PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown III

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by Johnland

Everytime I fly into Pittsburgh from Tampa, I take the 28X into Downtown for my pick up by family. I'm so used to now I take it for granted. However it is amazing to think that it's the only public transit from the airport to the city. Even though Pittsburgh is a metro of over 2 million, there's not much demand for the bus. The bus runs every only 30 minutes and still only a handful of people get on at the airport. It typically gets more riders getting on at the Ikea stops and the busway stops (Ingram, Crafton, Sheraden, etc). Because the airport is so freakin far out, I'm not sure if LRT would generate more riders or just be a colossal waste of money.

The 28X is certainly better than what we had before it, which was nothing but I've never actually taken it for a number of reasons. The biggest reason is just that I don't trust it; it's worth the extra money for an Uber/Lyft just to know that I'm actually going to get there on time. PRT busses have a bad habit of just not showing up and I can't bring myself to rely on them when there are alternatives. The fact that they only come every 30 minutes is another factor. I don't to want wait that long at a bus stop with all our luggage in the inevitable rain or snow.

[wpipkins2]

I wanted to share this picture. This picture was taken from the upper deck of the Eastside shopping center. You can see three of the five construction cranes dotting the skyline. If you have a keen eye.....you can spot the Heinz Chapel scaffolding.


[IMG]http://[url=https://flic.kr/p/2oAiHG1][/url]Pittsburgh by William Pipkins, on Flickr[/IMG]

[BrianTH]

I think a basic problem is the airport is really too far out for a low-speed LRT system to be very attractive. Our current LRT system tops out at about 45 MPH, and while sometimes that would be an attractive alternative to sitting in congestion, normally a car is going to be a lot faster, and in fact a BRT system on dedicated lanes would also be faster as a matter of course.

In contrast, a heavy rail line might work better, at least if it was well-integrated with a link to Oakland/East End (say via the upcoming East End BRT plan), since those can typically do more like 80 MPH, or even higher. But there is no existing heavy rail line you can use for that purpose, and a new one would be prohibitively expensive. And the bottom line is there just aren't enough airport users in proximity to such a hypothetical heavy rail line to really make the expense justifiable.

So I think for the airport, it is very likely BRT or bust for the conceivable future. This would still be expensive, but potentially you could justify the expense of extending the West Busway all the way into Downtown (which would likely require a new bridge), and then maybe extend it out to the airport via the 376 ROW.

[BobLoblaw]

I don't remember seeing this yet, but Pittsburgh Business Times mentioned a 211 unit proposal for 1625 Forbes Ave. in Uptown. A little bit of digging and I found this video. Discussion starts at about the 21 minute mark. Seven stories. The design is a bit different, but I feel like some funk would work in Uptown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CXTirlmaq8

[xdv8]

Originally Posted by BobLoblaw

I don't remember seeing this yet, but Pittsburgh Business Times mentioned a 211 unit proposal for 1625 Forbes Ave. in Uptown. A little bit of digging and I found this video. Discussion starts at about the 21 minute mark. Seven stories. The design is a bit different, but I feel like some funk would work in Uptown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CXTirlmaq8

Thank you for finding and posting this. I was curious for more info but couldn't locate a presentation.

Looks very interesting. I'm pleased with the buildings they are keeping on the lot while developing around. Seems like a decent project overall.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Johnland

I'd love to see Oakland get zoned for much higher density and let it become a much more major node. I don't see why Oakland shouldn't have 20 and 30 story residential. Then connect it to Downtown with LRT. Students, college visitors, professionals, entrepreneurs could then travel easier. That could be one catalyst for stronger growth for the region.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but although the Oakland rezone significantly increased maximum heights, it also had extremely regressive use-based zoning that basically banned new apartment buildings from being built along Fifth/Forbes. There are certain loopholes - like allowing for affordable housing, and allowing for some residential units as long as they are less than 50% of the area of a new building, but for the most part, it's not allowed any longer. This was billed as being because the community wanted additional jobs in Oakland along the major corridors, but I can't help but feel it was a reactive freakout by certain NIMBYs to three major residential projects (SkyVue, Bridge on Forbes, and the new building being constructed on the 3500 block of Forbes) going down.

The good side I suppose is that the back streets were significantly upzoned as well, and still allow for residential, though it remains to be seen what new projects we might see here, considering a lot of this is held by small-time landlords for cash flow generation.

Originally Posted by BobLoblaw

I don't remember seeing this yet, but Pittsburgh Business Times mentioned a 211 unit proposal for 1625 Forbes Ave. in Uptown. A little bit of digging and I found this video. Discussion starts at about the 21 minute mark. Seven stories. The design is a bit different, but I feel like some funk would work in Uptown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CXTirlmaq8

Thanks for noticing this. I saw the PBT article, but I was in a hurry the other day and mistakenly thought it was the same project as the new residential building being constructed by Duquense a few blocks to the west.

There's just so many proposed projects in Uptown right now.

[eschaton]

May 30th Planning Commission is online. There are four items:

1. A new institutional plan for Allegheny General Hospital. The big news here is looking at the 10-year development plan, AGH plans another three towers - all of them within the core area of the campus. I have idle hopes they will eventually sell the out-parcels not on the IMP-zoned area (completely empty former hospital in Allegheny Center, various parking lots, etc.) but there's no reason to presume that's happening soon.

2. CMU is doing a briefing on a new "neighborhood commons" added to their Margaret Morrison Street cluster of dorms. Essentially this fills in an alcove between two existing buildings with shared amenity space. It's fine, but it doesn't front on a public ROW, so almost no one but students will ever see it.

3. The city plans to change zoning rules regulating line revisions/subdivisions. From the 1960s on, all such revisions have had to go before the Planning Commission. Now the Commission won't have to review the vast majority of revisions (it will only review those which create 10 or more lots or 50,000+ square feet). It's good the process is being streamlined.

4. Another minor zoning tweak will add a "fresh food access performance point" to RIV-zoned areas. This was something that was added to the new Oakland zoning (I believe at the request of Walnut Capital, which plans to build a new grocery store whenever/if they revive their plans for a tower along Boulevard of the Allies). This extends the performance point to RIV-zoned areas as well. There's also an attached map which showcases a half-mile radius around the existing grocery stores in/near RIV zoned areas, highlighting where this bonus point would not be applicable. The most obvious place I can see this may help is the Esplanade development, if they have any plans including a grocery store (the North Side has pretty few options overall).

[eschaton]

A pretty small-scale development, but Giant Eagle is attempting to have a new Getgo built in Homewood, at the corner of Fifth and Frankstown. The site currently has Hook Fish and Chicken on the front end, and a lot of vacant parcels zoned for residential on the back side of the block. Giant Eagle would essentially redevelop the entire block (other than the last remaining house still standing. It needs to rezone the vacant lots as UI (Urban Industrial) to proceed.

It sounds like there is some community opposition to this, mainly from neighbors not happy about a gas station being next door to them.

I have...mixed feelings about this personally. I'm not sure this is needed, given the intersection already has two (!) gas stations. It arguably makes one of the worst intersections in the East End even worse as well. On the other hand, the newer GetGos are much closer to mini grocery stores than convenience stores, so it would provide more grocery access in a pretty food desert section of the city.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by eschaton

A pretty small-scale development, but Giant Eagle is attempting to have a new Getgo built in Homewood, at the corner of Fifth and Frankstown. The site currently has Hook Fish and Chicken on the front end, and a lot of vacant parcels zoned for residential on the back side of the block. Giant Eagle would essentially redevelop the entire block (other than the last remaining house still standing. It needs to rezone the vacant lots as UI (Urban Industrial) to proceed.

It sounds like there is some community opposition to this, mainly from neighbors not happy about a gas station being next door to them.

I have...mixed feelings about this personally. I'm not sure this is needed, given the intersection already has two (!) gas stations. It arguably makes one of the worst intersections in the East End even worse as well. On the other hand, the newer GetGos are much closer to mini grocery stores than convenience stores, so it would provide more grocery access in a pretty food desert section of the city.

I have a friend that has properties on both sides of Frankstown. She lived in the home nearest the train tracks (future Get Go side) and had a couple properties across the street that was used for a small school bus company. All of the homes have seen better days but appear to be occupied. I not sure about this project considering the amount of traffic on Fifth. This plan would compliment the mini shopping center under construction between Hamilton and Frankstown.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

I have a friend that has properties on both sides of Frankstown. She lived in the home nearest the train tracks (future Get Go side) and had a couple properties across the street that was used for a small school bus company. All of the homes have seen better days but appear to be occupied. I not sure about this project considering the amount of traffic on Fifth. This plan would compliment the mini shopping center under construction between Hamilton and Frankstown.

I'd feel a lot better about the project if they swapped where the store is with the gas station, fronting the grocery directly on Fifth, as it would start the transition of the corridor into a more urban-appropriate layout, but I'm not sure it would address the complaints of the neighbors at all.

[dfiler]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I'd feel a lot better about the project if they swapped where the store is with the gas station, fronting the grocery directly on Fifth, as it would start the transition of the corridor into a more urban-appropriate layout, but I'm not sure it would address the complaints of the neighbors at all.

This got me thinking about how the neighborhood might change once the Brilliant Line is converted into a rail trail. That's going to bring a lot of people through and change the vibe entirely.

[themaguffin]

Google street view is updated as of May 2023...at least downtown near the arena site, so it's a rare time to see construction at a current state on street view, but also note that it depends on the street.

[xdv8]

Originally Posted by themaguffin

Google street view is updated as of May 2023...at least downtown near the arena site, so it's a rare time to see construction at a current state on street view, but also note that it depends on the street.

I was down there on Memorial Day and snapped this:

[eschaton]

So, this is kind of bad news. It seems like the plan for the former Mahla building purchased by McKnight on Smallman is a teardown and replace. I had hoped they could rehab the existing seven-story building into apartments, at least in part. At least the plan is to have a pretty sizable residential building take its place (150 units, 10 stories).

Also, in an aside which isn't even the lead, it's basically dropped that the 23-story office building on the Wholey site is dead. The developers basically state they're waiting for tenants to move forward and...I don't see finding those kinds of major tenants for a spec office building in the post-COVID environment.

Hopefully we get another residential project there eventually.

[pj3000]

The "Mahla Building" is in bad cosmetic shape, but I'm sure it's solid as hell. I think tearing it down for what is likely to be cheap apartments is a bad idea for the Strip, but probably a good idea for McKnight's pocketbook.

Not surprised about the Wholey site office building project. I think that one was doomed from the start and the roadblocks put up by the planning commission and mayor himself soured the process, and that made the decision to pull the plug that much easier.

[eschaton]

So, I realized, after reading a PBT article, that even though the city hadn't updated its upcoming notices in quite a while, looking on the ZBA page there are actually four weeks of upcoming hearings posted that I have missed.

Going through them:

June 8th: Only three items. Nothing of interest.

June 15th: New Warhol event venue getting reviewed again. There's also pretty detailed renderings of the new project to resurrect Nied's Hotel in Upper Lawrenceville, which will actually be a functioning mini-hotel (with 12 rooms), along with a bar and restaurant. IIRC from the article I read about this, due to neighbors complaining about the sound there will not be live electric shows.

July 6th: There's a big project here: A redevelopment of the JAA senior housing project in Squirrel Hill (near Summerset at Frick). Currently, the site has a 159-unit nursing home. There's a lot going on with this redevelopment. Phase 1 will involve 122 units of nursing care and 58 units of senior housing. In Phase 2, the original buildings shall be demolished, and a new 150-unit building shall be constructed. This may be senior housing, but it doesn't sound like the developer is committing to that. Massing is definitely a trade up from what's currently there. I don't like the sea of parking, but it's not a walkable area, and most of the residents aren't particularly mobile regardless. The ZBA is also reviewing again the planned apartments for the Frick Park site. A lot of NIMBY opposition has arisen to this project - I would not be surprised to see it killed.

July 13: Two infill townhouses in the Lower Hill. Location is here. This is a module housing project - they've been doing a lot of infill in the East Liberty/Garfield area. This looks like it's for City of Bridges CLT, so I presume they're affordable housing.

[eschaton]

The agenda for URA meeting tomorrow is up.

The big news here is the URA is selling Hunt Armory to the Penguins for $2 million. I'm...not sure how I feel regarding this at all. I think the neighborhood objections to the plan to try and build housing on the site were wrongheaded, but I can understand why people in the area wanted a community amenity. But given it was "saved" as a community amenity, I feel pretty strongly it should be city-owned or spun off to a nonprofit. I don't like the Pens taking over the facility one bit.

There's also further information here regarding the replacement of Bedford Dwellings, which could result in up to 823 new and replacement units once finished. I believe the first phase is the same as the Reed/Roberts project which is moving along in the Lower Hill.

[photoLith]

^
Are they going to knock down all of that crime riddled 1970s or whatever public housing in the hill and replace it with better public housing?

[themaguffin]

Originally Posted by eschaton

So, this is kind of bad news. It seems like the plan for the former Mahla building purchased by McKnight on Smallman is a teardown and replace. I had hoped they could rehab the existing seven-story building into apartments, at least in part. At least the plan is to have a pretty sizable residential building take its place (150 units, 10 stories).

Also, in an aside which isn't even the lead, it's basically dropped that the 23-story office building on the Wholey site is dead. The developers basically state they're waiting for tenants to move forward and...I don't see finding those kinds of major tenants for a spec office building in the post-COVID environment.

Hopefully we get another residential project there eventually.

Why can't the 23 story building be residential... assuming they are interested in doing that...?

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by eschaton

The big news here is the URA is selling Hunt Armory to the Penguins for $2 million. I'm...not sure how I feel regarding this at all. I think the neighborhood objections to the plan to try and build housing on the site were wrongheaded, but I can understand why people in the area wanted a community amenity. But given it was "saved" as a community amenity, I feel pretty strongly it should be city-owned or spun off to a nonprofit. I don't like the Pens taking over the facility one bit.

Not the the Penguins are going to do anything with it... well, at least not for a decade or more.

I don't really like it either, but I can't imagine that the City/URA wanted to hold on to the building for too long because I'm sure it needs some necessary major updates. Since the rink was partially funded by state money and NHL grants, as a free, public facility, I would imagine that the Pens will have some sort of nonprofit partnership actually own it. I think this plan was well in the works during the Peduto/Acklin administration, who are both big-time hockey buffs, and with Acklin now working directly for the Penguins.

Originally Posted by themaguffin

Why can't the 23 story building be residential... assuming they are interested in doing that...?

Well, it would have to be a totally different building obviously, but I guess they could pursue those plans. I don't remember who the developer/owner is. Seems like a perfect location for a residential tower to me though.