PITTSBURGH | Tower at PNC Plaza | 545 FT / 166 M | 32 FLOORS

[37TimPPG]

This is an exciting project for downtown. It is wonderful to see how PNC has become the dominant player in the region and has expanded their footprint in the Golden Triangle. My only wish is the building could have been somewhere in the 45 to 50-story range. Does anyone think that after PNC does preliminary design work that they will realize they will need more space? Perhaps, since the building is already 100% occupied by PNC, the architects will try and squeeze a few more stories out of them? I know, I know. Pice dream, but a guy can still hope :-)

[Urbana]

Sorry, wrong thread

[Gilamonster]

I walked by the site today and saw some more good signs; moving out signs that is. The wig store on Wood Street has a sign in the window announcing it is moving and the wig store on Forbes has a few signs for a clearance sale due to the store moving to a new location. As I mentioned previously, Rite Aid is already gone. I think that leaves three businesses that have yet to either leave or announce that they are leaving: The Steelers country store on the corner of Fifth and Wood, The check cashing place on Wood Street, and the chinese restaurant on Forbes.

[Gilamonster]

The Chinese restaurant on Forbes is now closed.

[Wiz Khalifa]

TWO wig stores on the same block?! Am I reading that correctly?? And of course the obligatory check cashing place and Steelers country store... what an exciting block of retail in the very center of downtown! *sarcasm*

The city would be better off if they just bulldozed the whole block before any of these businesses moved out.

This project can't get started fast enough!!!

[Gilamonster]

More small visible progress since last week. The Steelers country store now has a big orange sign on the door stating"Please visit our other location on 306 Forbes" It doesn't mention closing but obviously this is the beginning of them moving out of that site. I thought they would be the last to leave but that appears to be the check cashing store. Of course the check cashing store can move out the easiest since there is no merchandise to move and their customers can easily find another one downtown so they don't need much lead time before moving out.

[Gilamonster]

The Steelers country store is now closed and completely empty. I did a pretty thorough walk around investigation and could only find two tenants left on the building's footprint. They are Eastern wigs on Fifth avenue and Money Mart on Wood St. Eastern Wigs has plenty of signs in its window for its moving sale as well as the address for it's future location. There are no outside signs on Money Mart and I refuse to walk in there to find out if there are any inside. I think the moving out process is happening pretty quickly. Also there has steadily been a van with a general contractor's name painted on the side parked right around the corner on Forbes Ave. I forget the name right now. It's pure speculation what that's all about, but I think it's a good sign for those of us eager to see the beginning of demolition.

[Gilamonster]

I did some on-line research and came across this informative article from the Post-Gazette last month.


Businesses at PNC tract sent packing

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

It won't be Black and Gold Forever at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Wood Street, Downtown.

The end is near for the store and several others that are still operating within the footprint of the Tower at PNC Plaza, the $400 million skyscraper to be built on Wood between Fifth and Forbes avenues.

PNC Financial Services Group, which is building the 40-story office tower, has given some businesses until Aug. 31 and the rest until the end of September to vacate their space...........

Full article at http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11221...cmpid=news.xml

[Dale]

Still no idea on height other than 40 stories ?

[Gilamonster]

As far as I know, there has not been any updated design/height information released to the public. I doubt there will be any until next year. One step at a time! Next up will be the dismantling and demolition of all existing structures as soon as the last two tenants vacate, which will be no later than Friday, September 30, per the previously referred to article. I seriously expect to see contractors there Monday, October 3 if not sooner.

[Gilamonster]

I drove by the site this evening and am happy to report that a portion of Fifth avenue is now closed directly in front of the sight. There is still two way traffic though, as one of the two lanes that heads toward Wood St. is now being used for the opposite direction. There is also a rather large sized drilling/pumping truck parked on the sidewalk along Fifth ave. The sign on the side of the rig reads "Dillan Well Drilling and Pump Service"

[TallBob]

Nice tower Pittsburg! It's long overdue! I can see why a few folks wanted to see this a little taller. Congrats!!!

[Urbana]

So what is the opinion of the rest of the forum?

do you think it will surpass PPG Place in height?

it looked pretty even in the renderings, but I would guess this would be taller.

They both have 40 stories and due to the green design we will probably see some high ceilings on the floors of the PNC building.

What do you guys think?

[Private Dick]

Was down around there today. Looked like the first activity at the site related to PNC has begun -- looked like geotech drilling or other well bores were being done.

Nothing exciting, but hey, it's starting!

[Gilamonster]

Were you there when they were doing the actual drilling? It was !$@*%&$ loud. I wouldn't be surprised if some noise complaints get registered.
Money Mart on Wood St. is still hanging around. Maybe they will linger until the day they have to be out which is next Friday.

[caltrane74]

Originally Posted by Dale

Still no idea on height other than 40 stories ?

40 Storey Office tower would clock in between 175 meters to 190 meters.. I think?

[Dale]

I'm guessing at least 600'.

[Gilamonster]

From the initial rendering showing how it will sit in the skyline, it appears to me to be just shorter than One PPG place. For you non-Pittsburghers, that is the all glass building with the four corner spires. That building is 40 floors and 635 feet. With all that in mind, I'm saying it will probably be a little over 600 feet. Again, this is all based on the initial rendering released to the public. However, I don't see PNC changing their initial evaluation of it being about 40 floors and am guessing that when Gensler comes out with a specific height figure, that it will be somewhere between 600 and 650 feet.
On a separate note, based on a previous Post-Gazette article, today was the last day for tenants to be allowed in their buildings on the footprint of the new tower. The only one open for business as of 4:30 PM was Money Mart. There were not any signs on the windows saying it was closing soon or moving to a new location like on most of the other storefronts. Still, with little inventory and a rather small location, there is no reason to believe that they could not easily close down for good at the end of today. I'll check it out Monday.

[Gilamonster]

The last store on the site is still alive and kicking. Money Mart is still open. The Post-Gazette had previously reported that all businesses would be out by the end of September. Not sure if the PG was wrong or Money Mart negotiated for more time, or something else, but I don't think they will be there much longer. We'll see.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by TallBob

Nice tower Pittsburg! It's long overdue! I can see why a few folks wanted to see this a little taller. Congrats!!!

How can you spell Pittsburgh wrong when it's even typed in the thread name?!?

/Personal pet peeve