[hyperion1110]

Good points. I fully understand all of this. I've been with UPMC for about a year now and been in the biomedical field for 9 years. Of course the federal grants are competitive, based on the merits of the schools/institutions and UPMC has developed itself into a powerful presence. UPMC is just one aspect of the issue. My issue is with Fineman proposing Pittsburgh's relative economic health has been this sort of isloated, concentrated, local effort simply based on the toughness of its citizens. That's schlocky BS. And think I support those points pretty clearly in the previous posts. Maybe it's just my dislike for Fineman...

Haha...it's all good. Now that I understand your perspective better, I can see your objection to some of his remarks.

At any rate, I'm all for riding the good press as long as it lasts. I'm bracing myself for the stellar journalism of the bleach-blonde CNN/Fox News groupies descending on the city in the coming months. I'm going to keep count of how many times they say retarded things like, "Pittsburgh is a great choice because of all of the environmental improvements made, with the emphasis on green building...but Pittsburgh also has the WORST air in the country...worse than LA...[fade out to an image of smog-covered LA, with a comparison to the relatively clean, cloudy skies of Pittsburgh...of course, because both skies aren't dessert sky blue means they are both SO polluted!]" For goodness sakes...am I the only one who longs for homely brunettes with oversized noses that actually know their asses from holes in the ground, instead of the same damn fake-blonde perky anchor with her press-on nails and face, perfect non-regional accent, and overly-modulated voice?!

[Tombstoner]

:previous: Um...yeah, you may be the only one longing for homely brunnettes (but I respect you for it).

I think the whole discussion of "merit, pulled up by our own bootstraps" vs. "federal bailout, welfare case" is somewhat silly. I also work in the academy and public health and there is a lot that is done to ensure that federal grants get spread around. It's not a bailout, but every city has suffered and benefited from government largesse or lack thereof. It has to do with connections, who's on the inside, whose "turn" it is to land a big contract, who is considered "hot," etc. As others have said, we can be proud of our strong institutions, but let's not get cocky. I get enough mindless (and unmerited) boosterism living in Atlanta...

[PA Pride]

For goodness sakes...am I the only one who longs for homely brunettes with oversized noses that actually know their asses from holes in the ground, instead of the same damn fake-blonde perky anchor with her press-on nails and face, perfect non-regional accent, and overly-modulated voice?!

I'm with you. Julie Bologna - proud Pittsburgh brunette meterologist:

http://community.post-gazette.com/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.21.57/Bologna.jpg


She might take exception about the oversized nose part though. :P

[Tombstoner]

:previous: she's homely???

[Evergrey]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09160/975961-28.stm

Market Square face-lift to begin Aug. 1

Tuesday, June 09, 2009
By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/200906/market_square_illustration__330.jpg
Klavon Design Associates
Artist illustrations of the planned Market Square renovation.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/200906/market_square_illustration_.1_500.jpg
Klavon Design Associates
Artist illustration of the planned Market Square renovation, night view.

By now, Lou Grippo is all too familiar with construction around Market Square.

On his one side, the former G.C. Murphy store is in the midst of an overhaul. Behind him, the Buhl Building is undergoing a $3.3 million face-lift. A block away, three old buildings are getting a new lease on life.

If nothing else, the work should prepare Mr. Grippo and his restaurant, the Original Oyster House, for the main event -- the reconstruction of Market Square itself.

That $5 million makeover is scheduled to begin Aug. 1, according to the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. And as the construction gods would have it, it will start in front of the Oyster House.

The good news is that the work won't block access to any of the Market Square businesses. People will be able to visit all stores and restaurants throughout the project, said Patty Burk, the partnership's vice president of housing and economic development.

"People will still be able to get their Oyster House fish sandwich, their La Gondola pizza slice or their Primanti's sandwich," she said.

Work will start in the quadrant closest to the Oyster House and move in a counterclockwise direction around the square, ending in the section closest to Starbucks Coffee in May.

Bids will go out this month, and a contract is expected to be awarded in July.

The project is designed to transform the city's oldest public square into one "worthy of new Pittsburgh," said Joanna Doven, spokeswoman for Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.

"This is all part of the third renaissance. Market Square is integral in ensuring we will move forward in that third renaissance," she said.

As part of the work, Market Square will be leveled to give it the feel of a European piazza and to make it more pedestrian friendly. All buses will be removed, and cars will be redirected from Forbes Avenue around the square.

There will be outdoor seating throughout the square. Sidewalks will be extended to 21 feet. Trees, tables and decorative stone surfaces will be added.

"It's going to be this beautiful urban oasis with great small events," Ms. Burk said. "It will be just a pleasure to be in."

Still, Mr. Grippo and other merchants are greeting the project with a mixture of hope and trepidation. While they support the overall transformation, they fear the work could drive some customers away in the short term even though they still will have access to restaurants and other businesses.

"Nobody likes construction and we're all holding our breath about what it will do to our businesses in the short run. Obviously we all want the new square," said Nick Nicholas, owner of Nicholas Coffee.

"As long as they maintain access and do [the work] quadrant by quadrant, that seems to be the least disruptive way to do it."

For Mr. Grippo and Sergio Muto, owner of La Gondola Pizzeria and Restaurant, their biggest concern is that half of about 36 parking spaces in the square will be eliminated in the transformation. Both said parking is an important part of their takeout business, and that the reduction in spaces could hurt that.

"That's the only thing that worries me," Mr. Muto said.

Mr. Grippo said he was hoping to work something out to allow takeout customers to park temporarily on McMasters Way, an alley next to the Oyster House.

Ms. Burk said the partnership believed that the number of spaces that will be left will be adequate, although she added it could require some reflection and adjustment by Market Square merchants. Their employees, for example, may have to find places to park other than in the square itself.

"The changes require some thought. This is a very tight urban environment. It's not a suburban location where there are 10 parking spaces per user," she said.

Mr. Nicholas said he also was concerned that three streets leading into the square -- McMasters, Graeme and Market -- won't be upgraded as part of the project. Ms. Burk said the city didn't have the money to do the work at this time, but hopes to raise the funding in the future.

Overall, despite the various concerns, merchants appear to be enthusiastic about the changes.

"I've been here 30 years. I think this is one of the best ideas they've come up with," Mr. Muto said. "I think it's going to be pretty good. We'll see."
Mark Belko can be reached at mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09160/975961-28.stm#ixzz0HuLudJLF&D

[dugdogmaster]

I'm with you two, I prefer the brunettes as well. Actually, now that I think about it, I think I've only ever dated one blonde my entire life:whatthefuck: And um.... well, let's just say she fit the stereotype to the T:haha:

[hyperion1110]

Glad to know I'm not the only one tired of all the blondes (in every sense of the word!). And Julie Bologna picks a$$ :)

While we banter about female news anchors, Evergrey remains focused on the topic at hand. Good stuff with the makeover of Market Square. It still doesn't look like an Italian piazza to me at all. Someone needs to knock down a few buildings and put a giant basilica along one of the edges. Then I'll buy the piazza thing.

On a somewhat related note, I have come to dislike cars more and more (this may have something to do with my car being illegally towed last week). Now, I know this is open to interpretation, but cars are what make most American cities look "ugly" in comparison to, say, old, European cities. Density is sacrificed in the city, and pristine lands are destroyed as sprawl spreads like a disease. And the amount of resources put in to maintaining roads is staggering. More cars beget more roads beget more sprawl beget more cars beget more roads, and so on ad infinitum. We're drunk on cars!

I know it will never happen. But if Americans were really concerned with governments spending and taxation, and with their health, they would stop cars and living in the 'burbs. Move to an actual community near to your place of work, and walk where you need to go!

Now I have to go make sure there is money in the parking meter ;)

[Tombstoner]

I am also leery of "piazzas" -- the High Museum here in Atlanta has new high-profile addition built by Renzo Piano and it claims the expanse of concrete in front of it is a "piazza." Everyone oohs and aahs about it because it's Piano, but at some point you want to scream "The emperor has no clothes! People--it's a f****'n slab of concrete!!!" :koko: "Oh no," they would reply, "it's a piazza, just like they have in Par-ee...France."

This too doesn't look very piazza-like, but it looks very nice and I can imagine it being very pleasant. My questions are: 1) is there any kind of a water feature? I would be a shame not to have a gorgeous fountain in such a place, and 2) any chance it would be done before the G-20 meeting? It would also be a shame to have the central downtown square torn up during the time the world's media is here.

[AaronPGH]

any chance it would be done before the G-20 meeting? It would also be a shame to have the central downtown square torn up during the time the world's media is here.

Doesn't sound like it. :( I'd almost rather they wait until the G-20 is done with before they start tearing it up. Either that or somehow get money to fast track the whole thing to make sure it's finished in time. Sounds like it's going to go August to May.

[pj3000]

I think the whole discussion of "merit, pulled up by our own bootstraps" vs. "federal bailout, welfare case" is somewhat silly.

I don't think that was ever really the discussion... it was never a "vs." thing at all. At least that's not what I was ever proposing. Fineman's piece was just too unrealistic not to comment on it. But enough of that tired topic... the only "vs." argument that matters anyway is... "blondes vs. brunettes"... I like 'em both, and when I'm drunk enough, hair color is the last thing I'm concerned about (there's my shallow male comment of the week). :rock:

[themaguffin]

I am also leery of "piazzas" -- the High Museum here in Atlanta has new high-profile addition built by Renzo Piano and it claims the expanse of concrete in front of it is a "piazza."

I hadn't heard that before. In any case, a piazza requires feet to work and the High only has foot traffic of people coming and going to it or the Woodruff Arts Center.

I do hope that Market Square is not too torn up during the event and that the Point looks nice as well.

In fact, city groups should plan events at the Point and restaurants etc should entice people to come out that Thursday and make the city as alive as possible.

[Burgh15]

. My questions are: 1) is there any kind of a water feature? I would be a shame not to have a gorgeous fountain in such a place, and 2) any chance it would be done before the G-20 meeting? It would also be a shame to have the central downtown square torn up during the time the world's media is here.

I agree with these two points. A water feature would be very nice here and it would almost be worth waiting until after the G-20 meeting to start the construction. Then again, if it would mean significant construction delays, it should move on as planned.

[hyperion1110]

The second picture Evergrey posted from the article looks like it has a fountain at the center of it. If that's the plan, then it would be awesome. Then again, I wouldn't put much stock in it; right next door in PPG there is that "fountain" thing (which, don't get me wrong, I think it neat...just underwhelming).

[tooluther]

No fountain. It will have in ground LED's in the center in the shape of the Big Dipper and the North Star as homage to the role the square played (well adjacent buildings) as a stop on the under ground railroad.

And for the record its referred to as being "like a piazza" because there are no curbs.

[Minivan Werner]

That sounds cool. Fountains are kind of over-done, there are already several nearby, and it seems like they are out-of-order more often than not anyway.

[pj3000]

It will have in ground LED's in the center in the shape of the Big Dipper and the North Star as homage to the role the square played (well adjacent buildings) as a stop on the under ground railroad.

How about some historical markers instead of cheesy LED lights in the shape of constellations? I don't know... maybe it will look cool, but... can't we just get a classic urban park design for Market Square? Something like a mini Rittenhouse Square?

[PA Pride]

No fountain. It will have in ground LED's in the center in the shape of the Big Dipper and the North Star as homage to the role the square played (well adjacent buildings) as a stop on the under ground railroad.

And for the record its referred to as being "like a piazza" because there are no curbs.

Sounds cool. Thanks!

[AaronPGH]

I really dig the idea of LEDs. You can do a lot with them if used properly.

[Grego43]

How about some historical markers instead of cheesy LED lights in the shape of constellations? I don't know... maybe it will look cool, but... can't we just get a classic urban park design for Market Square? Something like a mini Rittenhouse Square?

I'm with you on this pj...but this plan sure beats the frightful proposal of a few years back that had a kiddie playground in one quadrant of the square...would have been tres chic, no? :rolleyes:

[Burgh15]

The LED lights will be a nice tough. I like it.

[hyperion1110]

Yay! We're number one (again!) :cheers:

Seriously, though, I don't ge this Haulk guy. I'm sure Charlotte is a lovely place, but, if we have a better job market than they do, how are they "better" by his definition?!

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09161/976252-53.stm

Pittsburgh ranked tops in U.S. by The Economist

British magazine gives city a jolly good No. 1 rating
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
By Mackenzie Carpenter, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato was calling -- no, crowing -- from his cell phone, in full, gleeful, salesman-for-the-region mode, ticking off the number of recent surveys declaring Pittsburgh the nation's most livable city (four or five); the number of front-page New York Times stories about Pittsburgh in the past three months (two) and the value of such publicity to the Pittsburgh area (priceless).

Given that abundance of good publicity, the news that Pittsburgh once again is the most livable city in the United States -- and 29th worldwide -- in a 2009 survey by British magazine The Economist was "great news, but not a surprise," Mr. Onorato said.

"This is now the fourth or fifth independent survey from outside the region talking up the Pittsburgh metro region. You have the stories in The New York Times, the president picks us to host the G-20 summit, now you have this magazine, plus others over the years. It's amazing."

The Economist Intelligence Unit -- which publishes numerous surveys and studies for paying clients -- has ranked Pittsburgh first in U.S. livability ratings since it started measuring them in 2005, said Jon Copestake, editor of the survey.

Of the 140 cities considered, Vancouver, B.C., took the top spot worldwide, followed by Vienna, Melbourne and Toronto. Cities in Asia and Africa fared the worst, with Harare, Zimbabwe, followed by Algiers and Dhaka, Bangladesh (tied), thanks to "civil instability and poor infrastructure," the report said.

The Economist's ranking is just one of many kudos Pittsburgh has earned recently: In 2007 it was rated as "America's Most Livable City" by Places Rated Almanac, and in January Forbes Magazine cited it as the sixth best city in "Ten Cities For Job Growth In 2009."

Of course, there was that survey by the Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends project, which found Pittsburgh one of the least popular of places to live -- in the bottom 10 of 30 cities surveyed -- with only 17 percent of those surveyed saying they wanted to live there. And Business Week magazine reported that Pittsburgh is the 14th "Most Unhappy City" in the nation.

In The Economist's report, between 30 to 40 indicators were considered under five categories: stability, health care, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. The Economist used its own analysts plus statistics and input from correspondents in each city.

"The idea was that the city presenting the least challenges to your lifestyle would be deemed the most livable," said Mr. Copestake -- in other words, cities that aren't too big, too crowded or too crime-ridden. Pittsburgh's medical centers and its cultural amenities -- unusual for a city of its size -- helped propel it up the charts, he added.

The actual differences in scores between U.S. cities was fairly small, he noted. "All of the cities in the U.S. are comparable in livability terms," he said, noting that the lowest scoring city, Lexington, Ky., at 85 percent, was only a few points lower than Pittsburgh, at 92 percent.

While Mr. Copestake obviously hasn't experienced our famous tunnel traffic, he noted that because of our population loss, "that means less people needing services so they're not overburdened."

And that's exactly the problem with these "most livable" contests, countered Jake Haulk, president of the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy.

"Livability is in the eye of the beholder," he said, noting surveys tend to overvalue cultural institutions -- which benefit relatively few people -- and undervalue economic indicators such as job growth and low taxes, which benefit many. Places like Charlotte, N.C., attracted people for that reason, he said.

"I would think that livability would have to do with finding a good job. If you're just looking at cultural things, sure, Pittsburgh is a nice place to live, if you can afford to send your kids to private schools or live in the suburbs and pay high taxes for good schools, but people tend to go where they can find work."

Nonsense, said Mr. Onorato.

"No one is claiming Pittsburgh is perfect," he said, noting that Mr. Haulk "bragged a few years ago about how great Charlotte is, and now Charlotte is in total collapse."

Mackenzie Carpenter can be reached at mcarpenter@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1949.
First published on June 10, 2009 at 12:00 am

[bradjl2009]

Yay! We're number one (again!) :cheers:

Seriously, though, I don't ge this Haulk guy. I'm sure Charlotte is a lovely place, but, if we have a better job market than they do, how are they "better" by his definition?!

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09161/976252-53.stm

Pittsburgh ranked tops in U.S. by The Economist

British magazine gives city a jolly good No. 1 rating
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
By Mackenzie Carpenter, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato was calling -- no, crowing -- from his cell phone, in full, gleeful, salesman-for-the-region mode, ticking off the number of recent surveys declaring Pittsburgh the nation's most livable city (four or five); the number of front-page New York Times stories about Pittsburgh in the past three months (two) and the value of such publicity to the Pittsburgh area (priceless).

Given that abundance of good publicity, the news that Pittsburgh once again is the most livable city in the United States -- and 29th worldwide -- in a 2009 survey by British magazine The Economist was "great news, but not a surprise," Mr. Onorato said.

"This is now the fourth or fifth independent survey from outside the region talking up the Pittsburgh metro region. You have the stories in The New York Times, the president picks us to host the G-20 summit, now you have this magazine, plus others over the years. It's amazing."

The Economist Intelligence Unit -- which publishes numerous surveys and studies for paying clients -- has ranked Pittsburgh first in U.S. livability ratings since it started measuring them in 2005, said Jon Copestake, editor of the survey.

Of the 140 cities considered, Vancouver, B.C., took the top spot worldwide, followed by Vienna, Melbourne and Toronto. Cities in Asia and Africa fared the worst, with Harare, Zimbabwe, followed by Algiers and Dhaka, Bangladesh (tied), thanks to "civil instability and poor infrastructure," the report said.

The Economist's ranking is just one of many kudos Pittsburgh has earned recently: In 2007 it was rated as "America's Most Livable City" by Places Rated Almanac, and in January Forbes Magazine cited it as the sixth best city in "Ten Cities For Job Growth In 2009."

Of course, there was that survey by the Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends project, which found Pittsburgh one of the least popular of places to live -- in the bottom 10 of 30 cities surveyed -- with only 17 percent of those surveyed saying they wanted to live there. And Business Week magazine reported that Pittsburgh is the 14th "Most Unhappy City" in the nation.

In The Economist's report, between 30 to 40 indicators were considered under five categories: stability, health care, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. The Economist used its own analysts plus statistics and input from correspondents in each city.

"The idea was that the city presenting the least challenges to your lifestyle would be deemed the most livable," said Mr. Copestake -- in other words, cities that aren't too big, too crowded or too crime-ridden. Pittsburgh's medical centers and its cultural amenities -- unusual for a city of its size -- helped propel it up the charts, he added.

The actual differences in scores between U.S. cities was fairly small, he noted. "All of the cities in the U.S. are comparable in livability terms," he said, noting that the lowest scoring city, Lexington, Ky., at 85 percent, was only a few points lower than Pittsburgh, at 92 percent.

While Mr. Copestake obviously hasn't experienced our famous tunnel traffic, he noted that because of our population loss, "that means less people needing services so they're not overburdened."

And that's exactly the problem with these "most livable" contests, countered Jake Haulk, president of the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy.

"Livability is in the eye of the beholder," he said, noting surveys tend to overvalue cultural institutions -- which benefit relatively few people -- and undervalue economic indicators such as job growth and low taxes, which benefit many. Places like Charlotte, N.C., attracted people for that reason, he said.

"I would think that livability would have to do with finding a good job. If you're just looking at cultural things, sure, Pittsburgh is a nice place to live, if you can afford to send your kids to private schools or live in the suburbs and pay high taxes for good schools, but people tend to go where they can find work."

Nonsense, said Mr. Onorato.

"No one is claiming Pittsburgh is perfect," he said, noting that Mr. Haulk "bragged a few years ago about how great Charlotte is, and now Charlotte is in total collapse."

Mackenzie Carpenter can be reached at mcarpenter@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1949.
First published on June 10, 2009 at 12:00 am

Haulk is a sterotypical conservative "yinzer" who wants Pittsburgh to be like the Sun Belt instead of a Northeast City. Go to their web site and read the "Why 10,000 people leave Agh County" every year. I ran through it but I could tell they kept trying to compare Pittsburgh to the Sun Belt:yuck: . Notice the Allegheny Institute is a conservative group and everyone remembers how it seemed the "boom times" under conservative Bush only seemed to benefit the sprawling areas of the South and not the Northeast.

[PittPenn 03]

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09161/976183-28.stm

Hotel, offices planned for Oakland
Health department site to be redeveloped
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Allegheny County Health Department building in Oakland could give way to a 120-room hotel, office or classroom space, and a parking garage as part of a $35 million plan being pitched by an O'Hara developer.

Massaro Corp., in partnership with Kratsa Properties and Langholz Wilson Ellis, was selected yesterday by county officials to redevelop the three-acre property at 3333 Forbes Avenue, situated at the entrance to Oakland's bustling commercial, medical, and university corridor.

The team was among five developers, including Oxford Development Co. and the Cleveland-based Ferchill Group, that responded to a request for a proposal in November by the county seeking interest in revamping the site.

"All five proposals were very good, but this one was clearly the best one," said Dennis Davin, the county's economic development director.

As part of its proposal, the Massaro team will pay the county $4.9 million for the building and property, which is assessed at nearly $5.2 million but currently tax exempt. Mr. Davin said the $4.9 million was the highest offer received for the property.

"That's one of the beauties of this and one of the reasons the decision was made to put this out to a request for proposals in the first place -- to put it back onto the tax rolls," he said.

Before any redevelopment can happen, the transfer must be approved by County Council. Mr. Davin said he hoped to get the sale before the body in the next two weeks.

Still to be decided is what happens to about 400 employees in the building, which houses health department administrative offices and its fee and permit center.

Mr. Davin said the building will probably be demolished as part of the redevelopment plans. The employees could end up staying on the property in a 135,000-square-foot building Massaro is proposing to build, or they could be moved elsewhere, possibly with the developer's help.

One possible relocation could be to the department's Clack Health Center complex in Lawrenceville, but Mr. Davin said it was too early to say.

The 135,000-square-foot building planned by Massaro could end up housing offices, classroom space or some combination of the two. The health department property fronts on both Forbes and Fifth avenues and is adjacent to the Carlow College campus.

In addition, the development team intends to build a 120-room hotel, most likely a Marriott, at the site, as well as a 500-space parking garage, an upgrade over the 80 spaces now available.

Mr. Davin said the Massaro proposal was the "most comprehensive" of the five received. Before any work can start, the county, in addition to getting council's approval, must negotiate a final sales and development agreement.

That likely will take at least 60 days. The project probably won't be nearing its completion until sometime in mid- to late 2011 or 2012. Massaro officials could not be reached for comment.

Besides Massaro, Oxford and Ferchill, others submitting proposals were Burns & Scalo Real Estate Services Inc. and Fourth River Development LLC, which teamed up with Carlow.

The project's timing couldn't be better. Earlier this year, a proposed $150 million office, residential and hotel development was delayed indefinitely because of the economy and tight credit markets.

The developer, FWG Realty Inc., had planned to build more than 1 million square feet of space on a 10-acre site bounded by Fifth, Forbes and Craft avenues near the health department building for physicians offices and businesses, condominiums, a 200- to 250-room hotel and a parking garage. The project was to have been completed in phases over five to seven years

Read more: http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09161/976183-28.stm#ixzz0I2Qmx0Jx&C

[PittPenn 03]

Haulk is a sterotypical conservative "yinzer" who wants Pittsburgh to be like the Sun Belt instead of a Northeast City. Go to their web site and read the "Why 10,000 people leave Agh County" every year. I ran through it but I could tell they kept trying to compare Pittsburgh to the Sun Belt:yuck: . Notice the Allegheny Institute is a conservative group and everyone remembers how it seemed the "boom times" under conservative Bush only seemed to benefit the sprawling areas of the South and not the Northeast.

I can understand reality checks and such, but I am not sure why anything positive that is reported for this city has to have someone quoted to try to deflate the news. Isn't this the group that always has to chime in our employment reports to spin them negatively even when they are great for our metro? You wouldn't see this sort of negative spin in a sunbelt sprawler even if deserved. It is the constant potshots like these that help make people so down on this city. I wish the press here would resist the urge to always do this. It might be appropriate at times, but IMO it was not necessary in this case.

[hyperion1110]

That Oakland development seems very promising. That whole entrance into Oakland on Forbes is kind of ugly, and the current health department area is really a waste of space. I'm a bit confused, though, as to why they would only be planning 135K sq ft office building. BST3 is almost three times the size, while being only ten stories. I'm sure they could get a zoning variance, if need be, for the extra height. But 135K just seems low to me. The Oakland market could support a few million square feet more office space.

[PGHFan]

It is amazing to me that those who live in an area that has so many laurels heaped upon it want to discredit any good news. Fair and balanced reporting is important, but there is nothing wrong in taking pride in what has been achieved. With the G-20 coming up, it will be interesting to see if locals try to dissuade the national media that, in fact, Pittsburgh is a good place to live, work, go to school, research, recreate, and enjoy a rich cultural life.

[Tombstoner]

That Oakland development seems very promising. That whole entrance into Oakland on Forbes is kind of ugly, and the current health department area is really a waste of space. I'm a bit confused, though, as to why they would only be planning 135K sq ft office building. BST3 is almost three times the size, while being only ten stories. I'm sure they could get a zoning variance, if need be, for the extra height. But 135K just seems low to me. The Oakland market could support a few million square feet more office space.

I agree; 135K seems really modest for such a prime location and the Oakland market. Of course, a Marriott and the parking garage will be built on the 3 acres as well, but a signature building (even if not a tower) at the Oakland portal could be at least 200-300K.

[themaguffin]

I just hope they can hide the yinzers and realize what makes a better presentation. For an example of how to present the area badly, look no further than the beloved (and despite what I am about to write I enjoy them too) Pittsburgh series by WQED.

Seriously, it's like they have a goal of picking the oldest, most Pittsburghese residents who never have traveled ANYWHERE. Fortunately there are some good interviews too, but the worst ones are hard to sit through.

[pj3000]

I just hope they can hide the yinzers and realize what makes a better presentation. For an example of how to present the area badly, look no further than the beloved (and despite what I am about to write I enjoy them too) Pittsburgh series by WQED.

Seriously, it's like they have a goal of picking the oldest, most Pittsburghese residents who never have traveled ANYWHERE. Fortunately there are some good interviews too, but the worst ones are hard to sit through.

:haha: You're absolutely right. I've checked that whole series out from the library and have thought the same thing. The bike messenger in the "Downtown Pittsburgh" feature is one of my favorites.

[hyperion1110]

I just hope they can hide the yinzers and realize what makes a better presentation. For an example of how to present the area badly, look no further than the beloved (and despite what I am about to write I enjoy them too) Pittsburgh series by WQED.

Seriously, it's like they have a goal of picking the oldest, most Pittsburghese residents who never have traveled ANYWHERE. Fortunately there are some good interviews too, but the worst ones are hard to sit through.

Haha...quite true. I think WQED TV is run by old people, for old people. The radio station is awesome, though. In my mind, the fact that we have a listener-supported, non-commercial classical music station in our city is a testament to the cultural vitality of the city, not to mention the sense of civic duty in supporting the station (if you haven't done it, try listening to 89.3 FM on your ride to and from work...it's a really good way to remind yourself that there is something more beyond the mundane aspects of your job).

One of the things I have noticed over the years is that residents of the city proper, by and large, are not yinzers. Yes, there is the legion of AARP grandmothers out there. However, amongst those under 60, I'd have to say the notable majority of yinzers are from the 'burbs (again, in my experience). (NOTE: I don't use the word "yinzer" to disparage our dialect, Pittsburghese, which I have always loved; rather, I use the word to denote those who tend to see Pittsburgh as it is as lesser, by dint of being now and not then, when compared to Pittsburgh as they "remember" it).

[bradjl2009]

I just hope they can hide the yinzers and realize what makes a better presentation. For an example of how to present the area badly, look no further than the beloved (and despite what I am about to write I enjoy them too) Pittsburgh series by WQED.

Seriously, it's like they have a goal of picking the oldest, most Pittsburghese residents who never have traveled ANYWHERE. Fortunately there are some good interviews too, but the worst ones are hard to sit through.

Of course they did! They whole series is about reliving the glory days for the old "yinzers"(I use quotes since i'm using it for the old ppl who are bitter) who want to remember how everything used to be and want the mills to reopen tomorrow. Plus, I doubt some of those old ones have ever left Pittsburgh.

[MattofSloppyVariety]

Just a sidenote, i have to say that the new street lights they are putting in are amazing. Much better lighting!

[EventHorizon]

Here's some updated pictures of the casino project

All courtesy of rmcgervey (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcgervey/) over at Flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2075/3615447859_bb7f5d9dc4_b.jpg
Larger version (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2075/3615447859_f9a8b4015f_o.jpg)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3616269388_054aee83cb_b.jpg
Larger version (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3616269388_85224e0a1f_o.jpg)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3634/3616277342_de2aca6007_b.jpg
Larger version (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3634/3616277342_79c229f4d2_o.jpg)

[PA Pride]

Nice find. Thanks. The casino looks half decent from the water level.

[AaronPGH]

That fucking garage!

[bradjl2009]

The casino building itself looks pretty nice. Now the garage is another story.

[Black-n-Gold]

Did they ever straighten up the garage? Wasn't it like a foot or more out of plumb at the upper levels?

What ever happened with that?

[Steel Boy]

I saw the garage from the back coming in on Ohio River Blvd. Really, really, really, REALLY ugly piece of concrete. I don't think they'll be much spinoff biz from this casino - once people are parked, they're not going to venture out. And a lot of the senior citizens will be coming on tour buses, so they're definitely not leaving the casino.

[Black-n-Gold]

I saw the garage from the back coming in on Ohio River Blvd. Really, really, really, REALLY ugly piece of concrete. I don't think they'll be much spinoff biz from this casino - once people are parked, they're not going to venture out. And a lot of the senior citizens will be coming on tour buses, so they're definitely not leaving the casino.

I think that would be the point (for a casino owner, that is).

[Steel Boy]

Exactly. It will be its own little island on the north bank of the Ohio River. The old people aren't going to venture any further than their cars to leave the garage.

[DBR96A]

There's a reason casinos have retail stores, restaurants and nightclubs as part of their design: to discourage people from leaving the casino.

[Wave]

So it looks like they are attaching a nice little casino to the parking garage they are building on the north side.:rolleyes:

[bradjl2009]

Exactly. It will be its own little island on the north bank of the Ohio River. The old people aren't going to venture any further than their cars to leave the garage.
No one hardly ever leave the casino until they want to leave. They esp won't leave if you have to pay to park in the manouth. I find the casino it's self to look nice especially while on the gateway clipper. the garage is terrible though; wonder what this decorative screening is:shrug: .

[Gilamonster]

I went to the Arts Festival today. That is a great event for the city.

[biscuit]

I'm hoping this is satire. If not it is perhaps the most smug, misinformed and insulting piece of garbage I've read.

http://http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/G20_Pittsburgh_Didn_t_Invite_You_to_the_Party_6996.html


G20: Pittsburgh Didn’t Invite You to the Party
by Hannah E. Dobbz‚ Jun. 04‚ 2009


Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a post-industrial city that saw the collapse of big steel and the rise of poverty. It is a place where the plural of “you” is “yinz.” And it is only here where my neighbor would have a Steelers helmet tattooed around his entire skull.

But Pittsburgh is also the unlikely winner of the G-20 award; that grand prize to host the Group of Twenty – a body that represents 19 of the world's largest national economies, plus the European Union. And while some are excited to shine their city’s shoes and put its best foot forward, other disenfranchised locals must endure the event’s unwanted repercussions.

When a city is elected to host an entity such as the G-20, the whole region must stretch and bend with the expectations of out-of-towners. In preparation for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, officials performed clean-up sweeps to disinfect the city of its homeless, drug-users, refugees and other undesirables. In Sept. 2008, police preemptively raided the homes of numerous Minneapolis residents before the Republican National Convention (and its respective protests) across the river in St. Paul. During the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Summit in Miami in 2003, police chief John Timoney literally transformed the city into a police state war zone with tanks, blockades and “non-lethal” (but severely damaging) artillery.

From those interested in advertising Pittsburgh internationally for the economic boost, to the anti-capitalists heartily opposing the presence of the G-20 on their local turf, to the regular Iron City Beer-drinking, front-porch sitting, eighth-grade educated yinzer, the G-20’s September vacation spot choice will affect them all.

Obama selected Pittsburgh because of its resilience in the face of economic depression after the steel industry skipped town in the early ‘80s. In some ways, he’s right on; that is, while the rest of the country began its recession in late 2007, Pittsburgh tanked almost three decades ago and has had all that time to recover. Because of this, the city hasn’t felt the clench of the economic crisis as much as other, particularly wealthier cities. Property is cheap and jobs are plentiful, albeit low-paying.

So locals have found a happy medium, it seems. Most people are relatively poor, but very few are homeless compared to larger cities like Philadelphia or New York. People appear to be getting by despite the Rust Belt stigma, and for a long time, Pittsburghers have been proud of their economically turbulent roots.

Obama has not been the only one to see potential in this ramshackle city, however. In the past few years, gentrification has become a central issue to activists and impoverished locals. The East Liberty neighborhood has seen a recent glut of historic brick buildings razed to make way for aesthetically void shopping-mall façades. Some have even attempted to rename the district “The East Side,” simultaneously doing away with implications of poverty and crime.

Furthermore, the Garfield neighborhood is being thoroughly bought up by the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation – an entity that doles the properties back to buyers who pass a screening process, ensuring an intentional, “arts focused” neighborhood. Each gentrification process is shrouded in its own code words.

The fear of many Pittsburghers is that the G-20 will bring more than just police repression; it will also bring a heavy-handed brand of gentrification that will siphon in wealthy migrants from all over the country. By hosting his convention in this city, Obama wants to send a message to the rest of the country that Pittsburgh is safe for companies to relocate their workers, and what’s more, that it is a desirable place to live.

For one weekend, Obama will show off Western Pennsylvania to the world. As if not just 20 minutes to the north, in Beaver County, residents refer to Obama as “a colored” (noun). And as if, far from the liberal New England states with their same-sex marriage, Pennsylvania three weeks ago did not just barely pass an anti-discrimination bill preventing gay folks from being harassed at work. (Arguments against this included that it would put bigots “at risk.”)

So Pittsburgh is expected to do what every city does when put in the international spotlight: It will pretend that these problems don’t exist. Pittsburgh in particular, will play the part of Economic Success Story. This will seduce out-of-towners into investing in the city, thus inflaming gentrification, swelling the population, and driving property values from manageable to outrageous. If carpetbaggers find the same charm as locals do in this small, cheap, isolated city, it will soon be lost, and after September, this will be a very different place, indeed.

Obama may put Pittsburgh – not quite East Coast, not quite Mid-West, not quite West Virginia – on the map with his plans for a G-20 meeting, but his selection of place will have a significant impact on the day-to-day lives of locals, culturally as well as economically.

If nothing else, it should at least prove entertaining to see if the latte-drinking, condo-living, upwardly-mobile yuppie will be able to figure out what a Pens-watching dive-bar regular means when he says, “Yinz jag-offs gon’ red up ‘in ‘at?”

You stay classy San Francisco. :hell:

[Steel Boy]

Oh my. Sounds like a starry-eyed college student intent on being an anarchist got something picked up on her anti-capitalist blog. This piece is so full of holes it's laughable.

[EventHorizon]

Here's the writer, Hannah Dobbs..... Shelter: A Squatumentary (http://blip.tv/file/1615680)

She seems more anti-G20 than anti Pittsburgh. She's squats around the country and probably thinks she has a good understanding of the area. The article really doesn't bother me that much for some reason. The subtle laughs from the white house press corps upon the announcement of Pittsburgh as the host city, grated my nerves more than this.

Although, she could have spelled, "redd" and "n'at" right :)

[JackStraw]

I wrote that journalist a two paragraph email calling out her stupidity, ignorance, and plain arrogance. Never got anything back, as it was like two weeks ago since it was written. I pretty much also told her as it is, that she was a worthless journalist that wrote for a shitty paper, and had no future in her career with her 8th grade style junior high journalism skills. I told her that a career change may be necessary as Journalism seems to be far from her strong point, and it was like me trying to make my living as an electrical engineer with not knowing what current or voltage is.

I love San Francisco. However, I stayed out there for a week with my very shallow, superficial, and materialistic cousins once. "Like what do yinz to in Pixburg, sit around an play the banjo?" they would ask. I never met people with such sheer annoying ignorance, and proud arrogance in my life. I never got the extreme smuggness that the people hold from there. My email also included questing this D student journalist if she happend to smell her own farts.

[hyperion1110]

Yeah, that article didn't make much sense. I didn't know most people in Pittsburgh are relatively poor. Is the author not aware that there is an extreme cost of living difference between Pittsburgh and most other major cities. Sure, someone here might only make 50K a year...but 50K here is like 125K in places like California.

I just love how people have to tear a place down just because they're so pi$$ed that someone else is in the spotlight besides them.

[PA Pride]

You stay classy San Francisco. :hell:

Now, now; San Francisco is one of the best cities in the country. Let's not blame the whole 7+ million metro for one dumb squatters remarks.

[Wave]

"The East Liberty neighborhood has seen a recent glut of historic brick buildings razed to make way for aesthetically void shopping-mall façades"

Wow...what historic brick buildings might she be referring to...the Yellow Cab warehouse (decidedly not historic) that was torn down for eastside. Or is she referring to the Penn Mall and Penn Circle plan that was implemented almost forty years ago

The article is so rife with bizarre conjecture and unsupported, incorrect information its making my head spin. According to her, what a shame it would be if we had investment and emigration into our city. From well -off folks that would spend and invest locally. What would we all do?? Ugh.

[JackStraw]

"The East Liberty neighborhood has seen a recent glut of historic brick buildings razed to make way for aesthetically void shopping-mall façades"

Wow...what historic brick buildings might she be referring to...the Yellow Cab warehouse (decidedly not historic) that was torn down for eastside. Or is she referring to the Penn Mall and Penn Circle plan that was implemented almost forty years ago

The article is so rife with bizarre conjecture and unsupported, incorrect information its making my head spin. According to her, what a shame it would be if we had investment and emigration into our city. From well -off folks that would spend and invest locally. What would we all do?? Ugh.

Don't forget that we are all unemployed, drunk on Iron City, have 8th grade educations. This article has been out for a few weeks and has already been forgotten about.


ok, I will tone this down as she was trying to be sacastic, but when people try to use tongue in cheek it should be obviously noticeable, and done in a humorous manner. She came across as a San Fran Journalist speaking on stereotypical generalizations.

[AaronPGH]

That Hannah Dobbz girl signed up on the Barsmart forums to apologize. Here is her apology post:

Since I wrote this article, I have become thoroughly embarrassed about it. I had no idea that the piece was so offensive, because I did not write it with malicious intent. So for that I am extraordinarily sorry.

If anything, I was hoping to actually DEFEND the city in my writing. There are a few instances of gratuitous name-calling, I will certainly agree (in retrospect, I would rephrase those). But my intent was to illuminate the fact that there is a way that people are used to living here in Pittsburgh, which will undoubtedly be disrupted by the coming of the G20. My main goal in drawing attention to the region's problems was to (a) debase assumptions that the city's got it made simply because it survived the recession, (b) deflect further gentrification, which could be one of the most relevant threats to the city's poor and working classes, and (c) use evidence from past summits to hypothesize the unlikeliness that these problems will be addressed save just sweeping them under the rug (which will invariably do more damage to Pittsburghers).

Some of the phrasing I used was also intended to be sort of tongue-in-cheek as in what a gentrifying person from one of the coasts would say (although I suppose that I actually AM that person, when I think about it). I don't mean for this rebuttal to be a defense--because I understand that what I wrote was classist--but rather an apology. I am currently trying to address my personal class issues, since numerous people have pointed them out to me.

I hope that I was able to clarify my position here, and again, I apologize sincerely for coming across as offensive.

Apparently she lives in Pittsburgh currently.

[Ditchdigger]

Apparently she lives in Pittsburgh currently.

Let's find out where, so we can go and throw garbage on her lawn. :banana:










(Just kidding, of course...) ;)

[Johnland]

Wow. I guess not only should a city spend a century industrializing in order to create a major portion of the economic wealth that put this country firmly in the company the G-19 nations, but it should also be able to bounce back 110% when that industry collapses and turn itself into a golden, gleaming urban paradise of super-highly educated people all living the exemplar life of the highest order.

Well, I just got back from a long weekend in Pittsburgh, and in my book, it has held up pretty damn well. From the lush green suburbs, to the lush green urban gems of Squirrel Hill and Shadyside, I crammed more great urban experiences into 5 days then I ever could here in Tampa. I house hunted in Friendship and Shadyside and saw so many great houses. Spent an exhausting day in the Carnegie Institute and loved every minute. Then toured the Cathedral of Learning's beautiful Commons Room, Nationality Rooms and the city views from the 36th floor windows - all for free. And to top it off, the city won the Stanley Cup as a testiment to it's sports legacy.

No, for my money, Pittsburgh is a wonderful town. I love it!!

[dugdogmaster]

Wow. I guess not only should a city spend a century industrializing in order to create a major portion of the economic wealth that put this country firmly in the company the G-19 nations, but it should also be able to bounce back 110% when that industry collapses and turn itself into a golden, gleaming urban paradise of super-highly educated people all living the exemplar life of the highest order.

Well, I just got back from a long weekend in Pittsburgh, and in my book, it has held up pretty damn well. From the lush green suburbs, to the lush green urban gems of Squirrel Hill and Shadyside, I crammed more great urban experiences into 5 days then I ever could here in Tampa. I house hunted in Friendship and Shadyside and saw so many great houses. Spent an exhausting day in the Carnegie Institute and loved every minute. Then toured the Cathedral of Learning's beautiful Commons Room, Nationality Rooms and the city views from the 36th floor windows - all for free. And to top it off, the city won the Stanley Cup as a testiment to it's sports legacy.

No, for my money, Pittsburgh is a wonderful town. I love it!!

Wow, glad ya had a good time:cheers:

[Burgh15]

Some construction pictures from around town:

Three PNC (More in the highrise thread)
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions215.jpg

Market Square Developments
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions220.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions227.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions232.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions236.jpg

Consol Energy Center (more in arena thread)
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions282.jpg

Subway Extension
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions315.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions317.jpg

Casino (and Parking Garage)
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions334.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions342.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions344.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions345.jpg

[PA Pride]

Wow. I guess not only should a city spend a century industrializing in order to create a major portion of the economic wealth that put this country firmly in the company the G-19 nations, but it should also be able to bounce back 110% when that industry collapses and turn itself into a golden, gleaming urban paradise of super-highly educated people all living the exemplar life of the highest order.

Well, I just got back from a long weekend in Pittsburgh, and in my book, it has held up pretty damn well. From the lush green suburbs, to the lush green urban gems of Squirrel Hill and Shadyside, I crammed more great urban experiences into 5 days then I ever could here in Tampa. I house hunted in Friendship and Shadyside and saw so many great houses. Spent an exhausting day in the Carnegie Institute and loved every minute. Then toured the Cathedral of Learning's beautiful Commons Room, Nationality Rooms and the city views from the 36th floor windows - all for free. And to top it off, the city won the Stanley Cup as a testiment to it's sports legacy.

No, for my money, Pittsburgh is a wonderful town. I love it!!

Awesome! :tup:


And great photos once again, Burgh.

[biscuit]

I really don’t want to give this any additional, and unwarranted, attention, but just can’t help myself here.

That Hannah Dobbz girl signed up on the Barsmart forums to apologize. Here is her apology post:
Since I wrote this article, I have become thoroughly embarrassed about it. I had no idea that the piece was so offensive, because I did not write it with malicious intent. So for that I am extraordinarily sorry.

If anything, I was hoping to actually DEFEND the city in my writing. There are a few instances of gratuitous name-calling, I will certainly agree (in retrospect, I would rephrase those). But my intent was to illuminate the fact that there is a way that people are used to living here in Pittsburgh, which will undoubtedly be disrupted by the coming of the G20. My main goal in drawing attention to the region's problems was to (a) debase assumptions that the city's got it made simply because it survived the recession, (b) deflect further gentrification, which could be one of the most relevant threats to the city's poor and working classes, and (c) use evidence from past summits to hypothesize the unlikeliness that these problems will be addressed save just sweeping them under the rug (which will invariably do more damage to Pittsburghers).

Some of the phrasing I used was also intended to be sort of tongue-in-cheek as in what a gentrifying person from one of the coasts would say (although I suppose that I actually AM that person, when I think about it). I don't mean for this rebuttal to be a defense--because I understand that what I wrote was classist--but rather an apology. I am currently trying to address my personal class issues, since numerous people have pointed them out to me.

I hope that I was able to clarify my position here, and again, I apologize sincerely for coming across as offensive.


I’ve read this four times already and the mea culpa, while not inflammatory, comes off as no less smug than the original web article.

Furthermore, as a good friend and Pittsburgh scholar once said to me, “Call me when the city population is back up to 600,000. Then we’ll talk about Pittsburgh’s gentrification problem.”

[Wiz Khalifa]

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk226/Burgh15/City%20of%20Champions/CityofChampions344.jpg


Really, my only problem with the casino garage, (other than being about 2-3 floors too high) is the color. It looks like it was constructed out of mud. When approaching from 65 it looks like a giant wall of hardened mud is sitting next to you, not a building. :shrug:

[raynist]

Really, my only problem with the casino garage, (other than being about 2-3 floors too high) is the color. It looks like it was constructed out of mud. When approaching from 65 it looks like a giant wall of hardened mud is sitting next to you, not a building. :shrug:

WOW!

That thing is even uglier than I though it would be. That decorative screening does nothing at all for that mess. It needs color of some sort.

[Burgh15]

And great photos once again, Burgh.

Thanks. Market Square is going to be very nice once everything is complete.

[Minivan Werner]

Apology accepted.

[Wiz Khalifa]

WOW!

That thing is even uglier than I though it would be. That decorative screening does nothing at all for that mess. It needs color of some sort.

Yeah the term "decorative screening" makes me chuckle. The thing looks like a high security federal prison.

[Black-n-Gold]

Wasn't the "decorative screening" supposed to be a little more curved or warped as it goes across? Those just look like chain link boxes along the sides - like what you'd put up if you really don't want people to leave. Ever.

[hyperion1110]

That whole casino project is just a travesty. I still can't figure out why Isle of Capri didn't win...

Anyhow, I thought these two articles were good reads. More positives for Pittsburgh! :)

________________________________________________________________

Pittsburgh ranked in nation's Top 20 on Brookings Institution list

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

By Ann Belser, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09168/977803-28.stm

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/200906/20090617dscity3_500.jpg

Pittsburgh beat Detroit again, but to be fair, so did every other one of the top 100 cities in the country in the Brookings Institution listing on the strength of local economies.

The City of Champions ranked 18th, which put it in the tier of the 20 economically strongest metropolitan areas.

The city was behind such places as San Antonio (first); Tulsa, Okla. (ninth); and Des Moines, Iowa (14th). It was just behind Harrisburg (17th).

Pittsburgh bested New Haven, Conn., edging out the home of Yale University, which came in 19th.

What the authors of the "MetroMonitor" found is that areas hit by declines in manufacturing and the bursting of the housing bubble are feeling more pain in the current recession than areas that are strong in health care, education and government.

Hence, Detroit (100th); Toledo, Ohio, (92nd); and Youngstown, Ohio, (90th) are mixed in with other of the weakest performing metropolitan areas such as Las Vegas (89th); Fresno, Calif., (94th); and Bradenton, Fla. (99th). Las Vegas and Bradenton and Orlando, Fla., (79th) have each experienced the one-two punch of the bursting of the housing bubble and the weakening of the tourism trade.

Pittsburgh, Boston (30th) and New Haven have relatively stable economies and for the same reason: They are centers for both higher education and health care.

"The most interesting thing about Pittsburgh, and the reason it is doing so well is that its economy is based on 'eds' and 'meds,' and parts of manufacturing that are not hugely affected by auto manufacturing," said Howard Wial, one of the authors of the Brookings study.

He said education and health care "are fairly stable" for local economies. "They don't go into a tailspin when there's a recession."

The Brookings study also showed that centers of government and military spending, such as El Paso, Texas, (11th); Washington, D.C. (13th); Harrisburg; and Honolulu (34th) also are stronger economically than other cities. Mr. Wial, who spent part of his career working for a Harrisburg think tank said the state Legislature and all of the staff associated with state government has protected the city, as state governments have moderated the effects of the recession on Albany, N.Y. (28th); and Columbia, S.C. (27th).

The study found two distinctly different "Manufacturing Belts."

There is the rest belt of Michigan and Ohio, which has suffered under the contraction of the auto industry, and there is another sector of manufacturing that includes aerospace around Hartford, Conn. (24th); photonics, such as optics, lasers and fiber optics in Rochester, N.Y. (20th); and plastics in Scranton (22nd).

Rochester is interesting, he said, because while it has been known for the massive layoffs at Kodak, Xerox and Bausch & Lomb, most of their downsizing occurred before the current recession, and the smaller companies have stepped up in photonics and optics there.

Pittsburgh was one of 38 cities in the study that did not see a decline in housing prices from the first quarter of 2008 to the same quarter in 2009.

The study reported that Pittsburgh's prices rose by 2 percent, which placed it 19th in the rankings for that metric.

The rising housing prices have also, in part, protected Pittsburgh from the foreclosure crisis.

The city ranks ninth in the country for the lowest rate of foreclosures, with only 1.06 of every 1,000 homes owned by mortgage companies.

Mr. Wial said that while every city has seen some loss in its gross metropolitan product, he was astonished when five of the top 10 metro areas were in Texas -- all have strong energy industries, particularly oil and gas.

Detroit was dead last as the weakest metropolitan area with a drop in gross metropolitan product of 10.1 percent from the peak of production before this recession with an accompanying 12.3 percent drop in employment, which included a 6 percent drop in employment over the last year and a 9.3 percent drop in housing prices from the first quarter of 2008 to the first quarter of this year.

On the bright side for Detroit residents, at least they won't feel compelled to spend a bunch of money on any Stanley Cup memorabilia.

Pittsburgh is taking care of that for them.

Ann Belser can be reached at abelser@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1699.

http://www.post-gazette.com/images4/20090617_pghrank_230.gif
________________________________________________________________


Pittsburgh bucks national trend of dwindling public interest in arts

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

By Adrian McCoy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09168/977788-437.stm?cmpid=newspanel0

The arts audience is shrinking, according to the latest head count conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts.

But some of Pittsburgh's major arts groups are bucking that trend, and say that 2008 -- which was not a banner year in the NEA survey -- wasn't so bad here.

"Pittsburgh seems to be on a roll," said Pittsburgh Cultural Trust president and CEO Kevin McMahon. "We're fortunate to have all of these wonderful assets. Many cities are much less robust in their arts and cultural scene. That doesn't mean the job is done. We have a way to go."

The NEA's 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts -- the fifth conducted since 1982 -- is a statistical snapshot of audiences for the performing and visual arts. Last year, the NEA surveyed 18,000 adults in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to the survey, 1 in 3 (36.2 percent) adults went to an art museum or attended a performance in 2008.

The percentage of adults attending performing arts events declined for virtually all art forms in 2008, including music, theater and ballet, compared to the previous survey period in 2002.

Opera showed the steepest drop (34 percent), followed by jazz (28 percent). Musical theater suffered the least, with a 2 percent decline, although it dropped 10 percent compared to the initial 1982 survey period.

The visual arts didn't fare much better. The percentage of people going to art galleries and museums declined by 14 percent, compared to 2002 figures, and those attending craft and arts festivals was down 27 percent. The percentage of visitors to parks and historical buildings was down 21 percent.

Locally, the picture is a little brighter. In Downtown's Cultural District, attendance at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's wide array of arts events has held steady, with some growth, McMahon said. Recent years have seen 1.3 million to 1.5 million visitors in the Cultural District, with 2 million in 2008.

McMahon noted that musical theater was the one exception to the performing arts downturn cited in the NEA report. The Trust has brought several blockbuster musicals to town lately, including "Wicked" and "Jersey Boys." "Those can skew the results of our own attendance. But in general we have continued to see increases every year, despite the current economic issues and a population that is not growing rapidly."

McMahon said that he is "not completely surprised" at the NEA survey results. "For some of the traditional art forms, it continues to be a struggle to gain audiences. That's why it's very important that we continue to look at a variety of ways to attract and cultivate audiences."

That effort extends to building the younger audiences that the NEA survey finds so much erosion in. The Trust is doing that for both the visual arts, with its regular evening Gallery Crawl series, and the performing arts, with events like last fall's Festival of Firsts and the annual Pittsburgh International Children's Festival.

In 2008, the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History had a record year in admissions. Perhaps it was the presence of two blockbuster events -- the Carnegie International at the Museum of Art and the reopening of the dinosaur exhibits at the Museum of Natural History.

Last year, the two museums -- which sell combined admissions to both -- had 386,284 admissions, compared to 256,017 in 2002. And they're on track to meet their goal of 325,000 admissions in 2009, said Kitty Julian, director of marketing for the museums.

Local jazz performances seem to run against the national trend, too. Manchester Craftsmen's Guild's MCG Jazz presents an annual subscription series of concerts. In 2008, it trimmed the number of concerts per season but saw no decline at the box office.

"We changed the subscription and concert model dramatically to have more artists of a wider musical mix within jazz," said Marty Ashby, executive producer for MCG Jazz. "Our audience for the year was about 18 percent above what we had projected." Younger audiences are part of that mix, he said, noting that MCG uses tools like Twitter and Facebook to market its concerts to that age group.

Ashby said he also sees standing-room-only crowds at CJ's Thursday night jazz jams in the Strip and the Cultural District's weekly outdoor jazz concert series. "Maybe we're an anomaly in Pittsburgh. But the audience for live jazz is very strong."

The NEA survey also indicated that the arts audience is aging. Since the survey began in 1982, attendance rates among young people (ages 18-24) declined "significantly," according to the report. Among that age group, for example, attendance at jazz concerts declined 58 percent.

Attendance among ages 45 to 54 -- typically a strong arts audience -- also declined across the board for performances and art museums.

Arts attendance has traditionally been highest among people with college educations in these surveys. However, even attendance among this group declined in 2008.

The survey doesn't attempt to explain the decline but notes that it took place in middle of 2008, when the economic downturn was in full swing. It also pointed to high prices for gasoline and airline tickets as factors in hurting travel and tourism.

One thing has changed since the first survey in '82, and that's the presence of the Internet. Most of the respondents -- 70 percent -- said they went online daily. Among that group, 39.4 percent used the Web for arts-related activities, including downloading or listening to music, watching performances or posting their own art.

Adrian McCoy can be reached at 412-263-1865 or amccoy@post-gazette.com.

[bradjl2009]

I don't understand either how Isle of Capri or Forest City wasn't allowed to win. Harris and Isle and Capri's plans were 10x better with everything and it boiled down to one thing. A bunch of annoying "community activists" on the Hill who said it would destory "the community" as if it wasn't bad already. Do those fools really think a casino on the North Shore as opposed to the Lower Hill/Uptown (where hardly anyone lives within a few blocks btw) will stop people in the Hill from going to a casino? Also, a few people think race may have been invloved as Barden was the only non-white casino applicant and the board probably wanted to put in some diversity so no one would cry foul.

[themaguffin]

The Northshore is a better location logistically and the Hill is a bad location altogether. Just because they screwed up the designs and are putting that monster garage there does not change these facts.

If it weren't for the garage, the casino itself would not be much of an issue.

[hyperion1110]

The Northshore is a better location logistically and the Hill is a bad location altogether. Just because they screwed up the designs and are putting that monster garage there does not change these facts.

If it weren't for the garage, the casino itself would not be much of an issue.

I disagree that the north side was logistically better. The intersection of 279 and 65 is more of a hindrance than a help. Moreover, the highway system is inadequate for dealing with Pirates and Steelers games. Add the casino to that, and it's a traffic nightmare. Now, I'll agree that the Hill would also have been an issue. However, there actually are a lot of large secondary roads running through the lower Hill, and the same road improvements being made for the North Side could have been made for the Hill as well. Add to this the fact that Isle of Capri would have built the new arena free of charge to the taxpayer, and the choice of best proposal was, and still is, obvious.

Those of you who have haunted this forum over the years might remember my repeated anti-Barden rants. Time, I think, has proven me correct, too. Barden never had the finances to build Majestic Star; any idiot (read: me) on the outside could figure that out, so the Gaming Board DEFINITELY knew it. So, why was he chosen? "Diversity," plain and simple. The result? That cement monstrosity.

[themaguffin]

I am not suggesting that Barden was a good choice, I am stating the N Shore makes better sense. Yes there is traffic for games, but games are not everyday and there is little that can be done in the core of the city to offset tens of thousands of sports fans on the roads.

Putting a casino in a poor neighborhood like the Hill is just horrible planning. It's as bad a building a giant garage like they did. What's happening is typical, they picked the best of three locations, but not the best plan. Given the value of the license, the state could have forced more out of Barden as conditions for the license, but they didn't because they only care so much about the impact of the garage etc

[PGHFan]

I think the casino decision was made same time ago as evidenced by the fact is is about to open, he says tongue in cheek. If the casino garage was the only unattractive new construction in Pittsburgh (or any other city), I might get excited about it. It may not be beautiful, but it will likely be quite functional. Save your pennies for the slots and if you want, walk there.

[cdc]

I am not suggesting that Barden was a good choice, I am stating the N Shore makes better sense.


Personally, I think we should have treated the casino like a truck
stop and put it outside of the city near a major interstate highway
intersection.

[Black-n-Gold]

If it weren't for the garage, the casino itself would not be much of an issue.

If it weren't for Katrina, New Orleans would be in pretty good shape.

Seriously, though - the design of the casino was part of how the entries were judged. Along with not being able to afford his submission, Barden's proposal was the worst of the three designs.

Explain how the Hill can support a new arena but could not support a casino?

[Black-n-Gold]

Personally, I think we should have treated the casino like a truck
stop and put it outside of the city near a major interstate highway
intersection.

You mean like the Meadowlands? Or were you thinking more like Wheeling?

[cdc]

You mean like the Meadowlands? Or were you thinking more like Wheeling?

I'm familiar with the Meadowlands, but never have been to Wheeling.

Given that a casino is kind of like an island that you are supposed to
go to and not leave, you might as well put it right on major highways
and try and make it easier for people from outside the area to get to
(e.g. no risk of rush hour congestion or Kenny Chesney concert).
(That placement would also avoid the "ugly parking gargage on the city
riverfront" issue too.)

[DBR96A]

The silver lining to having this tall parking garage is that we might have to build some taller buildings on the North Shore to diminish the garage's impact. Besides, it'll get people used to having something more than four stories tall down there. :D

[Tombstoner]

:previous: Conversely, it gives "...things more than four stories tall" a really bad reputation.

[hyperion1110]

The silver lining to having this tall parking garage is that we might have to build some taller buildings on the North Shore to diminish the garage's impact. Besides, it'll get people used to having something more than four stories tall down there. :D

If it were anywhere else, I would agree with that. But, being so close to the river would make taller buildings a bad idea. I think they should start putting some high rises on the North Side. But, like Downtown, I think they get progressively lower as you get to the water line...make it a more natural slope.

[themaguffin]

I think it dependents on specific dynamics. For example Chicago has many tall buildings along the water. Some might say that it's not fair to compare to Chicago - and I am not comparing the two cities. I am just saying that tall by the water can work and work well depending on the local dynamics.

[hyperion1110]

I think it dependents on specific dynamics. For example Chicago has many tall buildings along the water. Some might say that it's not fair to compare to Chicago - and I am not comparing the two cities. I am just saying that tall by the water can work and work well depending on the local dynamics.

Quite true. And you're right, it does work for Chicago, for two reasons. One, the river is quite small compared to Pittsburgh's rivers. That invites continuity in the urban fabric moreso than our wide rivers do. And two, the big push here (which I support, for the most part) is to restore the shores of the rivers to as natural a state as possible, which couldn't be done if there were highrises right up to the water's edge.

[themaguffin]

restoring nature to locations closest to the rivers is hindered by any building. Size does not matter in that regard.

The issues regarding size in its visual impact, physical impact (including the reality that many workers drive and bigger buidings mean more parking spaces), market demand, and other related issues.

My thoughts are that the existing newer buildings are the north shore are wasted opportunity because they very small. They could be bigger and still be relatively small as far as buildings go. Available relevant land area is limited and 6 story buildings are not providing a dense fabric that really is needed to make the best use of those blocks.

[Minivan Werner]

Hopefully when the Allegheny Center Mall is razed and the AC street grid reconnected, the market allows for some 15, maybe 20 story buildings.

[Gilamonster]

Well there is something to look forward to in the year 2029.

[PA Pride]

Speaking of tall buildings, am I the only one who thinks we need some highrises in the strip district? That neighborhood has so many great locations for it, plus it's a natural extension from downtown and there is a giant hillside behind it so no one should complain about views being blocked. I am thinking of something similar to the South Waterfront in Portland, OR. Look at how similar the setting is to the strip:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/Hype_won/pdx.jpg
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=399901

[AaronPGH]

Here is the main issue with building a bajillion highrises everywhere: Pittsburgh's population growth is still stagnant.

[PA Pride]

I meant in due time, during the coming Pittsburgh population mini boom. Duh.

[themaguffin]

I have a book on the Strip District which has a similiar picture - from the 60s I think envisioning the expansion of downtown in that direction with buildings dotting the landscape.

I think there is some opportunity there, but I would hate to see the core of the strip and its organic use and growth ruined in particular the mix buildings and non perfection, old brick landscape etc. The Strip though is the type of area where modern buildings could blend too and it does cover a large amount of land, so there is potential for some things.

I really would like to see the Northside reach that potential as a true companion to the triangle for office and residential highrises and Oakland too.

And yes of course where the market can handle of course

[Steel Boy]

I have that same picture of the Strip plans from the early 60s. As I remember, it was a project of the Pennsylvania Railroad. They were going to level everything from Grant Street to about 18th Street (including The Pennsylvanian) and replace it all with monolithic high-rises and huge concrete public plazas, which were popular in those days. Think of a giant Allegheny Center only without the architectural quality (kidding). Glad it never happened. The Pennsylvania Railraod was spiraling toward bankruptcy by then and merged with the New York Central RR in the late 60s to form the Penn Central RR, then went out of business by the early 70s.

[themaguffin]

funny you say that I was thinking more Gateway centers is what that plan was going for, it looked like smaller denser version of Brasília in a way.

[Steel Boy]

For some reason, I always liked Gateway Center. It seems to work better with people flow and the streets and traffic running through it. Plus it's the first thing you see when you enter downtown from the Ft. Pitt Bridge and it makes a nice entrance into the city.

And now that you mention Brasilia - you're right! That Strip project did resemble that plan.

[AaronPGH]

I love Gateway Center honestly....when the light hits it correctly you really get to see all the architectural details. There are a couple issues though that could be perfected easily. Imagine what the central park area between towers 1,2 and 3 could be like if they used the bottom floors for cafes that extended out into the gardens. Would be amazing....something that doesn't exist downtown yet.

[chiaroscuro]

Support growing for eco-hotel, condos atop Mt. WashingtonBy Chris Togneri
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, June 19, 2009

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_630183.html

A long-vacant, crumbling eyesore atop Mt. Washington soon could be replaced by an eco-friendly hotel and condominium complex.

Developer Steven Beemsterboer intends to raze the former Edge Restaurant — which sits next to the Monongahela Incline and is visible from Downtown and the South Side — and build a 110-room hotel on Grandview Avenue with 50 condominiums on the hillsides below.

Though the project will require the site to be rezoned because it would be taller than current regulations allow, support is growing.

"It's good for the neighborhood and for the city of Pittsburgh," said Councilwoman Theresa Smith, who represents Mt. Washington. "I am in total support of the project."

About 45 people at a Mt. Washington Community Development Corp. meeting Thursday night voiced support for the project. After hearing an update on the proposal, Beemsterboer and Downtown architect Luke Desmone were roundly applauded.

"When's groundbreaking?" shouted Mt. Washington resident Sandy Fundy.

In August and September of last year, CDC members twice voted unanimously in support of the project, 53-0 and 46-0.

Desmone came up with the plan in 2002. While driving to his office on the Parkway East from his Regent Square home, Desmone would see the building — now empty for 30 years — and think, "something has got to happen up there."

"Then one day I was in JFK airport," he said. "The design came to me and I wrote it down on a cocktail napkin."

His design calls for a LEED-certfied hotel that slopes downward, west to east, from a 20-story tower. A large public plaza would sit on the Downtown side.

Condos designed to resemble coastal Italian villas would be built into the hillside below the hotel and plaza. Residents would park in an underground garage, with up to 450 spaces, and enter their homes through the back. A public walking trail would encircle the project, and in a second phase of construction, a "Grand Staircase" would lead from Station Square to Grandview.

At one time, the plans infringed on a piece of the Grandview Scenic Byway Park. When residents protested, Desmone scaled back the project by cutting 10 condos. And when other residents expressed concern over the size of the hotel, he made it smaller, cutting 30 rooms.

"The developer has listened to the citizens' concerns and addressed every one of them," said Chris Beichner, executive director of Mt. Washington Community Development Corp. "Mt. Washington needs this."

Height issues might be a more difficult issue to sidestep.

Neighboring buildings are 10- and 12-stories high. Desmone wants to build much taller.

But he believes the Planning Commission and City Council will approve the plans because the building is sloped and "averages 10 stories, which is in keeping with what would be allowed," Desmone said.

Smith hinted that she would support a variance: "Some details have not been confirmed, but we will work with the developer."

Beichner said the development would attract $80 million in investment, create more than 1,300 permanent jobs, and boost property tax revenues by nearly $6 million over 10 years.

Beemsterboer said he will submit project plans to the city zoning administrator within the next 30 days. A public hearing before the Planning Commission would follow. Desmone said they are "in conversation" with a potential hotel operator.

[AaronPGH]

^ GREAT new! That idea of the euro style villas with underground parking built into the hillside is completely badass, and so perfect for something like this in Pittsburgh. Seriously. Wow. Talk about taking advantage of the topography. I can't WAIT to see this thing built!

[edncc1701d]

Support growing for eco-hotel, condos atop Mt. Washington

http://www.desmone.com/content/ID6b817416_3a15_4057_9e1e_578eb6a656b0_Image2_500x375.jpg

http://www.desmone.com/content/ID6b817416_3a15_4057_9e1e_578eb6a656b0_Primary.jpg

http://www.desmone.com/content/ID6b817416_3a15_4057_9e1e_578eb6a656b0_Image1.jpg

From http://www.desmone.com/, the architects website.

[edncc1701d]

http://15211.org/show-your-support-for-the-one-grandview-project/

[AaronPGH]

My only gripe is that I don't really see many cafes or anything up along the ledge....would love to have some nice outdoor garden-y restaurants up there looking out over the city!

[Grimacista]

That design looks way too interesting and ambitious for Mt. Washington. I am sure that someone up there will find an endangered fly or gnat that lives on the side of the hill in order to block this thing....It definitely looks nice, but right about the time they release a picture of it, there is a battle over traffic studies that usually kills things.

[bradjl2009]

http://www.desmone.com/content/ID6b817416_3a15_4057_9e1e_578eb6a656b0_Image2_500x375.jpg

http://www.desmone.com/content/ID6b817416_3a15_4057_9e1e_578eb6a656b0_Primary.jpg

http://www.desmone.com/content/ID6b817416_3a15_4057_9e1e_578eb6a656b0_Image1.jpg

From http://www.desmone.com/, the architects website.

all I can say is that building is simply AMAZING. that is a great building to look at no matter where it is.

[Johnland]

Speaking of tall buildings, am I the only one who thinks we need some highrises in the strip district? That neighborhood has so many great locations for it, plus it's a natural extension from downtown and there is a giant hillside behind it so no one should complain about views being blocked. I am thinking of something similar to the South Waterfront in Portland, OR. Look at how similar the setting is to the strip:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/Hype_won/pdx.jpg
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=399901

I think a few well designed highrises would look great. As mentioned, much of the appeal of the Strip is its dense jumble of mostly lower-rise, older brick buildings originated for industrial or commercial use. A few tall, slender towers using brick, glass and steel would compliment, I feel, and draw Downtown up along the river.

[PA Pride]

I think a few well designed highrises would look great. As mentioned, much of the appeal of the Strip is its dense jumble of mostly lower-rise, older brick buildings originated for industrial or commercial use. A few tall, slender towers using brick, glass and steel would compliment, I feel, and draw Downtown up along the river.

Thanks, and yeah I completely agree. I think it would really compliment the existing structures.


And thanks edncc. Those are cool renderings. I just spent 20 minutes browsing that firms website. Very nice. I like the design for Mt Washington. The park like front plaza would be awesome to visit.