PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown III

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Nope. The affordable housing is going on the surface lots behind the library.

Ah, good. That location is likely better suited for housing.

I think that the parking lot across from Target on Centre Ave. is best reserved for additional commercial development, given the situation and uses of the surrounding buildings, and to replace what was lost.

[shantyside]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I get what you're saying. However, the building is probably too shallow for an articulated facade, as it isn't cantilevered over the rear portion of the theater.

this would be a step in the right direction toward fixing the crappy proposed facade

[shantyside]

Originally Posted by shantyside

this would be a step in the right direction toward fixing the crappy proposed facade

arched windows and doorways are a major architectural theme in this context - articulate the entrance to the apartments by creating an arched doorway

[PITairport]

"The board vote means the university will buy the two sites from Walnut Capital Partners for a combined total of approximately $25 million.

The sale comes well after Walnut Capital had broken ground and completed substantial demolition on the Fifth and Halket site for which it was approved for a 285,000-square-foot Innovation Research Tower.

Executives for Walnut Capital were not immediately available for comment.

Notes from the board meeting note "the university has identified a need for near-term expansion in multiple health science programs ideally suited to this location" and that the university expects to undergo a design and review process for a new approval of its own building for the site. "


So does this mean the Oakland Innovation Research Tower is toast?


https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsbur...-partners.html

[BobLoblaw]

There's an article on the PBT about the current Wholey's building owner/developer potentially buying the Sears Outlet/future Amazon facility in Lawrenceville, but within the article they mention that there's a lot of interior demo ongoing at the Wholey's building and that the whole thing will be down by the end of the summer. Would be fun to see both that one and Vision on Fifteenth going up at the same time.

[photoLith]

^
I forget what is going in at the Wholeys site. Are there renderings?

[pj3000]

Isn's everyone just soooo surprised by Continental getting an extension on their latest proposed development for the North Shore??

Plans called for an 8-story office/condo/retail development, but now have been scaled down to a 6-story apartment/retail only.

Kinda makes me wanna say, "You know what, guys? Forget it. Here's a bunch of cash. Just leave it as a fucking parking lot, and go the hell back to Ohio, ok?"

A change-up: Developer to get until Dec. 31 to start residential and retail complex on North Shore

Continental Real Estate Companies will now have until Dec. 31 to get started on the revamped proposal, which replaces a proposed office, condo and retail project the developer was pitching for the site.

Stadium Authority board members unanimously backed the revised timetable and the general nature of the project as part of an amendment approved at their meeting Wednesday.

Columbus-based Continental originally was under a May 31 deadline to get started on the eight-story office, retail and 48-unit condo complex that was to be built at the corner of North Shore Drive and Mazeroski Way.

But because of changes in the office and commercial landscape caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Continental no longer deemed that project to be viable.

As a result, the stadium authority gave the developer until June 18 to present its revised proposal for the site in what is known as Gold Lot 4 adjacent to the Hyatt Place Hotel.

Last week, it extended that until June 25 to “complete all of the complex negotiations,” as board chairman Stanley Lederman put it, surrounding the new endeavor.

Under the new timetable approved Wednesday, Continental will have until Aug. 15 to submit formal plans to the authority for the residential building and a proposed public plaza next to it.

It then will have another month to get the board’s approval for both and to submit them to the city’s planning commission for approval in anticipation of starting both at year’s end.

The goal is to get the commission’s approval by Dec. 2. But if that is delayed for some reason, Continental could get more time to start the projects.

Barry Ford, Continental’s president of development in Pittsburgh, said the new residential building will be six stories with retail on the first floor and apartments on the other five.

This was the previous proposed design:

[photoLith]

Some photos from today while I was poking around construction sites for antiques unburied.

Demolition ongoing at 33rd and Liberty in The Strip
Untitled by photolitherland, on Flickr

The Arsenal Development where they uncovered fuck loads of civil war cannonballs a few months ago. The red brick building is the only building left from the Allegheny Arsenal. I believe it dates from the 1840s and survived the explosion at the arsenal during the Civll War. Not quite sure what they're going to do with it as it appears that no work has yet been done to restore it.
Untitled by photolitherland, on Flickr

Untitled by photolitherland, on Flickr

Untitled by photolitherland, on Flickr

And then a view from Millvale, at least I still think its considered Millvale, whatever; of Lawrenceville and the Arsenal Development. Sorry about the weird dots in the photos, my iPhone camera went to shit a few months ago and I bought it less than a year ago, Im kinda miffed about it.

Untitled by photolitherland, on Flickr

[deja vu]

Some views of Helm on the Allegheny -


Source: LinkedIn | WTW Architects

CMU's 5th & Clyde -


Source: OxBlue

CMU's Forbes & Beeler -


Source: OxBlue

[eschaton]

6/29 Planning Commission presentation is online. Not much of interest for next week - only two new items:

1. New sign permit for 20 Stanwix Street downtown. This will add a Dollar Bank sign to the building. The signage, as was the case with prior signs, is mid-building, and not that visible.

2. A presentation on proposed changes to the zoning code related to stormwater management. At first glance, many of these would appear to make the cost of building cheaper rather than more expensive. First, projects under 5,000 square feet in areas zoned RIV or Uptown Public Realm will now be exempt. Second, there's a suggestion PWSA discount tap fees, and provide free consultation, to affordable housing developers, minority and women-owned businesses, and small businesses.

I'll also note a 7/15 ZBA agenda is online. However, there are no individual presentations which are interesting enough - or high resolution enough - to share here.

[shantyside]

Helm on the Allegheny - more cheap, boring panel architecture

the cork factory, which wasn't even designed to be an apartment building, is a hundred times more architecturally appealing than the junk they're building now

clearly ARCHITECTURE IS NOT GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION - we just build crap now

[shantyside]

i would say, in a hundred years people are going to look back on this period in architecture as a real low point - but honestly, i think the culture is too far gone at this point - just look at how empty and sh*tty popular music has become

so get used to it - crap architecture is the new normal

[photoLith]

The Helm is an abomination, especially being next to such a beautiful historic building.

[Austinlee]

Pittsburgh is the 110th most expensive city in the world, down from 91 last year:

https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsbur...ve-cities.html


And if anyone is wondering, Pittsburgh has the 73rd largest economy in the world with 115 billion GDP:

http://www.citymayors.com/statistics...ties-2020.html

[photoLith]

^
73rd out of 10,000 cities in the world is pretty good.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by photoLith

The Helm is an abomination, especially being next to such a beautiful historic building.

It's ugly, no doubt... looks to me like it will always have the appearance of a build still under construction. And being situated right next to the Cork Factory displays its glaring low quality. However, I think once surrounding lots are developed (hopefully with nothing as cheap as the Helm), you won't notice its crappiness quite as much.

[shantyside]

you gotta love it when the parking garage has a more attractive, contextually appropriate facade than the apartment building it was built for



then again the original design of the apartment building obliterated the two historic facades on penn so it's not surprising

[shantyside]

pittsburgh - you might hate our new apartment buildings but you'll love our new parking garages

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by pj3000

It's ugly, no doubt... looks to me like it will always have the appearance of a build still under construction. And being situated right next to the Cork Factory displays its glaring low quality. However, I think once surrounding lots are developed (hopefully with nothing as cheap as the Helm), you won't notice its crappiness quite as much.

Yeah. Realistically speaking due to the massing of the building (extremely deep, with a very narrow façade) it won't be very visible once something is done with the Consumers Produce parcel immediately next door.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by photoLith

^
73rd out of 10,000 cities in the world is pretty good.

Right, I thought so too.