PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[EventHorizon]

This is the only rendering I've found of the proposed Saks site development:


Image courtesy of CBRE

It seems to be a cached image which is no longer displayed on the linked site, so I'm not sure if it's the most recent rendering.

And here's a PDF of the proposed site plan:
http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/D...28AFC10BA9.pdf

Again, not sure if it's the most recent.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by EventHorizon

This is the only rendering I've found of the proposed Saks site development:


Image courtesy of CBRE

It seems to be a cached image which is no longer displayed on the linked site, so I'm not sure if it's the most recent rendering.

And here's a PDF of the proposed site plan:
http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/D...28AFC10BA9.pdf

Again, not sure if it's the most recent.

Hmm, interesting. I wonder if this render looks anything at all like what will actually be built. If it looks like this, it appears to be related to the Gardens at Market Square; 1st cousin or something.

[EventHorizon]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Hmm, interesting. I wonder if this render looks anything at all like what will actually be built. If it looks like this, it appears to be related to the Gardens at Market Square; 1st cousin or something.

Definitely has that look...color and all.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by EventHorizon

This is the only rendering I've found of the proposed Saks site development

More than I ever saw before--thanks!

[BrianTH]

Looks like that is another design by Arquitectonica.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Looks like that is another design by Arquitectonica.

Another design by Arquitectonica's student intern.

[BrianTH]

Speaking of which, I had not previously seen the plans and renderings in this HRC packet, which show the redesigned Gardens:

http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/sch...nda-34-345.pdf

The new Fourth Avenue side is indeed not all that exciting, because it is dominated by a loading dock:



On the other hand, I don't recall seeing before this bike parking zone in the path to Market Square, which looks like it could be handy:



There is also material in the document about the proposed project in the Cultural District (replacing the former piano gallery).

[bmust71]

the description from the link says "The former Saks Fifth Avenue store is being transformed into a mixed-use building with retail space, 450 parking spaces and office space. The 25,000 SF of street level and 15,000 SF of lower level retail is located on pedestrian heavy Smithfield Street."

It doesn't say apartments but they probably haven't updated the site. The word I got about apartment units was within the past week so hopefully the description is a little outdated.

[EventHorizon]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Speaking of which, I had not previously seen the plans and renderings in this HRC packet, which show the redesigned Gardens:

http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/sch...nda-34-345.pdf

The new Fourth Avenue side is indeed not all that exciting, because it is dominated by a loading dock:

True, but miles away better than what's directly opposite that view...

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=252+F...wlamqH00g8nDXg

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by EventHorizon

True, but miles away better than what's directly opposite that view...

A fair point. Overall, it is still going to look cool from Fourth Avenue:

[Jonboy1983]

Originally Posted by GeneW

Ahh, those pictures break my heart. I've been really hoping that those townhouse would all get restored but now it's really unlikely. Sad.

Originally Posted by photoLith

I rode my bike past those houses that burned in Garfield this morning right after it happened and took some photos, such a shame. They were beautiful and the one that got burned down, probably from idiot kids was for sale and was getting restored.


DSC_5309 by photolitherland, on Flickr


DSC_5314 by photolitherland, on Flickr
I talked to the owner of that pink house on the right and he said hes actively restoring it but after walking around in the other two houses, they are pretty screwed, although could be restored if someone cared enough.

If they have to be demolished, I hope they can be rebuilt with the architectural characteristics of their next door neighbors, especially given how they pertain to that mural.

To hear that the one house was for sale and being renovated, that just totally sucks!

[popstar]

that is sad about the burned down house on Penn Ave. I'm wondering if this will somehow hasten redevelopment of that block. Those houses have been vacant eyesores for so long. Lots of potential, of course, but just sitting there deteriorating...

[glowrock]

Given how much has been being redeveloped and renovated along that stretch of Penn Ave., I think its entirely possible that something new will go in soon to replace the burned-out house and the one to the left of it. Hopefully the one in better condition really will be renovated to its former glory!

Aaron (Glowrock)

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by glowrock

Given how much has been being redeveloped and renovated along that stretch of Penn Ave., I think its entirely possible that something new will go in soon to replace the burned-out house and the one to the left of it. Hopefully the one in better condition really will be renovated to its former glory!

Aaron (Glowrock)

Hopefully something that continues the SoMa vibe of that streetscape.

[photoLith]

^
For real?

[PGHFan]

I was in the city last week and took lots of photos, especially of the bridges downtown. You can see a slide show at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h21RnrKHAI. Pittsburgh has such a beautiful downtown that seems to be steadily improving. There are two things that bother me about it. The first is the spider web of utility wires (its difficult to take a photo without overhead wires in the picture) and the second is the dirt (soot/mold) on even newer buildings. Piatt Place is a good example of a not-so-old building that is getting really dirty. Even PNC Park is beginning to show some grime. Other cities don't seem to have quite the degree of the problem. Must be the wind coming in from the west!

[Steel City Scotty]

Below is a link to the article that appeared in the P-G back in May, when it was announced that the apartment portion of the new building on the former Saks site had been scrapped.

I was glad to hear that it now looks like the apartments will get built after all, although I'm wondering if the special features in bold are still part of the plans.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...e-site-687970/

Developers sink apartment plans at former Saks Fifth Avenue department store site
May 17, 2013 12:09 am
By Mark Belko / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Two local developers have scrapped plans to build 130 apartments as part of a proposed redevelopment of the former Saks Fifth Avenue department store site on Smithfield Street, Downtown.

Instead, Millcraft Investments and McKnight Realty Partners will concentrate on constructing a 450-space parking garage and 25,000 square feet of retail space to replace Saks, which closed in March 2012, leaving a vacant four-story building in its wake.

The apartments would have been built on top of the garage. In the mix, the developers were thinking about including 24 tiny 500-square-foot studios that would have leased for about $900 a month. They also were considering a rooftop swimming pool, a spa and a yoga room for the complex.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2ZoeEfkGu

[Found5dollar]

Brian, thank you so much for opening my eyes to these presentation packets. So much development to comb through. I will now be spending the rest of my evening lookign at back presentations to get a grasp on what is happening right now in the city.

[Wave]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Planning Commission presentations for the upcoming meeting are available. These are always fun for development geeks:

http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/sch...ion-31-270.pdf

I'm still bummed they want to tear down the historic building on the corner across from the Target in East Liberty. Still, the six-story building they want to put there would be yet another revolutionary project for the neighborhood:





Location of proposed project:

http://goo.gl/maps/ooXZ2

The link contains an incredible batch of info and not-previously-seen renderings etc. In particular are detailed views of the Bakery Sq. townhouses and most interesting, the detailed renderings of the Morrow Park Apartments at Baum & Liberty. Very unique design fronting Baum. Not sure if I like it or not, but definitely not a run of the mill exterior on that side. The entire project looks relatively dense and appropriate for that location. Will make a positive impact on the continued development of the Baum-Centre corridor.

[DBR96A]

Originally Posted by daviderik

North-East-and West of the city has a major roadway/highway connecting it to central Pittsburgh. But the South Hills has a tunnel and Route 51? That road is a piece of shit!

I-376 is a piece of shit too. Time to upgrade it to modern Interstate standards.

Without being highly knowledgeable about the layout of PA 51, I think it ought to be made into a four-lane boulevard with a tree-lined median all the way from the Liberty Tunnel to the Monongahela River, and a SPUI at Lebanon Church Road to replace the existing "cloverleaf" interchange. Grade separation could be explored at major intersections, with small-scale interchanges built where necessary. Any new interchanges would feature ramps that stay flush with the mainline right-of-way so as not to take up too much space. The maximum ramp length would be about 500 feet, and the boulevard would have a design speed of 45 MPH. Intersections with minor streets could be eliminated if there is another intersection/interchange nearby that can be easily reached.