PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II - Page 703

BrianTH · #**14041** Posted **Sep 16, 2015, 11:23 AM**

Cap parks really aren't that expensive, and I think one or two over 279 would be extremely beneficial. I could actually see that happening if we ever get back to a normal environment for federal highway funding.

TBone7281 · #**14042** Posted **Sep 16, 2015, 11:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evergrey

An Audi dealership in the Strip District? Interesting...

Liberty Ave. in the Strip is a hopeless disaster... so I suppose a luxury car dealership isn't the worst thing in the world. Hopefully it has a design similar to the more 'urban' dealerships along Baum Blvd.

http://blog.cochran.com/wordpress/index.php/cochran-audi-pittsburgh-pa/

I wouldn't mind a TT next time I'm in the market.

Yeah, I probably wouldn't have paid as much attention in advance of them doing any actual construction work, but this is only 2 blocks from my office and I've been looking at S4s recently.

#**14043** Posted **Sep 16, 2015, 12:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austinlee

I DO like your ideas but we have to live in a world of likely possibilities and this is just not one, IMO. Redeveloping East Allegheny/East Deutchtown with some new money and buildings should kick start the immediate area plus hopefully surrounding under valued neighborhoods (Spring Hill, Spring Garden and to a lesser degree Troy Hill) and hopefully with all that shiny new development maybe entice owners to sell to devleopers for the many primo tracts of empty land from the Heinz factory over to the Alcoa building, aka Schweizer Loch/The Swiss Hole.

Probably not a possibility anytime soon... just a rough vision for now. But I do think the connectivity of the near northside neighborhoods will have to be addressed somehow and I'm not sure how it can successfully be done without overcoming those two specific highway "walls". The eastern northside (East Allegheny, I guess) is so close to the Strip but in the Pittsburgh frame of mind, it's worlds apart. With all that's planned in the Strip, the Swiss Hole area right across the bridge is ripe for major redevelopment. But if somehow bridging that awful Rt.28 ramp conglomeration "park" isn't accomplished, I think the eastern northside will remain undesirable.

Minivan Werner · #**14044** Posted **Sep 16, 2015, 1:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perch

I'll take a bridge over a tunnel for a river crossing there any day though. One of the best views coming into Pittsburgh is on Liberty Bridge. As a highway bridge, it serves its purpose and provides incredible 360 views of the skyline, hills, rivers, and select neighborhoods. A tunnel outlet in downtown would have necessarily have wreaked massive demolition havoc.

279 is below grade. What would be great is if a cap was constructed over 279 between East Ohio and East North, and thus reconnecting the east northside with central northside; and a cap over the 28-279 ramps south of East Ohio St. This could be parkland with wonderful views and would serve to connect the northside with the river once again at the mainly abandoned Swiss Hole former neighborhood. Obviously it wouldn't be easy but it would be a huge huge thing for northside and Pittsburgh's overall core development.

Sorry for the terrible quality but I think you can get the idea,

OK, found a better way to post my "art".

The problem I'd see is that the elevations on each side of those 'caps' fluctuate a bit so it wouldn't be a very flat area to work with. And the lower cap wouldn't work because it'd cut off the on/off-ramps.

It'd certainly look great and allow for a much better connection between the two neighborhoods.

BrianTH · #**14045** Posted **Sep 16, 2015, 1:55 PM**

Yeah, because of the way the ramps work, it may be a little tough to do cap parks covering all that territory.

But I think you could relatively easily do from around Lovitt Way to North, and from a bit west of Chestnut to the Heinz Street flyover. For the latter, you'd want to redo the Chestnut/Ohio intersection to make it a lot more pedestrian friendly, and maybe add a pedestrian tunnel under the railroad tracks at S Canal, with then a bridge over the ramp to the park:

Edit:

I realized you could really incorporate that whole spit of land into the southern park, and then maybe move the pedestrian access to across from Chesbro:

#**14046** Posted **Sep 16, 2015, 3:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

The problem I'd see is that the elevations on each side of those 'caps' fluctuate a bit so it wouldn't be a very flat area to work with. And the lower cap wouldn't work because it'd cut off the on/off-ramps.

It'd certainly look great and allow for a much better connection between the two neighborhoods.

Sure, I agree. My very rudimentary "design" is only a broad generalization of connectivity in the the area. I understand that the actual configuration of the ramps and terrain would determine what an actual design realistically could be. It might just be smaller parkland and pedestrian overpasses over the lower ramps... just something that provides some measure of connection to to the riverfront, and to the big things going on across the river. It's SO close, but seems worlds away because of that terrible wasteland of highway ramps.

Private Dick · #**14047** Posted **Sep 16, 2015, 10:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Yeah, because of the way the ramps work, it may be a little tough to do cap parks covering all that territory.

But I think you could relatively easily do from around Lovitt Way to North, and from a bit west of Chestnut to the Heinz Street flyover. For the latter, you'd want to redo the Chestnut/Ohio intersection to make it a lot more pedestrian friendly, and maybe add a pedestrian tunnel under the railroad tracks at S Canal, with then a bridge over the ramp to the park:

Edit:

I realized you could really incorporate that whole spit of land into the southern park, and then maybe move the pedestrian access to across from Chesbro:

Couldn't that triangular median between East Ohio and where that mess of 28 ramps begins also become parkland... and maybe have some type of walkway over the ramps/tracks leading down towards the riverfront? I can't really picture the elevations or configurations there.... if something like that would be possible... all I can picture is the awfulness.

BrianTH · #**14048** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 12:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Private Dick

Couldn't that triangular median between East Ohio and where that mess of 28 ramps begins also become parkland... and maybe have some type of walkway over the ramps/tracks leading down towards the riverfront? I can't really picture the elevations or configurations there.... if something like that would be possible... all I can picture is the awfulness.

That plot immediately next to Ohio is in fact potentially usable land. After that I think the elevated ramps coming down off the bridge really prevent you from doing much.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4537055,...EddYMoidruN9g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

eschaton · #**14049** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 1:28 AM**

Been AFK for a few days...son has been sick.

Regarding the East Ohio development, I should note that I'm 95% sure October Development has already demolished all of them as part of initial site planning. I certainly know they demolished the two storefronts they needed to clear out for their plan on East Ohio Street, and it sure looks like from the front of the block they demolished everything on Phineas as well. This is the last house surviving on Phineas, which thankfully was also clearly the one with the most remaining architectural merit. In addition there is a worthless alley house still standing behind it, and a vacant lot next door that October Development was also unable to acquire. As I said previously. I would expect they are biding their time on buying out these last parcels - that the surface parking surrounding these parcels may just be a holding pattern until they have the full site control they desire on that side of the block.

I understand the position that East Deutschtown is in - that it's sort of at the point where any development is hailed as a great step forward. Hell, a few years back people were cheering about the new DaVita Dialysis there. Still, as BrianTH notes, we should always at least try to ask for more from developers.

Since Schweitzer Lock was mentioned, let me just point out, as I did a few years back, that almost all of the "neighborhood" (including all of the vacant lots save a few owned directly by the URA) is property of Buncher. Buncher has been going through some long-term land-banking strategy there, buying out everyone they can and knocking down the buildings for some mega-development. Initially it was probably a new industrial park, but I'm sure plans have changed somewhat (I've seen renderings showing a new residential neighborhood there). Still, I do not think there are any real plans to redevelop this neighborhood by Buncher until they are finished with their redevelopment of the Strip.

Urbannizer · #**14050** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 4:47 AM**

Park 7

http://hpaurban.com/portfolio-item/centre-ave/

Urbana · #**14051** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 5:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

Park 7

http://hpaurban.com/portfolio-item/centre-ave/

Incredible scale! I am so glad to see North O get a project like this.

I am guessing you are an insider in some way? As far as I knew there were no public details yet.

TBone7281 · #**14052** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 10:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austinlee

There's a shit ton of new Audi's being stockpiled at this old lumberyard on Woodville Ave in the West End, at the back exit off of Mt Washington. (It's got a big old sign from the former business that is spelled Rennekamp i think) I could not figure out why they've been deposited there. That may be why?

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4339993,...pXVSQxC2GgvNTYA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Could be... they are running the dealership out of Dormont, I think, until the actual location opens up next year. I'm not familiar with where it is, but maybe they don't have enough space to have the inventory they want to offer on site.

Evergrey · #**14053** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 12:13 PM**

some restaurant development news:

Meat-centric Whitfield to inhabit the Ace Hotel

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...tel-in-East-Liberty/stories/201509160206

A craft-beer-centric restaurant City Works will join the soon-to-open Greek restaurant Poros in 2 PPG

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/dev...rant-craft-beer-hub/stories/201509170091

Melissa McCart has a rundown of new restaurants here:

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/dining/...enings-and-previews/stories/201509140166

BrianTH · #**14054** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 12:29 PM**

I also love the scale of Park 7. Depending on the materials, the design could look decent too.

Evergrey · #**14055** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 1:22 PM**

Walnut Capital expressed interest in residential redevelopment of Shadyside military landmark Hunt Armory

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...loper-wants-to-take-on-neighborhood.html

The main road through Hazelwood's Almono development site is set to begin construction

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...gh-178-acre-almono-site-ready-to-go.html

BrianTH · #**14056** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 3:35 PM**

I know there has been a lot of interest in the project, but I agree with Walnut that residential (maybe with a small recreational component) is the obvious choice for the Hunt Armory given its location. Other than use I would just want to make sure the developer was experienced in doing decent historic renovations (the interior isn't an issue, but I would want the exterior to keep most of its historic elements). And in fact Walnut did a good job with the Highland and Wallace buildings, so they would be fine with me.

Exterior:

Interior:

Wave · #**14057** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 7:10 PM**

Awesome. Thanks for posting. This is the type of development in scale & ambition that the city needs more of. Great addition to North Oakland and fits in well with the mid rise nature of the neighborhood, anchoring the north end of that neighborhood and the west end of the Baum-Centre corridor. Jury still out on the design but it could be quite nice once more renderings come out. It still just irks me that the new CVS/surface parking lot on the southeast corner of Centre & Craig is so utterly lame. What a waste of that parcel. The Park7 project redeems that intersection, and then some.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

Park 7

http://hpaurban.com/portfolio-item/centre-ave/

mikebarbaro · #**14058** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 7:48 PM**

HP Urban is also designing this residential tower in Edmonton! Now if only we can get close to this one day...

Austinlee · #**14059** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 8:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbana

Incredible scale! I am so glad to see North O get a project like this.

I am guessing you are an insider in some way? As far as I knew there were no public details yet.

Gorgeous, high quality design!

But wait; Is this at the intersection of Centre and Craig on that parking lot or right next door at the intersection of Centre and N. Dithridge where the old victorian houses are being torn down?

Jonboy1983 · #**14060** Posted **Sep 17, 2015, 8:16 PM**

I'm trying to get my bearings of where along Center that Park 7 will go. If it's where I think it's going, isn't one of the streets an alley way that kind of disappears mid-block?

That aside, the city needs more development like this; very dense residential development. I don't mind a CVS being there, but it should have been a ground-floor CVS with about 8 to 10 floors of residential space above it!