PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[photoLith]

I love that Morgantown People Mover, everytime I go to that town I make sure to ride it.

[TBone7281]

I went to WVU so the PRT is very familiar to me. Freshmen year I was in Towers over on the other side of town (Evansdale campus) so the PRT was one of the only ways to get around. (Not to mention parking in Morgantown was horrendous. Even worse now, from what I hear.)

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

the city will be a mockery of a real city.

Or maybe the best city ever!

My feeling is that Pittsburgh is a bit cursed by its topography in terms of implementing normal transportation solutions and development patterns, but conversely all that also is a large part of what makes Pittsburgh visually attractive and interesting. So we might as well build on that with innovative uses of appropriate technologies.

[SkyPittsburgh]

The new Planning Commission Presentation is up:
1. Facade renovation at 409 Wood Street.
2. Zone change of a parklet in Friendship so that it is actually zoned as a park.
3. Sports and Exhibition Authority is applying to add more signs at Heinz Field.
4. Plans for the Central Catholic High School STEM building. Still pretty f'd up that they destroyed part of that neighborhood to do it, but the building isn't that bad.

Find more here

[BrianTH]

Port Authority's new maps are looking pretty darn sweet--and drawing positive attention:

http://planphilly.com/articles/2015/04/0...maps-show-transit-agencies-a-way-forward

Samples:







If they actually roll this out through the whole system, it will, dare I say, be almost European.

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Yes, of course. And also the PRT from Morgantown.

The Morgantown PRT is much, much better than anything here in Houston! And I think it's faster as well!

Aaron (Glowrock)

[TBone7281]

I wandered around yesterday morning before the rain rolled in.

Tentative "Smallman Place". Obviously, I hallucinated the chain link fencing being down and I haven't really seen anything doing much of anything since the guys were digging in between the buildings a couple weeks ago, but I'll keep my eye on it.




The entire building at Railroad & 27th is down. Took this from one end of the surface lot (26th) looking towards 27th. If the renderings are correct, this block (26th --> 27th between Railroad and Spruce Way) will mostly be a parking garage.

[TBone7281]

2500 Smallman




The structural steel "topped out" this week. I know it's technically true, but I find the terminology funny since it's only like 3 stories.

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...topping-off-the-structural-steel-at.html

Some cool pictures in the article, including this one:

http://media.bizj.us/view/img/5467301/img4632*600.jpg

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by TBone7281

2500 Smallman




The structural steel "topped out" this week. I know it's technically true, but I find the terminology funny since it's only like 3 stories.

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...topping-off-the-structural-steel-at.html

Some cool pictures in the article, including this one:

http://media.bizj.us/view/img/5467301/img4632*600.jpg

Reminds me of Piatt Place with the interior courtyard.

[TBone7281]

Work on the infrastructure behind the Terminal Building continues. They were pouring more yesterday.




Work has also begun on the other side of the 16th St. Bridge.



View from the other direction. The new road currently runs from 16th to 21st.





And finally, the building that Gaucho is expanding into. Exterior hasn't changed much since the last time I went by but they are obviously getting close since they are closing to finish up the project over the next month.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by TBone7281

The structural steel "topped out" this week. I know it's technically true, but I find the terminology funny since it's only like 3 stories.

Although parts of it poke up to 4, maybe even 4.5, stories or so. Which I appreciate--it is creating the appearance of a bit more substantial building, and more in keeping with the emerging scale/density of that part of the Strip,

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by TBone7281

View from the other direction. The new road currently runs from 16th to 21st.

I keep thinking if they can just line the river side of that street with block-filling buildings at least around the same height as the Cork Factory, you could really have something cool there.

[TBone7281]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Although parts of it poke up to 4, maybe even 4.5, stories or so. Which I appreciate--it is creating the appearance of a bit more substantial building, and more in keeping with the emerging scale/density of that part of the Strip,

No arguments there. I think it's going to turn out pretty good looking.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I keep thinking if they can just line the river side of that street with block-filling buildings at least around the same height as the Cork Factory, you could really have something cool there.

Agreed. The strip has ridiculous potential.

[AaronPGH]

And another "hats off" to Port Authority on the new wayfinding system and maps. Feels like I've been saying that a lot lately.

[BrianTH]

I'm even warming to the idea of something like townhouses on the Produce Terminal side of that street. Ordinarily that would be too low-density for me, but if the Produce Terminal is also mostly residential, then it would create an interesting sort of mini-neighborhood, and one loosely evocative of the Strip's residential history.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

And another "hats off" to Port Authority on the new wayfinding system and maps. Feels like I've been saying that a lot lately.

It is quite frustrating to me that more people do not acknowledge how much things changed after Bland took over, which seems to have carried over even now that he is gone. He seems to have really professionalized the management, and also got them in the habit of outsourcing important projects to specialist firms (in this case, CHK America).

Of course it is perfectly fair to point out that none of this is exactly rocket science, meaning this is largely the application of technologies and practices that have already been used to good effect in other systems. But so many people still seem to assume they are horribly managed, whereas these days they are really coming across as quite competent.

[AaronPGH]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

It is quite frustrating to me that more people do not acknowledge how much things changed after Bland took over, which seems to have carried over even now that he is gone. He seems to have really professionalized the management, and also got them in the habit of outsourcing important projects to specialist firms (in this case, CHK America).

Of course it is perfectly fair to point out that none of this is exactly rocket science, meaning this is largely the application of technologies and practices that have already been used to good effect in other systems. But so many people still seem to assume they are horribly managed, whereas these days they are really coming across as quite competent.

It's going to be a long process, but I think they're getting there. Public perception is changing slowly. It takes time for stuff like this to sink into peoples brains.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

It's going to be a long process, but I think they're getting there. Public perception is changing slowly. It takes time for stuff like this to sink into peoples brains.

Maybe this is universal but Pittsburghers seem especially resistant to changing their perceptions of the current state of the city. The number of zombie ideas that I run in to on a regular basis is amazing. I don't know how many people I talk to are still scared of East Liberty or "The North Side" or think that Downtown is dead at night or that no one rides a bike in Pittsburgh.

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by GeneW

Maybe this is universal but Pittsburghers seem especially resistant to changing their perceptions of the current state of the city. The number of zombie ideas that I run in to on a regular basis is amazing. I don't know how many people I talk to are still scared of East Liberty or "The North Side" or think that Downtown is dead at night or that no one rides a bike in Pittsburgh.

I'm with you, GeneW. In fact, it seems like the only people who know what the MODERN Pittsburgh is really like are people who've only visited there a few times or have lived there in the recent past, not having grown up there or lived there for decades. The old stereotypes die hard, no doubt about it. And frankly, given the popularity of the Steelers, I wouldn't blame non-locals if they still thought Pittsburgh was still a steel town!

Funny thing is, ever since I moved back to Houston with my company, every time I mention to anyone in my business (oil & gas) how much I love Pittsburgh after my 2+ years of living there in the South Side Slopes, all I ever get are positive comments and opinions about the city and the region in general. Perhaps it's because there are so many energy sector workers who travel between Houston and Pittsburgh, but the general thoughts of Pittsburgh are quite positive over here, and that was (and still is) kind of a shock to me!

And yes, I'm still trying to find a way to get back!

Aaron (Glowrock)