Man, this is so disappointing, but I will not lose hope yet. The fact that they are proposing to start work furthest from the triangle at least means that things could still evolve towards the west side of the site, and we might end up with more density towards the downtown side if the market improves. But I agree with the sentiment of others - leave it all empty until it can be done better / right.
So is McCormack Baron Salazar now in charge of the overall development plan?
If so, that would be disappointing. Their previous work on The Hill, (Crawford Roberts and the recent Skyline Terrace) is not offensive, but really boring.
Maybe they will surprise me. But history suggests not.
Mr. Williams said the Penguins are ready to roll. “We are turning the page and are ready to move forward on the next stage of development,” he said. That will start Wednesday evening when the team and St. Louis-based developer McCormack Baron Salazar host a design workshop and charrette involving the first 250 of the 1,000 residential units to be built at the site near Crawford Square. . . .
The current plan calls for McCormack Baron to build the first 250 apartments units in a four- to five-story building. The KBK team will follow with another 250 units in a similarly sized building on an adjacent parcel in the second phase. Another 500 units will be developed by McCormack Baron on the upper part of the site abutting Crawford Street and Bedford Avenue in the third phase.
Raise your hand if you think this will end up looking anything like the cool, innovative BIG plan, versus the generic developments on the same scale we have seen lately across the City.
^ There is no possibility of restoring that building. It could certainly be improved, but it is structurally altered to an extent that it could not be restored to its original appearance without basically demoing it and rebuilding it. Probably 80% of it is not original anyway. It's a lost cause and would be best leveled.
What was the point of all of these designs by BIG and AE7 if they were just going to get tossed into the trash? Who was even behind getting those put together?
What was the point of all of these designs by BIG and AE7 if they were just going to get tossed into the trash? Who was even behind getting those put together?
It looks like McCormack Baron Salazar hired BIG at least directly, so it's not like the City or URA paid for those master plans to go forward.
My guess is it was all conceptual fluff to make people go "Ooh! Ahh!" and let the Penguins do whatever they wanted.
What was the point of all of these designs by BIG and AE7 if they were just going to get tossed into the trash? Who was even behind getting those put together?
Free advertising for BIG and the illusion that something was actually happening for the Penguins.
What was the point of all of these designs by BIG and AE7 if they were just going to get tossed into the trash? Who was even behind getting those put together?
I would suggest they were about buying the Penguins time and good will, and are no longer relevant now that they got their new deal.
Civic Arena site is going to look horrible... are those surface lots in the master plan?? Shame. Bet there won't be one building on that site > 8 stories
Civic Arena site is going to look horrible... are those surface lots in the master plan?? Shame. Bet there won't be one building on that site > 8 stories
The original master plan (which they are cribbing off of it seems, throwing out the BIG and AE7 plans entirely) had no surface lots. What you see are two parking garages.
Seems that there are too many inhibiting forces (the Penguins, Hill District community groups, a city administration that's way too close to both of them, and the simple lack of high demand for large-scale market rate/luxury residential and commercial space in Pittsburgh) at play at the Civic Arena site for it to be developed in a high-quality, top-tier manner.
Seems that there are too many inhibiting forces (the Penguins, Hill District community groups, a city administration that's way too close to both of them, and the simple lack of high demand for large-scale market rate/luxury residential and commercial space in Pittsburgh) at play at the Civic Arena site for it to be developed in a high-quality, top-tier manner.
I'd take my chances on demand by bidding out the parcels.
Amen. I am under no illusion that the BIG plan was going to ever happen - I don't even particularly like it. But all of these passive open spaces and townhouses only five blocks from the second tallest buildings in the state is just ridiculous. Build townhouses and mid-rises as infill in the neighborhoods, not immediately adjacent to downtown. Build the cap over 579 and then encourage Golden Triangle levels of density.
This is just another example of "doing something" for the political optics of it rather than doing the hard work or waiting for the best option in the long run.
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