PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[BrianTH]

The first few Tripadvisor reviews of the East Liberty Hotel Indigo have been posted--so far they seem pretty positive about both the hotel and the location:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-...rty-Pittsburgh_Pennsylvania.html#REVIEWS

[Evergrey]

Looks like PITairport was right about Southwest plugging the PIT-STL gap:

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/dev...-flight-to-St-Louis/stories/201510210093

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Looks like PITairport was right about Southwest plugging the PIT-STL gap:

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/dev...-flight-to-St-Louis/stories/201510210093

Cool. Pittsburgh and St Louis both have top notch universities and tech spinoffs that can hopefully build off of each other.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Cool. Pittsburgh and St Louis both have top notch universities and tech spinoffs that can hopefully build off of each other.

I would imagine there's immeasurably more coal-related air traffic between these two coal hubs than anything related to tech spinoffs.

[Private Dick]

Pittsburgh is better than this. So goddammit, quit with this small time crap.


Is there room for a ‘Silicon Strip’ in Pittsburgh?
Tech boom inspires marketing idea

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/tec...p-in-the-Steel-City/stories/201510200209

While California long has had Silicon Valley, some believe it is high time Pittsburgh has its own term to identify its growing tech community.

Silicon Strip, anyone?

That’s the name the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and a group of developers have informally tossed about to highlight a section of the city stretching from Downtown through the Strip District and Oakland into East Liberty and Larimer.

The name had its genesis in recent trips taken to San Francisco by Jeremy Waldrup, PDP president and CEO, and Aaron Stauber, president of Rugby Realty, which owns numerous properties Downtown.

During their visits, both were struck by the “buzz” about Pittsburgh and how much people seemed to know about the city and its growing tech reputation.

When they returned, they related their experiences in an email exchange that also involved officials with Oxford Development Co.; Dan McCaffery, CEO of Chicago-based McCaffery Interests; and several others.

There was consensus that there was a need to capitalize on — and package — the city’s increasing influence in the tech world, Mr. Waldrup said.

Out of that came the term “Silicon Strip.”

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

Pittsburgh is better than this. So goddammit, quit with this small time crap.

Agreed, that is a dumb name that screams "wannabe".

Penn Avenue is the spine that connects those neighborhoods, so while not call it something basic, like the Penn Avenue Tech Corridor.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

Pittsburgh is better than this. So goddammit, quit with this small time crap.


Is there room for a ‘Silicon Strip’ in Pittsburgh?
Tech boom inspires marketing idea

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/tec...p-in-the-Steel-City/stories/201510200209

While California long has had Silicon Valley, some believe it is high time Pittsburgh has its own term to identify its growing tech community.

Silicon Strip, anyone?

That’s the name the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and a group of developers have informally tossed about to highlight a section of the city stretching from Downtown through the Strip District and Oakland into East Liberty and Larimer.

The name had its genesis in recent trips taken to San Francisco by Jeremy Waldrup, PDP president and CEO, and Aaron Stauber, president of Rugby Realty, which owns numerous properties Downtown.

During their visits, both were struck by the “buzz” about Pittsburgh and how much people seemed to know about the city and its growing tech reputation.

When they returned, they related their experiences in an email exchange that also involved officials with Oxford Development Co.; Dan McCaffery, CEO of Chicago-based McCaffery Interests; and several others.

There was consensus that there was a need to capitalize on — and package — the city’s increasing influence in the tech world, Mr. Waldrup said.

Out of that came the term “Silicon Strip.”

Here is my post to the Post Gazette article. I let them know what I think.

"Pittsburgh doesn't need a gimmicky name let a lone a half hearted rip off of the much larger Silicon Valley. A few years ago it was Silicon Hills. No. First off, this area is not the place where silicon chips revolutionized the world. If anything, we should be known as the overachieving underdog that we are. More famous for cutting edge metals technologies, materials sciences and now increasingly robotics, we should be known as the manipulators of metal. We are the cutting edge alchemists that make modern society function. Diversified economy, highly educated, cutting edge machinery & science. We are the future Isaac Asimov warned you about.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

I would imagine there's immeasurably more coal-related air traffic between these two coal hubs than anything related to tech spinoffs.

I don't know about coal. Between corporate hq's and the Cortex- Oakland brain exchange. St Louis I'd like a slightly poorer Minneapolis. 3+ million people and a diverse, booming economy.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

"Pittsburgh doesn't need a gimmicky name let a lone a half hearted rip off of the much larger Silicon Valley. A few years ago it was Silicon Hills. No. First off, this area is not the place where silicon chips revolutionized the world. If anything, we should be known as the overachieving underdog that we are. More famous for cutting edge metals technologies, materials sciences and now increasingly robotics, we should be known as the manipulators of metal. We are the cutting edge alchemists that make modern society function. Diversified economy, highly educated, cutting edge machinery & science. We are the future Isaac Asimov warned you about.

"Automation Avenue"?

[BrianTH]

Same old BS in the Lower Hill site:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...for-extension-to-begin-buying-civic.html

The Pittsburgh Penguins have delivered a “pause notice” to the city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority, exercising an option to extend its deadline to buy the first two-plus-acre parcel of the 28-acre former Civic Arena site in the Lower Hill District. The team, as the chosen master developer of the site, exercised the option facing a deadline of Thursday, Oct. 22, in which it was required by the SEA, the owner of the arena property, to buy the first portion of the site as part of an agreement to redevelop it over 10 years.

But it cost them all of SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS [read with Dr. Evil voice], which they were actually given by the public anyway:

The terms of the option agreement allow the Penguins to draw down a $75,000 credit from the $15 million in credits that former Governor Ed Rendell originally granted the team to buy the former arena site nearly 10 years ago as part of the original agreement that lead to the construction of Consol Energy Center, the new arena in which the Penguins now play across from the development site.

Ugh.

[BrianTH]

Sushi Kim is for sale!

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...restaurant-up-for-sale-in-the-strip.html

This is one of the holdouts from back in the day when there were like three decent places to eat in Pittsburgh (if you didn't just want stuff from a vintage 1950s menu).

But relevant to this forum . . .

Newmark Grubb Knight Frank is marketing the longtime restaurant as an asset sale, which includes two neighboring buildings at 1237 and 1241 Penn Avenue along with a liquor license and all the restaurant’s fixtures and equipment.

When they say "neighboring" I am pretty sure that just means the upper floors, but still that is an interesting little package of assets:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4463099,...RRKLDLqJQ9_rCkGWXH-2A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Found5dollar]

East Liberty Development Inc. just posted the original 1966 redevelopment plan for east liberty. Its amazing how much of this we are now trying to undo.

http://www.eastliberty.org/sites/default/files/article/files/Original%20plan.pdf

its all text with one render on the first page

[dfiler]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

Pittsburgh is better than this. So goddammit, quit with this small time crap.


Is there room for a ‘Silicon Strip’ in Pittsburgh?
Tech boom inspires marketing idea

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/tec...p-in-the-Steel-City/stories/201510200209

While California long has had Silicon Valley, some believe it is high time Pittsburgh has its own term to identify its growing tech community.

Silicon Strip, anyone?

That’s the name the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and a group of developers have informally tossed about to highlight a section of the city stretching from Downtown through the Strip District and Oakland into East Liberty and Larimer.

The name had its genesis in recent trips taken to San Francisco by Jeremy Waldrup, PDP president and CEO, and Aaron Stauber, president of Rugby Realty, which owns numerous properties Downtown.

During their visits, both were struck by the “buzz” about Pittsburgh and how much people seemed to know about the city and its growing tech reputation.

When they returned, they related their experiences in an email exchange that also involved officials with Oxford Development Co.; Dan McCaffery, CEO of Chicago-based McCaffery Interests; and several others.

There was consensus that there was a need to capitalize on — and package — the city’s increasing influence in the tech world, Mr. Waldrup said.

Out of that came the term “Silicon Strip.”

I saw that this morning and was dumbfounded by the stupidity.

The gimmicky name is obviously a lame marketing ploy to pretend Pittsburgh is something it isn't. First of all, Pittsburgh has nothing to do with silicon. And all the other silicon wannabe monikers used in other cities have done nothing. If anything it just annoys techies and business people who aren't fooled by such gimmicks.

Pittsburgh already has genuine buzz. It doesn't need a faked marketing slogan or nickname. It doesn't even need to be "the next Portland". We're a recovered steel city with lots of med, ed and tech. We've got affordable housing and livable historic neighborhoods. If we deserve a nickname, it will just happen. You can't manufacture cool. You just are or you aren't.

[Found5dollar]

New Planning Commission presentation is posted.

http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/schedule65/presentation-65-709.pdf

new stuff:

* Renovation of 5900 Penn Ave in East Liberty. First floor retail, second floor offices. Kind of sad they will be destroying the huge mural, but more activity in this area is a plus.

*422 First ave, downtown. First Avenue Lofts.Yet another switch fo an office building to apartments.

*5631 Baum, Aldi building expansions and offices across street. Tons more rendering and plans for this. The Aldi building expansion looks even better, the Garage with a few offices across the street looks just as bad. At least there is retail on the first floor...

[BrianTH]

Interesting discussion among local players about the "apartment boom":

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ne...rs-debate-apartment-booms-pros-cons.html

We've covered a lot of these topics ourselves, but it is useful to see what they are thinking.

Incidentally, this may be the single most important observation:

Burd emphasized that a boom in Pittsburgh can look different when compared with elsewhere. “7,600 units in three years is two months in Houston,” he said.

[BrianTH]

I was hoping for a tear-down of 5900 Penn and a new larger project. That said, it looks pretty good, including from Mignonette and Beatty (an important factor if that area is going to be comprehensively redeveloped).

1st Avenue Lofts is the Graphic Arts Building--I had mentioned I saw they were doing demo, and it is nice to see that one moving forward to go along with the new hotel across the street. On the downside, those are not such small apartments (at one point there was a "micro apartment" plan for the building).

I know the architecture of the Aldi's project is controversial, but I really like it as a densification project. That kind of thing could really help transform the Baum-Centre corridor eventually.

I'm looking forward to the facade project on Wood. These need less work than some have, but a nice cleanup and restoration can still be impressive in the end.

Did they tweak the mesh plan for the McCann Building to add that wave pattern? If so that does seem to help.

[photoLith]

I was in Market Square tonight and Poros is finally open, Ive been really excited to see this open as it will almost incircle Market Square with activity and it was packed. Everyone looked like they were loaded with money that was there, which is nice to get a higher brow clientele for Market Square. I saw the Crazy Mocha was closed and looked like that interior space is under renovation, I dont know what for though and I dont know if I just never noticed this before but a Franktuary also is open down Forbes Avenue just off of Market Square. Anyways, heres some photos from tonight.

DSC_0126

DSC_0190

DSC_0186

DSC_0191

DSC_0193

DSC_0179
This photo doesnt really have anything to do with development but I came across the coolest little restaurant, The Iron Gate Inn while walking around First Avenue. Theres this little tiny alleyway that leads into this beautiful open area with sit down tables and candles. It felt like I was in the French Quarter. I'll def have to take a date there sometime.

DSC_0174
Looking into it more, looks like this cool little place opened up just in January. Lots of awesome restaurants finally opening up downtown.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by photoLith

I saw the Crazy Mocha was closed and looked like that interior space is under renovation, I dont know what for though

City Works

http://www.nextpittsburgh.com/neighborho...rks-new-water-feature-expanded-ice-rink/

[BrianTH]

Awesome photos as usual, and how did I not know about that Iron Gate place? Very Euro.

By the way, this photo really shows off how PNC Tower and The Building-Formerly-Known-As-The-Gardens finished off the feel of Market Square being a "clearing" within the "trees" of the Downtown skyscrapers:



It also shows how cool it is to be able to look into those big interior spaces in PNC Tower. That really is a world-class building.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

City Works

That place so needs a better name.