PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by photoLith

And these apartments on the right I could have sworn were supposed to be getting restored by the Landmarks Commission, one of the roofs just completely collapsed, so I hope they can be saved, they are a few of my favorite buildings in the city.

I believe you are referring to the Falconhurst apartments, and if so that is correct--they even got tax credits for the project:

http://www.phlf.org/2014/06/13/landmarks...r-tax-credit-development-in-wilkinsburg/

They brought the Crescent Building back from really horrible condition, so hopefully they are still on track with the Falconhurst.

Edit: This WQED video shows the Crescent Building's condition in the early stages of renovation, including large sections of missing roof. The most illustrative sequence starts around 2:50:

http://www.wqed.org/tv/watch/?sid=202&series=2

[DKNewYork]

Originally Posted by photoLith

And these apartments on the right I could have sworn were supposed to be getting restored by the Landmarks Commission, one of the roofs just completely collapsed, so I hope they can be saved, they are a few of my favorite buildings in the city.

That's the Falconhurst and it will be restored by PHLF. The government program that will provide the credits to help pay for the restoration has a lengthy application process. It is underway and approvals should be provided by late summer. Remember that the Crescent just up the street was in equally bad condition---it's roof also collapsed into basement, taking a few floors with it---but the building was brought back.

[Evergrey]

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/8162006-74/committee-downtown-group

Head of PNC Financial Services Group will chair committee to improve Downtown Pittsburgh

By Bob Bauder
Monday, April 13, 2015, 11:06 a.m.
Updated 32 minutes ago

The head of PNC Financial Services Group will chair a committee exploring and implementing ways to improve the way people live, work and enjoy leisure activities Downtown, the mayor's office announced on Monday.

William Demchak, PNC's chairman, president and chief executive officer, will head a 25-member group of civic leaders, politicians and corporate and nonprofit officials. The Envision Downtown Advisory Committee will look to improve mobility, accessibility, and livability in the Golden Triangle, according to Mayor Bill Peduto's office.

“I am grateful to Bill Demchak and the committee members for dedicating their time and for agreeing to share their visions for a world-class Downtown,” Peduto said in a statement.

[photoLith]

Originally Posted by DKNewYork

That's the Falconhurst and it will be restored by PHLF. The government program that will provide the credits to help pay for the restoration has a lengthy application process. It is underway and approvals should be provided by late summer. Remember that the Crescent just up the street was in equally bad condition---it's roof also collapsed into basement, taking a few floors with it---but the building was brought back.

Well thats awesome because those buildings are very unique especially with that tunnel on that street and the bend in the street, makes it feel incredibly urban.

[Evergrey]

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...-ready-to-push-forward-with-42-unit.html

Aiellos ready to push forward with 42-unit apartment development in Lawrenceville

Apr 13, 2015, 2:05pm EDT



After a few years of considering it, Jim Aiello, Sr. and his son are preparing to go forward with a plan to build a new 42-unit apartment building in Lawrenceville.

The project is slated for an open half-acre site at the corner of 41st and Foster streets below Butler Street in the neighborhood’s Ninth Ward, a location across the street from the Aiellos’ fully leased Catalyst Lofts, a 20-unit apartment conversion of a former school completed two years ago.

The Aiellos are working with Strip District-based Rothschild Doyno Collaborative on a design they expect to begin discussing soon with the city. The hope is to get full approvals that will enable construction to begin by the end of the year.

“We’re very optimistic about this new... building because it’s really the gateway to Butler Street. It’s a very prominent corner, development-wise,” said Aiello.

He added an initial meeting with the city over the plan is set to be scheduled any day now for a project expected to cost between $7 million and $8 million.

The project, which is expected to be three and four stories in different portions of the structure, has been revised from an earlier strategy of micro apartments. Aiello said. The Catalyst Lofts generated a number of one-bedroom tenants with more than one car, making it harder to pursue more units in the project and provide the necessary parking.

...

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Hmm. If the Peduto Administration really wanted nothing to do with the Rubino proposal, they had the perfect opportunity after the independent analysis of the bids came back and the Rubino proposal scored the lowest:

http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/ura-files/Produce_Terminal_Report_20140910.pdf

In fact, in blog comments and such, I have frequently seen the exact opposite accusation, namely that the Peduto Administation so favored Rubino that even though they scored the lowest, Peduto wanted to force McCaffery to work with them.

Personally, I have zero direct insight into what the Peduto Administration actually thinks about this. But I have long had serious doubts about turning all or even most of the Produce Terminal into retail/markets. It is just way too big to make that viable, and it always seemed to me the smart thing was to put retail/markets just into strategic locations (on the ends, and maybe in pass-throughs).

The thing is, McCaffery has always said they are flexible about that concept and willing to modify their plans. So what exactly is Rubino adding? I respect some of the conceptual work they did, but at the end of the day there are many qualified firms to work on a project like this.

Again, this is purely an outside perspective. But it does seem odd to me to suggest that the Peduto Administration bailed them out after the consultant report, only to then turn around and freeze them out anyway.

Perhaps this is related?

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...-board-of-directors/stories/201504130134

After staff resignations, board of directors running Strip District community group

April 13, 2015 1:36 PM

Neighbors in the Strip, a community group advocating for businesses and residents in Pittsburgh's Strip District, is being run by its board of directors after its staff resigned last month.

Don Orkoskey, president of the organization's board, confirmed today that Executive Director Becky Rodgers and her staff resigned March 3. Mr. Orkoskey said in an email the resignations were "a surprise" and the organization has a transition committee in place as it looks for replacements.

The organization is in the process of helping to shape several majors projects that could change the neighborhood, such as the proposed refurbishing of the produce terminal and the $450 million Buncher Co. redevelopment project, so it is important to regroup quickly, he said.

...

[photoLith]

That Lville development will be nice, will fill in a big gap in the urban fabric downt there.

[DKNewYork]

The glass façade has finally begun to be installed at Scott Hall. A lot darker than I expected.

http://camera.cit.cmu.edu/bldgcam2.campus.ece.cmu.local_latest.jpg

[Muckk]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Took a long walk around town yesterday... everything feels brand new after that long, bleak winter. Loved seeing the vibrancy... more bikes than ever... this really is an amazing city for outdoors opportunities.

Walked from SSW to Station Square... it's really a shame how severely the Carson St. pedestrian experience deteriorates between 10th and Station Square. Wish we could string that vibrancy along and connect it Downtown.

I think that slender strip of the South Side between Station Square and 10th should be a strategic focus for redevelopment. It's currently squandered on parking lots, warehouses and decaying buildings... but would be a perfect area for high-density residential with its proximity to both Downtown and the South Side. It's so weird that this prime location exists as a forgotten twilight zone.

I expect a turn around after the new Station Square development. There's a nice smoke shop on 6th. Used to be Mantini's which is now up Carson a good way I believe. Mantini can cook a meal. Good guy.

What really needs work is the river walk between Station Square and 10th but as stated, I think that area will be a focus in the near future.

[BrianTH]

I agree Station Square expansion and the renovation of River Walk will likely jump start that area eventually, but that may still all take a while (Station Square, for example, is a phased plan). I'm not exactly impatient, but it is one of those Pittsburgh puzzles that areas like that within walking distance of Downtown with a nearby T station have remained dormant even as apartments in general are booming.

That Lawrenceville project looks nice (so far as one can tell from such a drawing). Generally that is a sort of low key area, so it is good they have the Catalyst building to justify doing something a bit more substantial across the street.

[TBone7281]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Perhaps this is related?

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...-board-of-directors/stories/201504130134

The article by the Trib seems to imply that the previous employees were upset with the balance (or perceived lack of balance) between new developments and existing businesses.

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/8164508-74/strip-board-members#axzz3XHv0lJMT

[chucka]

CMU held a "Town Hall" presentation for the Tepper Quad project on April 8th.

Here is the PDF with renderings:
http://www.cmu.edu/cdfd/images/tepper/index-page/town-hall-slides-8-apr-2015.pdf

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by chucka

CMU held a "Town Hall" presentation for the Tepper Quad project on April 8th.

Here is the PDF with renderings:
http://www.cmu.edu/cdfd/images/tepper/index-page/town-hall-slides-8-apr-2015.pdf

To me the most interesting slides are the last two, as it shows the significant amount of construction upcoming in the master plan, along with proposed alterations to zoning. Biggest issues:

1. The building being built north of Fifth marked K is new to me. It looks like it will mostly replace open space, but this house will be demolished. Given the isolated location surrounded by larger-scale structures (barring some townhouses across the street) I don't think this is a major loss.

2. It looks like CMU is at least temporarily turning the entire expanse between the former Panther Hollow Inn and the bridge over S Neville into parking lots, which will further the feeling of division between the CMU campus and the core of Oakland. Hopefully this will eventually be corrected, but likely not for some time.

3. CMU is pushing for further expansion of the EMI zone - most notably annexing around 30% of the tiny remaining residential district in the blocks west of S Craig. Even in the area not being pushed for rezoning, CMU owns six houses. I have no confidence that this residential area can be saved in the long run - it will all become CMU campus.

4. Although not currently under development, the nick in the EMI zoning map caused by Devonshire Road is probably a goner eventually too. Currently CMU owns seven houses on this street, with only four independently owned. It's basically surrounded by CMU, save for the WQED building, which makes it an attractive place for expansion whenever the last homeowners can be bought out.

[photoLith]

Devonshire Place wouldnt be a major loss, looks like most of those houses are suburban styled 40's-60's houses. Now, South Craig Street will be a loss, that is a nice little neighborhood with well preserved Victorian houses. Overall it will be nice to see that enormous parking lot along Forbes developed though. CMU really needs to do something with their mall though, that thing is quite ugly, the grass is always dying and it just isnt a very welcoming space. I dont know what they could do to change that but seeing as CMU is one of the countries most presitgious universities it would seem they would want to beautify their campus somehow.

[dfiler]

(Deleted: Oops, people already answered with better info than I had in this response)

[dfiler]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Devonshire Place wouldnt be a major loss, looks like most of those houses are suburban styled 40's-60's houses. Now, South Craig Street will be a loss, that is a nice little neighborhood with well preserved Victorian houses. Overall it will be nice to see that enormous parking lot along Forbes developed though. CMU really needs to do something with their mall though, that thing is quite ugly, the grass is always dying and it just isnt a very welcoming space. I dont know what they could do to change that but seeing as CMU is one of the countries most presitgious universities it would seem they would want to beautify their campus somehow.

If I remember the story correctly, when Hillman gave money to CMU for their Library, it came with stipulations. Mainly that no development be put between the library and Forbes Ave.

This could be urban legend or only part of the story though.

[DKNewYork]

Originally Posted by dfiler

If I remember the story correctly, when Hillman gave money to CMU for their Library, it came with stipulations. Mainly that no development be put between the library and Forbes Ave.

This could be urban legend or only part of the story though.

You have it partly right. The Hunt family (Hillman is at Pitt) provided funds for the CMU library. The one stipulation that I know about is that nothing be built between it and Forbes Avenue for fifty years. That time period just ended or is just about to end.

[DKNewYork]

Originally Posted by eschaton

To me the most interesting slides are the last two, as it shows the significant amount of construction upcoming in the master plan, along with proposed alterations to zoning. Biggest issues:

1. The building being built north of Fifth marked K is new to me. It looks like it will mostly replace open space, but this house will be demolished. Given the isolated location surrounded by larger-scale structures (barring some townhouses across the street) I don't think this is a major loss.

2. It looks like CMU is at least temporarily turning the entire expanse between the former Panther Hollow Inn and the bridge over S Neville into parking lots, which will further the feeling of division between the CMU campus and the core of Oakland. Hopefully this will eventually be corrected, but likely not for some time.

3. CMU is pushing for further expansion of the EMI zone - most notably annexing around 30% of the tiny remaining residential district in the blocks west of S Craig. Even in the area not being pushed for rezoning, CMU owns six houses. I have no confidence that this residential area can be saved in the long run - it will all become CMU campus.

4. Although not currently under development, the nick in the EMI zoning map caused by Devonshire Road is probably a goner eventually too. Currently CMU owns seven houses on this street, with only four independently owned. It's basically surrounded by CMU, save for the WQED building, which makes it an attractive place for expansion whenever the last homeowners can be bought out.

Very interesting stuff. Agreed, there are a number of new development sites not on the university's last master plan. Re Point 4: I had been told awhile back that CMU had purchased the WQED building but granted the station a long lease. Can't remember who told me but at the time I thought the source very credible. Any idea?

[Urbana]

Originally Posted by dfiler

If I remember the story correctly, when Hillman gave money to CMU for their Library, it came with stipulations. Mainly that no development be put between the library and Forbes Ave.

This could be urban legend or only part of the story though.

They harped on that story incessantly when I toured the campus a few years ago. There must be something to it.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by DKNewYork

Very interesting stuff. Agreed, there are a number of new development sites not on the university's last master plan. Re Point 4: I had been told awhile back that CMU had purchased the WQED building but granted the station a long lease. Can't remember who told me but at the time I thought the source very credible. Any idea?

CMU doesn't show ownership of the building on the map. Looking at the Allegheny County Assessor's site though, CMU is indeed the owner. So presumably when the time is right they'll be able to kick QED back, and basically own the entire block (save for Central Catholic's campus).