PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[Topher51]

Millcraft Industries - Redevelopment of Saks Fifth Ave Site

I saw the floor plans, elevations and massing renderings for this project today. For now, it has ground floor retail, 7 levels of parking and 10 levels of residential above that. The roof height is just short of 200'. It will be L-shaped and wrap around the Park Building.

Sorry, I don't have any renderings, but here is the link to article I believe someone posted on here a few months back, to refresh your memory.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/...enue-building/

The architect is Arquitectonica out of Miami. Here is a link to their website to give you an idea of what their buildings look like. This building could turn out really nice.

http://arquitectonica.com/architecture/

[BrianTH]

All that makes the ex-Saks project sound quite similar to Market Square Gardens, including the architect. I think that is basically good news, although I suppose that means we will once again have to hear complaints about how a project that is less than 40% parking is really just a parking garage.

[Evergrey]

Thank you for the insider updates, Topher!

Originally Posted by BrianTH

All that makes the ex-Saks project sound quite similar to Market Square Gardens, including the architect. I think that is basically good news, although I suppose that means we will once again have to hear complaints about how a project that is less than 40% parking is really just a parking garage.

I will never stop complaining.

[Private Dick]

So it can't be purely coincidental that Millcraft is constructing two buildings set atop multi-story parking podiums, and finds a Miami architecture firm to design them...

[Evergrey]

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...-place-678550/

On the menu: two restaurants for PPG Place

March 9, 2013 12:11 am

By Mark Belko / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The owner of PPG Place is ready to jump into Market Square's bustling restaurant scene.

As part of a strategy to upgrade the complex's retail offerings, Highwoods Properties is planning a "marquee" restaurant in Two PPG Place between Market Square and PPG Plaza.

The Raleigh, N.C., real estate investment trust also is hoping to open an upscale restaurant in the Wintergarden, the all-glass, greenhouse-like space known each year during the holidays for hosting the Spirits of Giving Around The World, gingerbread house and train exhibits.

Herky Pollock, the CBRE executive vice president who is leasing the retail space for Highwoods, said he is negotiating with a "preferred" restaurant for the Two PPG space but has yet to reach a deal. He would not name the restaurant.

"It's a strong desire to have a full-service, sit-down restaurant that has a strong bar component to jump start the redevelopment of the retail at PPG Place," he said.

The two-tier restaurant would take up about 4,600 square feet on the main level of Two PPG, running the length of the building between Market Square and the plaza, home to the ice rink and water feature. It also would occupy 4,000 to 5,000 square feet on the bottom level of Two PPG.

Highwoods plans to use a corner space in Market Square now occupied by PNC Bank to help accommodate the restaurant. PNC will be provided space elsewhere in the building.

...

...


http://triblive.com/business/headlin...#axzz2N1FFN9Hi

Pittsburgh’s new housing boom stays strong

A boom in new housing in the city of Pittsburgh continued in 2012.

The city has been one of the highest producers of new housing in the six-county region in the past few years, according to Tall Timber Group, a Ross-based research firm that follows the construction industry.

More than a decade ago, new housing in the city was stagnant until construction in 2001 of the 700-unit Summerset at Frick Park development in Squirrel Hill, which required a lottery drawing to settle who could buy homes first from a list of 400.

In 2012, Pittsburgh finished second to Cranberry Township in Butler County in the number of new housing permits issued. In the prior year the two switched positions with the city in the lead.

Last year, the city produced 281 units, second to Cranberry, which had 346 units, said Jeff Burd of Tall Timber Group on Thursday.

The city led all local municipalities in 2011 with 499 units, and Cranberry was second at 189.

“Areas of the city between Downtown and East Liberty are attracting new housing construction. Not only are areas such as the Summerset at Frick Park and East Liberty attracting homebuilders, but less publicized areas such as Lawrenceville are becoming hot sites for new housing,” Burd said.

...

[BrianTH]

I like the restaurant plan for the Wintergarden way more than the car dealership plan floated a while back.

I also like the fact they are trying to liven up their corner of Market Square, which is currently sort of a dead zone, and I particularly like the reference to offering weekend entertainment.

Finally, the reference to new facade treatments is intriguing. Visually the PPG complex is stunning, but also pretty unfriendly. I'll be interested to see how they address that issue.

[glowrock]

I'm thrilled that there are already legitimate plans in the works for the old Saks site. And I love the fact that additional restaurants are going to be filling the Market Square-facing properties of PPG Place! Great news all around!

Aaron (Glowrock)

[Private Dick]

PPG Wintergarden restaurant/bar will be a hot spot

[Captain Crash]

Bike Pgh is unveiling some new plans this week:

Join Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, BikePGH and project stakeholders and community members on Monday, March 11, 2013 at 11am, as they unveil details for a new citywide program that will significantly progress Pittsburgh’s efforts to be a bike-friendly “most livable city” for everyone.

http://bikepgh.org/2013/03/09/please...ch-11-at-11am/

[Jonboy1983]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I like the restaurant plan for the Wintergarden way more than the car dealership plan floated a while back.

I also like the fact they are trying to liven up their corner of Market Square, which is currently sort of a dead zone, and I particularly like the reference to offering weekend entertainment.

Finally, the reference to new facade treatments is intriguing. Visually the PPG complex is stunning, but also pretty unfriendly. I'll be interested to see how they address that issue.

Originally Posted by glowrock

I'm thrilled that there are already legitimate plans in the works for the old Saks site. And I love the fact that additional restaurants are going to be filling the Market Square-facing properties of PPG Place! Great news all around!

Aaron (Glowrock)

Originally Posted by Private Dick

PPG Wintergarden restaurant/bar will be a hot spot

Agreed on all counts regarding the PPG Place proposals. I hated the comments on the Post-Gazette. People, at least PG readers, seem to have a problem with a little class in Downtown, especially in/near Market Square. Um, it's in a prominent office complex right smack in the middle of Downtown. What the hell do they expect? Sorry, but home-grown affordable to me is not the best use for the Winter Garden. Really folks? I actually posted my 2cents at the end of that PG article and mentioned how a car dealership was discussed.

Regarding the article about the housing boom, I'm thinking Pittsburgh's population could be about to take off really soon...

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Captain Crash

Bike Pgh is unveiling some new plans this week

I'm very interested to see what they are planning--an awful lot has been accomplished over the last ten or so years in large part thanks to them.

[East Edge]

Originally Posted by Brentsters

The corner of Doughboy Square next to the old firehouse is getting infill also.



http://www.ciprianistudios.com/shops...t-city-square/

Oh wow this looks 10 times cooler than the desmone project but both of them together can really shore up that gateway into the district. Exciting to so projects of this scale taking place in the neighborhoods.

Here! Here! on the news about PPG, market sq and the sax project too. I knew some new news would unveiled soon. This city is booming...cant wait to see it all come to fruition.

[photoLith]

The cathedral of learning is lit up tonight.

[pyrohy]

I dont know about this one. I would love to see that whole row of buildings redeveloped but I dont think a three story bar is the way to get it done. There is way to much sq footage for a bar that will only be nearly full on a Pen's game day. Now, this concpet would work on the north shore but thats due to diversification of entertainment.shoot maybe he'll let underages in, the duq kids will love it!

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Thanks for the update, Brentsters.

...

Here's the latest on a major renovation near Consol.

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburg....html?page=all

[pyrohy]

With all the Lawrenceville talk heres an interesting permit:


Photo credit to twitter.com/CraftPittsburgh

Looks like brewer Michael Sloan of Church Brew Works wants to open a brewery on Butler st. The location is the former home of the East End faith community.

[qwho]

Originally Posted by photoLith

The cathedral of learning is lit up tonight.

They light it up when the football or basketball team wins. Pitt beat DePaul yesterday.

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by pyrohy

I dont know about this one. I would love to see that whole row of buildings redeveloped but I dont think a three story bar is the way to get it done. There is way to much sq footage for a bar that will only be nearly full on a Pen's game day. Now, this concpet would work on the north shore but thats due to diversification of entertainment.shoot maybe he'll let underages in, the duq kids will love it!

You think a sports bar across the street from the Consol Arena will only be nearly full on a game day?

The place will be packed pre and post Pens game, pre and post any event.

Add in the adjacent proximity of proposed developments on the Civic Arena site, Duquesne, hotels, lunch and happy hour crowd, rooftop atmosphere... the place has the potential to be a goldmine.

[Steel City Scotty]

I know this is a potential project that a lot of us are excited about...

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...bition-678719/

The Next Page: High Point Pittsburgh's lofty ambition
March 10, 2013 12:30 am
By David Bear

Imagine this incredible Downtown experience. You enter the lower elevator station on the Seventh Avenue side of the U.S. Steel Tower. As you rise up the side of the building in a glass elevator, the cityscape expands to ever-longer perspectives up the Allegheny River. As magnificent as these vistas are, they're a mere prelude to the scenic wonderland at the top.

Welcome to High Point Pittsburgh!

A glass atrium encloses the building's entire 1-acre rooftop, creating 60,000 square feet of interior space on two levels and a glass-walled, open-air promenade at the very top.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2NA4Dcz4r

[pyrohy]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

You think a sports bar across the street from the ConsRol Arena will only be nearly full on a game day?

The place will be packed pre and post Pens game, pre and post any event.

Add in the adjacent proximity of proposed developments on the Civic Arena site, Duquesne, hotels, lunch and happy hour crowd, rooftop atmosphere... the place has the potential to be a goldmine.

To be honest I do not think it will. Let me put it in a the perspective of the current bar market, how many places can you identify that occupy three floors in the city of Pittsburgh, there are not that many that exist.

I do think it'll do fine on game days as a pregame spot for many since the beer will forsure be cheaper. My issue is not opening a bar it is having three floors of barspace. I believe the space will never be 100% full 100% of the operational days.

Also who cares about future developement nearby. For every good the bar could gain from residents and hotal guests nearby it will also face in competition from other bars that will occupy that new space and the challenge that they will even be more spiffy and freshly new than the blueline by then.

If anything it is nice Pittsburgh will have a hockey themed bar. Honestly we need more of those. Also once again my argument is occupancy space not using the space as a bar. Duq kids need more nearby wateringholes.

[Steel City Scotty]

On the topic of sports bars close to stadiums or arenas succeeding out of season...when I was an intern at FSN Pittsburgh on the North Side during the summer of 2006, two of the most popular bars were Firewaters and Hi-Tops, located right across the street from PNC Park. But, they've both been closed now for awhile.

I found this article about the closing of Hi-Tops. It was written in October of 2007, and a spokesman cites "poor quality baseball" as a reason it was going out of business.

http://triblive.com/x/pittsburghtrib...#axzz2NAHjF1Gy

Hi-Tops sports bar closes on North Shore
Published: Monday, October 1, 2007
By Kim Leonard

The popular Hi-Tops sports bar and restaurant ended its seven-year run on the North Shore on Sunday night -- falling victim, a spokesman said, to poor quality baseball as well as financial troubles.

"We've been here for the worst six years in the history of the Pirates," Harold Rothstein, an operating consultant, said this afternoon at the empty business on Federal Street.

Sixty-five employees were let go as of Sunday's closing time, but given up to a month's severance pay, he said.

Read more: http://triblive.com/x/pittsburghtrib...#ixzz2NAIocezK

My point is...I really like the idea of having a hockey-themed sports bar close to Consol Energy Center, but there are some examples of businesses located near sporting venues in the city that went from popular to non-existent in less than a year.

I probably don't have to tell many of you that the Penguins are a lot more successful than the Pirates. So, hopefully, "poor quality hockey" won't have a negative impact on this new place.