PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown III

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Again, (now that Brian has posted the pictures) it really surprises me that the pedestrian bridge/busway station is expected to be at that vacant lot. I had always expected it to align with Putnam Street - in large part because it's a public ROW, while that lot is privately owned. However, a straight shot across would result in the "Bakery Square side" being on the campus of the Port Authority bus garage. I can see why they don't want to do this - since they have their own, employee-only stop just a few hundred feet away.

I've been hoping they would do away with the employee stop if they add this stop. Maybe not a realistic hope.

Anyway, I don't know how official that alignment is, but if they could actually acquire that lot and do something nice with it, I could see the appeal.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by pj3000

^ Oh sure, I think the aesthetics of the design are important regardless of which side of the structure we're talking about. Thanks for posting those pics... I can obviously get a much better idea of the proposed layout now.

De nada. Honestly, I hadn't focused on that part of the presentation until I read that article, but with that thought in mind--yeah, it is pretty uncontroversial that should be improved.

As an aside, I also somewhat understand the general objection about parking next to transit stations, but when you see the pictures and really think about the layout there, to me it actually makes a lot of sense to put a whopping big parking structure on that side, and then maybe you can do less parking on the other side even if it takes off. And around there, obviously the other side is so much more suitable for doing something that could be really cool (not least because of the Port Authority garage on the Bakery Square side).

It is unfortunate the zone between Bakery Square and the Busway seems destined to be dead, but if that is case anyway, put the parking there rather than anywhere else, right?

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

De nada. Honestly, I hadn't focused on that part of the presentation until I read that article, but with that thought in mind--yeah, it is pretty uncontroversial that should be improved.

As an aside, I also somewhat understand the general objection about parking next to transit stations, but when you see the pictures and really think about the layout there, to me it actually makes a lot of sense to put a whopping big parking structure on that side, and then maybe you can do less parking on the other side even if it takes off. And around there, obviously the other side is so much more suitable for doing something that could be really cool (not least because of the Port Authority garage on the Bakery Square side).

It is unfortunate the zone between Bakery Square and the Busway seems destined to be dead, but if that is case anyway, put the parking there rather than anywhere else, right?

I still anticipate that we're very close to "peak parking" and once self-driving cars are perfected, parking garage utilization will start to fall.

That said, I'm a lot less opposed to these sort of stand-alone parking garages - particularly when tucked away like this - than parking garages which are integrated into mixed-use buildings (for example, the new 350 Oliver building). If parking demand ever drops, they can knock down the Bakery Square garages and replace them with something else. It's not as easy to knock down a garage directly underneath an occupied building.

[Wave]

I agree with you about preserving those early 1900's walkups, but depending on how you define them, I would say there are many more than 100. I would estimate at least 200-300. There are well over 100 in just Sq. Hill and Shadyside alone and add in South Oakland, the rest of the east end etc. they add up. One of my favorite buildings types though, for density and architectural interest. Especially pre-1930.

Originally Posted by eschaton

[URL="https://www.nextpittsburgh.com/city-design/much-needed-renovation-planned-for-east-liberty-apartments-and-rents-expected-to-rovations in East Liberty.[/URL] I wouldn't mid the mid-20th century buildings going, but the walkups could be something special if properly restored - especially when you consider how rare early 20th century walkups are in Pittsburgh now (I wouldn't be surprised if we have less than 100 left).

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Wave

I agree with you about preserving those early 1900's walkups, but depending on how you define them, I would say there are many more than 100. I would estimate at least 200-300. There are well over 100 in just Sq. Hill and Shadyside alone and add in South Oakland, the rest of the east end etc. they add up. One of my favorite buildings types though, for density and architectural interest. Especially pre-1930.

I meant very early 1900s "six flat" style - not the 1920s buildings common in Squirrel Hill. Outside of Oakland and Shadyside, I can only think of a handful of them (in East Liberty, Boomfield, Highland Park, and a few in the Northside).

But you're right, I was underestimating a bit. Still, it's not a common part of our vernacular, since the 19th century was dominated by rowhouses, and then in the early 20th century we moved to detached single-family houses.

[dfiler]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I still anticipate that we're very close to "peak parking" and once self-driving cars are perfected, parking garage utilization will start to fall.

That said, I'm a lot less opposed to these sort of stand-alone parking garages - particularly when tucked away like this - than parking garages which are integrated into mixed-use buildings (for example, the new 350 Oliver building). If parking demand ever drops, they can knock down the Bakery Square garages and replace them with something else. It's not as easy to knock down a garage directly underneath an occupied building.

In the long run I have a similar prediction.

With that said, i'm less optimistic about having truly autonomous vehicles anytime soon. Just like speech recognition, its the last few percent of accuracy/reliability that is incredibly difficult to achieve. Long haul trucking on controlled access road is probably the first to go autonomous. Inner city driving? I think we're a decade or two from that.

[qwho]

Originally Posted by dfiler

In the long run I have a similar prediction.

With that said, i'm less optimistic about having truly autonomous vehicles anytime soon. Just like speech recognition, its the last few percent of accuracy/reliability that is incredibly difficult to achieve. Long haul trucking on controlled access road is probably the first to go autonomous. Inner city driving? I think we're a decade or two from that.

Unlike a lot of innovations, these systems are improving at a truly exponential pace. Completely autonomous vehicles, even on intercity streets, are likely already on average safer than a human driver. It is the public acceptance factor, market penetration/availability, and cost at this point. Once we have at least 2/3 of those at higher levels, I believe autonomous cars will take over faster than anyone will expect.

[qwho]

A friend of mine sent me this picture he took today in Oakland:



Original can be found here

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by qwho

A friend of mine sent me this picture he took today in Oakland:



Original can be found here

What was he doing on top of a roof at Carlow?

Cool shot though bro.

[bmust71]

I believe that Oakland photo captures two construction projects though one is hidden by the other. The steel skeleton in the foreground is a student apartment complex and if you look close enough you can see the office building skeleton at the corner of Forbes and Coltart. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[bmust71]

https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsbur...tion-plan.html

In other news, the planned demolition for the 44th street church in Lawrenceville has been called off. Not surprised after the local media started covering it so heavily.

[ks2006]

I'm wondering about two projects I haven't heard about for a long time - the Casino hotel, and the planned office building in Firstside. Anyone have any news about those?

Oakland already looks impressive, but is really going to be more impressive in a few years when all of the projects are done. Very few cities have a secondary downtown area with that size and density.

[Minivan Werner]

Oakland must be the 3rd most impressive urban area in the state.

Have there been any concrete plans for the large lot between Skyvue and Portal Place Apartments? Really is ripe for something significant.

[qwho]

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

Oakland must be the 3rd most impressive urban area in the state.

Check out State College in US->Northeast. It has been killing it lately. Going to give Oakland a run for its money.

[dfiler]

Originally Posted by qwho

Unlike a lot of innovations, these systems are improving at a truly exponential pace. Completely autonomous vehicles, even on intercity streets, are likely already on average safer than a human driver. It is the public acceptance factor, market penetration/availability, and cost at this point. Once we have at least 2/3 of those at higher levels, I believe autonomous cars will take over faster than anyone will expect.

I truly wish autonomous cars were functioning as well as you describe. Unfortunately they aren't anywhere close to the capabilities of human drivers. They can't handle extreme weather, constructions zones and other sub-optimal road conditions. For perfect driving conditions I think we'll see them surpass human performance within 10 years. But it is that last fraction of a percent of reliability that could take decades to achieve. Even if they can handle 99.9% of weather conditions, that still means that there will be days every few years when civilization grinds to a halt. Just being safer than your average human isn't enough. People won't base their lives on a vehicle that can't be used in heavy rain, deep snow, etc.

With that said, once the technology is sufficient, I too see the transition happening quickly. It is going to have a massive impact on city structure, lifestyle, realty markets, school districts, etc. It is probably impossible to overstate the significance of this technology. I'll go out on a limb and say that the impact of autonomous vehicles on humanity will be as significantly as electricity or the internet.

[eschaton]

Details on the concessions Walnut Capital needed to make in order to get the new Bakery Square 3.0 approved. $245,000 in cash to the city in total, breaking down as follows:

$100,000 for improvements to Mellon Park baseball field, including a new scoreboard, dugouts, outfield drainage, and ADA accessible bleachers.

$75,000 for other improvements in Mellon Park (doesn't look like these have been nailed down)

$50,000 for pedestrian safety improvements along Penn Avenue between the Village of Eastside and Bakery Square Boulevard (?) intersections.

$10,000 for the URA, for community development in Larimer.

$10,000 for landscaping improvements along Festival and Hailman Streets - two small streets on the back side of the development in Shadyside.

Plus the development will be 16 feet shorter than they originally requested, and be set seven feet back for the first seven stories, then 20 feet further back for the top two floors. Any trees which are removed have to be either transplanted if possible or replaced.

[nimshady]

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

Oakland must be the 3rd most impressive urban area in the state.

Or University City Philadelphia or Center City Allentown I would put above Oakland. It is very impressive for a city of Pittsburgh's size to have a satellite downtown such as Oakland but I don't think you can definitevly say it is the 3rd most impressive in the state. I assume you mean after Downtown Pittsburgh and Center City Philadelphia

[BrianTH]

The AC Hotel next to the Convention Center (and at the start of the Strip) is expected to open July 26. As we discussed back when it was first announced, this is a really nice addition to Pittsburgh's list of brands:

https://www.nextpittsburgh.com/city-...gh-next-month/

[SkyPittsburgh]

I don't post very often on here but there's one street in the East End I wanted to talk about on here. Black Street between N. Negley and N. Aiken.

5518 Black Street was recently renovated and is now on the market for $369,500.

What is interesting here too is that the listing comes with this quote:

First renovation to be offered to the market in this builder's plan for 6 side by side single family homes

It seems like almost every home on this block is being renovated or re-sold.

No pictures on my end of them right now, but I might be able to get some the next time I'm in the area.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by SkyPittsburgh

I don't post very often on here but there's one street in the East End I wanted to talk about on here. Black Street between N. Negley and N. Aiken.

5518 Black Street was recently renovated and is now on the market for $369,500.

What is interesting here too is that the listing comes with this quote:


It seems like almost every home on this block is being renovated or re-sold.

No pictures on my end of them right now, but I might be able to get some the next time I'm in the area.

I live right by here (like an 11-minute walk) and have watched the construction for the last year or so. What you didn't mention is they turned one of the old grand foursquares into a semi-attached. I really hate what they did with the dormer. Presumably they'll be building a new-construction semi-attached on the vacant lot they've used for staging. The home on the other side sits on a property which has already been subdivided, so I'd say that's where the other two units are coming from.