PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[WePA]

Originally Posted by Brentsters

I'm kind of curious as to who owns the land bounded by Fifth/Bouquet/Oakland. It doesn't function very well as a parklet, nor does it provide very much parking space. And while we're on that block, I'd like if some public art was installed on the Beehive/T-mobile building facing that corner parklet. That large beige wall just seems so bland and uninviting.

The four vacant parcels on that block are owned by the University of Pittsburgh.
(look up parcel 28-c-70 in the Allegheny county land registry) If I had to speculate, I'd guess that Pitt is planning to buy up the block eventually.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Buzz Pittsburgh

I agree... I would have liked something that popped looking from the river (or literally any other angle). I remember an old design for a hotel/condo development that was supposed to go in the Southside Works a few years ago...I can't remember what it was called or who designed it, but it definitely POPPED. It was just before the financial crisis and the recession, so I imagine it was a casualty of the credit crunch. Still a couple lots open in/near SSW, I would love to see something different come out of them.

Originally Posted by Brentsters

That design is probably buried in the previous Pittsburgh thread. It was way cooler than the boring Hyatt design. I remember a previous discussion from years ago about the developer (DOC Economou?). I'm pretty sure they had Icelandic investors and the company faded quietly into the dark after the Icelandic banking crisis. They also had plans to develop the Baum/Liberty intersection, but those renderings weren't nearly as sleek.

For your convenient reference, here are the renderings that were circulating a few years ago.

What we all prolly would've LIKED to have seen built:






Other version:




More "generalized" renders that had been shown:






Wet dream??







And of course, who could forget this golden oldie; The proposed Southside Asian Business center which I personally thought was a cool idea. In my mind it was something like the collaborative innovative center building on the CMU campus that has been an overwhelming success in bringing similar companies together.

[glowrock]

Those renderings are awesome, but they belong more in the area around Station Square than Southside Works, at least in my opinion. Those renderings would look completely out of place with respect to the current buildings both in Southside works as well as the rest of the South Side in general. I definitely would have liked to see a more interesting hotel pop up instead of that pretty dull one that's being constructed now, but something with so much glass like the most recent rendering posted would just be extremely out of place there. Perhaps something like the original rendering (photo three) could have worked well, not sure...

Honestly, I see taller buildings (10-20 story range) around Station Square, especially with the incredible downtown views that are present there. While the views of the river and the science/industrial buildings on the opposite side of the river are nice, the buildings of Pitt/CMU/Oakland in general are cool, the views just don't compare to the ones across from downtown.

Ah well, every city has had proposals like these, and the vast majority of them end up in the shredder...

Aaron (Glowrock)

[cdc]

Originally Posted by Brentsters

Also, when CMU expands its campus north of Forbes, that giant parking lot will finally go away and there will be street-level continuity on both sides of the bridge.

CMU's next project is the new nano building (between Wean and Hamerschlag,
not north of Forbes). Ground broken this summer.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...cility-219026/

Office 52 is doing the design:

http://www.office-52.com/experience/nbet/text

click on "view images" on that web page to see some drawings.

And if you don't feel like clicking through, here's an edited down
excerpt of text from that page:

"Sited on a difficult corner parcel with over 100 feet of grade change
... the building’s form and placement on the site is comprised of two
components, an elevated three story north wing that floats over
Junction Hollow and the infill of a sunken service court between
Hamerschlag Hall and Wean Hall. ... The roof of the courtyard infill
will extend CMU’s iconic grassy Mall around the eastern half of
Hamerschlag Hall fulfilling a 100-year old vision of green space in
this part of campus."

"The design ... creates new open space and pedestrian linkages down
into Junction Hollow and ultimately across to future development
adjacent to the Carnegie Museum and the Craig Street Neighborhood via
a future pedestrian bridge."

[BrianTH]

I have lots of reservations about CMU's plans to expand their campus footprint, but that sort of infill project within their existing footprint, on a very challenging parcel, is great.

[Austinlee]

Wow that's pretty significant. Can't wait to see how that one shapes up.

[Brentsters]

Originally Posted by cdc

CMU's next project is the new nano building (between Wean and Hamerschlag,
not north of Forbes). Ground broken this summer.

Yes, I know about this project, and overall I'm a fan. CMU has developed some very high-quality buildings on difficult sites. I also like pedestrian bridge connecting to future development at Forbes and Craig.

The master plan does call for development north of Forbes.

http://www.cmu.edu/cdfd/master-plan/download-the-2012-master-plan.html


My point essentially was that while the universities' growing footprints are worth noting, they are making efficient use of the land as well.

[Buzz Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

For your convenient reference, here are the renderings that were circulating a few years ago.

What we all prolly would've LIKED to have seen built:

Thanks Austinlee, I knew it had to be somewhere...that's got some pop in its design. Although, Glowrock makes a good point in saying it might have been scaled too large for SSW. Seeing those old renderings make me inclined to agree... Thanks for the other info Brentsters, I figured something of that sort must have happened to it.

Having moved to Pittsburgh for my education, I can't say enough about how much the institutions of higher education have done for the city and the surrounding region. Sure, the non-profit tax issue comes up, but the sheer amount of people who come out of CMU, Pitt, etc. with a desire to make a positive impact on this city and this region is truly awesome.

[BrianTH]

Random comment, but those renderings remind me of Market Square Gardens.

[Wheelingman04]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

Man that hotel is ugly....

Totally agree. It looks no better than a hotel by a major highway in a sprawling cheap suburb.

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by Wheelingman04

Totally agree. It looks no better than a hotel by a major highway in a sprawling cheap suburb.

I'm willing to wait until it's finished to have a final opinion of it, but yeah, it definitely looks bad right now. Only saving grace is that the rest of Southside Works looks pretty damn good!

Aaron (Glowrock)

[Jonboy1983]

Those older renderings of the Southside Works development sure looked impressive. I do recall the proposal for One International Plaza some time ago, but that has since been scrapped. It would have been sweet to have something boosting our ties, especially locally, between China, Korea, Japan, etc and the US.

I cannot wait until that Office 52 project gets underway. I envision some kind of rail transit line going right underneath that pedestrian bridge with that bridge eventually providing some kind of access to it.

[Wheelingman04]

Originally Posted by glowrock

I'm willing to wait until it's finished to have a final opinion of it, but yeah, it definitely looks bad right now. Only saving grace is that the rest of Southside Works looks pretty damn good!

Aaron (Glowrock)

You are definately right about the Southside Works and i really shouldn't rush to judgement on the building but it would probably be just ok at best.

[George Woods]

You guys, maybe this is old news, and I've just been slow to find out, but on Google maps, there's a new satellite image of Pittsburgh, taken at a 45-degree angle instead of the old, overhead shot that's always been there. It is so clear, if you zoom in, it's like you're in a helicopter, flying right over the buildings! You can so easily discern any building in the city, because you're actually looking at them, and not just at their roofs. The resolution is so much better than before, too. Looks like the picture was taken just as Fall was beginning last year. I am SUCH a map dork. It's like Christmas! Pardon my unusual enthusiasm.

[themaguffin]

That ability on Google has been expanding over time and continues to expand (over the land viewable in that angle).

If you think that's cool, check out MSN (Bing) maps. Seriously, there map views are really nice and you can make adjustments as you look too.

[daviderik]

Roberto Clemente Museum Open To The Public In Lawrenceville

Pittsburgh Photographer Duane Rieder has spent a major part of his life collecting Roberto Clemente memorabilia. The collection has allowed him to open a private museum in his honor.

Here's the Video: http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/video...lawrenceville/

I would love to see this Museum one day open to the public all year round. It would be such a tourist attraction. I wonder how much he would have to charge to do that? Or even if he has plans to do so. That is def on the to do list.

[daviderik]

Originally Posted by George Woods

You guys, maybe this is old news, and I've just been slow to find out, but on Google maps, there's a new satellite image of Pittsburgh, taken at a 45-degree angle instead of the old, overhead shot that's always been there. It is so clear, if you zoom in, it's like you're in a helicopter, flying right over the buildings! You can so easily discern any building in the city, because you're actually looking at them, and not just at their roofs. The resolution is so much better than before, too. Looks like the picture was taken just as Fall was beginning last year. I am SUCH a map dork. It's like Christmas! Pardon my unusual enthusiasm.

That sounds awesome. Could you post a link? (I'm Lazy)

[7068073429]

Originally Posted by George Woods

Looks like the picture was taken just as Fall was beginning last year.

I just checked and the current shots (N, S, E, W) of my house are from the past 4 months based on the landscaping that we added recently, so the update is fairly new.

[haimon]

I would LOVE something like this in Pittsburgh. A unique destination, appropriate for all ages, etc. Any thoughts? I would love to see it somewhere between oakland and downtown.
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...n-here-651094/

[BrianTH]

PMC is continuing its buying spree Downtown (which is great):

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...h-site-650827/