PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[themaguffin]

I frankly don't care what it says about US Steel. To me, that irrelevant.

This says everything about the everyone involved in developing the arena
site. This is inexcusable.

US Steel can have a wide 5 story building in several locations in the city and countless other locations in Allegheny county.

However, the city has very limited locations for tall development.

[chiaroscuro]

Lost in the excitement of this development was the announcement that the first floor will contain a Toby Keith's I Love This Bar.

[Minivan Werner]

So it's going to take up a whole block and 1/3rd of the block is going to be grass/green. And these are not small blocks either. No bueno.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by TBone7281

Yeah, they showed that right before the press conference started... there was a view that showed the site and proposed building location that looked like it was on this block:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/CONS...d40.439183!1m0

The building will stretch the entire block, but one side of it will be open with a green space.

I don't see any rendering on Clayco's website yet:
http://www.claycorp.com/

EDIT: Renderings here though... http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...00000243.html#

Thanks. A block further back than I had been thinking. I had forgot that the useless green space/pavilion was built into the closest block on Centre already, plus more green space on the back end. Overall Centre is going to be a really sucky corridor through the Lower Hill. Let's hope Wylie and/or Bedford are better.

[Evergrey]

Really looking forward to that Patio Terrace.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by evergrey

really looking forward to that patio terrace.

evergrey!

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

This is truly an embarrassment for Pittsburgh.

You need to catch Peduto's enthusiasm.

“As a Pittsburgh boy, this feels pretty good ... I didn't want to be the Pittsburgh mayor to lose U.S. Steel,” Peduto said.

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/7...pany-officials

[BrianTH]

Barf.

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by themaguffin

I frankly don't care what it says about US Steel. To me, that irrelevant.

This says everything about the everyone involved in developing the arena
site. This is inexcusable.

US Steel can have a wide 5 story building in several locations in the city and countless other locations in Allegheny county.

However, the city has very limited locations for tall development.

The plans for the overall site specify a building of only around this max. height on the parcel where the US Steel HQ will go. Given that fact, landing a corporate presence like US Steel is actually quite a coup for a sports franchise attempting to develop an expanse of land.



As you can see, the northwesternmost portion of the site allows much higher... up to 700' I believe was the determination.

So, US Steel's lack of need and/or ability to build a HQ tower are actually completely relevant to this planned outcome. If they needed or had the means to build a signature tower, the site allows for it. Therefore, it says far more about US Steel than it does the Penguins/city officials/etc.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

So, US Steel's lack of need and/or ability to build a HQ tower are actually completely relevant to this planned outcome. If they needed or had the means to build a signature tower, the site allows for it. Therefore, it says far more about US Steel than it does the Penguins/city officials/etc.

I actually don't think US Steel is the primary culprit in this... although they obviously had influence over the design, size, etc. Like Heinz, US Steel is a shell of its former self in Pittsburgh and doesn't have the need for much office space. I blame the Penguins and the various governments involved the most.

Penguins should've planned on this being a multi-tenant tower of at least 20 stories, 700k sq ft. But I'm sure they acquiesced to any demands US Steel made on this being a "single-tenant campus"... and were just happy to have US Steel sign on to their development. US Steel is getting all sorts of bribes and tax breaks from the state to essentially do nothing and take no risk at all.

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

I actually don't think US Steel is the primary culprit in this... although they obviously had influence over the design, size, etc. Like Heinz, US Steel is a shell of its former self in Pittsburgh and doesn't have the need for much office space. I blame the Penguins and the various governments involved the most.

Penguins should've planned on this being a multi-tenant tower of at least 20 stories, 700k sq ft. But I'm sure they acquiesced to any demands US Steel made on this being a "single-tenant campus"... and were just happy to have US Steel sign on to their development. US Steel is getting all sorts of bribes and tax breaks from the state to essentially do nothing and take no risk at all.

US Steel is going to take the best deal it can get. I don't think they are the "culprit" either. They wanted their own stand-alone building at a size to suit their needs, and they got it... with a good amount of help from the public.

It's not like the Penguins have had suitors beating down their door to locate on the Arena site. But a local heavyweight company came knocking and their proposal fit in with the Penguins' design.

We'd all be a lot happier today if US Steel's proposal was for a 50-story, 700 ft tower on that portion closest to downtown... and we'd be lauding the Penguins and city for securing US Steel for the next true skyscraper in Pittsburgh, and for great use of the former arena site. But alas, like you say, US Steel is a shell of its former self in Pittsburgh.

The planned HQ is crap... but I think we were all a bit too optimistic in thinking that US Steel was going to build a new tower or be major tenant in a tower (we already saw they weren't interested in that). The tall buildings in the arena site plans were never meant for US Steel obviously.

[WillyC]

I'm laughing because it hurts too much to cry over that design.

[themaguffin]

Someone from USS giving directions to the new HQ:

"Just turn right at the US Steel Tower."

"No, you aren't going to the US Steel Tower, you are turning next to it..."

"Correct, the tiny building next to the tallest building in the city - yeah the one named after our company. Turn there..."

[BrianTH]

The plan for Block D allows for 130', 150', or 160' maximum heights depending on which part you are talking about. This is going to be nowhere close to that. In fact, it is probably barely over the MINIMUM heights.

[Wiz Khalifa]

This has got to be a joke... it won't even be as tall as the stuff going in at the Southside Works. LOL. An embarrassment indeed, for U.S. Steel, and for the city as well if they allow this rendering to get approved and built.

So let me get this straight, they are literally taking the exact same rendering for an HQ they were planning on building out in the suburbs, then plopped it down in the middle of downtown after putting no thought whatsoever into a proper redesign? It just reeks of laziness and ignorance.

To make matters worse, watching that presser with Peduto endlessly singing the praises of US Steel with that horrible crappy rendering blown up behind him made my head spin. He better not suck up to them and demand something MUCH better for this site.

Now, I'm going to go into denial and pretend that none of this happened until I see a new rendering.

[chiaroscuro]

Originally Posted by Wiz Khalifa

This has got to be a joke... it won't even be as tall as the stuff going in at the Southside Works. LOL. An embarrassment indeed, for U.S. Steel, and for the city as well if they allow this rendering to get approved and built.

So let me get this straight, they are literally taking the exact same rendering for an HQ they were planning on building out in the suburbs, then plopped it down in the middle of downtown after putting no thought whatsoever into a proper redesign? It just reeks of laziness and ignorance.

To make matters worse, watching that presser with Peduto endlessly singing the praises of US Steel with that horrible crappy rendering blown up behind him made my head spin. He better not suck up to them and demand something MUCH better for this site.

Now, I'm going to go into denial and pretend that none of this happened until I see a new rendering.

Wait until they downsize it in 2 months.

[WillyC]

Originally Posted by chiaroscuro

wait until they downsize it in 2 months.

qft

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

The plan for Block D allows for 130', 150', or 160' maximum heights depending on which part you are talking about. This is going to be nowhere close to that. In fact, it is probably barely over the MINIMUM heights.

Yeah, really disappointing that US Steel somehow cannot even attain those challenging heights.

Maybe we can hope that the Pens/City will push them to at least build up to 160'... though I definitely won't count on that happening.

[photoLith]

I just drove past that cruddy mcdonalds in the strip and saw they tore down that old 1870s house next door. Didn't even know they wanted to tear it down. Ugh

[Austinlee]

No one has even mentioned the parking for the US Steel employees. I assume there will be an 8 story parking garage next to the 5 story "headquarters".