the twin towers approach, although exactly how much bridging they did would be up for negotiation.

And even so--the Federal Reserve building in Boston is certainly impressive, and something like that could potentially work on this site:

I also like the Huntington Center in Columbus (at least from certain angles), and again I could see something like that working (with a pass through):

BrianTH · #**11827** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 5:21 PM**

Speaking of Starwoods, how about something like the Sheraton Huzhou?

themaguffin · #**11828** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 5:48 PM**

Quote:

If Starwood is throwing in on a corporate level, that could be promising. Maybe it's time for our full-fledged W Hotel.

I don't see a W as a convention center hotel, but who knows.

Obviously there is interest, so hopefully the city doesn't throw away another great opportunity...

BrianTH · #**11829** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 6:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by themaguffin

I don't see a W as a convention center hotel, but who knows.

I guess the question is whether this is a convention center hotel, or just a hotel (possibly in a mixed-use building) that happens to be next to the convention center.

themaguffin · #**11830** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 6:35 PM**

Quote:

I guess the question is whether this is a convention center hotel, or just a hotel (possibly in a mixed-use building) that happens to be next to the convention center.

true and the mixed use concept I think is a viable alternative. This could allow for additional rooms to compliment the hotel already there (and still obviously convention center adjacent) while providing something different than the standard convention center hotel and also add more residential units downtown.

Evergrey · #**11831** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 7:04 PM**

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...-on-the-strip-districts-next-luxury.html

Quote:

Zeroing in on the Strip District's next luxury hotel site

Mar 10, 2015, 1:03pm EDT

If a new plan comes together, the Cork Factory Lofts may soon find itself with a new luxury hotel for a neighbor.

Chuck Hammel, a major Strip District property owner, confirmed the developer of The Andrew, a new luxury hotel that has applied for a $5 million grant through Pennsylvania's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, or RACP, is considering a 50,000-square-foot property he owns next to the Cork Factory Lofts.

Hammel, an original developer of the Cork Factory Lofts, is hopeful for the project.

"I think a boutique hotel is what we need," said Hammel, president of Strip-based Pitt Ohio Express, of the open plot between the Cork and the facility for Consumers Fresh Produce on Railroad Street. "It kind of fits for a hotel site and we have all this office space down here now."

Within two blocks of the proposed hotel site Oxford Development Co. is in the first phase of building more than 200,000 square feet of office space for a project called Three Crossings on Hammel's property.

The RACP application by a developer working as TAP, LLC proposed The Andrew will be "the first five-star boutique hotel in Pittsburgh" with a theme to reflect "Pittsburgh's history as an industrial powerhouse."

...

BrianTH · #**11832** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 7:19 PM**

A 144-room Marriott Residence Inn is going into the parcels next to the Skyvue project in Oakland:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...-to-build-marriott-residence-inn-in.html

$20M sounds like a decent budget to me.

BrianTH · #**11833** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 8:12 PM**

I believe this is the plot in question for The Andrew.

It would be great to close a bit more of the gap between the Cork Factory and the Buncher site, but . . . can you really have a 5-star hotel wedged up against a truck terminal?

acenturi · #**11834** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 8:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

If Starwood is throwing in on a corporate level, that could be promising. Maybe it's time for our full-fledged W Hotel........

I seriously doubt Starwood would invest in a "W" at that location. Here is Starwood's definition of its W Brand. "The target audience (of the Ws) are the trendsetters - people who are interested in the latest, newest, hippest, coolest and most fashionable. “ Typically, Ws are located directly in the core of the entertainment centers of major cities. You can walk out the door to theatre, concerts, etc.. If in fact Starwood is interested in this site, my guess is more along the lines of a Sheraton. It's a bit difficult for me to understand the economics of buidling a new large hotel (e.g. the previously proposed 500 Room Hyatt) essentially right next door to the huge Westin. A mixed use development seems less risky, but of course if someone wants to provide the $, anything can happen.

[QUOTE=BrianTH;6945225]Speaking of Starwoods, how about something like the Sheraton Huzhou?

Put that at the rear of the Golden Triangle and you'd have a brand new Pittsburgh landmark - recognized worldwide.

BrianTH · #**11835** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 8:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by acenturi

Typically, Ws are located directly in the core of the entertainment centers of major cities. You can walk out the door to theatre, concerts, etc.

Aren't you describing the Cultural District?

SkyPittsburgh · #**11836** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 9:00 PM**

Fight the bastards!

Quote:

Pittsburgh city official doesn't like proposed design of new U.S. Steel headquarters
By Mark Belko / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The chairwoman of the city planning commission is no fan of the design of the proposed U.S. Steel headquarters to be built on the former Civic Arena site.

During a briefing before the commission today, Christine Mondor likened the five-story, 185,000-square-foot building to one she would see in a suburban office park. She wasn't sure it was fit for the iconic steelmaker.

"I'm just concerned that it looks like it could be anywhere. It looks like it could be a suburban office building somewhere," she said.

Read more here

Maybe a denial of redevelopment by the Planning Commission might just spur US Steel to think bigger.

SkyPittsburgh · #**11837** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 9:18 PM**

Quote:

New hotel, office building proposed for Pittsburgh Technology Center
Mar 10, 2015, 4:51pm EDT
By Tim Schooley

The board of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh voted last month to enter negotiations to sell a major parcel at the master planned development to Walnut Capital Partners to make way for a 352-unit apartment development there. Now the city agency is working with developers proposing a new Hotel Indigo and a new 130,000-square-foot office building at Pittsburgh Technology Center, according to the agenda for the URA's March board meeting.

It looks like they are looking at the parcel here which, I would assume to include a hotel and 130,000 square feet of office space, would require at least 6 stories.

That, coupled with apartments here could really heat up Technology Center in terms of forcing ALMONO to become much bigger.

Minivan Werner · #**11838** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 9:26 PM**

I noticed this month-old article at the bottom of the USX one... Hadn't caught this nor seen these renderings, but maybe it was already posted here..?

This would be directly behind the Pittsburgh Athletic Association, just south of where the Syria Mosque was.

Quote:

Walkabout: Oakland hotel’s design provokes mixed reception

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/dian...kes-mixed-reception/stories/201502100030

JVC · #**11839** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 9:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyPittsburgh

Fight the bastards!

Read more here

Maybe a denial of redevelopment by the Planning Commission might just spur US Steel to think bigger.

god bless Christine Mondor for speaking the truth about this horrible design

"I'm just concerned that it looks like it could be anywhere. It looks like it could be a suburban office building somewhere," she said.

word

SkyPittsburgh · #**11840** Posted **Mar 10, 2015, 9:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

I noticed this month-old article at the bottom of the USX one... Hadn't caught this nor seen these renderings, but maybe it was already posted here..?

This would be directly behind the Pittsburgh Athletic Association, just south of where the Syria Mosque was.

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/dian...kes-mixed-reception/stories/201502100030

Not hideous but it could use some more of the nice architectural design that they did on the bottom more towards the top of the building.