PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[Wave]

Originally Posted by SWPA

So I'm starting to lose count because they keep announcing new seven-story buildings for the Baum Blvd corridor. This one you just posted must be new. I know about the one at Baum and Graham (apartments), the one on Centre across and down the block from Whole Foods (apartments), the one at Penn and Highland, and now this one, which looks like it's at Baum and Roup, possibly where the old Penguini's restaurant used to be, but will be offices. Almost done, or well along, are the 365 apartments at the East Liberty Transit Center, the couple hundred at Baum and Liberty, and at Bakery Square. Add to that the mammoth apartment building going up at Centre and Craig, and the construction continues unabated. It's nice to see so many cranes in the center of East Liberty. And I look forward to welcoming so many new people to a very bustling neighborhood.

Here is an incomplete list of projects just in East liberty & the Baum/Centre Corridor. These are recently completed, under construction or planned projects. Feel free to correct mistakes or add any that are missing:

East Liberty Place South 5836 Penn Ave. 52 Residential units + 11K Sq. Ft. Retail $14.2MM Complete

Hyatt Baum/Aiken 5-FLOORS 128 Room Hyatt Place $22.0 MM COMPLETE Spring 2015

Morrow Park Apts. Apartments Baum/Aiken 6-Floors 210 Residential Units $46.0MM UC December 2015

UPMC Ford Motor Bulding & Other dev UC/PLANNED

Aldi bldg retail renovation Baum Aldi/Crazy Mocha (Complete) COMPLETE

Walnut on Penn/Walnut Capital Penn & Highland 78-Units 6 Floors $14MM UC Spring 2016

Eastside III 360 Residential Units, 50K Sq. Ft. Retail $65.0 MM UC Phase One Spring 2015

Transit Center 2 Station improvements and rebuild $52.0MM UC Spring 2015

Alphabet City/Dolan Penn & Penn Circle East/Centre Ave Office/Retail PLANNED

Bakery Sq. 2.0 1 432,000 Sq. Ft office in two offices bldgs one UC Complete Fall 2015. 350 Residential apt. units
(two bldgs one completed June 2014) 57 townhouses, UC Fall 2016; 950 space parking structure, $120MM UC

Apt Renovation /Baum 5500 block 16 units COMPLETE

Highland/Wallace Apartments & retail Walnut Capital COMPLETE

Whole Foods Parking dev PLANNED

Community House -Institutional Penn Circle East COMPLETE

CVS Baum & Craig one story retail & surface parking COMPLETE

Ace Hotel $23MM UC Fall 2015

Indigo Hotel UC Fall 2015

Indigo Sq. retail renovation COMPLETE

Vitmore 5500 Baum Blvd 7 floors 103 residential units $14MM Spring 2016 UC

Emerald on Centre; Oxford Development North side of Centre Ave between Negley and Eastside 146 Apartment PLANNED

Larimer Developments PLANNED

Park 7 project 17 stories 325 units 2017 PLANNED

Retail development Graham/Centre Starbucks etc. PLANNED

Retail Project (Arby’s) 5151 Baum Blvd.@ Luna Garage site PLANNED

Warner Pacific Aldi office development 57,000 Sq. ft above Aldi PLANNED

Warner Pacific 7 story office/parking structure Baum & Negley project 35,000 Sq. ft PLANNED

[BrianTH]

That's why I was never all that concerned about Toby Keith's--that sort of thing is rarely permanent, and in this case may never get started.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

That's why I was never all that concerned about Toby Keith's--that sort of thing is rarely permanent, and in this case may never get started.

I'm sure that Continental can find some other crappy high-concept theme bar that can take its place.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by GeneW

I'm sure that Continental can find some other crappy high-concept theme bar that can take its place.

I'd like to see Guy Fieri's American Kitchen.

http://guysamerican.com/

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by GeneW

I'm sure that Continental can find some other crappy high-concept theme bar that can take its place.

As you imply, that's the real issue--the basic nature of the development as a mere low-rise entertainment district to complement the stadiums, rather than a value-maximizing urban center.

[BrianTH]

PNC is holding a completion ceremony on Thursday for PNC Tower, although it sounds like it is not actually complete:

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/9149785-74/pnc-building-percent#axzz3n202BMAX

Much like groundbreakings, there appears to be no correlation these days between ceremonies like this and the actual event in question.

[Private D]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I like Albert Kahn's work, but he was extremely prolific, and specifically designed many, many automobile dealer showrooms. But we don't need so many showrooms like that in city cores these days.

So personally, I don't have a problem with this building being built out so that it can achieve a new form, and far more intense level, of use. I do think it is important to try to preserve the historically interesting elements of the original building, but I personally think the proposed design achieves that.

Kahn certainly was prolific, but he is also probably the most prominent and influential industrial architect we have. While there are a few other examples of Kahn's work in Pittsburgh (Heinz buildings, Salvation Army downtown), this old dealership is Pittsburgh's only example of the work he is renowned for.

I don't think it's some landmark achievement or anything, but Desmone lazily and clumsily tacking on another story with a semicircle cutout for the original element completely negates the streamlined design of the building -- which is the very characteristic of the era that makes it unique in Pittsburgh.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

PNC is holding a completion ceremony on Thursday for PNC Tower, although it sounds like it is not actually complete:

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/9149785-74/pnc-building-percent#axzz3n202BMAX

Much like groundbreakings, there appears to be no correlation these days between ceremonies like this and the actual event in question.

Yeah, must have been the date that fit into everyone's schedules...

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

I don't think it's some landmark achievement or anything, but Desmone lazily and clumsily tacking on another story with a semicircle cutout for the original element completely negates the streamlined design of the building -- which is the very characteristic of the era that makes it unique in Pittsburgh.

I actually thought the way they did it made it very easy to mentally separate out and appreciate the original design, but I understand reasonable people could reach a different conclusion.

[Private D]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I actually thought the way they did it made it very easy to mentally separate out and appreciate the original design, but I understand reasonable people could reach a different conclusion.

Well, it's always a matter of individual interpretation, I guess. I'll fully admit that my feelings my also have something to do with my general distaste for Desmone designs.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

my general distaste for Desmone designs.

I feel like they did a really nice job on the Ford dealership in Adamsburg.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

As you imply, that's the real issue--the basic nature of the development as a mere low-rise entertainment district to complement the stadiums, rather than a value-maximizing urban center.

Yuup

[Urbana]

Anyone know what went down at the BIG presentation at Consol?

[Private D]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

I feel like they did a really nice job on the Ford dealership in Adamsburg.

Urban design revolutionaries!

[Muckk]

Originally Posted by Urbana

Anyone know what went down at the BIG presentation at Consol?

It's still going on as far as I know. It was scheduled for 5:30-8:30 tonight, wasn't it?

[BrianTH]

Doesn't sound like a lot of news was made at this meeting, but they will be back in October "to discuss elements incorporated into the plan," and then will make a "final presentation" in November:


http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...te-meet-with-public/stories/201509290114

[BrianTH]

Meanwhile, the Falconhurst project is getting started:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/east/2...-affordable-housing/stories/201509290132

Also, there is a deal on Penn Plaza relocation. Lots of interesting details, including descriptions of a affordable housing and small business development fund which is getting contributions from a lot of sources including sales of City land, TIFs, and the URA:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2...te-meet-with-public/stories/201509290114

[Wave]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Also, there is a deal on Penn Plaza relocation. Lots of interesting details, including descriptions of a affordable housing and small business development fund which is getting contributions from a lot of sources including sales of City land, TIFs, and the URA:

Mixed use, retail and residential. That's a lot of land (7+ acres) in one of the hottest development markets in the entire metro area. Plus 2 acres at Mellon Orchard.

Since they are replacing 312 units, one would assume they would replace it with at least that much in housing units, though there is actually room for a lot more. Peduto implied a major retail tenant of the big box sort when he said the project would "bookend" East Liberty with Target being the other bookend on the other side of the neighborhood business district - which has a been the rumor for a while. So that's where the Costco/Wal-Mart discussion comes into play.

[BrianTH]

An urban-format Walmart and 600+ housing units would work for me.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

An urban-format Walmart and 600+ housing units would work for me.

You never know, you might get just that.

[BrianTH]

The hotel plan for the former Washington Education Center is going before the Zoning Board:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...to-know-today-and-another-eatery-on.html