PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[eschaton]

The plans to redevelop the Hunt Armory as a hockey rink have fallen through. Frankly I'm not surprised, considering the City picked the least experienced developer with the worst financial package, merely because local residents (*cough*NIMBYs*cough*) preferred the amenity over adding more residents or offices to the area. Hopefully they'll return to Walnut Capital who proposed the apartment project.

[Don't Be That Guy]

Originally Posted by eschaton

The plans to redevelop the Hunt Armory as a hockey rink have fallen through. Frankly I'm not surprised, considering the City picked the least experienced developer with the worst financial package, merely because local residents (*cough*NIMBYs*cough*) preferred the amenity over adding more residents or offices to the area. Hopefully they'll return to Walnut Capital who proposed the apartment project.

This is why the city's plan to sell all of those parcels to the URA personally gives me pause. The process that they have to go through and the deference given to the special interests and self appointed neighborhood groups in the name of public process has led to a whole lot of nothing over the past few years. The Produce Terminal, Garden Theater, the dispensation of closed schools, the parcels around the New Granada Theater... The city needs a dedicated land bank to minimize the politics of developing of public owned properties. Proposals have to be vetted for feasibility and impacts on the community, but the current process seems to be all about the latter.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Don't Be That Guy

This is why the city's plan to sell all of those parcels to the URA personally gives me pause. The process that they have to go through and the deference given to the special interests and self appointed neighborhood groups in the name of public process has led to a whole lot of nothing over the past few years. The Produce Terminal, Garden Theater, the dispensation of closed schools, the parcels around the New Granada Theater... The city needs a dedicated land bank to minimize the politics of developing of public owned properties. Proposals have to be vetted for feasibility and impacts on the community, but the current process seems to be all about the latter.

Eh. The Strip District isn't Shadyside. Indeed, one of the reasons why development there has been able to go so full tilt I believe is the resident population is still small, and overwhelmingly apartment-dwellers. Renters (unless they are long-term renters in low income neighborhoods) just don't have a tendency to become NIMBYs.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Eh. The Strip District isn't Shadyside. Indeed, one of the reasons why development there has been able to go so full tilt I believe is the resident population is still small, and overwhelmingly apartment-dwellers. Renters (unless they are long-term renters in low income neighborhoods) just don't have a tendency to become NIMBYs.

true

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Hopefully they'll return to Walnut Capital who proposed the apartment project.

That proposal was one of the most poorly-designed pieces of garbage I've ever seen.

I mean, come on... what the 🞵🞵🞵🞵 is this?



Just from a building science perspective, this design is inconceivable... to say nothing of function or aesthetics.

Walnut Capital and Strada have already given us more than enough Google 🞵🞵🞵🞵 in the immediate area; we don't need any more.

[Private Dick]

On another note... interesting data on immigrants in greater Pittsburgh:

http://www.renewoureconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Advancing-the-Pittsburgh-Region.pdf

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

On another note... interesting data on immigrants in greater Pittsburgh:

http://www.renewoureconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Advancing-the-Pittsburgh-Region.pdf

Not surprised Allegheny County has the largest percentage of foreign born residents - 5.1% Washington was easily #2 with 2.7% and interesting to see the other surrounding counties of Beaver, Butler & Westmoreland all had roughly the same amount - 1.5%.

[WillyC]

Looks like site prep is starting on the Chelsea or whatever they are calling the development at Craig and Centre. Looks like some of the buildings have been demolished.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

I mean, come on... what the 🞵🞵🞵🞵 is this?

Looks like a building inside a building to me.

I am indeed not sure if residential is the best use for that particular structure. However, I am sure that from an urban planning perspective, doubling down on increased residential density in an area less than 10 minutes from the East Busway is a good thing.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

That proposal was one of the most poorly-designed pieces of garbage I've ever seen.

I mean, come on... what the 🞵🞵🞵🞵 is this?



Just from a building science perspective, this design is inconceivable... to say nothing of function or aesthetics.

Walnut Capital and Strada have already given us more than enough Google 🞵🞵🞵🞵 in the immediate area; we don't need any more.

it's clearly an indoor park rink armory balcony dog walking topiary... thing.

[bmust71]

Cleveland just got a proposed 20 story apartment building on top of an 8(?) level parking garage. Did not know their downtown residential market was strong enough to support this (is NuCLEus still a thing?). Wish Mcknight could follow in their footsteps and build up, but I understand they are working with a large footprint. Furthermore, the proposal on Penn will most likely affect the number of units built

[AFW523]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Eh. The Strip District isn't Shadyside. Indeed, one of the reasons why development there has been able to go so full tilt I believe is the resident population is still small, and overwhelmingly apartment-dwellers. Renters (unless they are long-term renters in low income neighborhoods) just don't have a tendency to become NIMBYs.

Except for the fact that one of the most ambitious proposals (2600 Penn) in recent memory got shot down because the lady that rents a building for her catering business across the street complained that having such a substantial development would increase "her" property taxes. The UI zoning code for the strip is archaic. Neighbors in the Strip should be pro-density and pro-height, allowing for the Strip to become a natural bridge between town and the east end gateways. They should be pushing for zoning change, with a potential special exception for the Penn corridor between 16th and 22nd. I believe in the fall they announced that they would be meeting to discuss a complete overhaul of the zoning, but they also just brought in a new executive director who seems to have a background in small business theory and historic preservation. The line between "historic" and "just old" can be very blurry in the strip. I certainly don't know her plans or visions for the future of the strip (to be fair she has only been there a week or two) but I hope it's as enterprising and enthusiastic as that neighborhood deserves.

I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment, and as 6th ward's momentum continues to creep further along Penn Avenue, and with the correct foresight and leadership, some simple philosophical changes could truly make that one of the most dynamic neighborhoods in the entire expanded region.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

it's clearly an indoor park rink armory balcony dog walking topiary... thing.

Who doesn't want to live inside a shopping mall atrium?

Seriously though, having the large climate-controlled space could be an asset, provided it's opened up to things like yoga classes and farmer's markets. It would basically allow for a year-round zone for outdoor-style events.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by AFW523

Except for the fact that one of the most ambitious proposals (2600 Penn) in recent memory got shot down because the lady that rents a building for her catering business across the street complained that have such a substantial development would increase "her" property taxes. The UI zoning code for the strip is archaic. Neighbors in the Strip should be pro-density and pro-height, allowing for the Strip to become a natural bridge between town and the east end gateways. They should be pushing for zoning change, with a potential special exception for the Penn corridor between 16th and 22nd. I believe in the fall they announced that they would be meeting to discuss a complete overhaul of the zoning, but they also just brought in a new executive director who seems to have a background in small business theory and historic preservation. The line between "historic" and "just old" can be very blurry in the strip. I certainly don't know her plans or visions for the future of the strip (to be fair she has only been there a week or two) but I hope it's as enterprising and enthusiastic as that neighborhood deserves.

Yeah, that was a clear exception, along with one of the saddest decisions by the zoning board in recent history.

I've developed into something of an anti-zoning extremist as I've gotten older. The initial forays of used-based zoning had some merit - I understand why people don't want a mill or slaughterhouse opening up next to them. But deindustrialization has rendered this moot, meaning most uses are now compatible with residential neighborhoods. In addition, all of the interesting residential neighborhoods in the country were built out before zoning took effect.

If I were in charge of Pittsburgh zoning, I'd basically due the following: Convert all Industrial, Commercial, Multi-Unit Residential, Neighborhood Office, and special zoning areas (planned unit, specially planned, Downtown, etc) into "Mixed Use" areas which could have buildings with any function under the sun. Perhaps have two levels of density (with one unbound by any height limits at all) and leave it at that.

Ideally, we'd also slowly convert 2-3 unit and even single-family housing areas to mixed-use, but I know there's not a snowball's chance of that happening any time soon. At minimum, it would be nice if like many cities we basically had perpetual "grandfathered" status for old storefronts in residential areas. These are slowly turning into small multi-unit apartments in my experience. Cleveland is one city that's doing this far better than we are.

[eschaton]

The PFHA award list has been released. In the city we are looking at:

46 units of senior housing in Morningside
36 units in the Hill District
49 units in West Oakland
33 units of senior housing in Squirrel Hill

Speaking as a Morningside resident, the project here will be a moderately big deal. They are re-purposing the old Morningside elementary school, which will include demolishing the more recent annex and building new retail space along Greenwood Street, expanding our business district considerably.

[PITairport]

"Caterpillar to take space in new Lawrenceville building for robotics companies"

"The Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern Pennsylvania has landed Caterpillar Inc., among the world's largest construction equipment makers, as the lead tenant in its new 65,000-square-foot building in the works on a former steel mill site in Lawrenceville.

Sources familiar with the deal told the Pittsburgh Business Times say Caterpillar has reached final terms on a lease of between 10,000 square feet and 20,000 square feet for robotics research,"
http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/24584...nceville-building-for-robotics-companies

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by PITairport

"Caterpillar to take space in new Lawrenceville building for robotics companies"

"The Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern Pennsylvania has landed Caterpillar Inc., among the world's largest construction equipment makers, as the lead tenant in its new 65,000-square-foot building in the works on a former steel mill site in Lawrenceville.

Sources familiar with the deal told the Pittsburgh Business Times say Caterpillar has reached final terms on a lease of between 10,000 square feet and 20,000 square feet for robotics research,"
http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/24584...nceville-building-for-robotics-companies

Is RIDC going to build any large new buildings there or not?
All i can find:

http://ridc.org/view-property/lawrenceville/

[AFW523]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Is RIDC going to build any large new buildings there or not?
[/IMG]

http://ridc.org/view-property/lawrenceville/

They have been doing random, intermittent site prep HERE for awhile now and just recently seemed to mobilize a bit more around their lay down area. I have never actually seen a rendering however and on the RIDC website it lists that parcel as "future 47th street development".

Seems like a good grab for the area, but in general I hate these utilitarian structures going up and walling off access to the river down there. Although if they would extend 47th down past the railroad, keep the building itself confined in that block and destroy the Buncher Building....well then I could get behind that.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by AFW523

They have been doing random, intermittent site prep HERE for awhile now and just recently seemed to mobilize a bit more around their lay down area. I have never actually seen a rendering however and on the RIDC website it lists that parcel as "future 47th street development".

Seems like a good grab for the area, but in general I hate these utilitarian structures going up and walling off access to the river down there. Although if they would extend 47th down past the railroad, keep the building itself confined in that block and destroy the Buncher Building....well then I could get behind that.

I lived two blocks from the RIDC development area for seven years. They made a bad bet, presuming the future of Lawrenceville was going to be as a modernized industrial zone, which is why they've been sitting on vacant land for over a decade.

At least it's a R&D facility. I have no doubt if RIDC tried to secure a "dirty" industrial tenant the NIMBYs would block it now, just like they're trying to close McConway & Torley.

[BrianTH]

The Hotel Indigo for the PTC is apparently moving forward as they have picked a builder:

https://buildingpittsburgh.com/2016/07/11/june-jobs-not-such-a-surprise/