PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II - Page 610

wpipkins2 · #**12181** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 3:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Private Dick

No reason to go into crack, Jamaicans, bikes, intersections, and welfare cell phones.

Again, when I said "I'm sure Intercontinental Hotels Group is not going to put up with the dealing via jitney that happens on the block", all I was referring to is the fact that there is still jitney-drug activity happening right there... commonly.

Stuff that goes on currently right across the street from the Indigo on Highland will not continue to happen once the hotel opens. When large corporate money is put into a location, they make damn sure their investment and brand is protected.

The Hotel Indigo group is familiar with the neighborhoods dynamic. Not to mention that the Indigo is known for opening up in neighborhoods that are in transition. The DC location was alot worst than the East Liberty location and has done wonders for the neighborhood. The Jitneys and bums will move once the hotel opens. They will not feel welcome in that area. bums used to hang out in the parklet across Broad from the new hotel. Once LUX, Kia Tomlin and the other boutiques moved in the bums cleared out. Remember the old Market Square?

JVC · #**12182** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 3:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschaton

I could be wrong, but it looks like they're going to let it be used as a first-floor parking garage unless/until it is rented by someone.

the amount of retail square footage coming on the market right now in east liberty is way beyond what the market can handle

on top of the 50,000 square feet of retail space soon to be located at eastside 3, and on top of the fact that half of broad street's ground-floor retail has been vacant for years, and the retail at the new penn-highland building, there's now two huge corner locations that are being readied for retail/restaurant use

highland and penn

highland and broad

and don't forget about the alpha 1 project across the street from target
(which at this rate is never going to happen)

BrianTH · #**12183** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 5:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

The Jitneys and bums will move once the hotel opens. They will not feel welcome in that area.

Yep. Black marketeers, vagrants, and so forth are typically pretty mobile, and the vast majority of such activity will quickly move away in response to changing area conditions.

BrianTH · #**12184** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

Im glad thy saved both buidings.

Me too! Definitely huge pluses for the overall project.

Quote:

I will reserve judgememt until the street trees and finishing touches are added.

That's fair enough. It could certainly look a lot better with some relatively small touches.

BrianTH · #**12185** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 5:47 PM**

By the way, I saw today they are working on the Salvation Army building Downtown (which is being converted into a hotel).

eschaton · #**12186** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 6:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JVC

and don't forget about the alpha 1 project across the street from target
(which at this rate is never going to happen)

That's not retail, that's office space. Pittsburgh's office market has been slow growing, because financing cannot typically be secured until there's an anchor tenant, and it's not like the local job market here is growing like gangbusters.

BrianTH · #**12187** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 6:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschaton

and it's not like the local job market here is growing like gangbusters.

Random aside, but after one relatively flat year circa 2013, the local job market appears to be growing again. So some of these office projects, particularly the smaller ones, may now get started sooner rather than later. In fact, that may help explain Oxford moving ahead with its PTC and Strip projects.

JVC · #**12188** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 6:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschaton

That's not retail, that's office space. Pittsburgh's office market has been slow growing, because financing cannot typically be secured until there's an anchor tenant, and it's not like the local job market here is growing like gangbusters.

look at the rendering - alpha 1 was clearly designed to have several ground-floor retail stores

eschaton · #**12189** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 7:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JVC

look at the rendering - alpha 1 was clearly designed to have several ground-floor retail stores

Looking back at the 2013 article where it was unveiled, the project was supposed to have ground-level retail and five stories of offices. I don't think this means "several" retail areas though - it's replacing three rather narrow buildings.

Regardless, the question of "too much retail" isn't salient. The reason it hasn't been constructed is because it's an office building for the most part. If it were five stories of apartments with retail below, it would have been underway already.

AaronPGH · #**12190** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 8:25 PM**

The bottom of Alpha 1 will likely be another big box or national retailer. It sits DIRECTLY across from Target/EastSide II and it's new construction. If any space is going to get leased up immediately, it's that one.

markson33 · #**12191** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 9:07 PM**

I couldn't disagree more about East Liberty. There isn't enough retail space available.

Alpha I is mostly office and can't be built until the office portion is pre-leased, which is much harder to do than pre-leasing retail.

Most of the space at EastSide has been preleased.

The owner of the Broad Street spaces has turned down a number of retailers, waiting for the right fit.

If there was 100,000 SF of additional retail space in East Liberty it would get leased quickly.

BrianTH · #**12192** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 9:54 PM**

We were doing so well ignoring the trolling . . .

TBone7281 · #**12193** Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 11:59 PM**

A guy I know is working on his pilot's license and took these over the weekend.

BrianTH · #**12194** Posted **Mar 31, 2015, 12:27 AM**

That first one is an interesting angle. It really emphasizes how the Lower Hill is almost on the same grid as the Strip.

Private Dick · #**12195** Posted **Mar 31, 2015, 12:34 AM**

Cool aerials, thanks TBone.

The lower hill is a big chunk of land, huh?

Shows how nice it would be to have Crosstown Blvd capped.

Also, god is Pittsburgh brown and ugly this time of year.

Johnland · #**12196** Posted **Mar 31, 2015, 1:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBone7281

A guy I know is working on his pilot's license and took these over the weekend.

WOW. Seeing the old Arena site from the air is shocking. Shocking at how much land there is so close to Downtown. Shocking to think how low brow it will probably be redeveloped.

Matthew · #**12197** Posted **Mar 31, 2015, 4:36 AM**

I posted this in the building's thread and thought I should also post it here.

350 Fifth Avenue:

Credit: Oxford Development

TBone7281 · #**12198** Posted **Mar 31, 2015, 10:16 AM**

One more from the other side.

TBone7281 · #**12199** Posted **Mar 31, 2015, 12:45 PM**

wpipkins2 · #**12200** Posted **Mar 31, 2015, 1:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBone7281

A guy I know is working on his pilot's license and took these over the weekend.

The Tower @ PNC Plaza looks prominent from above. Its not too shabby on the skyline.