PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by Johnland

Is the Falk addition anything interesting? How big? Does it front on 5th Ave?

I'm unaware of an addition to Falk. There is a a $50M research building being added on to the Salk Building on the upper campus. U/C on the parking lot behind this bldg:

check out Pitt stadium in this old shot


construction area in left of this photo; rear of Salk Hall

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SalkHallSidePitt.jpg


Oakland's got a lot of good stuff going on both sides of Panther Hollow when we look at it. Going to be an improved place in the coming years.

Salk Hall addition
Parran Hall addition
Bouquet Gardens addition
New freshman residence hall @ 5th&University
Chevron Science Center additions continuing
Oakland Portal apts
Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes (which is a totally rad building in my opinion, exceeding LEED Platinum Standards)
All of that CMU planned construction
Planned UPMC tower on former Children's Hospital lot

New Phipps building:

http://inhabitat.com/phipps-conserva...ns-next-month/


http://www.popcitymedia.com/devnews/phipps052312.aspx


http://www.flickr.com/photos/4716510...57629949756613

[Austinlee]

Here's the rendering from Salk Hall i snapped last summer.

[Austinlee]

I updated page 1 with a couple newer renderings and moved several projects from construction to "recently finished" (which is a couple posts down from the first post of the thread) such as the North Shore connector.

[Austinlee]

Here's a quick video I took of the PNC tower site last saturday.

• Video Link

and pics:

[TBone7281]

6/7/12

Lot 24




The conversion of Jo Jo's (which has been closed since a fire last year) into a new Kelly O's Diner continues. Supposed to be opening this month according to their website. This is at the corner of 24th and Smallman.

[Jonboy1983]

Wow, Lot 24 is really coming along. I went onto Google Earth and that Jo Jo's (soon to be Kelly O's) is a block away and on the opposite side of the street from Lot 24. Now, if only they'd do something with the open lot right behind there...

Given that, I kinda wish they would've made the parking garage a few levels taller. Or perhaps they could convert that lot into a parking garage like the one across the street given that it offers street-level retail. I also like the tre-lined street there as well.

It really seems like there are so many underused open lots in the Strip that appear to be ripe for development and re-use.

[TBone7281]

Originally Posted by Jonboy1983

Wow, Lot 24 is really coming along. I went onto Google Earth and that Jo Jo's (soon to be Kelly O's) is a block away and on the opposite side of the street from Lot 24. Now, if only they'd do something with the open lot right behind there...

Given that, I kinda wish they would've made the parking garage a few levels taller. Or perhaps they could convert that lot into a parking garage like the one across the street given that it offers street-level retail. I also like the tre-lined street there as well.

It really seems like there are so many underused open lots in the Strip that appear to be ripe for development and re-use.

Not likely that they will be doing anything with that anytime soon. I believe the guy that owns it also owns a couple other surface lots in the Strip and he seems pretty happy with what he has. (Super low maintenance, just collect the money.)

Not to mention my boss would be really pissed. That's the lot most of us park in for work because it's something like $100 or more cheaper a month to park there than in the garage. (The company pays for our parking so we have magnetic cards to let us in and out of the lot.)

[BrianTH]

That's a good illustration of why we should have a much higher tax rate on land value versus developed value--there should be strong disincentives to sit on surface parking lots in prime development areas.

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

That's a good illustration of why we should have a much higher tax rate on land value versus developed value--there should be strong disincentives to sit on surface parking lots in prime development areas.

I completely agree, BrianTH. This is the same freaking problem that's plagued cities like Denver as well; owners of surface parking lots collecting the cash, having little to no maintenance and paying very little in the way of property taxes because it's just valued as an empty lot. It's ridiculous, and it really needs to change.

Aaron (Glowrock)

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

That's a good illustration of why we should have a much higher tax rate on land value versus developed value--there should be strong disincentives to sit on surface parking lots in prime development areas.

Yup, and this also encourages demolition of quality historic buildings, which are often unoccupied or underoccupied. It basically gives owners incentive to tear down buildings in favor of empty lots -- whether they end up using the lots for parking or not. Countless great old industrial brick buildings have met the wrecking ball throughout the state simply because knocking them down requires the owners to pay far less in property taxes if no structure exists on the land.

While it's true that not all of our industrial architecture can be saved... simply because so many of the buildings are just really difficult to convert to other uses for numerous reasons, the state's property tax guidelines have resulted in rampant demolition -- pretty much rewarding property owners for creating empty lots.

[Wiz Khalifa]

T-bone... great stuff!!!

Here are some additional projects I thought of that would fit in your map:

Garden Theater block
Federal Hill townhouses project on Federal st
Goodwill Headquarters Apt conversion
Hot Metal corporate center at 29th and Sidney st in SSW
New office building at 28th and Sidney st in SSW
Hotel on the east side of Hofbrahaus in SSW
Summerset at Frick Park phase 2/3
Several Lawrenceville infill projects (names slip my mind atm)
Mckees Rocks business park

[TBone7281]

I've added some of the additional projects mentioned to the map. Current list is:
The Gardens
The Tower at PNC Plaza
350 Fifth (Oxford 2 or whatever)
Energy Innovation Center
Monongahela Tower (Burns & Scalo)
Riverhounds Stadium
The Riverfront Landing
Lot 24
Almono
The River's Edge of Oakmont
The Highland Building
Bakery Square v2
The Odeon (or whatever its called)
One Grandview
Wholey Building Redevelopment
new Pitt dorm in Oakland (New freshman residence hall @ 5th&University)
Duquesne University - Des Places Residence Hall
The Oakland Portal Project
Parran Hall extension
CMU's bio nano tech building
Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes
Salk Hall addition
Chevron Science Center additions continuing
Planned UPMC tower on former Children's Hospital lot
Garden Theater block
Hot Metal corporate center at 29th and Sidney st in SSW
Summerset at Frick Park phase 2/3
Mckees Rocks business park
Hyatt Summerfield Suites (Southside Works by Hofbrauhaus)
Marriott Spring Hill Suites - (not Hampton Inn) Washington Rd. Mt. Lebanon U/C


There are more I'm researching so don't be annoyed if you don't see all the ones you suggested on the list yet. In the meantime, I have a couple questions on a few of the projects that were mentioned:

1. Bouquet Gardens addition - I believe this was completed in fall 2011? Can anyone confirm/deny this?
2. Falk Clinic Oakland addition U/C - i couldn't find anything about this, must be Salk?
3. Federal Hill townhouses project on Federal st - Is phase 2 still going on? all i found was info stating completion in spring 2012

Thanks.

-Tony

[chiaroscuro]

cool

Am I missing the Mellon Arena site development?

[TBone7281]

Originally Posted by chiaroscuro

cool

Am I missing the Mellon Arena site development?

Not added yet, that's on my list to research more.

[Jonboy1983]

When did they propose that Marriott Springhill Suites in Mt. Lebanon? I see it's right next to the Mt. Lebanon T stop which is where a developer wants to construct a deck over top of the station to create a man-made parcel ripe for high-density development.

[akPITT207]

It was proposed a few years ago and has been under construction for about a year, but coming along very, very slowly.

[Jonboy1983]

Are there any photos or renderings of the Springhill Suites? You say it's coming along rather slowly. Will it be finished before the Pirates win another World Series???

[akPITT207]

Well they've been working on the second floor for something like six months now and it's supposed to be a seven story building from Washington Road. PNC's new tower might top out before Springhill Suites is finished. It could turn out pretty nice though depending on the materials they use for the facade.


http://www.harchuck.com/pages/currentconstruction.html

[George Woods]

Incredible. I used to live in Mt. Lebanon. That hotel was first proposed in the mid-nineties! I think 1994. For years, the powers-that-be would mention it all the time like it was a done deal that was on the horizon. When they actually started building one, I couldn't believe it was true. How appropriate that they're drawing it out even as it's going up.

[Jonboy1983]

How many rooms is this supposed to have? It doesn't look like a very large hotel, even for one that is 7 stories. I estimate 96 rooms?