PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[highlander206]

Originally Posted by eschaton

As I've said in the past, I'd prefer a higher level of density - at least a three-story apartment building covering the entire block, with ground-floor retail. That said, Upper Lawrenceville, while not exactly transitional any longer, is just not as prime of a location as the rest of the neighborhood. It takes much longer to get to Downtown, and there's no buses which head to Oakland. So I don't think projects like Arsenal 201 and Foundry at 41st are really financially feasible there.

I live in Upper Lawrenceville and the no buses to Oakland part is not accurate. The 93 bus starts service at the Lawrenceville Shop n Save so my part of the neighborhood has that service as well. I don't really think it takes that much longer to get Downtown from here too, usually the worst part of Butler to go though by far IMO is the part in Central Lawrenceville.

[highlander206]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Talking about population loss I hope that reverses soon and it should because oil and gas is soon to be booming again in this region. I just got a job doing title work over in West Virginia for oil and gas and they're saying this will be an even bigger boom than what this region saw starting around 2008 or so and then abruptly died in 2014.

I'm guessing that has to do with the imminent start cracker plant? Natural gas prices are still a bit lower than they were in the early 2010's when the last drilling boom was. Isn't the plant supposed to start construction this summer?

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Just posted a photo thread about Homewood, thought you guys might be interested in seeing it. http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=228476

Excellent thread 'Lith! I love that you take the time to visit and take wonderful, top notch photographs of places that most of us don't see much of. I think this is the first (and best!) Homewood thread I have seen.

I would love to see other neighborhoods get the Photolith treatment in the city too. 90 neighborhoods. Lots to choose from!

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by highlander206

Definitely the right call IMO. With a few hotels in the building stage in the Downtown area and occupancy rates on a small decline I think we're at the point we won't see much at all in the way of new hotels proposed in the city core. The condo market still seems fine to keep adding to though.

As long as it adds to the nighttime population, it is cool with me.

[eschaton]

I was waiting for a prescription to be filled at Market District this weekend and went down the street to take a quick picture of Emerald on Centre. The building is up to its third story now. I believe it will be six stories when finished.



I was also on the river on Memorial Day, and managed to snap a quick picture of the Firstside Holiday Inn, which can be seen as the blue building directly below one Oxford Center. Sorry it's low res, had to crop, and I didn't want to crop further becausese not keeping all of the taller buildings in the shot would make it look like crap. Looks like there's only a single story left to be put on.



I also passed by the Empire location at Craig/Centre recently, and a major portion of the steel structure is now up - at least three stories of it in one corner. Now that the foundation work is finished it should be climbing pretty rapidly. Didn't get a shot though. I was a passenger in a car and we were going too fast.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

I would love to see other neighborhoods get the Photolith treatment in the city too. 90 neighborhoods. Lots to choose from!

I should say on City Data I've been (in an attempt to make the Pittsburgh forum less lame) doing a writeup of a city neighborhood and a "suburb" (outlying municipality in Allegheny County) each week for nearly a year now. Up to Larimer. It will take two more years to finish up the county, but I should be done with the city some time next year. I actually thought about asking PhotLith if he wanted to go in on an illustrated version for a book, but I think he's busy enough with his Churches of Western Pennsylvania project.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I should say on City Data I've been (in an attempt to make the Pittsburgh forum less lame) doing a writeup of a city neighborhood and a "suburb" (outlying municipality in Allegheny County) each week for nearly a year now. Up to Larimer. It will take two more years to finish up the county, but I should be done with the city some time next year. I actually thought about asking PhotLith if he wanted to go in on an illustrated version for a book, but I think he's busy enough with his Churches of Western Pennsylvania project.

Your work on that project is the only reason that I ever read that forum which otherwise has descended into repetitive injokes and general stupidity.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by GeneW

Your work on that project is the only reason that I ever read that forum which otherwise has descended into repetitive injokes and general stupidity.

Same (although I also DM people about super-specific questions I might be able to help with).

[eschaton]

A new HRC presentation has landed. Relatively light agenda compared to the last few months, with only 12 new projects. Most are minor projects - rehabs in Manchester, minor changes to historic houses, and a few commercial projects in the South Side. However, the first one bears some discussion.

Extensive reconfiguration is going to take place to some bridges over the rail line passing through Allegheny Commons. The West Ohio Street Bridge, which has been half closed, will be repaired and fully reopened. The new bridge will be three feet higher off the rail bed than the old bridge, but be 20 feet narrower. The nearby Ridge Avenue bridge, which has been closed entirely since 2001, will be removed. Not sure what will be done with the spurs of Ridge Avenue on either side of the bridge - I would be in favor of "de streeting" them, but they seem to be used for parking.

Also, another zoning board report has arrived. Only a few new items of interest. One is a new art studio here, in the Mexican War Streets. Also, in Lawrenceville here, a combination art studio/restaurant is going in. Also, it looks like a new charter school is being set up in Larimer, though the the building they are trying to work with (despite the planned expansion) is pretty small.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by eschaton

A new HRC presentation has landed. Relatively light agenda compared to the last few months, with only 12 new projects. Most are minor projects - rehabs in Manchester, minor changes to historic houses, and a few commercial projects in the South Side. However, the first one bears some discussion.

Extensive reconfiguration is going to take place to some bridges over the rail line passing through Allegheny Commons. The West Ohio Street Bridge, which has been half closed, will be repaired and fully reopened. The new bridge will be three feet higher off the rail bed than the old bridge, but be 20 feet narrower. The nearby Ridge Avenue bridge, which has been closed entirely since 2001, will be removed. Not sure what will be done with the spurs of Ridge Avenue on either side of the bridge - I would be in favor of "de streeting" them, but they seem to be used for parking.

Also, another zoning board report has arrived. Only a few new items of interest. One is a new art studio here, in the Mexican War Streets. Also, in Lawrenceville here, a combination art studio/restaurant is going in. Also, it looks like a new charter school is being set up in Larimer, though the the building they are trying to work with (despite the planned expansion) is pretty small.

That West Ohio bridge is much better looking than I thought it would be. I'm still not happy about raising the level that much but that fight seems to be lost. I have no idea how they think that they can raise the level of the Brighton/North Ave bridge without disrupting traffic and pedestrian flow but that's a different fight.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by GeneW

That West Ohio bridge is much better looking than I thought it would be. I'm still not happy about raising the level that much but that fight seems to be lost. I have no idea how they think that they can raise the level of the Brighton/North Ave bridge without disrupting traffic and pedestrian flow but that's a different fight.

I've heard a little bit through the grapevine about how controversial this project has been in Allegheny West (I talked to someone who knew one of the engineers on the project). Can you give me some general background?

[eschaton]

The Port Authority is officially going in on the most expansive BRT proposal, which will include connections to the East Busway to Wilkinsburg and new surface lines to Squirrel Hill and Highland Park.

Obviously there are further steps yet to occur (including getting federal funding, which is going to be dicey during the Trump Administration) but this can't be seen as anything but a good step IMHO.

[bevansr]

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...3a&oe=599EE8A0

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...69&oe=59B09D04

North Ave. was closed yesterday on my way home with a giant crane in the middle of the road. When we got closer we realized this is what was being placed in the middle of the night

[BrianTH]

Nice--that's definitely the most bang for the buck of the alternatives.

[Austinlee]

Trump's Pittsburgh shoutout elicits swift reaction
COMPILED BY ANTHONY CONROY AND JOSHUA AXELROD
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/re...s/201706010203

"Mr. Trump said in his announcement that he “was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.” “The people of Pittsburgh, like other hardworking American families across the country, are the people he is fighting for and who know that in this administration America comes first,” the spokeswoman said in a statement."

This is what the people of Pittsburgh's mayor who won 70% of the vote said about mentioning our progressive city:

Mayor Bill Peduto: "As the Mayor of Pittsburgh, I can assure you that we will follow the guidelines of the Paris Agreement for our people, our economy & future." "President Trump's decision is disastrous for our planet, for cities such as Pittsburgh, to the commitments the United States made to the rest of the world, and to our responsibility to save the globe for future generations. “The President has made America weaker, and the world less safe.”
“Fighting for the Paris accords is my duty, and that of mayors across the United States, who are standing together in defiance of President Trump's reckless decision. If you are a mayor and not addressing shifts in changing weather patterns or preparing for the impacts of climate change you aren't doing your job. What is our job is preparing our cities for the future, and building opportunities and productive and safe lives for those we serve."

Pennsylvania senior Senator Bob Casey also had this to say on twitter: "Climate change decision by @realDonaldTrump is a double-barreled blow to PA jobs & our environment"

We are at an age where cities and also states must start standing up to demagogues in power in DC by using logic and sanity & bravery.

[photoLith]

Well, now the world knows about Pittsburgh, hopefully they don't think we're a bunch of Trumptards.

[themaguffin]

The mayor was on Hardball. He was good - polished, conversational and composed.

[speagles84]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Well, now the world knows about Pittsburgh, hopefully they don't think we're a bunch of Trumptards.

If they look at the election data, he got a measly 13% in the city, and only 39% in Allegheny county. Even metro wide he lost due to the city and Allegheny county.

Disgusting that he'd claim Pittsburgh as "Trump Country". The T got him Pennsylvania, not Pittsburgh.

[highlander206]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Well, now the world knows about Pittsburgh, hopefully they don't think we're a bunch of Trumptards.

They will if they ever look at the KDKA and WPXI Facebook comments.

Originally Posted by speagles84

If they look at the election data, he got a measly 13% in the city, and only 39% in Allegheny county. Even metro wide he lost due to the city and Allegheny county.

Disgusting that he'd claim Pittsburgh as "Trump Country". The T got him Pennsylvania, not Pittsburgh.

As true as it is he isn't well liked at all in Allegheny County, the rednecks we're surrounded by still love him to death. I find it embarrassing enough seeing what so many of the yinzer trash in places like Butler and Uniontown have to say about him and Obama on social media, this just puts it on a national level. They'll continue to grow bitter as their towns refuse to join the 21st Century and continue to fall apart due to an old and education population with an opioid problem while the city keeps attracting new employers and residents.

[BrianTH]

Just keep in mind the numbers and the trends are on the side of larger urbanized areas. Gerrymandering, the Electoral College, and so on can delay the outcome, but it can't prevent it forever.