PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown III

[shantyside]

5228 dresden way, lawrenceville

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...1_M93203-29726



the good thing about this picture frame shape facade is the spectacular view it affords

https://goo.gl/maps/j4pkF3ZUrtWprGr86


4070 hatfield st, lawrenceville

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...1_M39842-96723

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I like the East Liberty street view. At least they seem to be well constructed.

The grotto houses with the street level garages are gross.

The East Liberty houses fit into the neighborhood better. I really like the landscaping and translucent garage doors.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

I don't know if anyone in this thread has been around long enough to remember Pittsburgh SSP'er MrHerodotus's great old photo threads of Pittsburgh neighborhoods? Unfortunately he has passed away and there is a memorial thread here: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=246454

Here is a link to his many photo threads: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sea...archid=2237902

Rest in peace.

Photo of MrHerodotus (center) from the 2005 SSP Pittsburgh Meetup:

Pitt05Meet12 by Austin Daniel, on Flickr


EDIT: Sadly I just noticed that all the photos in his threads are just broken links now. Here is a link to his Pbase photos: https://pbase.com/step2me/urbanstreetscapes

I missed this post. I am sad to hear this. My condolences to the family.

[themaguffin]

So what's going on here..?


Today it was announced that a large new bookstore is opening at The Terminal in the Strip. We have some Thoughts.

-

[pj3000]

^ PG reports that Posman Books, with only 3 locations (NY, Boston, and Atlanta) was selected for the terminal.

Sounds like some sour grapes on the part of White Whale... I mean, come on... you're a small Bloomfield bookstore and dipped your toe into "big business" and got a taste of big business. This is what happens sometimes. It's a competitive game. You're far from the first small business that's been courted and rejected for one reason or another. McCaffery thinks they can make more money with the more-established business. End of story.

[pj3000]

Also read that Daniel Liebskind was selected to do the redesign of Tree of Life in Squirrel Hill.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by pj3000

Also read that Daniel Liebskind was selected to do the redesign of Tree of Life in Squirrel Hill.

I saw that. That's pretty cool. I want to see the rendering but it wasn't shown in the article.

[dfiler]

NYT article on the Tree of Life Synagogue being redesigned by Libeskind:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/04/u...libeskind.html

[dfiler]

Originally Posted by pj3000

^ PG reports that Posman Books, with only 3 locations (NY, Boston, and Atlanta) was selected for the terminal.

Sounds like some sour grapes on the part of White Whale... I mean, come on... you're a small Bloomfield bookstore and dipped your toe into "big business" and got a taste of big business. This is what happens sometimes. It's a competitive game. You're far from the first small business that's been courted and rejected for one reason or another. McCaffery thinks they can make more money with the more-established business. End of story.

This was my take too. People are rightfully enraged by the wealthy abusing power but i'm not convinced that's what's going on here. I think the level of outrage has more to do with hatred between the haves and have-nots, than any real thought devoted to this exact scenario.

A developer courted potential tenants and ended up choosing the larger, more successful business for their property. White Whale waited as long as a month between communications with the developer and acted surprised when they didn't know the status of the project. Hint, if a business contact isn't replying, you probably don't have a deal.

[BobLoblaw]

Originally Posted by dfiler

This was my take too. People are rightfully enraged by the wealthy abusing power but i'm not convinced that's what's going on here. I think the level of outrage has more to do with hatred between the haves and have-nots, than any real thought devoted to this exact scenario.

A developer courted potential tenants and ended up choosing the larger, more successful business for their property. White Whale waited as long as a month between communications with the developer and acted surprised when they didn't know the status of the project. Hint, if a business contact isn't replying, you probably don't have a deal.

And it's not unusual for a developer to field multiple LOIs for a particular space while final terms are negotiated. One could perhaps argue the ethics of that, but on the surface this doesn't seem like anything nefarious. LOIs are, by nature, non-binding. Additionally, this goes both ways -- prospective tenants are often the party that doesn't follow through on an LOI.

[pj3000]

Right… and I think White Whale owners would have been better served to keep quiet about it or at least be professionally gracious, even if McCaffery led them on. It happens all the time. So a corporate real estate developer acted like a dick… really?

McCaffery is heavily invested and involved in Pittsburgh. So why make an enemy by airing dirty laundry? Maybe there’s a development down the line that you’d be a better fit for… but that’s long gone now. You shot yourself in the foot, White Whale. But hey, you fought the good fight, right?

[themaguffin]

Penguins win planning commission approval for FNB headquarters at former Civic Arena site

Commission members voted 7-0 to approve a final land development plan for the first long-awaited project at the lower Hill District site, some 14 years after the Penguins won the rights to it.

The decision came at the end of a sometimes contentious five-hour hearing during which the commissioners weighed the touted benefits of the project for the greater Hill against concerns that the Penguins and developer Buccini/Pollin Group weren’t doing enough.

In the end, members decided to advance the 26-story office tower but with a caveat — future site developments that come before them will be accompanied by a report card measuring how the team is doing in meeting its community commitments.

[Austinlee]

Development team kicks off marketing introduction of 800,000-square-foot Rockwell Park in North Point Breeze
May 05, 2021 at 10:05 am EDT
By Tim Schooley – Reporter, Pittsburgh Business Times
https://www.wpxi.com/news/business/d...MOG5RI3V7VN3U/

...Spanning along the north side of Penn Avenue in North Point Breeze, Rockwell Park is now nearing the completion in a construction plan to renovate its collection of eight buildings while adding new streetscape improvements to knit together what were individually owned properties into a larger park.

[themaguffin]

So any updates on this nearly a year later?

Troiani Group Offers the Pittsburgh Planning Commission a Commitment to Long-Term City Growth and Renewal with Signature First Side Tower

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by themaguffin

So any updates on this nearly a year later?

Troiani Group Offers the Pittsburgh Planning Commission a Commitment to Long-Term City Growth and Renewal with Signature First Side Tower

They managed to get approval to demolish the six story walkup on First Avenue, but they have been blocked from demolishing the buildings along Market Street (including the old Froggy's location).

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Development team kicks off marketing introduction of 800,000-square-foot Rockwell Park in North Point Breeze
May 05, 2021 at 10:05 am EDT
By Tim Schooley – Reporter, Pittsburgh Business Times
https://www.wpxi.com/news/business/d...MOG5RI3V7VN3U/

This explains it. This is in close proximity to Construction Junction. The area has been greatly improved with the renovations and sidewalk improvements. Construction has been going on for a few years now. The area is lit up at night and is visible from my back yard. The new lighting in addition the the Bakery Square projects really lights up the night sky. The new LED East Liberty Presbyterian church is stunning.

[deja vu]

Just two photos from a recent virtual construction tour of the Roundhouse @Hazelwoodgreen -




Source: LinkedIn | GBBN Architects

[Austinlee]

^Wow, that roundhouse looks so cool

[dfiler]

Not sure if it was posted but US steel has cancelled $1.5 billion of upgrades to the Mon Valley Works and it will be idling 3 batteries at the Clairton coke works.

In the Mon Valley — where U.S. Steel has canceled major investment — many left wondering what went wrong
https://www.post-gazette.com/busines...s/202105030029

Officials bemoan U.S. Steel plans to scrap $1.5B Mon Valley Works upgrade
https://www.post-gazette.com/busines...s/202104300104

U.S. Steel has options to consider after canceling Mon Valley upgrade
https://www.post-gazette.com/busines...s/202105030133

[haimon]

Seems like a nice addition to the variety of attractions in the North Side/North Shore vacinity.

https://triblive.com/aande/museums/a...or-pittsburgh/

..."Astrobotic is a partner in the new museum, which is under construction and scheduled to open in summer 2022. It will be a nonprofit organization located inside Astrobotic’s North Side headquarters at 1016 N. Lincoln Ave., a few blocks north of Heinz Field.