PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by designer3d712

There is no Article, but there has been talk on Facebook this morning about replacing the Twin Hi-Way Drive-In (Off 60 in Robinson) with a Sheetz.

I've never been to that Dive-In, but I think it's silly replacing it with a Sheetz, since there is one a couple miles down the road.

There is an open meeting on October 5th at 6pm in the Robinson Township Municipal Building.

Looks like designer was right.

http://triblive.com/mobile/9177962-96/drive-robinson-sheetz

[BrianTH]

I'm oddly pleased about this article:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2015/09/29/just-one-pittsburgher-on-forbes-400.html

Pittsburgh is not a city of billionaires, although the two richest people in the country have investments here. Only one Pittsburgh resident was among the Forbes 400, the magazine’s annual ranking of the wealthiest people in the United States. Henry Hillman, the 96-year-old industrialist turned investor and philanthropist, was No. 268 with an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion. Granted, Hillman is in increasingly rarified territory: The cutoff was $1.7 billion, the highest in the history of the Forbes 400, and collectively, these billionaires were worth $2.34 trillion, Forbes said.

Back in the day, Pittsburgh was at the cutting edge in terms of rewarding those at the very top of the economic order. These days, while plenty of people here still get plenty rich, this is not a place to go to get THAT rich.

[BrianTH]

Well, this SOUNDS promising . . .

http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/9183687-74/alliance-transportation-consensus#axzz3nBAX2m2J

Political and business leaders from the 10-county region kicked off on Wednesday the start of the Regional Transportation Alliance of Southwestern Pennsylvania, a new planning initiative to find transportation solutions tailored to community feedback. The new group will begin an eight-week process of soliciting feedback from more than 700 organizations in the region, from schools to chambers to social service organizations, on their transportation needs. From there, the commission of 22 elected officials and private sector leaders will sort through the feedback to find consensus on long-term projects.

Lawrence County Commissioner Steve Craig, who is co-chairing the alliance, said the need for consensus is greater as transportation evolves into the 21st century with different modes, technology and services, like bikes, driverless cars and Uber. “We've got to be a part of that, or we're going to be one of those regions that's left behind,” Craig said.

Trying to build consensus for a long-term plan based around meeting existing needs, with unbiased consideration of multiple modes, is a good idea. Of course the details will be the trick.

[JVC]

East Liberty's Hotel Indigo to comply with 'design element' mandate

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/dev...ign-element-mandate/stories/201509300124

"Faced with the threat of having its permanent occupancy permit denied, the Hotel Indigo has complied with a demand by the city planning commission to add a “design element” to a nearly blank wall at one end of its East Liberty property."

[Wiz Khalifa]

Originally Posted by JVC

East Liberty's Hotel Indigo to comply with 'design element' mandate

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/dev...ign-element-mandate/stories/201509300124

"Faced with the threat of having its permanent occupancy permit denied, the Hotel Indigo has complied with a demand by the city planning commission to add a “design element” to a nearly blank wall at one end of its East Liberty property."

Well that's definitely better than a blank wall, but it doesn't change the fact that the "new" part of the hotel looks like it existed in that spot since 1970.

[markson33]

I had a tour of the hotel - it was really very nice. I was impressed with the look and feel, although there were still a lot of rough edges from a construction standpoint.

[BrianTH]

The restaurant looks nice . . . and I am predisposed to like any place with a Boulevardier on its cocktail menu:

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/forks/2...Liberty-is-now-open/stories/201509290191

[daviderik]

Originally Posted by JVC

East Liberty's Hotel Indigo to comply with 'design element' mandate

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/dev...ign-element-mandate/stories/201509300124

"Faced with the threat of having its permanent occupancy permit denied, the Hotel Indigo has complied with a demand by the city planning commission to add a “design element” to a nearly blank wall at one end of its East Liberty property."

CITY: This blank wall needs more "design element."
HOTEL INDIGO: Ughhhhhh what fine here are some last minute doodads or whatever idc.
CITY: Fabulous!

[Gilamonster]

Saks Demolition to begin on upcoming Monday. I'm glad to see some apartments being added to downtown. It seems like it's been mostly condos recently.

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by daviderik

CITY: This blank wall needs more "design element."
HOTEL INDIGO: Ughhhhhh what fine here are some last minute doodads or whatever idc.
CITY: Fabulous!

I'd rather they kept the blank wall.

Almost always disappointing when they add the cheesy local interest art elements to buildings. When the time is taken and it's done right, it can be a great addition. But usually, it ends up looking like a middle school art project add on -- just like it does here.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

I'd rather they kept the blank wall.

Almost always disappointing when they add the cheesy local interest art elements to buildings. When the time is taken and it's done right, it can be a great addition. But usually, it ends up looking like a middle school art project add on -- just like it does here.

Agreed all around. I actually got semi-sold on the design of the modern part, and you might as well let it be rather than do this sort of thing.

[BrianTH]

Yeah, I like the Saks project better as 100+ apartments than 70+ condos:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/bl...ready-to-start-on-saks-fifth-avenue.html

[BrianTH]

Interesting article on the Wilkinsburg/Pittsburgh school deal:

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/educati...Public-Schools-plan/stories/201509290224

One aspect is that the tuition would be $9600, reduced to $8000 in the first year to deal with expected unemployment compensation issues. That sounds right to me--the savings to Wilkinsburg will hopefully be higher than that, but the cost to Pittsburgh should hopefully be lower than that, so both districts should be able to benefit.

The other interesting aspect of the article was that various Pittsburgh School District board members are critiquing the idea that Wilkinsburg students would be behind all Pittsburgh students for magnet programs. It is admirable that they are already taking an interest in these kids and expressing a desire that they not be treated like second class students. And I do think it would do a lot of good for Wilkinsburg if that provision were amended.

[AaronPGH]

Hotel Indigo is still garbage, and has always been garbage. Glorified 3-star hotel.

[BrianTH]

I don't have a problem with there being a new 3-star hotel in East Liberty, particularly not when it did such a nice job with the historic preservation elements.

[themaguffin]

Hotel Indigo is still garbage, and has always been garbage. Glorified 3-star hotel.

Huh?

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by themaguffin

Huh?

I don't want to speak for Aaron, but I have frequently seen it observed that while Hotel Indigo is sometimes touted as an "upscale boutique" brand, it is not necessarily much different from a normal Holiday Inn, other than a few design elements (e.g., those big printed murals and hardwood floors are a Hotel Indigo brand theme, as are the local tie-ins for things like restaurant names and menus).

In technical terms, I think the industry sometimes distinguishes Upper Upscale, Upscale, and Upper Midscale, and the accusation could be interpreted that while Hotel Indigo claims to be Upscale, it is really just Upper Midscale.

My point, though, is . . . how is any of this really relevant in terms of the merits of the project? If this was in fact just a Holiday Inn but otherwise identical, that wouldn't mean it was a bad project for East Liberty. And enough people do seem to like the Hotel Indigo concept to make it one IHG (the brand owner) is rapidly expanding. So even if its appeal (and ability to command slightly higher pricing) versus a normal Holiday Inn is really just mostly cosmetic, I don't see the issue with bringing that to East Liberty. Same deal with the one they are planning for the PTC--I don't see the problem with adding a hotel like that in that location.

Edit:

Here is an investor pitch that actually more or less admits all this:

http://lasolaseb5.com/tenants/hotel%20flag.pdf

As it says, with Hotel Indigo, IHG "[c]reated high ROI brand through low cost operating model with an upscale ADR." If you need that translated, they are saying you can make a lot of money ("high ROI") with a Hotel Indigo because your operating costs are equivalent to a normal midscale hotel ("low cost operating model") but you are able to charge upscale prices ("upscale ADR" (average daily rate)).

In that sense "glorified 3-star hotel" is not necessarily an inaccurate description. "Garbage," however, seems a little over the top.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

In that sense "glorified 3-star hotel" is not necessarily an inaccurate description. "Garbage," however, seems a little over the top.

"Garbage" is an apt description of the medallion design element, however.

[BrianTH]

By the way, it was only when I saw recent pictures that I realized how the stonework on the "Indigo Square" side of the modern part actually looks:





I actually think that is pretty cool, and useful to help support the Indigo Square concept.

Generally there are some nice pictures in the gallery here:

http://www.ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/us/en/pittsburgh/pithb/hoteldetail?

To my eye, at least, this is a pretty cool lobby:



Nice views . . .



Comfy rooms . . .



Theater-related design . . .



Call it cosmetic, but it is a pretty cool-looking hotel overall.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

"Garbage" is an apt description of the medallion design element, however.

Agreed.

Hopefully it is easy to take back off.