PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by themaguffin

I don't see much difference in those 2 pictures. Mostly street level. What am I missing?

Do you mean in the Gardens renderings?

In the hotel (closest) part, the Old had wide brown vertical bands and wide cream horizontal bands, and what looked like sliding windows. The New has what looks to me like a glass curtain wall.

[Austinlee]

Just updated page 1 of the thread for The Gardens.

$65 million multi use development overlooking Market Square.
The Gardens project, which will be designed to be LEED certified, will be comprised of a 175 room limited service hotel, approximately 100,000 SF of Office space, approximately 25,000 SF of first floor Retail, and a 300 car parking garage. It is estimated that this project will be completed in 2013


(Updated rendering as of 3/4/12)
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_784598.html

Street Level (Lower facade shows previous design; See above rendering for the updated render)

[BrianTH]

Looking at the blown-up rendering, it seems to me they may have preserved more of the feel of the original office part (and translated more of it over to the hotel part) than I had realized.

[Austinlee]

I'm also adding Rivervue to page 1 of developments.

Here's the details.

Rivervue is the adaptive re-use of the former Commonwealth of PA office building located across from Point State Park in the Golden Triangle. This renaissance era building will undergo a top to bottom transformation into 220 apartment units that cost over $40 million and will add life to Point State Park; one of Pittsburgh's most beautiful assets. The residents that call Rivervue home will afford one of the most convenient locations in the city and experience some of the best views that our wonderful city has to offer. Construction will begin in the first quarter of 2011.

Built as the Pittsburgh State Office Building and used as such until now, it was finished in 1955 with 15 floors at 218ft tall. 297,000 sq ft renovation.

Here is it's location in the skyline as viewed from the West End Bridge/West End Overlook.



And the renderings of the renovation.


http://www.turnerconstruction.com/ex...vue-apartments




Front exterior with restuarant


Rear side with valet parking







Fun Fact of the day: SSP forumer Evergrey hates this building!

[Austinlee]

Just added this to page 1 of this thread under proposals since many of us are skeptical that this will happen:

PROPOSALS


"One Grandview will occupy a prominent corner atop Mt. Washington, overlooking the City of Pittsburgh, and defining the eastern edge of Grandview Avenue. The product of extensive community input and neighborhood support, this project will be located on the site of the former Edge Restaurant and help to stimulate economic and community development on Mt. Washington. The proposed mixed-use development includes a world-class, 200 room tower hotel, 7 tower residencies (2,800sf average), 43 hillside residencies (2,000sf average), spa and fitness center, meeting rooms, and fine-dining restaurant. The site will also feature a grand public terrace that will extend the Grandview promenade and offer unparalleled views of Pittsburgh and the Three Rivers. Recognizing the importance of sustainable design, the entire project will strive to obtain a LEED Silver rating."




Photos: Desmone & Associates

Update as of 3/4/12 - Tribune Review
"A 25-story hotel and condominium project to be called One Grandview Avenue, overlooking the city from a site next to the Monongahela Incline, with an imaginative design by Desmone & Associates, a well-respected local firm."

Read more: Pittsburgh skyline might be in for an upgrade - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...#ixzz1oH5kQL3y

The Edge restaurant, vacant for many years has been demolished. It remains to be seen if the developer can secure funding for this large project though.


"Four acres of land have been cleared between Wyoming and Sycamore streets off Grandview Avenue on Mt. Washington in preparation for the One Grandview Avenue development."
Source: Tribune Review



"This ground-level view rendering shows the plaza and overlook to be built over the parking garage at One Grandview Avenue."
Source: Tribune Review

[AaronPGH]

I think whoever designed the branding and interior of RiverVue has spent a little too much time at the casino.

[AaronPGH]

[Private Dick]

Thanks for updating, PA Pride. This is the first time I've seen the renderings of River Vue. Definitely an improvement to have residential in the location rather than that state office building (had to go get my drivers license there once and the inside was pretty bad).

I wish they would do a little more to the exterior, but I guess they really didn't have to since that exterior re-do is rather recent... from the 80s I think.

I would definitely want a balcony, if I was living there though -- and it seems only the top, most expensive units get one.

And that "River Vue" font on the building... hopefully they're not serious.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

Thanks for updating, PA Pride. This is the first time I've seen the renderings of River Vue. Definitely an improvement to have residential in the location rather than that state office building (had to go get my drivers license there once and the inside was pretty bad).

I wish they would do a little more to the exterior, but I guess they really didn't have to since that exterior re-do is rather recent... from the 80s I think.

I would definitely want a balcony, if I was living there though -- and it seems only the top, most expensive units get one.

And that "River Vue" font on the building... hopefully they're not serious.

Original look



And its current cladding

[BrianTH]

I like the fact they aren't doing more to the exterior of the State Office Building--I think it is a nice contributing member to that side of what I call "Little Modernia" (the zone between Stanwix and Commonwealth), which in turn complements PPG Place.

Edit:

Oh, and although I don't love the graphic design, a prominently marked bar & grill next to the park is a good thing.

[Evergrey]

VuePoint is such an incredible name for a restaurant. Can't wait to order some angus sliders!

Originally Posted by Private Dick

(had to go get my drivers license there once and the inside was pretty bad).

Ugh... what an awful experience.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I like the fact they aren't doing more to the exterior of the State Office Building--I think it is a nice contributing member to that side of what I call "Little Modernia" (the zone between Stanwix and Commonwealth), which in turn complements PPG Place.

Great branding for my least favorite section of Downtown.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Great branding for my least favorite section of Downtown.

I'll admit it isn't my favorite era in architecture and in fact it was fundamentally anti-urban, but it really is a remarkable collection of buildings from a historical perspective. Since it isn't going anywhere, I'm all for embracing it as a feature of Downtown:

http://binged.it/w7QJqh

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

VuePoint is such an incredible name for a restaurant. Can't wait to order some angus sliders!

It's actually an improvement from its original working title of LooksyVuePointPanoramaSpotPlace. You should try the Wing Dings & Things. Only $3.99 on Thirsty Thursdays with purchase of equal or greater value Appetisizzler(TM) at participating locations. Don't forget to ask for the managers discount.

[Austinlee]

Don't forget to ask your friendly waitress about the dinner specials!

[Urbana]

I was driving down the Parkway East the other day and I happened to notice a sign that hung on a fence surrounding a fairly large empty lot directly adjacent to the river. On it was a fairly attractive rendering of a building I have never seen before. Does anyone know anything about this? I know there was something proposed for that site before, but I just can't recall it to memory.

[Jonboy1983]

Private Dick, no kidding! I had to get my drivers license there, too, back in 2005!

I, too, was hoping for more in the way of balconies for that building. The rooms overlook Point Park for Pete's sake!

I really hope One Grandview gets built at some point. It would be something new for Pittsburgh; something new, fresh; something that Pittsburgh could use.

[Minivan Werner]

The RiverVue signage has an 80's vibe to it but since the rest of the building does too I think it kind of fits.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

The RiverVue signage has an 80's vibe to it but since the rest of the building does too I think it kind of fits.

RIVER
|VICE|

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0MEtBQb2yM&hd=1&t=12s

[markson33]

Newest version of the Hazelwood plan.

http://almono.org/map

[TBone7281]

Originally Posted by Urbana

I was driving down the Parkway East the other day and I happened to notice a sign that hung on a fence surrounding a fairly large empty lot directly adjacent to the river. On it was a fairly attractive rendering of a building I have never seen before. Does anyone know anything about this? I know there was something proposed for that site before, but I just can't recall it to memory.

All I could find were some pretty vague, old articles and no renderings. These all say 12 story hotel, assuming this is the right location.

Post Gazette

Hotels proposed at Fort Pitt Blvd., SouthSide Works
Thursday, November 04, 2010
By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Two more hotels may be checking into the Downtown area.

City planners will hear proposals Tuesday for a 69-room boutique hotel on Fort Pitt Boulevard.

The 12-story boutique hotel was proposed nearly a year ago.

It stalled when residents near the development raised concerns about the hotel's design and the materials that would be used in its construction.

Keith Andreyko, the architect for the project, said he and the developer, the Forza Group of Bridgeville, have spent much of the last year working with city planners to address the issues.

As a result, Forza has dropped plans for a pass through from Fort Pitt Boulevard to a guest parking lot off First Avenue that some residents claimed made the development look like a hotel "on stilts."

The developer also will use all brick in the construction and drop materials like Quik-Brik, a type of concrete masonry resembling brick that some critics argued would detract from the surrounding architecture.
...

The newer articles I saw said completion in 2013 and I did see a video posted on youtube of asbestos abatement of an older building located at the property (433 Fort Pitt Blvd).