PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by chucka

Goodbye Oakland Arby's! Hello increased density!

Actually, if you look closely at the bottom right of the rendering... you'll notice Arby's famous ten-gallon hat signage. It appears the developer intends to incorporate Oakland's purveyor of meatcraft into the street-level retail component of the apartment complex.

edit: eschaton beat me to it

[JVC]

URA Evaluating Development Proposals For Part Of Former Penn Circle

http://wesa.fm/post/ura-evaluating-development-proposals-part-former-penn-circle

"A committee will choose from the eight development proposals for a 2-acre lot at Station Street and Euclid Avenue next to McDonald's. The proposals were submitted in January."

[BrianTH]

I like the idea of breaking up the facade like an old-school midrise, but boy is that a grim, cheap-looking design.

That said--you go, Oakland. Lots of other buzzworthy stuff going on in the Strip, Lawrenceville, East Liberty, and so on, but Oakland is still doing the largest-scale projects outside of Downtown.

Now if we could just get them some decent transit . . .

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I like the idea of breaking up the facade like an old-school midrise, but boy is that a grim, cheap-looking design.

Desmone

[joenicholas9]

Originally Posted by chucka

Goodbye Oakland Arby's! Hello increased density!



http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/9947080-74/apartment-building-oakland

I can't really visualize this without an Arby's context.

[eschaton]

Are the URA's proposals for the Mellon's Orchard site available online anywhere?

Frankly while any road connectivity is a good thing, I'd rather they chose to split up the megablock by connecting N Beatty. Harvard is a glorified alley which only travels through Penn Circle, and has no building frontage at all. In contrast, if fully reconnected (meaning this block was fixed, along with the lack of an intersection at East Liberty Boulevard) you could travel all the way from Jackson to Baum on the street. This would help to lessen traffic on Highland and make it a more pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare.

I can understand why they didn't choose to do this though - it looks like the parcels align poorly with the intersection of Beatty, meaning with a through street there they'd end up with maybe a 20-25 foot strip on the east side of the street. It's a shame the Midas location isn't in the offering as well.

Edit: I found a "conceptual plan" the URA distributed to bidders here. It's interesting because it suggests their desired massing would leave a greenspace where Beatty should be, meaning they're probably hoping in the longer run that Midas can be convinced to sell as well and full road continuity could be restored.

Also, apparently the URA would prefer both roads be reconnected, but Schoolhouse Electric has asked for Harvard Street specifically, which is why it is shown in the crude map.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Are the URA's proposals for the Mellon's Orchard site available online anywhere?

This is the amended RFP, which includes links to all sorts of supporting documents, including I believe the ones you linked. I don't think the responses are available anywhere:

http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/ura-files/RFP_-_MellonsOrchardSouth_AMENDED_1-19-16_FINAL.pdf

It's interesting because it suggests their desired massing would leave a greenspace where Beatty should be, meaning they're probably hoping in the longer run that Midas can be convinced to sell as well and full road continuity could be restored.

Seems like a good idea to me, and I agree with you that restoring Beatty is the much bigger prize.

Edit: By the way, there is some discussion in all that about the required parking for the Detective's Building. In some drawings it is shown on site, but I think it would be much better for it to be incorporated into an offsite underground/structured parking plan. And that is because I think you could do something pretty cool with the area immediately around the building, in keeping with that style of architecture (New Formalism). Some sort of hardscaped plaza could be cool, but what I have seen with other such building that could be REALLY cool is some sort of reflecting pool.

[GeneW]

Did anyone here post a Google map of properties slated for demolition? I remember seeing on one of the city forums I read but now I can't find it. I'm thinking about doing a photo project for class based on North Side properties either set for being torn down or recently torn down and I'd like to have that list to base my planning on.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by GeneW

Did anyone here post a Google map of properties slated for demolition? I remember seeing on one of the city forums I read but now I can't find it. I'm thinking about doing a photo project for class based on North Side properties either set for being torn down or recently torn down and I'd like to have that list to base my planning on.

I did that. People noticed some errors, but it's available here.

I need to update it with 2016 information.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I did that. People noticed some errors, but it's available here.

I need to update it with 2016 information.

Thanks. Even with some errors, it's enough to get me started.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by GeneW

Thanks. Even with some errors, it's enough to get me started.

Yeah. Unfortunately the city database is a mess. Even after correcting a lot of bad addresses I found there were a goodly amount of houses which either were already demolished or weren't actually condemned (either because they were removed or because they were put on the list wrongfully to begin with.

Generally speaking, if it's in a blighted part of the city it's pretty safe to presume the information is accurate however.

[Evergrey]

OneJet is reconnecting PIT to Hartford... and establishing a crew base (40 jobs) here. OneJet says they will soon announce an addition 4 destinations from PIT.

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2016/02/11/onejet-announces-new-route-to-pittsburgh.html

[BrianTH]

Parkway Center Mall could become a mixed-use development with a linear park:

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/dev...ised-for-a-comeback/stories/201602110088

The mall owner, Kossman Development Co., has talked to the city of Pittsburgh about turning the site into a major mixed-use development — one that potentially could include shopping, offices and housing combined with an ambitious linear park meant to attract everyone from cyclists to picnickers.

The latter concept — dubbed the Linear Park at the Shops of Parkway Center — would feature trails, a challenge park, an environmental center and amphitheater, a pond and picnic pavilions. It also could include an X-Park with a concrete skate park, ramps for BMX riders and other amenities, according to materials submitted to the city planning department.

Sounds cool, and that is a nice central location.

[BrianTH]

The Jewish Federation properties in Oakland are up for sale, with redevelopment a possibility:

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/dev...uarters-up-for-sale/stories/201602100092

Federation officials are seeking $4 million for the two-story, 14,000-square-foot office building at 234 McKee Place and an adjacent 2,000-square-foot house that until last year held the Holocaust Center of Greater Pittsburgh. . . . One local developer that has submitted an offer is Walnut Capital, which has been heavily involved in office and apartment projects in East Liberty, Larimer, Shadyside and Oakland. Todd Reidbord, Walnut Capital president, said the firm sees the federation property as an “opportunity for residential development.” He noted the site is zoned residential.

Location:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4389011,...7ZteDuvBpvUhQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

The house is nice, but isolated at this point, and a bigger residential project there would make sense.

[BrianTH]

PG article on OneJet:

http://www.post-gazette.com/powersource/...p-route-to-Hartford/stories/201602110161

With the focus city designation, OneJet will add more aircraft and at least 40 more employees in Pittsburgh. "This is a very calculated investment in Pittsburgh," Mr. Maguire said. "We see great potential here."

OneJet currently has flights to Indianapolis and Milwaukee from Pittsburgh. Those seven-seat jets are usually more than 80 percent filled, he noted. The airline did not announce what other cities it plans to add from the airport in the second quarter of this year. But Mr. Maguire said Memphis, which now requires a connection to get to from Pittsburgh, is "at the top of the list." Other possibilities include Kansas City, St. Louis, and Richmond.

[BrianTH]

"The Kitchen", a local/community food restaurant concept, is looking at the Produce Terminal for a possible location:

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/dev...ential-new-location/stories/201602030061

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Parkway Center Mall could become a mixed-use development with a linear park:

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/dev...ised-for-a-comeback/stories/201602110088


Linear Park at the Shops of Parkway Center Sounds cool, and that is a nice central location.

"Linear Park at the Shops of Parkway Center" lol

[Private Dick]

Question: How is it possible that Oakland has so few hotels? With one of them being a bedbug and 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵-infested brothel (Quality Inn) and another being basically inaccessible to Oakland proper (Residence Inn - built mainly an extended stay place for UPMC). Is there that little demand? And I know one is planned behind the PAA.

[speagles84]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

Question: How is it possible that Oakland has so few hotels? With one of them being a bedbug and 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵-infested brothel (Quality Inn) and another being basically inaccessible to Oakland proper (Residence Inn - built mainly an extended stay place for UPMC). Is there that little demand? And I know one is planned behind the PAA.

There is also a Holiday Inn on Tennyson. I agree with your overall point though. Seems with the universities there, and parents/relatives/friends that visit the students, there should or would be more hotels there; or at least planned there.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by speagles84

There is also a Holiday Inn on Tennyson. I agree with your overall point though. Seems with the universities there, and parents/relatives/friends that visit the students, there should or would be more hotels there; or at least planned there.

That Holiday Inn is a Wyndham now.

Other Oakland hotels:

Hampton Inn on Hamlet
Hilton Garden Inn on Forbes