[Evergrey]

http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/mews0813.aspx

$22M Riverside Mews starts next phase, green condos sell on Pittsburgh's South Side

http://www.popcitymedia.com/galleries/Default/Dev%20News/Issue%20122/riversidePrudentialPR_300.jpg

Two of Pittsburgh’s green residential developments are experiencing steady sales and starting work on next phases.

Riverside Mews, the South Side’s largest green residential community, has started construction on six new town homes. Since its grand opening in November 2007, seven of Riverside's first eight units have sold.

Starting at $415,000, units will be available for occupancy in 2009. Designed by Perkins Eastman and Strada and developed by Riverside Development Group, the project is located at 18th St. and Riverfront Park. The project calls for 48 two- and three-bedroom units ranging in size from 1,800 to 2,900 square feet.

Exemplifying the community’s commitment to green design, units at Riverside are built according to Energy Star Standards. Features like FSC-certified wood and Greenguard flooring materials help make the units 40% more efficient than homes built to current energy codes.

At Windom Hill Place, located above McArdle Roadway, four units have sold and work has begun on the project’s second phase. Winner of the 2008 Superior Interiors design competition for Architectural Residence/New Construction, Windom’s contemporary Craftsman-style town homes were designed by John Martine of Strada. Developer is Windom Hill Place, LLP.

Windom’s 3,000-square-foot units feature three bedrooms, finished lower levels and outdoor space on four levels. The Energy Star compliant project features native plants, bamboo and cork flooring and cast stone.

“We’re getting an eclectic group just like the city of Pittsburgh—all different ages and people who really appreciate the quality of the design and construction,” says Kathryn Barry, with Prudential Preferred Realty. “There’s still excitement in the marketplace. The South Side is unquestionably the place to be.”

Contractor for both projects is leading green builder, Sota Construction Services.

Writer: Jennifer Baron
Source: Kathryn Barry, Prudential Preferred Realty

Image courtesy Prudential Preferred Realty


...


http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/wylie0813.aspx

$8.3M Wylie Homes Initiative to bring 32 new units to Pittsburgh's Hill District

http://www.popcitymedia.com/galleries/Default/Dev%20News/Issue%20122/WyliehomesURA_300.jpg

Wylie Homes, a 32-unit five-phase housing development, is underway in Pittsburgh’s Hill District.

Developed by Middle Hill Housing Ventures, Jaxon Development Company and Macedonia Development, the $8.3 million project involves new construction, property rehabilitations and the elimination of vacant properties along the Hill’s Wylie Ave. corridor.

The first phase will bring four single-family homes to the corner of Wylie and Chauncey St. Designed by Perkins Eastman, the for-sale homes will range from 1,250 to 2,100 square feet, and will feature front porches and back patios. Contractor is Mistick Construction.

“I’m pleased to be a part of all that’s going on in the Hill,” says Jack Johnson, with Jaxon Development Company. “Crawford Square looks great, there’s the library and grocery store coming, and it goes on and on.”

Part of the Middle Hill Housing Revitalization Plan, the mixed-income project also calls for associated neighborhood improvements, including community clean-ups, street tree planting and green space cultivation. “We’re doing other things in the neighborhood for a more diverse revitalization,” adds Johnston, who says the concept could include an urban farm, amphitheatre and neighborhood website. “Support has been excellent from the organized community and grassroots folks. We’ve avoided some of the political pitfalls that have existed in the Hill over the years.”

Three- and four-bedroom homes—marketed by Northwood Realty—will sell for between $131,000 and $179,000. Buyers may qualify for real estate tax abatements and URA deferred second mortgages.

“The support we’ve received from the URA and Dollar Bank has been wonderful. The PHFA commitment really pushed the deal over the top,” adds Johnston. “They’ve been good partners.”

Writer: Jennifer Baron
Sources: Jack Johnson, Jaxon Development Company; Megan Stearman, URA

Image courtesy URA



...

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_582515.html

Work to begin on North Side townhomes

By Jeremy Boren
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Construction could begin within a week on the first six of 23 Federal Hill townhomes in the lower North Side, residential developers said Tuesday.

The long-delayed project stalled in April when lender Fifth Third Bank pulled a $3.16 million loan for the $5.9 million project created by the Central Northside Neighborhood Council and partner S&A Homes.

Loans from the Urban Redevelopment Authority and Pennsylvania Housing and Finance Agency finally have filled the financing gap, and will allow construction on the three-bedroom townhomes to begin, said Michael Barber, the council's executive director.

The Federal Hill project's success is crucial to cleaning up the corner of Federal Street and North Avenue. The depressed commercial district was home to an X-rated theater that scared off would-be developers for decades. The theater closed last year.

"Even though it's only one block, it's the front doorstep of the neighborhood," said Bill Buettin, president of the Central Northside Neighborhood Council.

Interest in purchasing the townhomes -- priced between $130,000 and $230,000 -- has been strong, said Robert Iseman, new homes manager for S&A Homes.

"I already have 13 of the first 23 sold," he said.

The townhomes range in size from 1,430 to 2,350 square feet. The Federal Hill project eventually could include 56 three-bedroom townhomes.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority is providing a $750,000 grant and $670,000 loan to the Federal Hill project. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency is providing a $3.4 million loan and $1 million grant.

On Thursday, the URA's board of directors will vote on a proposal to open exclusive negotiations with Lawrenceville-based Aiello Development to develop six URA-owned parcels into homes and businesses on West North Avenue and Federal Street.

Jeremy Boren can be reached at jboren@tribweb.com or 412-765-2312.

[Evergrey]

uhhhh....

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_582537.html

Mt. Washington stairs idea faces tough climb

By Sam Spatter
FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Oldtime Pittsburghers might remember the musical refrain, "Let's build a stairway to the stars."

Architect Luke Desmone wants to turn that around.

He proposes building stairs on the hillside of Mt. Washington at the Mon Incline, leading down from Grandview Avenue to West Carson Street, using abandoned concrete pads that once held another incline.

"That's my personal project, one that I hope to complete once the proposed development of the former Edge (Restaurant) site adjacent to the incline is under way or completed by developer Steven Beemsterboer," Desmone told board members of the Mt. Washington Community Development Corp.

Desmone said the developer wants to build a five-star, 140-room hotel, 60 condominiums, a restaurant, underground parking, a fitness center and spa on the site that got its name from the restaurant that operated there until 1979. Desmone is the architect for the project.

The site included several rental apartments, which closed during the 1980s, leaving vacant structures.

Desmone's stairway could face hurdles.

One is ownership of the land where the concrete pads are located. The land appears to be owned by the Port Authority of Allegheny County, said spokesman David Whipkey. If not, and the land is part of the original Grandview Overlook Park -- which is part of the Grand View Scenic Byway Park -- there is a deed restriction preventing construction of a building.

If Desmone were able to overcome these obstacles, he would need approval from the city's Public Works Department, because the stairway would bridge McArdle Roadway; and probably from the city's Art Commission, said Susan Tymoczko, city zoning administrator.

Desmone envisions visitors riding up from Carson Street on the incline and, after spending time on Mt. Washington viewing the city or visiting one of the commercial establishments on nearby Shiloh Street, walking down about 700 steps to Carson.

Although he gave no estimate on the cost, he said it would be a personal undertaking, with the hope of obtaining state or federal money.

He envisions the stairs as having a glass roof, perhaps glass sides, with all-weather treated stairs. The stairway would be lighted by solar panels.

Pods placed along the way would enable people to stop to view Downtown and beyond, or just to pause.

To maintain the stairs, he plans to create an endowment.

"As part of the overall budget for the project, there would be a section for continued maintenance of the stairs through an endowment. I would seek funds from local foundations, from local corporations, and perhaps through a state beautification program," Desmone said.

"This is very exciting news," said Bob Regan, a University of Pittsburgh professor who has written a book documenting the hundreds of stairways dotting the landscape of the city's neighborhoods.

Regan said he sees possibilities that the city's steps could be marketed as a tourist attraction for the region to catch the fancy of out-of-town visitors.

"I think this would be a wonderful thing," he said. "I think something like this could draw attention to all of the steps we have here."

If the stairway project is successful, it would be the 713th set of stairs located in the city, Desmone said.

But it depends on whether Beemsterboer's Edge site development goes forward, which is at least a year or two away, he said.

Beemsterboer has acquired most of the houses and properties along Vinecliffe Street, which abuts the Edge property along the southerly edge, plus several properties on East Sycamore Street for better access to the site from that road.

Desmone, who plans to review the proposal at the Mt. Washington group's public forum Aug. 21, said he would seek zoning for the site that would permit a mixed-use development and eliminate the need to seek additional zoning approvals for each phase. If successful, the next step would be to provide the city with a site plan and follow that with a building permit.

Beemsterboer has a contract to purchase the property from Dr. Francis Hurite, a Fox Chapel ophthalmologist. Desmone identified Beemsterboer as one of three partners in Beemsterboer Slag Co. in Chicago.

Desmone did not reveal the cost of acquisition but said the project should be developed with private funds.

Sam Spatter can be reached at sspatter@tribweb.com or 412-320-7843.

[dugdogmaster]

^Stairway to Heaven, or another Bridge to Nowhere? Cool idea though imo :cheers:

Edit: If it ever happens, they better put some cool lights on it too, and not make it look like this ugly bright white streak

[edncc1701d]

uhhhh....

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_582537.html

Mt. Washington stairs idea faces tough climb



I like the idea of the stairs. Actually, there should be several sets running through the new Park around Mt. Washington. I don't think the stairs need to be "fancy" especially those not on the side facing Downtown.

There is historical precedent for such a set of stairs. I know there were a set of steps on the Duquesne Heights side known as the Indian Trial. See below...

http://images.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/i/image/getimage-idx?view=image;entryid=x-715.3525242.cp;viewid=3525242C.TIF;cc=cp;c=cp;quality=2
(Look below the incline for the Indian Trial)

http://images.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/i/image/getimage-idx?view=image;entryid=x-715.111894.cp;viewid=111894CP.TIF;cc=cp;c=cp;quality=2
(Indian Trial. Notice the lack of trees on Mt. Washington)

All pictures from the Historic Pittsburgh Image Collections, http://digital.library.pitt.edu/images/pittsburgh/

[hyperion1110]

My take is that CMU sees the value of a hotel nearer to campus than
the other Oakland ones and that they just wanted to get the design
tweaked and the easiest way to do that was through the legal process.

The new SCS Building (Gates/Hillman) and the proposed CIC2 building
should keep CMU busy building for a while. The Gates building has
really started to take shape (e.g. going vertical). The construction
crew has been getting daily shipments of steel beams... I've been
walking past trucks of it parked on Forbes (waiting to be unloaded) on
the way to work.


On a related note, it looks like the blue building at 4626 Forbes with
the vitage clothes store and Italian place has been cleaned out (both
stores are now closed). I wonder if it is going to get torn down when
they do the buildings next to it?

picture link from county web site: http://tinyurl.com/2y4gxt

I think the CIC2 is supposed to be set back off Forbes(?), so I wonder
what they are going to do with that space?


Points taken.

I still maintain, though, that if CMU needs room to expand, or they are concerned about aesthetics, they need to do something about their two giant parking lots on Forbes. They've already shown that they can make a parking garages that integrate well with their surroundings (why can't Barden/Bluhm figure out how?). Build another garage, and use all of that land. ...But that is all wishfull thinking. There is nothing more important to most people than a good and cheap parking spot.

[JackStraw]

wow, they really didn't like trees back then. That looks like the desert basin area of south Idaho.

Hyperion, nobody is taking my parking lots away. If it was up to me there would be an acre of parking for every 10,000 sf. of building space!

[PA Pride]

^That's the spirit. I like the way you think.


Here is the 9 story Hardware Lofts conversion in the strip from the 3 Fox Chapel friends:
http://www.popcitymedia.com/galleries/Default/Dev%20News/Issue%20122/HardwareLofts_300.jpg
Source: http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/hardwre0813.aspx

[cdc]

Hyperion, nobody is taking my parking lots away. If it was up to me there would be an acre of parking for every 10,000 sf. of building space!

... after all, lighting parking lots is your bread and butter, eh?

[JackStraw]

... after all, lighting parking lots is your bread and butter, eh?

hell no. I am a building engineer (power and lighting for buildings) Unfortunetly, the job also requires designing how many lights and where in parking lots.

I know it doesn't sound fun, but actually designing to strict criteria such as dark sky (only hippie, star gazzing, environmentalist townships require it, like Boulder, Co) is actually challenging and fun.

[JackStraw]

^That's the spirit. I like the way you think.


Here is the 9 story Hardware Lofts conversion in the strip from the 3 Fox Chapel friends:
http://www.popcitymedia.com/galleries/Default/Dev%20News/Issue%20122/HardwareLofts_300.jpg
Source: http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/hardwre0813.aspx

Do you happen to have a photo of the existing building. Those renderings look like the project is ground up. That is going to be one hell of a conversion!

oh, nevermind. I should learn to read the article before responding............

[dugdogmaster]

edncc, cool find with those old pictures:tup:

[Evergrey]

Do you happen to have a photo of the existing building. Those renderings look like the project is ground up. That is going to be one hell of a conversion!

oh, nevermind. I should learn to read the article before responding............

http://cll.bizjournals.com/story_image/201758-600-0-1.jpg

full article
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/08/11/story8.html?b=1218427200^1681673

[PA Pride]

^I've been in that building, on the top floor. A guy I used to know ran a data storage company up there. It was all futuristic with security doors and a big clean room for the servers.

[Evergrey]

August Wilson Center topped off

http://kdka.com/video/?id=44948@kdka.dayport.com

[AaronPGH]

August Wilson Center topped off

http://kdka.com/video/?id=44948@kdka.dayport.com

wow, that was warp speed!!! how did they ever top off such a tall building so fast!

[JackStraw]

so they topped off a building of what, 3 stories!!!

Really, it is a cool and awesome building downtown. But a top off ceremony is unnecessary.

[PA Pride]

They just topped off a new Wendys near my house.

[Evergrey]

oh no! :(

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08227/904322-100.stm

Historic Jenny Lee Bakery to close Saturday

Thursday, August 14, 2008
By Teresa F. Lindeman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Jenny Lee Bakery, a historic Pittsburgh bakery that survived through 70 years of economic ups and downs and a devastating fire, has been flattened by rising ingredient prices and a tough economy. The company will close Saturday with its two retail stores, in Market Square and McKees Rocks, staying open until 3 p.m. that day.

The business, which was founded in 1938, was hit hard by a fire on Thanksgiving Day 2006. That forced the bakery to close for more than four months, losing almost half the workforce and clientele, according to a company statement.

"Tough economic times and intense volatility in the ingredient market have provided the final challenges that Jenny Lee Bakery can no longer overcome," said the statement from the Baker family, which owns the business.

The family thanked Pittsburghers for their support over the years. "It is with no options and great sadness that we will cease operations. Please keep the families whose lives depended on Jenny Lee Bakery in your thoughts and prayers."

Many in the region may remember the bakery's hey-day in the 1960s and 1970s when it grew to a total of 14 stores. In the 1980s and 1990s, the bakery supplied supermarkets with baked goods. In addition to selling cookies, cakes and donuts, the company used its specialty cinnamon swirl breads to create a niche.
More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.


...


KDKA
http://kdka.com/video/?id=44980@kdka.dayport.com

[Evergrey]

Pens, Officials Break Ground On New Arena

http://kdka.com/sports/penguins/Penguins.New.Arena.2.794779.html

New Arena Flyover & Tour (Courtesy HOK Sport)

http://kdka.com/video/?id=44962@kdka.dayport.com

[PA Pride]

The arena looks cool!

[Burgh15]

I'm really impressed with the designs of the inside of the arena.

[hyperion1110]

Pens, Officials Break Ground On New Arena

http://kdka.com/sports/penguins/Penguins.New.Arena.2.794779.html

New Arena Flyover & Tour (Courtesy HOK Sport)

http://kdka.com/video/?id=44962@kdka.dayport.com

Anybody else think they were riding an elevator in Tokyo while watching the arena flyover???

[Brandon716]

Despite how some people think the brick design makes it look boring, it looks like the arena is shaping up to be a nice venue, definately better than Mellon Arena.

It looks like they've added some retail to the building as a change from the original design, hopefully that breaks the monotony.

[dugdogmaster]

They could have picked some better music for the flyover:rolleyes:

[Evergrey]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_582982.html

Developers envision $3 million North Side project

By Ron DaParma
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, August 15, 2008

A team of developers plans a $3 million redevelopment project that would bring a mix of retail, residential and possibly offices to the central North Side area often called Federal North.

The city's Urban Redevelopment Authority on Thursday voted to give Aiello Development Co. and the JRA Development Group six months of exclusive rights to produce architectural plans for six authority-owned parcels along West North Avenue and Federal Street near the abandoned Garden Theater.

The agreement, which could be extended another six months, will give the team time to develop a budget and secure tenants, officials said.

"This will be a true mixed-use development," said Jim Aiello Jr., president of Aiello Development Co.

He envisions demolishing a number of deteriorated buildings and replacing them with new construction, including "an upgraded architectural facade to replicate the natural fabric of the neighborhood," he said.

One committed tenant is Fifth Third Bank, which would open a branch in a new building at the corner of West North and Federal. Also there will be two retail locations on the first level of three-story buildings that will house 13 to 15 apartments on the floors above.

The development team has been in discussions with two restaurants for the sites, Aiello said.

The URA board also approved an agreement with the Central Northside Neighborhood Council (CNNC) and the Northside Leadership Conference to conduct master planning activities for the remainder of the block, including the Masonic Hall, the Bradberry, the Garden Theater and sections of West North Avenue.

The URA approved a $50,000 grant yesterday to support the planning effort.

Officials of those neighborhood organizations hailed the agreements as a new beginning for the area and the deteriorated structures there, some of them historically and architecturally significant.

They will work with Aiello and JRA to make sure their plans mesh with the overall vision for the area eventually formulated in the master plan, said Bill Buettin, president of the Central Northside Neighborhood Council.

"We are excited to be working with Mr. Aiello and are extremely pleased with the coordination we've received between the city and the Northside Leadership Conference," Buettin said.

"After decades of wishing, this project is moving forward because of partnership between private developer, government and community leadership," added Mark Fatla, executive director of the Northside Leadership Conference.

Separately yesterday, the URA agreed to a request from Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's administration to explore options for potential sale or other new uses for the historic John C. Robin Civic Building -- the Downtown structure that houses its offices.

URA Board Chairman Yarone Zober, who is the mayor's chief of staff, said the city, its Housing Authority and the URA spend some $1 million annually to maintain the 13-story building, which is more than 100 years old.

The city could benefit by selling the structure to private developers, thus making it a taxable property, he said. At the same time, the government offices based there might be moved into more cost-effective and user-friendly space.

The building is named for the late John C. Robin, a former chairman of the URA.

Ron DaParma can be reached at rdaparma@tribweb.com or 412-320-7907.

[Evergrey]

more on Jenny Lee's shocking closure... how sad... they were celebrating their 70th anniversary this year... this will leave a big hole in Market Square...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08228/904524-53.stm

Jenny Lee Bakery turning off the ovens

Friday, August 15, 2008
By Teresa F. Lindeman and Elwin Green, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Last weekend, the Baker family decided they couldn't save the business that had served up butterhorns, cinnamon raisin bread and filled tea cookies to Pittsburghers for the past seven decades. The Jenny Lee Bakery, founded in 1938, would have to close.

"We've been working real hard to make it work," said a discouraged Bernard "Bernie" Baker yesterday after announcing his two stores, one in Downtown's Market Square and the other in McKees Rocks, would shut for good this weekend.

The family-owned bakery fell victim to a combination of its own unique issues and an unforgiving economy in which the costs of ingredients such as flour, shortening and sugar had more than doubled in recent months.

Market pressures came as Jenny Lee was trying to make a comeback following a devastating Thanksgiving fire in 2006 that shuttered the business for months. The family used insurance proceeds to fund a recovery but found the time away had cost them almost half their workforce as well as both wholesale and retail customers.

Mr. Baker broke the news to his three dozen remaining employees Wednesday, telling them, "I hope we'll be able to pay them but we can't promise it." Still, all but one showed up for work the next day anyway.

"They're just the greatest people in the world," he said emotionally. Many have been with the company 20 or 30 years, with one employee who started in the 1940s still coming in two days a week.

Independent bakeries have been disappearing for the past decade or longer. Customers who years ago made a bakery stop part of their grocery routine now have easy access to cake decorators and baked goods at supermarkets, warehouse clubs and mass merchants.

Jenny Lee Bakery survived longer than many. The bakery was opened Downtown by cousins Paul Baker and Bernard McDonald, according to the company's Web site. Originally they bought goods from the Seven Baker Brothers Bakery, operated by other family members.

Bernard Baker, son of one of the co-founders, came into the business after graduating from college in the late 1960s. That was in the midst of the retail bakery's hey-day when it grew to a total of 14 stores. When trends began changing, the company decided to grow its wholesale business out of the 25,000-square-foot McKees Rocks facility.

"It was really promising," Mr. Baker said. "We thought it had a great future." The company supplied 20 supermarkets before the fire, he said.

Grocery distributor SuperValu has been a customer, buying goods such as cinnamon raisin bread for sale in some Shop 'n Save locations. Kings Family Restaurants, based in White Oak, used the bakery's bread in French toast. Mr. Baker said the bakery is trying to help wholesale customers stock up until they find new suppliers.

The Bakers -- Bernard, his wife, Beverly, and son, Scott -- hope to avoid filing for bankruptcy. Mr. Baker said going that route often means creditors have to wait years while issues work their way through the court. He declined to release financial details.

Meanwhile, customers who heard the news yesterday began showing up at the Market Square site to mourn over a few, final indulgences.

Ashley Lietz and Phyllis Geanopulos both work at BNY Mellon but met for the first time at the Jenny Lee counter and commiserated.

"It's a shame," said Ms. Lietz, who had come to order a cake for Tuesday but learned the bakery would not be there next week. Both stores are scheduled to close for good at 3 p.m. Saturday. Ms. Lietz bought cupcakes and doughnuts instead.

"There's less and less of the smaller bakeries anymore," Ms. Geanopulos said. "Things change, but not always for the better.".....

Behind the counter, Kathleen "K.C." Ciganik and Teresa Pawlish were serving customers briskly and efficiently, only their reddened eyes betraying their inner state.

"It's like we're dreaming," Ms. Ciganik said, and Ms. Pawlish agreed with her statement, but refined it. "It's like a nightmare."

The timing of the Jenny Lee closing Downtown is ironic in that Market Square is in the midst of a business revival as development projects have begun nearby and the city works on plans to improve the distinctive setting.

"It's definitely better than it has been," said Nick Nicholas, operator of the Nicholas Coffee Co. on the square and owner of more than one building there, including the one that houses Jenny Lee. The bakery has been in the site since 1988, when he bought the building.

Despite the recent openings of chains such as Dunkin' Donuts and Moe's Southwest Grill, the square still claims such institutions as Primanti Brothers, Original Oyster House and Nicholas Coffee.

As for the Jenny Lee space, Mr. Nicholas plans to start looking for another baker to take the site, though that could be a challenge. "There's not too many left."

It's not clear what the future holds for the Bakers.

A statement Mr. Baker's son put together to explain the situation closed with a request: "It is with no options and great sadness that we will cease operations. Please keep the families whose lives depended on Jenny Lee Bakery in your thoughts and prayers."

Teresa F. Lindeman can be reached at tlindeman@post-gazette.com or at 412-263-2018. Elwin Green can be reached at egreen@post-gazette.com or at 412-263-1969.

[Evergrey]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08228/904456-52.stm

City considers selling Robin Civic Building

Strategy to make more property taxable

Friday, August 15, 2008
By Timothy McNulty, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The city may sell a 100-year-old building on Ross Street as part of a Ravenstahl administration plan to get more government properties onto tax rolls.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority board agreed at its meeting yesterday -- inside the very same John P. Robin Civic Building -- to seek proposals from real estate consultants to study the market for the 13-story brick building at Ross Street and Second Avenue, which houses the URA, the Pittsburgh Housing Authority and city zoning and planning offices.

The board also approved plans for the Federal-North intersection on the North Side; selling a former hostel in Allentown to the city for a new police station; and long-term planning for Larimer. Members did not, however, discuss the job status of URA Director Patrick Ford, who is on paid leave.

The city spends more than $1 million yearly on the Robin Civic Building, its second largest Downtown after the City-County Building on Grant Street.

A new hotel is going up across Ross Street and URA board Chairman Yarone Zober said the market may be ripe for selling the structure, which was named for Mr. Robin, late URA chairman and an architect of the city's redevelopment, in 1983.

It was built in 1908 as the headquarters for Jones & Laughlin Steel Co. After J&L moved to Gateway Center -- one of Mr. Robin's signature projects as the URA's first executive director -- it sold the building in 1952 to the city and the Community Chest of Allegheny County, now the United Way.

"In effect 200 Ross Street became the general headquarters of Pittsburgh's first renaissance," reads a historical marker inside the building.

But operating costs are mounting -- it costs $12 per square foot to maintain the building, while the industry standard is about $8 -- and going there for zoning permits and planning hearings can be a foreboding experience for city residents and businesses. (huh?)

"Is it better for the taxpayers of the city of Pittsburgh to own [the building], or better to look to the private market for other uses?" Mr. Zober said.

No developers have yet approached the city with proposals, he said.

In other action, the URA board approved tentative plans for redeveloping the struggling intersection of Federal Street and North Avenue in the North Side. It gave Aiello Development of the Strip District a six-month option to get financing and plans in place for several vacant storefronts at the northwest corner, which would be anchored by a Fifth Third Bank. Retail establishments would be added on Federal, with market rate apartments in upper floors.

Though most of the buildings there now would be demolished, the URA, the developer and community leaders are in talks to save the facade of a four-story building at 4 W. North Ave.

The URA gave the Central Northside Neighborhood Council and the Northside Leadership Conference a six-month window to write redevelopment plans for the Garden Theatre and adjacent historic properties. Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation was doing that, but has withdrawn.

The board granted $25,000 to East Liberty Development Inc. to come up with plans that would help connect Larimer with booming retail, housing and business development in nearby East Liberty. The proposed development corridor would start at Larimer Avenue and Broad Street and continue at the Larimer Avenue Bridge.

It agreed to pay up to $580,000 to Wilbur Smith Associates to engineer the reconstruction of Market Square. Some of that amount will be paid back through a grant from the Heinz Endowments.

It also deeded a former hostel in Allentown to the city, which plans to turn it into the new home of the Zone 3 police station. The city may end up selling the current Zone 3 site in the South Side Flats to a private developer, Mr. Zober said, just as it is contemplating with the Robin Building.

Tim McNulty can be reached at tmcnulty@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1581.


...

The Robin Building is the red building directly behind PNC Firstside center... one of the only large surface lots downtown is behind the building
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2036/1509084805_f58f6137a4_b.jpg

[Evergrey]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_582990.html

Zoning board postpones ruling in $300 million project

By Sam Spatter
FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, August 15, 2008

The $300 million Baum Liberty Crossing Project in Bloomfield will be delayed because of community concern and the lack of a parking study needed by the City Zoning Board of Adjustment.

The board on Thursday postponed until Sept. 25 a hearing on a request for a special zoning exception for the project, part of which includes the former Don Allen Auto City dealership. The delay was recommended by Wrenna Watson, board chairperson.

Watson told about 50 neighborhood residents, business representatives and others on hand at the board's hearing room Downtown that the board could not rule on the zoning request until the study is completed.

Some residents and community groups have voiced concern about the impact of the proposed development on the neighborhood.

"In this way, perhaps some objections to the project can be eliminated," Watson said.

No testimony was given by either the developer or those opposing the project.

The developer, Doc-Economou, is seeking approval to build a seven-story, $100 million building that would be part of the overall project. It would be built on the site of the Goodwill Industries building at Liberty Avenue and Baum Boulevard.

The building would contain retail space, 140 to 160 hotel rooms and 54 condominiums.

"I don't see this as a roadblock, but as another opportunity to work with the community on the project," said Richard Voelker, a member of the development team.

Bertha Yurick, general counsel and principal with Doc-Economou, voiced concern that a delay could upset its investors, particularly an international entity she would not identify.

The study should be completed in about two weeks, said Cynthia Jampole of Trans Associates, a consulting firm that will conduct it on behalf of the developer. Once the study is completed, the developers will set up a meeting with community groups to review the findings, said Mark Delena, vice president of Doc-Economou.

Sam Spatter can be reached at sspatter@tribweb.com or 412-320-7843.


...


http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_582985.html

Bakery Square funding OK'd

By staff and wire reports
Friday, August 15, 2008

The city's Urban Redevelopment Authority authorized issuing notes on Thursday that will provide $10.5 million in tax increment financing to support the $113 million Bakery Square project in Larimer.

The project being developed by Walnut Capital Partners will bring a mix of retail, office, residential and hotel uses to the site of the former Nabisco cracker factory on Penn Avenue.

The tax break will provide $5 million in proceeds to help build a 900-plus space parking garage, $2.5 million for public infrastructure improvements, and another $2.5 million for conversion of a portion of Penn Circle in East Liberty to two-way traffic.

[Evergrey]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08228/904464-53.stm

A new nest for the Penguins

Ground broken for $290 million arena that should be ready for 2010 NHL season

Friday, August 15, 2008
By Robert Dvorchak, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/multimedia/thumbs/2008/08/20080814dirt.jpg

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/200808/20080815rd_ground04_500.jpg
Rebecca Droke/Post-GazetteJustin Hackman, 8, of Baldwin, anticipates a loud noise yesterday during groundbreaking for the new Penguins arena.The bond between the city and its hockey team became permanent -- finally -- at the ceremonial breaking of ground for a new arena. How else to explain hundreds of fans in hockey jerseys chanting "Let's Go Pens!" in the August heat as dignitaries wielded shiny shovels with handles fashioned from Sidney Crosby hockey sticks.

"We're here in Pittsburgh forever," Ken Sawyer, chief executive officer of the Penguins, said yesterday.

Technically, a lease binds the Penguins to the city for 30 years after the new arena opens for the 2010 season. But with a $290 million multi-use building that also will be home to concerts and circuses and various stage shows, and aimed at reuniting the Lower Hill District neighborhood with Downtown, the franchise and the city have made a lasting commitment.

"I don't see this team ever leaving. This is a great hockey market," Mr. Sawyer said.

The building will be bounded by Fifth Avenue, Centre Avenue and Washington Place.

While the ceremonial shovels scooped up a mound of fresh dirt placed at what one day will be center ice of a six-story structure covering eight acres, they also buried a decade of frustrations and acrimony that built up in the quest to replace Mellon Arena, the oldest venue in the National Hockey League.

The Penguins had explored options in such places as Kansas City and Las Vegas before a financing package for a new arena was cobbled together 18 months ago.

With no local tax money available, the key money comes from an economic development fund created as part of the state gaming laws, although it was lost on no one that work on a North Shore slots parlor has been halted while construction of the new arena is just ramping up.

On this day of celebration, owner Mario Lemieux said the purpose of visiting those other cities was "to have a nice dinner and come back." Despite the frustrations of a drawn-out process, the team owner and Hall of Fame player said the goal all along was to keep the Penguins here.

"It's been a long time coming. It's something that's exciting for all of us," Mr. Lemieux said following the ceremonies.

The new arena will be owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority. The authority, which was responsible for property acquisition and site development, already has turned over the site to the Penguins. As the primary tenant, the team is responsible for design and construction. The building also will be used for such sporting events as college basketball tournaments, indoor soccer, tennis and a variety of concerts and stage events.

At 720,000 square feet, the new building could absorb Mellon Arena and have 300,000 square feet to spare. It will have 18,087 seats for hockey -- a nod to Sidney Crosby's No. 87 -- or 1,147 more seats than the old arena. It also will offer more luxury suites -- 62 to Mellon's 52 -- and more club seats -- 2,000 to Mellon's 1,696.

A structure designed and built during the Dwight Eisenhower administration is giving way to one with the bells and whistles of the age of the microchip, including a Jumbotron scoreboard in high definition and top-of-the-industry sound system. The new arena, which will be accessible on every level to people with disabilities, includes a full-service restaurant, public bars and food court on both the main concourse and an upper level concourse, five retail shops, one concession point of sale for every 158 spectators, 11 escalators, six truck docks and an enclosed bridge connected to a new parking garage.

Fans can follow progress via a Web cam and information page set up on the Penguins' Web site at penguins.nhl.com.

Work started months ago on the new arena, and heavy-equipment operators shut down their machines during yesterday's ceremonies. The event was held in full view of the old arena sitting across Centre Avenue. Although there was no ice to be found, it had some of the feel of a hockey game, what with Jeff Jimerson singing the national anthem and team mascot Iceburgh making his rounds.

Gov. Ed Rendell, who saluted the Penguins as "America's Team" because of their playoff popularity, noted the day would not have been possible without the revenue from expanded gaming.

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato called the new arena "another Renaissance" for the city and said, "It was a painful process, but the end result was worth it."

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl had the crowd chanting "Stanley Cup!" when he said Sidney Crosby and his teammates, within a short time, will be hoisting the most cherished trophy in sports on what is now a dirt lot.

Paul Steigerwald, the Penguins' play-by-play announcer on television, got a big reaction when he positioned the dignitaries and their shovels, starting with Mr. Lemieux at center and the Democratic governor as the left wing.

"There are no right wingers. We're all Democrats," Mr. Steigerwald said, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

Then he announced Mr. Onorato on the right, with Mr. Sawyer and Penguins consultant David Morehouse as defensemen, the mayor as the goalie and sports authority Chairman John Chalovich as the coach.

Among the fans in attendance were Skip Clayton, 54, of Coraopolis, and his 16-year-old son, Dan, wearing a new hat shaped like a penguin.

"I can't wait to sit on one of those seats in the new arena," said Mr. Clayton.




Robert Dvorchak can be reached at bdvorchak@post-gazette.com.

...


and big news for the project that's supposed to pay for this arena

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08228/904523-53.stm

Casino project back on track

State gaming board approves license transfer from Barden to Bluhm

Friday, August 15, 2008
By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau

HARRISBURG -- Work on the $780 million casino on Pittsburgh's North Shore could resume as soon as Monday.

That was the prediction of Chicago billionaire Neil Bluhm and general contractor Dan Keating yesterday, after the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved the transfer of Pittsburgh's slots license from Don Barden, who has had it since December 2006, to Mr. Bluhm and his partners at Walton Street Capital.

The vote was unanimous, with board members fervently denying they had "rushed to judgment" or succumbed to political pressure.

"Now, the heavy lifting starts," said Mr. Bluhm, a major figure in Walton Street, which will own 55 percent of the financially restructured project.

"We are excited to get rolling. It should be a great project."

Mr. Barden will remain a 20 percent owner of the casino, which Mr. Bluhm said was appropriate because of his efforts to get the project started.

After the vote, Mr. Barden said, "I have mixed emotions about how things turned out, but it was the best under the circumstances. I am pleased the board approved this license transfer and that construction will resume."

With the restructured deal, Mr. Barden will be able to pay off a $200 million bridge loan from Credit Suisse, which he used to start the project, and $50 million he owes contractors. If the loan hadn't been repaid, the project likely would have gone into bankruptcy.

Mr. Bluhm said he expects completion by next August. The casino will have 3,000 slot machines initially, increasing to 5,000 within two years, if demand warrants.

He said all conditions Mr. Barden had committed to will be funded, including payment of $7.5 million a year for 30 years for a new arena; $1 million a year for three years to Hill District groups; and $1 million a year for three years to the North Side community.

Mr. Barden went from majority owner to a minority owner in the new setup because he was not able to complete financing of the project.

Under the financing arranged by Mr. Bluhm's group, the project will include $405 million from Credit Suisse; $150 million from KeyBank of Detroit, secured by two Detroit pension funds; and $205 million in cash from Mr. Bluhm and his investors.

Another $20 million will be spent on the slot machines themselves, said Greg Carlin, one of Mr. Bluhm's partners.

The casino will be run by a management committee composed of Mr. Bluhm, Mr. Barden and Mr. Carlin.

Edward Fasulo, an associate of Mr. Carlin, will be general manager. Mr. Bluhm and Mr. Carlin have worked together on casinos in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Vicksburg, Miss.

Mr. Bluhm and members of his family also are part owners of the proposed SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia. Several members of Casino-Free Philadelphia, which has opposed SugarHouse and another Philadelphia casino, testified yesterday against the transfer. They claim he might be violating the state slots law, which says one person can't own one casino and more than 33 percent of another.

Mr. Bluhm insisted he is not violating that provision, and the board agreed.

Two dozen officials of construction companies and labor unions from Pittsburgh attended the hearing and supported the license transfer.

They said that more than 50 area companies with at least 2,000 construction workers would be hurt if the license was not transferred. Gaming board officials said it could take as long as three or four years to complete the Pittsburgh casino if the licensing process had to restart from scratch, as some state legislators had demanded.

"I don't agree with people who say this license should be revoked and rebid," said gaming board member Kenneth McCabe of Pittsburgh. "That would be disastrous for thousands of families [of construction workers] and for the city, Allegheny County, and the state."

Mr. Carlin told the board his group projects that in its first five years of operation, the casino will generate $49 million each for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County in host fees.

The casino also would generate $1.1 billion in the first five years for property tax relief, economic development and the horse racing industry across the state, he said.

Board members clearly were rankled about criticism that they had hurried approval of the transfer.

"There was no rushing to judgment," said member Gary Sojka. "We took a deliberate stance and made sure we understood everything, even though we faced a storm of criticism."

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato said they were pleased that construction would resume and that Mr. Barden's original commitments to the city and county would be honored.

"I think we're far beyond the debate on whether gambling is right or wrong for Pennsylvania. The reality is, it's coming. Now we as city residents and myself as mayor have to deal with those ramifications," the mayor said.

"There's going to be negatives associated with it. We all know that. But I think if we plan and prepare for it, it will allow us to be more successful.

"We're looking at a new casino next year, in 2009, and then a new arena the following year. So I think that overall, today is one of the more exciting days in the city of Pittsburgh's history."

Staff writer Rich Lord contributed. Harrisburg Bureau Chief Tom Barnes can be reached at tbarnes@post-gazette.com or 1-717-787-4254.

[Evergrey]

This has received ZERO coverage in Pittsburgh media, but neighboring Ohio is currently in the research and development phase of a high-speed passenger rail system called Ohio Hub. This system is designed to connect its major cities as well as major cities in neighboring states (there currently is no Amtrak route connecting the three major cities of Ohio, and Columbus has no service at all). Ohio Hub is exploring a 79mph system and a 110mph system.

One of the priority routes in development is a Pittsburgh-New Castle-Youngstown-Cleveland route.

Another route under consideration is Pittsburgh-Columbus via Steubenville and Newark.

http://www2.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/Website/ordc/index.html

http://www2.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/Website/ordc/maps.h9.jpg

http://www2.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/Website/ordc/maps.h10.jpg

http://www2.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/Website/ordc/maps.h11.jpg

http://www2.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/images/larger/trainx-large.jpg

http://www2.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/images/larger/VIARailComfortClassCoach.jpg

[JackStraw]

^one of the few positives of high gas prices are that public transportation is enforced more, and more efficient technologies are pushed.

If gas was still a buck fifty, this would probably not be happening.

[Brandon716]

Columbus has no Amtrak service?? WTF?

How many more 1-2 million cities in this nation have no rail at all? We're so chaotic with our services in the US.

Part of the problem with rail transit across states is that it tends to be too slow. The trains stop in towns that have virtually no passengers and scheduling between freight and passenger service can cause further delays... Something needs to be done on a national level.

They could start by having stops only at select locations. I hear Amtrak has been known for having stops as little as a few miles apart in some cases, unnecessarily.

[Brandon716]

Yea, I just checked out the Pennsylvanian, they make stops in both Latrobe and Greensburg. Those towns aren't even 10 miles apart. Absolutely rediculous to waste time stopping when the train could be moving.

[PA Pride]

I still find it hard to believe that they are going to build an NHL quality arena for only 300 million....
Look at the casino: the construction cost has already gone from 450 million to 780.

[dugdogmaster]

I still find it hard to believe that they are going to build an NHL quality arena for only 300 million....
Look at the casino: the construction cost has already gone from 450 million to 780.

I'm sure the price tag will go up several times before it's completed.

[Gilamonster]

Yea, I just checked out the Pennsylvanian, they make stops in both Latrobe and Greensburg. Those towns aren't even 10 miles apart. Absolutely rediculous to waste time stopping when the train could be moving.


The same thing happens on a local level with our "T". It has to stop about 10 times in the sprawling suburb of Beechview. I remember reading a while back that PAT wanted to get rid of some of the street level stops but experienced massive community group opposition and gave in to them. Not to pick on Beechview exclusively, there are other stops along the south hills line that seem unnecessarily close. The net result is that people coming from further out in the south hills have a significantly longer ride than necessary. And just like Amtrak, this certainly factors into one's decision on whether or not to take public transportation. Did you know that it takes longer to get to philly on AMTRAK than on Greyhound?!(at least the last time I checked, which was a few years ago)

[Evergrey]

Beechview a sprawling suburb??? I think you're thinking of Bethel Park.

[akPITT207]

Hey everyone, first post here but I've been lurking for a while. I took a walk around town today and got some pictures of 3PNC (which is rising very fast), the Center for African American Culture, and one of the arena site. Enjoy.:)

Starting with 3PNC
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/pittsburgh024-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/pittsburgh031.jpg

Center for African American Culture
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/pittsburgh036.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/pittsburgh041.jpg

New arena site
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/pittsburgh054.jpg

I didn't have time to make it to the North Shore to get the casino but I plan on doing that very soon. Also, I would like to take a picture of the new arena going up from that perspective almost everyday to get a nice series going.

[PA Pride]

Welcome; I like this one:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/pittsburgh041.jpg

[Gilamonster]

Beechview a sprawling suburb??? I think you're thinking of Bethel Park.

I guess my sarcasm didn't make it through but that's what I was going for. I was joking that they were acting like one because they felt that all those stops were needed to cover "all" that ground.

[dugdogmaster]

Nice pictures, thanks:cheers:

[UrbaniDesDev]

Columbus has no Amtrak service?? WTF?

How many more 1-2 million cities in this nation have no rail at all? We're so chaotic with our services in the US.

Part of the problem with rail transit across states is that it tends to be too slow. The trains stop in towns that have virtually no passengers and scheduling between freight and passenger service can cause further delays... Something needs to be done on a national level.

They could start by having stops only at select locations. I hear Amtrak has been known for having stops as little as a few miles apart in some cases, unnecessarily.

Its outrageous. I understand that there is a new line connecting philly to Harrisburg that is doing well. It should be expanded upon. Its ashame that we would have to depend on Ohio to provide us with train service

[UrbaniDesDev]

Welcome AKPitt207
I love the pic where PNC rises above Market Square

[Evergrey]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08232/905306-52.stm

Transit ridership rose 6% during July

Tuesday, August 19, 2008
By Dan Majors, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
If you're a transit rider who feels as though the bus or light-rail vehicle you travel in has been more popular lately, you're not alone.

The pinch at the gas pump, though easing somewhat lately, appears to have nudged more commuters into public transportation, said Port Authority spokesman David Whipkey.

The Port Authority yesterday released July ridership numbers that show an increase of more than 6 percent over July 2007.

On an average weekday in July, the Port Authority carried more than 233,500 riders on its bus, rail, incline and ACCESS services. Average weekday ridership in July 2007 was 220,133. In total, the Port Authority provided nearly 6 million transit rides in July, almost 500,000 more than in July 2007.

Mr. Whipkey said it's the first time the Port Authority has been able to compare ridership numbers with data collected after the June 2007 service cuts and price increases, when ridership dipped an estimated 3 percent.

"We're finally able to get an apples-to-apples comparison," he said.

Mr. Whipkey said it's still too early to determine whether ridership has rebounded from the drop of a year ago, "But it's a help."

"The challenge," he said, "is to take those first-time riders that are right now finding us and keep them riding. [We hope they'll] see how much of a bargain it is to ride versus paying extra money at the pump and paying to park Downtown."

Bus ridership on an average weekday is up 4.75 percent over a year ago. ACCESS ridership is up 4.14 percent and Monongahela Incline use is up 11 percent. Light-rail transit is up 17.27 percent.

Light-rail riders during rush hour yesterday evening agreed that they've seen more faces on the trolleys lately.

Laura Reiss, 50, of Mt. Lebanon, began taking the T to her job with ACTION-Housing last October.

"I love it," she said. "When I first started riding, I had no problem finding a seat. Now, I do. You get used to seeing the same faces, but a lot of them are different."

Tressa DiGiulio, 32, of Mt. Lebanon, an actress who works for W.T. Glover & Associates, returned to Pittsburgh recently after three years in Chicago.

"It's so expensive to park Downtown," she said. "I can walk to my stop. It's a combination of gas prices and the convenience. I mean, it feels like an even easier commute than it is.

"I've noticed that there seem to be more riders lately. And my sister, who rides in the mornings, said she's really noticed it then."

Jennifer Jones, 35, of Monongahela, drives to South Park, where she parks, then takes the T to Steel Plaza, where she transfers to a bus that takes her to her job with UPMC in Oakland. It's a routine she started in May.

"My husband and I share one vehicle, and it's so much easier to do it this way," she said. "The parking, my gosh, and the wear and tear on your car and the cost of gas nowadays. [Taking the T] may seem like a little bit of an inconvenience, but it's so much more cost-effective."

Becky Winschel, 58, of Mt. Lebanon, an employee of PNC Bank, catches the T at First Avenue, right next to her office.

"I have no complaints," said Ms. Winschel, who has been a rider for 11 years. "It's still a good value, as opposed to paying to park.

"I suppose increased ridership is good, but we don't need really any more riders," she laughed. "I can't get a seat as it is. By the time I get on it around 5 o'clock, it's standing room only."

As good as the news about increased ridership might be, Mr. Whipkey cautioned that it has to be taken in context. At the end of the month, the authority's long-term contract for cheaper diesel fuel expires and fuel costs will climb significantly.

Dan Majors can be reached at dmajors@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1456.

[Johnland]

Hey everyone, first post here but I've been lurking for a while. I took a walk around town today and got some pictures of 3PNC (which is rising very fast), the Center for African American Culture, and one of the arena site. Enjoy.:)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/pittsburgh041.jpg



Nice pics. I like this one alot because it shows off a collection of vintage buildings.

[akPITT207]

Anyone know if there is something planned for the lot at Third and Ross?

[EventHorizon]

Anyone know if there is something planned for the lot at Third and Ross?

I believe that's where a Hilton Garden Inn is going up

see here:New Hotel (http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/dwtnhotel0709.aspx)

[akPITT207]

Oh nice, I think that will be a good fit there. Thanks.

[Evergrey]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08232/905280-52.stm

Luring high-end retailers the goal for Downtown partnership

But group tries different strategy to match stores, property owners

Tuesday, August 19, 2008
By Ed Blazina, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership plans to play a major role in the next effort to draw high-end retailers into the Golden Triangle.

But the partnership wants to take a different approach than in the past, when the city tried for several years to engage one developer in a mega-project to redo the entire corridor.

The partnership wants to match retailers with individual property owners, much as it did to attract several new businesses to Market Square earlier this year, said Mike Edwards, the partnership's president and chief executive officer.

"This is a big challenge for us. A lot of people have tried and failed," Mr. Edwards said, referring to former Mayor Tom Murphy's Fifth and Forbes effort in the 1990s, with big public subsidies for the former Lazarus and Lord & Taylor stores, both of which have since closed.

"I think the expectation in the community is that until we have the higher-end, destination retail, there isn't any reason to shop Downtown, so we have to do it."

The partnership, which is supported by Downtown businesses and organizations, released a study yesterday on what types of retail might locate in the business district.

The study, by MJB Consulting Inc. of New York, recommended high-end retail in the Smithfield Street, Fifth Avenue and upper Liberty Avenue corridors; mid-market stores with crossover appeal like Target on Wood Street from Fifth to Forbes Avenue; and stores geared to students and daytime office workers in the area around Point Park University from Wood and the Boulevard of the Allies to the Monongahela River.

Mr. Edwards said it should be relatively easy to accomplish the mid-market and student proposals because those areas already have a captive audience of customers. But the toughest component, high-end retail, would have the biggest payoff in drawing customers from outside the city, he said.

The business district has a high-end anchor in Saks Fifth Avenue at Smithfield and Oliver Avenue, with Joseph A. Bank Clothiers and Brooks Brothers nearby.

But Saks has long bemoaned its limited loading dock space and the need for other similar retailers to create a strong core. Periodically, the store has made rumblings about moving out if those situations don't improve. Store officials were unavailable for comment yesterday.

The study said it is important for the city to address those concerns before Saks pulls the trigger on leaving.

"Saks Fifth Avenue's departure would make the opportunity [to attract similar retailers] even less compelling," the study said. "Indeed, one has to wonder whether the ubiquitous brands already in the Golden Triangle -- Talbots, Ann Taylor, Joseph A. Bank Clothiers and Bailey Banks & Biddle -- would remain if the upscale anchor were to leave."

Mr. Edwards said Saks has indicated it would be willing to make "a significant investment" to upgrade its location in a revitalized business district.

The study said the Downtown area may be in a good situation right now because of Nordstrom's decision to open a store at Ross Park Mall, which caused several similar stores to follow. That puts the Pittsburgh region on the retail industry's radar, which may make it easier to interest other stores in the market, according to the study.

The consultant identified 15 potential candidates for Downtown locations, but the partnership isn't releasing those possibilities, Mr. Edwards said.

Retail development nationwide has been affected lately by slowing consumer spending and numerous chains have announced plans to pull back on new store openings. In that environment, it may be difficult to persuade retailers to take a chance on Downtown development, at least in the short term.

The study also said the partnership should consider buying the former Lord & Taylor building at Fifth and Smithfield and the empty former Lerner's of New York site on Fifth Avenue across from Piatt Place. That would involve the type of major investment the agency usually isn't prepared to make, Mr. Edwards said, but if specific opportunities were available it could make exceptions to assist a project.

The partnership also may want to begin offering financial assistance to make it easier for new retailers to compete in the marketplace, the study said.

In the past, major development has been done through the city's Urban Redevelopment Authority, which has the financial wherewithal to shepherd such projects and offer government incentives. The partnership isn't looking to usurp that role, Mr. Edwards stressed.

"The URA is responsible for the entire city," he said. "If we can work to put something together with a property owner and a retailer and take it to them, we think they would be receptive to that."

In a statement released by his office, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said he met with Mr. Edwards on Friday and is excited about the possibilities generated Downtown by such projects as Piatt Place and Three PNC Plaza.

"We are experiencing Pittsburgh's third renaissance right now," he said. "Cranes are dotting Pittsburgh's skyline, Downtown living is on the rise, and in historic Market Square, business is booming. We must build upon this momentum, working together to improve Pittsburgh's retail environment."

Mr. Edwards said the next step is for the partnership's board to review the study at a retreat scheduled for next month and put together a plan in next year's budget to meet its goals. That could include hiring additional staff or postponing other projects to concentrate on the retail corridor, he said.

Ed Blazina can be reached at eblazina@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1470.

[PA Pride]

Oh nice, I think that will be a good fit there. Thanks.

The style seems quality, but the size isn't very inspiring. I think the one large hotel planned for the north shore would be a better fit there. It's around 10 stories high and much bulkier.

[JackStraw]

It would be nice to have many extra stories of hotel rooms in downtown Pittsburgh to help bring in larger conventions, and also just give it more of the verticle effect.

[PA Pride]

^Yeah; One large convention center hotel would really do the trick nicely. I still have hopes that one 500+ room hotel will be built. Because added to the current convention center hotel, that would be over 1,000 rooms.

[Wheelingman04]

Pittsburgh really is seeing a new renaissance.

[akPITT207]

Well yes it would be much nicer to see a taller building going up in that spot, but judging by the picture at least, it should creat a much nicer atmosphere and that's an area that could use it, sort of a strange intersection there. Anyway I've got some more pics of 3PNC and the arena site from earlier today.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/81908004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/81908006.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/81908007.jpg

I can't say that I like 3PNC just yet, something feels off about it. And it may be hard to see from the pictures but the arena site was actually pretty busy when I took these.

[JackStraw]

well, they better be busy. They are working on my tax money!

Nice pics by the way.

[Gilamonster]

I think we are overdue for the new arena having it's own thread. I would start one but I'm not sure how to do it. It looks like akPITT207 will be providing us with many pics of the site and I can too as my girlfriend just moved into the Washington Plaza apartments. A good topic to get the conversaton going would be some guesses on the new name as I'm sure the rights will be sold. I give BONY Mellon a 50/50 chance of getting it. How about the Walton Street Capital Arena .....:hahano:

[akPITT207]

Consol Energy Center?

[dugdogmaster]

Consol Energy Center?
I'm still referring to it as the Igloo:D

[DBR96A]

ARIBA ARENA!!! :notacrook:

[Evergrey]

Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe Arena

[B4burgh]

UPMC arena why not they own everything else.

[Evergrey]

http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/308forbes0820.aspx

Redevelopment plans underway for Fifth-Forbes area property in Downtown Pittsburgh

http://www.popcitymedia.com/galleries/Default/Dev%20News/Issue%20123/fifthforbes_300.jpg

Three PNC Plaza, Piatt Place and Point Park’s Academic Village are not the only redevelopment projects transforming Downtown’s Fifth-Forbes corridor.

Further down Forbes, a single property is also poised to play a role in Pittsburgh’s redevelopment, thanks to the efforts and passion of local technology professional Michael Clements.

With assistance from the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh’s Vacant Upper Floors program, Clements, who purchased the property for $275,000 in 2007, is exploring mixed-use options for a three-story property located at 308 Forbes Ave. Describing what he dubs “four healthy uses,” Clements plans to bring upper-floor lofts, street-level commercial space and a basement business to the circa-1910 property, which has sat vacant for seven years. He’s even looked at Moby’s NYC teahouse as a model for what could thrive Downtown.

“The vision is to take a non-contributing property with no commerce whatsoever, smack in the middle of the corridor, and make the building vibrant—transforming blight to bright,” adds Clements, who worked with broker Fourth River Development. “I’ve always had an interest in Downtown Pittsburgh. It’s been a dream of mine—I thought I’d never be able to touch anything there.”

Clements, who expects to invest approximately $200,000 in the project, is working on renovation plans with architect Rob Indovina. Initial designs call for light-filled spaces, sidewalk landscaping, an inviting glass façade, balconies, and a roof deck. Once renderings are complete, Clements will apply for financing via the URA and Downtown Pittsburgh Partnership’s Paris to Pittsburgh program.

Citing PNC’s sustainable approach and Market Square’s resurrection as inspiration, Clements hopes to promote evening activity Downtown and support the Point Park community.

Writer: Jennifer Baron
Source: Michael Clements, vice president of client accounts, CONFLUENCE

Image courtesy Indovina Associates Architects and Mike Clements

[PittPanther]

UPMC arena why not they own everything else.
I have to agree but...

Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe Arena doesn't sound half bad either

[PA Pride]

Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe Arena

I love it.

How about: Pants N'at Place

or Donny Iris Arena

[qwho]

I am betting on PPG for the naming rights...

or: US Steel Center, Bayer Arena, Alcoa Icoplex

[EventHorizon]

I love it.

How about: Pants N'at Place

or Donny Iris Arena

:haha:

i love that youtube video! especially the shot of the now demolished Eastland mall! I used to go there all the time when I was a kid.

[AaronPGH]

I'm personally hoping for The O-Rena. :cheers:

[PA Pride]

^oh no you di'int.

[dugdogmaster]

Oh yes, he did. The Dirty O-Rena, rockin AaronClark:cheers:

[CAPATeach]

While riding through East Liberty, I think I saw that Hip Hop City right on the corner of Penn and Highland was closed up and there was an orange liquor license notification in the window. Anyone know what's moving in there? Hopefully another nice restaurant.... also, the Red Room outdoor seating area looks awesome.

[Evergrey]

I believe somebody asked what CMU was gonna do with this property a couple days ago...

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_584083.html

CMU plans to demolish building for future development

By staff and wire reports
Thursday, August 21, 2008

Carnegie Mellon University purchased a three-story building at 4626-28 Forbes Ave., adjacent to its Oakland campus, and plans to demolish the building to make way for future development.

The university paid $1.54 million to the estate of Martha Kane, according to a deed filed in Allegheny County.

The building has housed a vintage clothing shop and an Italian restaurant.

Demolition may not occur until 2009.

....


speaking of CMU... the following CityPaper piece should be of particular interest to hyperion... who previously railed against CMU's attempts to dominate Craig St. While the explosive growth of our universities has many benefits... there are also negative externalities... such as when a university dominates a neighborhood and strips away its soul. The other issue is the proliferation of tax-exempt property in our notoriously cash-strapped city. This would be less of a problem if A) City of Pittsburgh wasn't such a ridiculously underbounded city B) Pennsylvania allowed City of Pittsburgh to extract payments of lieu of taxes C) and/or Pennsylvania allowed Metro Pittsburgh to enact a tax-base sharing program amongst metro municipalities in order to fairly share the load for regional assets (like an expanded version of the current Regional Asset District program in Allegheny County, which supports cultural institutions)

http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A51021

AUGUST 21, 2008

Classroom Crowding

Sprawling campuses are a boon for students and the city -- up to a point

BY MARTY LEVINE

Even once-tiny schools have begun metastasizing, staking out ever-larger parcels of the city. Should we send out the biplanes?

Point Park University will soon occupy almost two full blocks of Downtown, creating an "Academic Village" (gym, residence halls, park) and relocating its Playhouse facility from Oakland.

Chatham University last month became the largest campus around, thanks to a gift of a 388-acre farm in Richland Township. Chatham also announced the acquisition of an office building at the corner of Penn and Fifth avenues: The school plans to expand its academic space, along with purchasing the last of the nearby apartment buildings it doesn't already own or lease.

Duquesne, which has been cloistered on its Bluff, opened the Power Center down on Fifth Avenue this spring (with rec facilities, a Barnes and Noble, juice bar and restaurant) and has more plans for the rest of that Uptown block, as well as other acquisitions nearby.

The older Oakland monsters, Pitt and CMU, have been quiet by comparison -- at least recently. After decades of sometimes-contentious property purchases, the University of Pittsburgh last year published a 12-year, billion-dollar improvement plan in which the words "expansion" and "construction" hardly appear. The major exception: planned athletic facilities at the top of campus, occupying 12 acres that took years to wrest from the city.

Meanwhile, Carnegie Mellon's land purchases have inched toward Craig Street in recent years, and CMU's provost told reporters that the street might become "a Harvard Square for us."

"He was talking more about banners and signage -- more of a 'look and feel' change than 'We are going to buy all the properties and turn it into CMU,'" explains CMU spokesperson Ken Walters.

But Craig Street merchants are wary. "We've seen this before," says Jeff Yandora, owner of the Oakland Phantom of the Attic. "Both universities are already eating up Oakland."

"Don't like it," says Steve Hnat, of Top Notch Art Centre. "We're competing with CMU" as a purveyor of art supplies. "Once they control everything, they will determine who they want and who they don't want" as retail outlets. He says the university tried to "pressure" his family to sell their building last summer. (CMU's Walters is unaware of any offer.) Hnat also fears "more money going out of the city," since universities, like most nonprofits, don't pay property taxes on non-commercial portions of their land.

Even students can have mixed feelings about their institutions' growth. "It's hard for CMU to get new classrooms," says Paige Warman, a fourth-year CMU architecture student from Shadyside, sitting outside Kiva Han coffeeshop on Craig. But she says growth shouldn't "destroy the fabric that exists on Craig Street."

"What's the right size for an urban university?" asks Pitt law professor Mike Madison, whose Pittsblog (www.pittsblog.blogspot.com) has often addressed this conundrum. On Craig, "there's obviously a balance" between businesses that support students and businesses that support everyone else. But if "Craig Street gets so oriented to CMU that it's no longer a service to the community," that's a problem, Madison warns.

Neighborhoods usually just want universities as partners instead of interlopers. Ora Lee Carroll, head of East Liberty Concerned Citizens, was set at press time to meet with Chatham's president. Carroll planned to ask that Chatham's plans for its new Penn Avenue acquisition include helping local high-schoolers -- by offering tutoring and other services. In the past, big developments haven't helped residents, she says: "We didn't want the same thing to spin all over again. We wanted to meet with them and make sure they knew about us."

Chatham spokesman Paul Kovach wouldn't comment on a future meeting, though he's previously said Chatham would put health-sciences and architecture students inside Chatham's newly acquired structure. And he points out that the city's nine universities already contribute much to Pittsburgh. A 2005 estimate compiled by the colleges valued their annual contribution at $3.2 billion.

Madison says universities can substitute for reduced city taxes by doing even more of their own campus policing and maintenance. And he's seen "tangible contributions to Oakland" from Pitt. He points to Sennott Square and other Forbes Avenue developments that have "transformed" this retail strip.

Similarly, he says, "Point Park has the potential to be a positive, anchoring contributor to the revitalization of Downtown, even if it has the short-term effect of taking some properties off the tax list." And "[i]deally the Duquesne development will bring people out of Downtown up toward Uptown."

But is it something the area truly needs, as opposed to services Duquesne's neighbors have been clamoring for? If the Duquesne project succeeds, Madison says, "Other businesses would be motivated to move into the area. Businesses follow businesses."

[Evergrey]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_584057.html

Downtown Reed Building tentatively sold

By Ron DaParma
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, August 21, 2008

Six months after completing the purchase of the historic Union Trust Building, a California-based real estate company has another notable Downtown office building in its sights.

Mika Realty Group of Los Angeles has a tentative agreement to buy The James H. Reed Building, the headquarters of the Reed Smith law firm.

Reed Smith put up for sale the nine-story building at 435 Sixth Ave. in June 2007 on the heels of the firm's decision to relocate its Pittsburgh hub in June 2009 to the $179 million Three PNC Plaza under construction at Fifth Avenue and Market Street.

"For a variety of business reasons, we are unable to discuss any sale of the building in any specific terms until we have a closed deal," said Jamie Moss, a spokeswoman for Reed Smith.

Jeffrey Ackerman, a commercial real estate broker with CB Richard Ellis/Pittsburgh who has been marketing the building on behalf of the law firm, confirmed a buyer has been selected, but declined further comment.

Rick Barreca, CEO of Mika Realty, also declined comment, citing similar reasons.

Reed Smith hasn't listed a purchase price for the 181,348-square-foot building, which has a market value of $16.78 million, according to Allegheny County records.

The structure, formerly headquarters for Duquesne Light Co., was built in 1902 and renovated in 1985.

The building is owned by Reed Smith LLP and 435 Sixth Avenue Associates. The two entities are composed of current and former Reed Smith law firm partners.

Reed Smith employs 650 people Downtown, including about 500 at the Reed building. About 210 of those employees are attorneys, Moss said.

When the building was put up for sale last year, Ackerman described it as being ideal for possible conversion to residential use or a hotel, but said it also could remain as an office building.

The pending sale comes as the Downtown office market has shown some improvement -- from a vacancy rate of about 20 percent to about 18 percent in the past year.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center committed to take a 515,000-square-feet of office space at the city's tallest skyscraper, the 64-story U.S. Steel Tower, and Bank of New York Mellon took about 350,000 square feet of space at One Mellon Center off the market to provide room for expansion.

Then early this month, Mika scored its first major lease at its newly purchased Union Trust Building -- with Siemens Engineering, a unit of Siemens AG, signing a 10-year lease to occupy floors three to six in the landmark building.

Mika recently started a promised multimillion-dollar renovation of the building, where Siemens will have space large enough to accommodate as many as 1,200 employees.

Union Trust's new ownership group includes Michael Kamen, founder of privately held Mika, and a business associate, Gerson Fox, also of Los Angeles, and others, including the company's CEO, Rick Barreca.

"I think the office market is resilient and on its way back," said Jon Harrigan, president of Pennsylvania Commercial Real Estate, a Downtown brokerage firm.

UPMC at U.S. Steel Tower and Siemens at the Union Trust are "grand slams" that bode well for the future of the market, Harrigan said.

Ron DaParma can be reached at rdaparma@tribweb.com or 412-320-7907.

...


I believe the Reed Smith Building is the white building on the left of this photo
http://www.pbase.com/deadwing/image/99158993.jpg

[Evergrey]

The Forward and Murray development in Squirrel Hill is impressive in many respects... but has also stirred up some controversy concerning the insane 5-way intersection there, the architectural design, and the displacement of some beloved businesses. I do think it's a shame for an urban neighborhood to lose a movie theater... but at least Squirrel Hill will still have the Manor (which serves an "indie" market). I always thought it was cool that PGH had an Argentinian coffeehouse... so I hope Tango Cafe can survive as part of the development or elsewhere in the neighborhood.

http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A51011

AUGUST 21, 2008

Development: Planned Squirrel Hill project could mean losing what's already there

BY ADAM FLEMING

http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/binary/73d2/34_news_brief.jpg
The Tango Café is one of several business that could be displaced during the Poli redevelopment project at the intersection of Murray and Forward avenues.

A planned development could dramatically reshape the corner of Forward and Murray avenues. Its developers say it will revitalize the area, but some patrons are more worried about what Squirrel Hill might lose.

"This street just shows a part of Pittsburgh that embraces diversity," says Kelly Barone, as she gathers at Forward Avenue's Tango Café on Aug. 12, with a group of likeminded customers. "To squash that sends the wrong message to our city."

The Argentine coffee shop is one of a cluster of businesses that will have to move or close if developers go through with their plan to construct Forward Square, an estimated $40 million hotel, restaurant, retail and condominium project.

The Forward Square project would replace the closed Poli's restaurant on Murray Avenue and the buildings that house the businesses on Forward, up to and including the Squirrel Hill Theatre. The Gay and Lesbian Community Center on Forward Avenue would also have to move.

"Pittsburgh can take great notice of the Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and casinos," says Joseph Divack, talking over a table and 20 pages of petition signatures to save Tango Café. "Why can't we take notice of this small, special place?"

Developers Cambridge Venture Partners plan to install a nine-story building, with a restaurant on Murray Avenue, three floors of hotel rooms, and an estimated 20 condos on the top two floors. Cambridge Venture Partners is a collaboration of R.E. Crawford Construction; Russell Mills, of the Mills & Henry law firm; and Steve Davis, of Pennsylvania Commercial Real Estate.

The Forward-Murray corner "is the portal to Squirrel Hill," says R.E. Crawford Executive Vice President Tom Chunchick. "We're trying to give it something that would really enhance that entranceway."

Chunchick says reaction from the community has been largely positive. He says about 250 people turned out for a community meeting on the project -- and many approved of the new development.

"I would call the overall tenor of the people in Squirrel Hill very positive toward the project," agrees Pittsburgh City Council President Doug Shields, who represents Squirrel Hill. Indeed, some are hopeful that the new development will improve the corner, which sits at a treacherous five-way intersection that includes access to the Parkway East.

"Traffic now is chaos," says Rabbi Daniel Wasserman, of the nearby Shaare Torah Congregation. "The city will do nothing. The city has done nothing. These guys have a vested interest in making sure that the traffic will get fixed."

Developers hope to have zoning-board approval for their project within a couple of months. In the meantime, Chunchick says, they met with the owners of Tango Café on Aug. 14, "to help them find assistance and guidance" in relocating. He says Tango is the only tenant they've sat down with.

"When I walked into the café, [owner] Liliana [Petruy] said to me, 'I just want to tell you, I'm not trying to stop your development. I just want to save my business,'" Chunchick says. "We would like to see that prevail."

But he can't pledge any specifics yet, and that worries Petruy's daughter and business partner Liliana Gorri. "Basically, they say they have an interest in helping us out, but I don't have anything in writing," Gorri says. "You have to be skeptical until you see some kind ... of paper."

Gorri and Petruy opened Tango Café in December 2002. Devotees praise the coffee shop for its atmosphere as well as its beverages. The café hosts music and dancing, in addition to Spanish classes and discussion groups.

Chunchick says they have completed sales agreements with the owner of the former Poli's building, and the buildings along Forward that house Pizza Amier, Tango Café, U.S. Professional Karate, the Squirrel Hill Theatre, and the Gay and Lesbian Community Center.

It's unclear what will happen to the GLCC – which hosts youth nights at its Forward Avenue office, along with providing other resources and activities for the GLBT community.

"We've been meeting and working on our plan for where we will go when and if the building is razed," says GLCC chairperson Rick Allison. Whatever happens, though, "We've made a commitment to stay in the city," he says -- adding that, if they have to move, they will look for a building that is on a bus line and is handicap accessible: The current office is on the second floor. The GLCC will post an update on its Web site (www.glccpgh.org) in the next few days, according to Allison.

Among the GLCC's business neighbors, Tango Café isn't alone in generating a wistful sentiment from its clientele. "Those of us who like cinema will be screwed," says Greenfield resident Bob Crosby, pointing to the variety of films an independent movie house provides in a city that has seen many theaters shut their doors "We're going to be losing a venue that's not going to be replaced." Richard Stern – of Stern Enterprises, which operates the theater – could not be reached for comment.

The blow from the theater's departure is tempered by the fact that Squirrel Hill has another movie theater, the Manor, which is just blocks away and is also operated by Stern Enterprises. Still, moviegoers like Crosby will morn the loss of a big-little guy in the age of the megaplex: The Squirrel Hill Theatre's six screens allowed it to show Hollywood hits alongside first-run independent and foreign films.

"I'm sort of a typical Pittsburgher in that I don't totally like change," says Crosby, who used to run the projector for a University of Pittsburgh film series back in the '70s. "I'm not real bad about it, but I don't always see change as good."


....


The CP's architecture critic slams the design... I haven't had a chance to see any large, clear renderings yet... but I fully support the concept of high-density mixed-use development in this area

http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A50995

AUGUST 21, 2008
Project planners and the public meet to discuss proposed new development in Squirrel Hill

BY CHARLES ROSENBLUM

http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/binary/1359/architecturecolor_34.jpg
Artist's rendering of potential new structure, proposed for the corner of Forbes and Forward avenues
Photo illustration courtesy of Renaissance 3 Architects

In Pittsburgh, it's still possible to start construction on an entire hockey arena without submitting a required master plan ... or to have a gigantic illuminated sign approved for a Downtown bus station without going through the legally stipulated review process. So when a group of developers and architects voluntarily makes its plans public, and asks for community feedback, the public should take encouragement, and the mayor's office should take note.

Of course, such an open process is only an invitation to good design, not a guarantee of it.

Such is the case with the recently announced plans to build a multi-use complex at the intersection of Murray and Forward avenues in Squirrel Hill. The project, which would take over spaces currently occupied by the former Poli's restaurant, the Tango Café and the Squirrel Hill Theater, proposes to include a hotel, condominiums and retail spaces. There would be a limited number of attached parking spaces, with other, larger lots between Forward and Murray and between Forward and Pocusset.

The effort is being undertaken by Cambridge Venture Partners, R.E. Crawford Development and Renaissance 3 Architects. And in collaboration with the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition, the project team held a public meeting on July 30 at the Jewish Community Center, where they presented their plans and solicited public comment. The event filled the JCC's auditorium with hundreds of attendees, many of whom lined up to make remarks on the project.

Many of these were positive, and in fact the enterprise was praised by enough politicians to run a small municipality: City Councilor Doug Shields, state Sen. Jay Costa and representatives from the offices of Dan Frankel and Rich Fitzgerald. The presence of so many dignitaries gave the sense that the gathering's real purpose was to defuse conflicts.

The theater will close, and a re-opened Tango Café will depend on discussions that have not taken place yet. Now we know. But an unstructured Q&A session is not a good format for elucidating key issues of architecture and urban design. And as presented, the project is an indecisive mass: Should the new complex be a symmetrical composition that hints at traditional classicism? Or something more rhythmic and modern? Even the architects seem unsure. Renaissance 3 principal Bob Murray explained, rather unconvincingly, that the new design takes cues from the handsome but restrained Morrowfield Apartments, the tall 1920s apartment building just up the block.

"Your voices will be heard. Your questions will be addressed," Murray reassured.

An audience commenter called the building ugly, to a smattering of applause. And unfortunately, the architects only seem to have concluded that in Squirrel Hill, buildings can only be executed in various tones of beige. The best lesson of the Morrowfield is that an architect can correlate the changing needs of the floor plans inside the building with the design of the façade, creating a monumental, yet neighborly, structure.

The neighborhood deserves an equally gracious effort this time around, especially at a corner that is the gateway to Squirrel Hill for cars coming off the Parkway East. (Moving the BP gas station across the street would be a huge help, but that's another story.)

In fact, the intersection is one of the project's biggest challenges. The development's success will depend on placing parking lots on slim parcels of land between Forward and Murray, and between Forward and Pocusset. That in itself is not such a bad move; the real nightmare will be for people who park in those lots -- and then have to navigate the terrible intersection at the base of Murray to get to the hotel or shopping.

Navigating that intersection always feels like fighting a three-armed boxer: Just when you think you're safe, something unanticipated hooks in out of nowhere. This is not an experience to endear first-time visitors to the neighborhood.

The developers are working with Trans Associates from Harrisburg, a well-reputed traffic engineer. If they really want to respond to community needs, they should not simply do the minimum necessary to allow cars to load and unload on-site. They should collaborate with the city to re-engineer that god-awful intersection. Traffic patterns desperately need to be clarified, organized and made safe for pedestrians. And then the area will require building façades that convey the new harmony.

...

I checked Renaissance 3's website for renderings... but none were available... so the clearest view of the project I've seen is the screen capture PA Pride provided us with

...

But I did find some interesting renderings of a different project on Renaissance 3's website... you may recall a year or two ago that there were two proposals for 17-story residential towers in North Oakland... one at Centre and Craig and the other at Centre and Dithridge. The Dithridge condo tower was then scaled back to 56 condos in 11 stories. Renaissance 3 is the architect for this proposed condo... and hyperion posted a rendering last year. I haven't heard anything about this since then. I also haven't heard anything about The Chelsea, a proposed 17-story 300-unit apartment building at Centre and Craig... last year the developer said groundbreaking would take place this summer... but that stupid litte city parking lot is still operational. I really hope these get built... that stretch of Centre from Dithridge to Neville is shockingly trashy given its prime location...

Here's the Dithridge condo... "construction to begin early 2008"
http://www.r3a.com/download/dithridge-2-large.jpg

http://www.r3a.com/download/dithridge-3-large.jpg

http://www.r3a.com/download/dithridge-4-large.jpg

And the Chelsea
http://www.popcitymedia.com/galleries/Default/Dev%20News/Issue%2086/oaklanddev_300.jpg

Also... that proposed 120,000 or so sq. ft. office building that would be next to the Chelsea on Craig on what is currently a gravel parking lot has been stalled for a couple years
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/UrbaniDesDev/NorthCraigStreet.jpg

Lastly, great job updating the front page, UrbaniDesDev! That's our "front door" and I assume most new visitors would see that post first!

[UrbaniDesDev]

Thanks for noticing Evergrey. It's become so cumbersome. Thats a good thing, due to sooo much activity in the city. It's astonishing. Your pics are prominent
;)

[akPITT207]

I'm personally hoping for The O-Rena. :cheers:

^winner

Today's pics:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/82108001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/82108002.jpg

:cheers:

[Evergrey]

While riding through East Liberty, I think I saw that Hip Hop City right on the corner of Penn and Highland was closed up and there was an orange liquor license notification in the window. Anyone know what's moving in there? Hopefully another nice restaurant.... also, the Red Room outdoor seating area looks awesome.

I took a look just for you today... Capri Pizza, Inc.

[edncc1701d]

http://pittsburghtoday.org

This site is filled with information and statistics that I thought people here would enjoy. :)

[PA Pride]

Yeah nice work on the front page urbandesdev. I feel like we have too many intro shots of pittsburgh at the top though; even if they are great pictures. 1 shot should be enough, and it will help the page load faster. That's just my opinion.

And then also there are like 3-5 Under Construction photos for the big projects; I would think only about 1 would be enough at a time. Because right now the front page loads like 100 photos when you click on it, which is enough to kill some peoples browser if they don't have high speed internet. We don't want anyone to miss seeing all the great stuff that's being built in Pittsburgh just because their internet isn't fast enough, right?

[Evergrey]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_584486.html

Mt. Washington group supports Edge Restaurant plans

By Staff and wire reports
Saturday, August 23, 2008


Members of the Mt. Washington Community Development Corp. voted Thursday to support plans for a major development proposed for the long-vacant Edge Restaurant site.

Developer Steven Beemsterboer's plans next will be submitted to the organization's board of directors on Sept. 4 for approval, said Frank Valenta, its president.

At Thursday's meeting, all 53 organization members voted in favor of the project, which would include a 140-room, 14- to 18-story hotel, about 60 residential condominiums, two restaurants, a fitness center and spa and a visitor's center close to the Mon Incline.

[akPITT207]

Is that site where the abondened building sits? I don't remember what was in it but the last building on Grandview next to the incline.

[dugdogmaster]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_584486.html

Mt. Washington group supports Edge Restaurant plans

By Staff and wire reports
Saturday, August 23, 2008


Members of the Mt. Washington Community Development Corp. voted Thursday to support plans for a major development proposed for the long-vacant Edge Restaurant site.

Developer Steven Beemsterboer's plans next will be submitted to the organization's board of directors on Sept. 4 for approval, said Frank Valenta, its president.

At Thursday's meeting, all 53 organization members voted in favor of the project, which would include a 140-room, 14- to 18-story hotel, about 60 residential condominiums, two restaurants, a fitness center and spa and a visitor's center close to the Mon Incline.

Wow, I can't believe they all supported it. I was under the impression they all were against this idea:rolleyes:

[Evergrey]

Wow, I can't believe they all supported it. I was under the impression they all were against this idea:rolleyes:

This is the CDC... which is a separate entity from the private citizens that kill all development on Mt. Washington.

[Evergrey]

Is that site where the abondened building sits? I don't remember what was in it but the last building on Grandview next to the incline.

You might not remember what was in it because it's been vacant for 29 years. It was The Edge restaurant.

[dugdogmaster]

This is the CDC... which is a separate entity from the private citizens that kill all development on Mt. Washington.
Ah, gotcha, thanks:D

[EventHorizon]

What's the parking like up there? Looks like a pretty tight and awkward site. I noticed a little area off of vinecliff street, via google street view, but it looks like a pretty small area. Has there been any mention on how they'll improve parking and access?

[akPITT207]

You might not remember what was in it because it's been vacant for 29 years. It was The Edge restaurant.

Yeah, longer than I've been alive. Thanks. Very good news though, it's got a lot of potential.

[dugdogmaster]

I've noticed two companies moving into Pittsburgh virtually simultaniously, TPD and Siemens. Could this be the beginning of a massive transit improvement to the area? Any thoughts, speculations?

http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/tpd0820.aspx
August 20, 2008

Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. opens Downtown Pittsburgh office, hiring
Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. (TPD), a firm with a number of prestigious accolades under its belt, has opened its first Downtown Pittsburgh office.

The transportation planning and engineering firm has opened a 1,500-square-foot office in Downtown’s Regional Enterprise Tower. “We’ve always identified Pittsburgh as a marketplace we wanted to grow into. We have options to acquire additional square footage. We've made a long-term commitment to the tower,” says Chad Dixson, with TPD. “We’re trying to develop and strengthen urban areas, which is a certainly a high priority for the city and region. Our location puts in a position to play a key role.”

Repeatedly ranked by Civil Engineering News Magazine as one of the Top 25 Best Civil Engineering Firms to Work for in the U.S., the 135-member firm operates five offices in Pennsylvania and one in New Jersey, and may expand into Delaware and Maryland. One of only 23 firms in the U.S. to receive the prestigious Pinnacle Award for its steady growth and exceptional workplace practices, TPD is currently working on the PA Turnpike Commission’s Southern Beltway project.

“Our urban core benefits when new companies, such as Traffic Planning and Design, Inc., make the decision to locate Downtown,” says Pittsburgh Regional Alliance president Dewitt Peart. “We’re happy to have them as neighbors in the Regional Enterprise Tower—a Downtown office hub for many companies and organizations dedicated to regional improvement and investment.”

With an active intern program through Pitt, TPD hopes to hire additional area graduates. “We have several staff members from the Pittsburgh area who had a long-term goal of moving back into the region,” adds Dixson, an Indiana County native, who says TPD is currently hiring engineers and planners.

Writer: Jennifer Baron
Sources: Chad Dixson, principal, AICP, and Nikki Milholin, Traffic Planning and Design, Inc.; Dewitt Peart, president, Pittsburgh Regional Alliance; Philip Cynar, Allegheny Conference on Community Development and Affiliates

[akPITT207]

from today
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/82408003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/akPITT27/82408009.jpg

[Evergrey]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08237/906382-155.stm

Track to the future: Commuter rail redux

Sunday, August 24, 2008
By Brian O'Neill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Pennsylvania Railroad was once the largest publicly traded corporation in the world, paying out dividends more than 100 years in a row, having a larger budget than the U.S. government, employing 250,000 people at its peak and owning 10,000 miles of rail line.

Yet in 1970, the Pennsy -- despite a recent merger with its archrival, the New York Central -- went kaput. Its passenger and rail arms would be divvied between Amtrak and Conrail and, well, that was the end of American rail as we once knew it, right?

Not on your autographed picture of Casey Jones.

Those Pennsy pieces never went away and now, with gasoline burning holes in wallets, those pieces look like huge assets again. One 19-mile slice through the Allegheny Valley, from New Kensington to the Strip District, could soon bring the first commuter railroad back to Pittsburgh since the Port Authority 86ed its Mon Valley run in 1989.

"The corridor doesn't have to be assembled,'' says Russell Peterson, president of the Allegheny Valley Railroad, a freight carrier that has quietly prospered on the former Pennsy/Conrail line since 1995. "It exists. It's lying there to be utilized. That makes it much more cost-effective.''

State Rep. Frank Dermody, an Oakmont Democrat, has been pushing for commuter rail service since he was elected in 1991, but that had been a tough sell despite chronic clogs on Route 28 across the Allegheny. The thinking always has been that commuters would rather drive.

And they would -- but not with expensive gasoline. Signs are everywhere, not least among them the tripling and then some of bus ridership into Pittsburgh from distant eastern suburbs. Westmoreland County Transit Authority carried 156,488 riders into the city in the last fiscal year, up from 43,792 six years ago.

Those aren't quick trips. Neither Westmoreland Transit nor the Port Authority can promise that. The latter's 1A bus from the Tarentum park-and-ride above New Kensington takes an hour and 20 minutes to get to its Seventh Street stop Downtown. Westmoreland Transit's Greensburg "Flyer,'' even using the busway from Wilkinsburg, takes an hour and 21 minutes to get to Grant Street.

You don't need a bullet train to beat that time.

Westmoreland Transit, with a $500,000 federal grant, is studying how a commuter train from New Kensington and a second one from Greensburg might work. That's a lot of money, but there's a lot to study.

The Greensburg line is owned by Norfolk Southern, and is heavily used by its freight trains and also a handful of Amtrak routes. Those runs could increase as demand soars, so it's possible a commuter run would need a dedicated track. (There is room.)

In contrast, the Allegheny Valley route is underutilized. It carries one, slow round-trip freight train each night. Mr. Peterson said his company would make the corridor available to a public-private consortium, retaining the right to run its freight. The consortium would be responsible for track improvements, stations and adjacent developments.

The track would have to be improved because the freight trains chug around 15 mph. The track also currently ends in the Strip District, and the right-of-way goes only to 16th Street, so a train would have to be complemented by shuttle services Downtown and to Oakland.

A 2006 proposal for an Allegheny Valley commuter train envisioned hourly service at the peaks and 90-minute intervals off-peak. There has been talk of as many as a dozen stops, among them Oakmont, Verona, Washington Boulevard and 62nd Street and 40th Street.

A statistic that Mr. Peterson likes to use while plugging his freight service also would have applications for bus riders:

"One gallon of diesel fuel can move one ton of freight 423 miles on a railroad, and the same gallon can move that ton 140 miles on the highway.''

So apart from alleviating the stress of the Route 28 rush hours and causing less pollution, commuter rail options here and elsewhere will decrease national demand for oil. As we've seen in recent weeks, that can reduce the price of gasoline for everyone.

As an Amtrak official put it the other day after another record month, "For the first time in history, the emerging transportation mode already exists."

Brian O'Neill can be reached at boneill@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1947. More articles by this author

[JackStraw]

^I have been posting about utilizing those rail tracks from Pittsburgh to New Ken since post 1, and always thinks nobody listens to crazy JackStraw.

That would have a great impact on The Allegheny Valley towns also. Since they are perfect for TOD development. Said that many times before also.

Love how they mention Casey Jones also.

[Evergrey]

nobody listens to crazy JackStraw.


:haha: hey man, I heard you from post 1 and agree with you!

anyways... these are a couple weeks old:

Hofbrauhaus at SouthSideWorks
http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd360/pittsburghrules/namu/DSC04818.jpg

160k sq. ft. web lab space across the river
http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd360/pittsburghrules/namu/DSC04819.jpg

Doc-Economou! They're building that snazzy mixed-use tower at SSW
http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd360/pittsburghrules/namu/DSC04821.jpg

also... the Chipotle at Baum and Millvale is u/c

[chiaroscuro]

Thanks for noticing Evergrey. It's become so cumbersome. Thats a good thing, due to sooo much activity in the city. It's astonishing. Your pics are prominent
;)

Looks good, but some of the dates are incorrect due to construction delays. Can someone list the projects that are currently in progress (not completed)?

[PA Pride]

Bailey Avenue rehab project in Mt Washington:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/austindaniel/baileyaverehab.jpg

Interior:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/austindaniel/baileyinterior.jpg


Backside of the Riverside Mews project:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/austindaniel/riversidemews-1.jpg

Photos taken from the West Penn Multilist.

[Brandon716]

I like the River Mews condo, looks modern yet blends well.

[Smoker]

^I have been posting about utilizing those rail tracks from Pittsburgh to New Ken since post 1, and always thinks nobody listens to crazy JackStraw.

That would have a great impact on The Allegheny Valley towns also. Since they are perfect for TOD development. Said that many times before also.

Love how they mention Casey Jones also.

If this happens, will the tracks being used be the ones on the Harmarville side of the river?

[PA Pride]

Woot!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/austindaniel/untitled.jpg

[JackStraw]

If this happens, will the tracks being used be the ones on the Harmarville side of the river?

That is a good question. I am assuming the New Ken side as the tracks go down through Oakmont and then Lawrencville.

However, the other side holds towns that would be perfect for TOD development like Cheswick, Springdale, Harmerville, etc.

Not that New Ken, and Verona are perfect for it also.

[Steel Boy]

The commuter railroad from New Ken to Pittsburgh isn't going to happen. It's too expensive, they don't know where the money will come from, they have to build stations, and there HAVE to be parking lots for Park and Ride. When Port Authority ran the train to McKesport, they couldn't sustain it with the fares they were charging when compared to the cost of operating the train.

These commuter rail proposals crop up every few years, a politician has a news conference, some money is allocated towards a study, then it sits on a shelf.

[JackStraw]

I am just happy that we spend our tax money going to rebuilding 28 every summer, over and over again, and building new roads for the Pittsburgh Mills.

After all, I bet a few acres of ashpalt for a park and Ride is too costly, especially if it could help bring much needed development to Pittsburgh's struggling area of the metro region.

[Grego43]

The commuter railroad from New Ken to Pittsburgh isn't going to happen. It's too expensive, they don't know where the money will come from, they have to build stations, and there HAVE to be parking lots for Park and Ride. When Port Authority ran the train to McKesport, they couldn't sustain it with the fares they were charging when compared to the cost of operating the train.

These commuter rail proposals crop up every few years, a politician has a news conference, some money is allocated towards a study, then it sits on a shelf.

PATrain died because it served the dying Mon Valley. Successful transit systems, especially fixed rail, need critical mass. No offense Steel Boy, but its thinking such as your's that has the region eating the proverbial dust of forward-thinking, transit-friendly cities such as Denver, Portland, San Francisco, Boston, Charlotte, & Salt Lake, to name a few.

By the way, welcome to the forum.