PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown III

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Healthy Ride bike share network seeing major expansion. See the map here:

https://healthyridepgh.com/expansion/

Sweet! I can't help but think to myself that that map would be nearly identical to a map of almost all new developments in the city. It's roughly half or so of the city proper but covers nearly all of the new construction.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Sweet! I can't help but think to myself that that map would be nearly identical to a map of almost all new developments in the city. It's roughly half or so of the city proper but covers nearly all of the new construction.

That's no coincidence. This network covers all the most topographically favorable sections of the city. I tend to think of the city less as "North Side" vs "South Side" etc... but instead I conceptualize Pittsburgh as two very different cities based on topography... hills vs. flats

1) Flat riverfront neighborhoods + East End plateau (represented almost perfectly by the Bike Share network): These are neighborhoods of relatively gentle topography that are much more easily develop-able and are home to the city's most dynamic demographics, extensive business districts and hottest property markets. Almost all of the city's bike infrastructure exists in these neighborhoods. These are a mix of traditionally wealthy, leafy East End neighborhoods, up-and-coming rowhouse and warehouse neighborhoods that have rebounded from the steel hangover (S. Side Flats, Strip/Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Mexican War Streets, etc.), and centrally-located revitalized transport/retail hubs (East Liberty).

2) Rugged hilltop / ravine neighborhoods: These areas dominate the northern half of the North Side, the West End, everything south of the Mon except for the SouthSide Flats, Hill District, etc.. These are neighborhoods with difficult access and limited development potential due to extreme topography. While there are occasional high-priced properties due to sweeping vistas, most of these areas are stagnant. Low values, low incomes, older, etc. These neighborhoods are largely un-bike-able except for advanced cyclists (think of the "Dirty Dozen" race that takes place on the steepest streets in the city). Business districts are mostly small to non-existent (though the South Hills has some notable stretches). The neighborhoods are quiet residential havens with little to no development momentum. Landslides and subsidence threaten many properties.


As a Deutschtown resident... I've observed this dichotomy in my own life. While the North Side often tries to portray a 'unified front' of 18 neighborhoods... Old Allegheny City... as a resident of the flat part of the North Side next to Downtown... I find my life is far more plugged in to Downtown, Strip, Lawrenceville, South Side and East End than the hilltop neighborhoods of the North Side. Fineview may be a literal stone's throw from my place... but I can't remember the last time I've been up there.

Other than Riverview Park... what reason would compel most people from Deutschtown, Mexican War Streets, Manchester, etc. to travel up the hills into Perry, Fineview, Marshall-Shadeland, Spring Hill, etc.?

Of course, this is an asymmetrical dynamic. Since almost all the attractions and businesses are located in the flat neighborhoods... the hilltop residents have many reasons to come down to the flat neighborhoods.


Btw... this is not to denigrate hilltop neighborhoods... the hills define Pittsburgh's character. The relentless topography is problematic in many ways... but I certainly wouldn't give it up to be some generic Midwestern city with lots of room for exit ramps. lol

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

That's no coincidence. This network covers all the most topographically favorable sections of the city. I tend to think of the city less as "North Side" vs "South Side" etc... but instead I conceptualize Pittsburgh as two very different cities based on topography... hills vs. flats

1) Flat riverfront neighborhoods + East End plateau (represented almost perfectly by the Bike Share network): These are neighborhoods of relatively gentle topography that are much more easily develop-able and are home to the city's most dynamic demographics, extensive business districts and hottest property markets. Almost all of the city's bike infrastructure exists in these neighborhoods. These are a mix of traditionally wealthy, leafy East End neighborhoods, up-and-coming rowhouse and warehouse neighborhoods that have rebounded from the steel hangover (S. Side Flats, Strip/Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Mexican War Streets, etc.), and centrally-located revitalized transport/retail hubs (East Liberty).

2) Rugged hilltop / ravine neighborhoods: These areas dominate the northern half of the North Side, the West End, everything south of the Mon except for the SouthSide Flats, Hill District, etc.. These are neighborhoods with difficult access and limited development potential due to extreme topography. While there are occasional high-priced properties due to sweeping vistas, most of these areas are stagnant. Low values, low incomes, older, etc. These neighborhoods are largely un-bike-able except for advanced cyclists (think of the "Dirty Dozen" race that takes place on the steepest streets in the city). Business districts are mostly small to non-existent (though the South Hills has some notable stretches). The neighborhoods are quiet residential havens with little to no development momentum. Landslides and subsidence threaten many properties.


As a Deutschtown resident... I've observed this dichotomy in my own life. While the North Side often tries to portray a 'unified front' of 18 neighborhoods... Old Allegheny City... as a resident of the flat part of the North Side next to Downtown... I find my life is far more plugged in to Downtown, Strip, Lawrenceville, South Side and East End than the hilltop neighborhoods of the North Side. Fineview may be a literal stone's throw from my place... but I can't remember the last time I've been up there.

Other than Riverview Park... what reason would compel most people from Deutschtown, Mexican War Streets, Manchester, etc. to travel up the hills into Perry, Fineview, Marshall-Shadeland, Spring Hill, etc.?

Of course, this is an asymmetrical dynamic. Since almost all the attractions and businesses are located in the flat neighborhoods... the hilltop residents have many reasons to come down to the flat neighborhoods.


Btw... this is not to denigrate hilltop neighborhoods... the hills define Pittsburgh's character. The relentless topography is problematic in many ways... but I certainly wouldn't give it up to be some generic Midwestern city with lots of room for exit ramps. lol

I definitely think of Manchester, Allegheny West, Allegheny Center, Central Northside and Deutschtown as basically one collective neighborhood.

[Urbanthusiat]

Amazon expansion on South Side to add 125 jobs

E-commerce giant Amazon confirmed it is expanding its operations at SouthSide Works, where it plans to add 125 jobs in fields that include machine translation and speech science.

This expansion in the development on Sidney Street will more than double the company’s current tech workforce in Pittsburgh, the company said.

The Seattle-based company said it has secured an additional 22,000 square feet to expand its existing office in the SouthSide Works building. The Post-Gazette reported the possible expansion of its existing 15,200-square-foot space earlier this month.

Amazon opened the corporate office in January 2017 with about 50 employees working on projects that include Amazon web services, machine translation and Alexa, the company's voice-controlled intelligent assistant.

Pittsburgh is a finalist for HQ2, a project that Amazon has said could bring up to 50,000 jobs and $5 billion in investment over 17 years. Other finalists include Philadelphia; Columbus, Ohio; Newark, N.J.; Boston; and more than one location in the Washington, D.C., area.

The company stated the expansion at SouthSide Works is unrelated to its search for a second headquarters and that it is part of its ongoing job creation efforts and planned growth in Pittsburgh.

“Since day one at Amazon in Pittsburgh, we’ve been focused on expanding our pool of local technical talent as well as investing in the community. From machine translation engineers to Alexa speech scientists, our Pittsburgh employees love inventing every day on the behalf of customers,” said Bill Kaper, general manager of Amazon’s Pittsburgh office.

From: http://www.post-gazette.com/business...s/201802200107

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

That's no coincidence. This network covers all the most topographically favorable sections of the city. I tend to think of the city less as "North Side" vs "South Side" etc... but instead I conceptualize Pittsburgh as two very different cities based on topography... hills vs. flats

1) Flat riverfront neighborhoods + East End plateau (represented almost perfectly by the Bike Share network): These are neighborhoods of relatively gentle topography that are much more easily develop-able and are home to the city's most dynamic demographics, extensive business districts and hottest property markets. Almost all of the city's bike infrastructure exists in these neighborhoods. These are a mix of traditionally wealthy, leafy East End neighborhoods, up-and-coming rowhouse and warehouse neighborhoods that have rebounded from the steel hangover (S. Side Flats, Strip/Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Mexican War Streets, etc.), and centrally-located revitalized transport/retail hubs (East Liberty).

2) Rugged hilltop / ravine neighborhoods: These areas dominate the northern half of the North Side, the West End, everything south of the Mon except for the SouthSide Flats, Hill District, etc.. These are neighborhoods with difficult access and limited development potential due to extreme topography. While there are occasional high-priced properties due to sweeping vistas, most of these areas are stagnant. Low values, low incomes, older, etc. These neighborhoods are largely un-bike-able except for advanced cyclists (think of the "Dirty Dozen" race that takes place on the steepest streets in the city). Business districts are mostly small to non-existent (though the South Hills has some notable stretches). The neighborhoods are quiet residential havens with little to no development momentum. Landslides and subsidence threaten many properties.


As a Deutschtown resident... I've observed this dichotomy in my own life. While the North Side often tries to portray a 'unified front' of 18 neighborhoods... Old Allegheny City... as a resident of the flat part of the North Side next to Downtown... I find my life is far more plugged in to Downtown, Strip, Lawrenceville, South Side and East End than the hilltop neighborhoods of the North Side. Fineview may be a literal stone's throw from my place... but I can't remember the last time I've been up there.

Other than Riverview Park... what reason would compel most people from Deutschtown, Mexican War Streets, Manchester, etc. to travel up the hills into Perry, Fineview, Marshall-Shadeland, Spring Hill, etc.?

Of course, this is an asymmetrical dynamic. Since almost all the attractions and businesses are located in the flat neighborhoods... the hilltop residents have many reasons to come down to the flat neighborhoods.


Btw... this is not to denigrate hilltop neighborhoods... the hills define Pittsburgh's character. The relentless topography is problematic in many ways... but I certainly wouldn't give it up to be some generic Midwestern city with lots of room for exit ramps. lol

Great synopsis Bob.

Regarding what you said about little to no reason to go to the hilltop neighborhoods; I agree. If there is no business district then there really is no draw for non-neighborhood residents. That also highlights what I kinda like about living in one of those hilltop neighborhoods. I love dropping down to The Strip to eat at a restaurant or shopping or whatever and leave all the traffic issues down there and return to a quiet, unassuming residential area. I prefer that than to live on some busy boulevard with traffic jams, road noise, honking, etc.
I do enjoy the scenic nature of the local topography but sometimes I get frustrated thinking about how much of an advantage certain flat, featureless cities have for new construction and redevelopment of their cities.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

That's no coincidence. This network covers all the most topographically favorable sections of the city. I tend to think of the city less as "North Side" vs "South Side" etc... but instead I conceptualize Pittsburgh as two very different cities based on topography... hills vs. flats

1) Flat riverfront neighborhoods + East End plateau (represented almost perfectly by the Bike Share network): These are neighborhoods of relatively gentle topography that are much more easily develop-able and are home to the city's most dynamic demographics, extensive business districts and hottest property markets. Almost all of the city's bike infrastructure exists in these neighborhoods. These are a mix of traditionally wealthy, leafy East End neighborhoods, up-and-coming rowhouse and warehouse neighborhoods that have rebounded from the steel hangover (S. Side Flats, Strip/Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Mexican War Streets, etc.), and centrally-located revitalized transport/retail hubs (East Liberty).

2) Rugged hilltop / ravine neighborhoods: These areas dominate the northern half of the North Side, the West End, everything south of the Mon except for the SouthSide Flats, Hill District, etc.. These are neighborhoods with difficult access and limited development potential due to extreme topography. While there are occasional high-priced properties due to sweeping vistas, most of these areas are stagnant. Low values, low incomes, older, etc. These neighborhoods are largely un-bike-able except for advanced cyclists (think of the "Dirty Dozen" race that takes place on the steepest streets in the city). Business districts are mostly small to non-existent (though the South Hills has some notable stretches). The neighborhoods are quiet residential havens with little to no development momentum. Landslides and subsidence threaten many properties.


As a Deutschtown resident... I've observed this dichotomy in my own life. While the North Side often tries to portray a 'unified front' of 18 neighborhoods... Old Allegheny City... as a resident of the flat part of the North Side next to Downtown... I find my life is far more plugged in to Downtown, Strip, Lawrenceville, South Side and East End than the hilltop neighborhoods of the North Side. Fineview may be a literal stone's throw from my place... but I can't remember the last time I've been up there.

Other than Riverview Park... what reason would compel most people from Deutschtown, Mexican War Streets, Manchester, etc. to travel up the hills into Perry, Fineview, Marshall-Shadeland, Spring Hill, etc.?

Of course, this is an asymmetrical dynamic. Since almost all the attractions and businesses are located in the flat neighborhoods... the hilltop residents have many reasons to come down to the flat neighborhoods.


Btw... this is not to denigrate hilltop neighborhoods... the hills define Pittsburgh's character. The relentless topography is problematic in many ways... but I certainly wouldn't give it up to be some generic Midwestern city with lots of room for exit ramps. lol

I actually live in a flat neighborhood in the East End (Morningside) but I'm not getting a Healthy Ride Station (though I ride my own bike, so it's no big deal to me personally). Nor are we seeing much in the way of new development aside from the new senior apartments being built in our "business district."

The neighborhood certainly is gentrifying however. Four years ago, when we moved out of Lawrenceville and bought our home, we purchased at the highest price out of any homes on the market in the neighborhood. Now there are homes being bought for twice what we paid for ours. The rental homes are increasingly taken up by college students as well, considering all the young people I see getting on the 75 in front of my house in the morning. I just wish that all of this meant our local retail options were improving - we can't even seem to keep a coffeeshop open.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I actually live in a flat neighborhood in the East End (Morningside) but I'm not getting a Healthy Ride Station (though I ride my own bike, so it's no big deal to me personally). Nor are we seeing much in the way of new development aside from the new senior apartments being built in our "business district."

The neighborhood certainly is gentrifying however. Four years ago, when we moved out of Lawrenceville and bought our home, we purchased at the highest price out of any homes on the market in the neighborhood. Now there are homes being bought for twice what we paid for ours. The rental homes are increasingly taken up by college students as well, considering all the young people I see getting on the 75 in front of my house in the morning. I just wish that all of this meant our local retail options were improving - we can't even seem to keep a coffeeshop open.

I've always liked Morningside. It has that 'tucked away but still right in the city' character to it. It's very un-Pittsburgh in some way, in that it has those very long (for Pittsburgh), straight stretches of dense early "suburban" development... but very Pittsburgh at the same time.

I think it's a great location... a quieter part of the greater East End, with close access to East Liberty and Lawrenceville, bordering the park, river frontage, and easy access to 28. It seems like higher quality retail is only a matter of time, as more younger folks move in. And it they ever get things together on that Allegheny riverfton trail/connection to the Heth's Run greenway, it would be beautfiul.

[eschaton]

I can't use any of my tricks to get behind the PBT paywall this time, but apparently the new riverfront zoning went over like a ton of bricks at the planning commission this week. Reading through the source code, all of the major developers, including Oxford, The Steelers/Continental, Millcraft, Rugby, and Walnut Capital either showed up directly or sent lawyers to the meeting. The main issues seems to be the new requirements on riverfront setbacks, height limits close to the river, and demands to not have facades of over 500 feet mean most of the new development in Pittsburgh over the past decade (along with most projects in the works) are non-conforming. It seems like it was broadly supported by community groups, and NIMBYs didn't show up in any numbers.

If the plan isn't killed outright, it seems likely it will be modified to be significantly more "developer friendly" - which might be the best of both worlds if it also results in the pro-density elements of the rezoning remaining in place.

[Topher51]

This is a bit outside of Pittsburgh, but there is a plan to redevelop the former Weirton Steel site in a similar manner as ALMONO.

https://www.bhbdc.com/planning-is-un...on-steel-site/

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by pj3000

I've always liked Morningside. It has that 'tucked away but still right in the city' character to it. It's very un-Pittsburgh in some way, in that it has those very long (for Pittsburgh), straight stretches of dense early "suburban" development... but very Pittsburgh at the same time.

I think it's a great location... a quieter part of the greater East End, with close access to East Liberty and Lawrenceville, bordering the park, river frontage, and easy access to 28. It seems like higher quality retail is only a matter of time, as more younger folks move in. And it they ever get things together on that Allegheny riverfront trail/connection to the Heth's Run greenway, it would be beautiful.

We're pretty far south in Morningside - only a bit over a block from Stanton. It's honestly just as quick for us to walk to Bryant Street in Highland Park ans Greenwood Avenue (though neither is particularly quick - 14 minutes in both cases). Still, it's a bit sad the best our neighborhood has to offer in its business district is Cut & Sew Studio and Bulldog Pub.

Closer to my home, there's now-empty storefront which used to house a very sketchy convenience store. I was trying a few years back to get the ladies who run 52nd Street Market interested in the location, since they want to open a branch Morningside, but they can't raise the capital needed.

[Gilamonster]

I believe that this is the article that eschaton referenced a few posts above:

By Tim Schooley
– Reporter, Pittsburgh Business Times
Feb 20, 2018, 7:02pm EST
The Pittsburgh Planning Commission voted unanimously for a continuance on a measure to recommend a new riverfront zoning ordinance (RIV) to city council after hearing testimony from a broad array of constituents, including a host of major development interests in the city.

Expected to reduce the number of riverfront zoning designations from 16 to 5, the planning department presented a zoning proposal with a broad variety of changes that seeks to increase a setback from the riverfront at which new development could be built from 50 feet to 125 feet, with the closest distance for new construction reaching 95 feet if various bonus requirements are met.

The new zoning plan is proposed to replace a previous Interim Planning Overlay District with new zoning to better match the variety of different uses being developed along the city’s riverfronts.

It proposes a mix of changes with the goals of protecting the ecology of the city’s riverfronts, promoting access and encouraging quality development.

Yet, the new riverfront zoning generated strong reservations from some of the city’s biggest riverfront developers and property owners, some of whom protested that projects already built along the city’s riverfronts couldn’t have happened under the proposed new riverfront zoning.

Ben Kelley, a development manager for Oxford Development Co., offered perhaps the most conspicuous example of that as his firm seeks to build upon its $130 million 3 Crossings mixed-use development along the Allegheny River in the Strip District.

He said the company is currently working on a new 2.0 expansion of 3 Crossings that is currently projected to total 1 million square feet of development at a cost of $300 million.

“However, the buildings would not be permitted under the new riverfront zoning regulations before you today,” he said. “The three current 3 Crossings buildings would not be feasible if the proposed riverfront zoning regulations were applicable.”

He explained the Yards apartment complex would’ve lost a floor due to step-back requirements, and the office buildings would’ve been more expensive and less appealing to tenants.

He expects at least three of the buildings Oxford proposes at 3 Crossings 2.0 would not meet the new set-back requirements, and added the zoning expectation of maintaining riverfront-view corridors would further limit Oxford’s ability to feasibly lay out its development plan.

“While well-intentioned, the RIV creates more barriers to quality development,” Kelley said.

A lawyer representing the North Shore interests of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Continental Real Estate Cos. echoed Kelley’s sentiment that the two stadiums and much of what was built between them wouldn’t have happened under the new zoning; he believed PNC Park and Heinz Field should not be subject to the new restriction against riverfront buildings being over 500 feet long, arguing it could limit their expansion prospects.

There also was Millcraft Investments, which is pursuing a mixed-use master plan on 15 acres on the North Side; lawyers who represent development firms such as Rugby Realty Co. Inc. and Walnut Capital Partners; as well as the New York-based ownership of 31st Street Studios, which bought the more than 9-acre riverfront property in the Strip District for about $14 million last year.

The new zoning ordinance seeks to provide a mix of incentives that give developers options to meet the new zoning standards, which vary throughout the city but include restrictions for upper floor setbacks. Developers can get points allowing them to build 10 feet taller or 10 feet closer for meeting city goals, such as providing affordable housing, or building to green and energy-efficient standards.

The ordinance is expected to cover 35 miles of riverfront in the city, excluding some established specially planned districts such as Hazelwood Green and two master plan sites of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Technology Center and the SouthSide Works. Station Square and the golden triangle zoning district of downtown are also excluded from the new zoning ordinance.

Jonathan Kamin, a local real estate lawyer who represents Rugby, which is planning a major mixed-use office building near the Pennsylvania Railroad Fruit Auction & Sales Terminal, described the zoning proposal as essentially allowing for the taking of private land for public use when it comes to the setback requirement.

He saw more reason for concern over the riverfront zoning in the Strip District, which extends away from the riverfront past Smallman to Spring Way.

“The growing of the size of that buffer zone in the Strip District does not seem to be rationally related to anything that has to do with the river but has to do more with controlling development,” he said.

Bill Sittig, a local real estate lawyer, argued on behalf of the status quo, praising the planning staff with working directly with developers through the loose framework of current general industrial and urban industrial zoning to craft workable plans.

He expects the new zoning proposal to sharply limit the prospects for that.

“You can’t have a good project if you don’t have a project,” he said. “These ideas have to be feasible.”

The new zoning proposal generated testimony from a variety of different constituents, including Scenic Pittsburgh, which praised it for limiting billboard advertising from the city’s rivers; Friends of the Riverfront, which argued for new funding for riverfront trail maintenance; and Riverlife, which expects the new zoning to better protect the city’s riverfronts while allowing greater public access.

The Pittsburgh Planning Commission will consider the testimony and take up the riverfront zoning ordinance at its next regularly scheduled meeting in March. The commission is expected to vote on whether to recommend the new zoning before it is moved on for passage by Pittsburgh City Council.

By Tim Schooley
– Reporter, Pittsburgh Business Times
Feb 20, 2018, 7:02pm EST

[eschaton]

The March HRC agenda is up. Not much of interest this month. The 606 Cedar Avenue rehab is back (for the third time). There are also more details of the (much scaled down) rehab of the "Moe's building" in Market Square. It's no longer some bizarre Art Nouveu castle, but the new grey and blue tiling calls back to that design.

Edit: While I'm at it, the following projects are now in the building permit stage:

1. Four-story office at 3000 Smallman in the Strip District
2. Four-story office in Central Lawrenceville (next to Foundry at 41st)
3. Four-story building at 4815 Frew Street on CMU's campus (Ansys Hall)
4. Some work on a new one-story building at 5880 Baum Boulevard. This is the same block as planned (unimpressive) Cube redevelopment, but I don't remember a one-story building in the plans. Maybe they scaled back even further?
5. Two multi-unit apartment buildings in the new phase of the Larimer project, which are replacing East Liberty Gardens. One is 45 units, the other 46 units. I am around this area a lot, and the site is coming together pretty quickly considering it's the middle of winter still.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I can't use any of my tricks to get behind the PBT paywall this time, but apparently the new riverfront zoning went over like a ton of bricks at the planning commission this week. Reading through the source code, all of the major developers, including Oxford, The Steelers/Continental, Millcraft, Rugby, and Walnut Capital either showed up directly or sent lawyers to the meeting. The main issues seems to be the new requirements on riverfront setbacks, height limits close to the river, and demands to not have facades of over 500 feet mean most of the new development in Pittsburgh over the past decade (along with most projects in the works) are non-conforming. It seems like it was broadly supported by community groups, and NIMBYs didn't show up in any numbers.

If the plan isn't killed outright, it seems likely it will be modified to be significantly more "developer friendly" - which might be the best of both worlds if it also results in the pro-density elements of the rezoning remaining in place.

Interesting stuff. I sincerely hope that new zoning will not limit development but also be of an appropriate density and quality. And while we're at it, how about we make a couple new rules: No more new orange buildings! We are at capacity. And also something along the lines of, only 25% or less of your new building is allowed to have corrugated siding.

[chucka]

WESA has a story about the Penn Plaza Site.

Preliminary Plan For Former Penn Plaza Site Still In Review

They link to a Revised Amended Preliminary Land Development Plan dated February 5, 2018 (Large PDF).

[Bricktrimble]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Interesting stuff. I sincerely hope that new zoning will not limit development but also be of an appropriate density and quality. And while we're at it, how about we make a couple new rules: No more new orange buildings! We are at capacity. And also something along the lines of, only 25% or less of your new building is allowed to have corrugated siding.

I'm all for keeping out corrugated siding! The new cancer center at AGH has proposed some metal screening around the parking garage, which could be cool, but I'm thinking over time it will look like rusted chain link fencing.

[pj3000]

Additional Penn Plaza site renderings from Chucka's post above:

[eschaton]

There's a ton of interesting stuff mentioned in that preliminary land development plan, including the potential new housing developments "funded" by the project. I put funded in quotes here, because the amount being kicked in is honestly a drop in the bucket. But a few of these projects - like some infill in Garfield on Broad Street, or the Garland Park Residences - I have never even heard about before.

I do not think the NIMBYs will be happy with the reconfiguration of Enright Parklet one bit. But I don't think anything will make them happy honestly.

I also don't understand why the new extension of Saint Clair doesn't align with the segment across Penn Avenue. It also bothers me that Eva Street, although relocated, doesn't align with the one-block stub on the other side of S Euclid, but I can understand this - they want more developable space and Enright Parklet to be a bit smaller.

In general, I still think the decision to move away from residential was a bad idea, although I don't know if that was forced upon LG by the city or their own choice. East Liberty has lots of vacant retail in new-construction buildings right now - significantly less than a year ago, but it's still very notable walking around. What the core of East Liberty needs right now is hundreds of new apartment units so that more potential customers are within walking distance - not further commercial space which will likely stay partially vacant for several years to come.

[BrianTH]

I note with interest that their proposed plan would allow for residential use, even though apparently they are currently suggesting it will not include residential.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I note with interest that their proposed plan would allow for residential use, even though apparently they are currently suggesting it will not include residential.

Yeah, I see now that "all uses permitted in the RP district" still remains intact, meaning they could build residential. But I still wonder if they effectively felt forced into abandoning a residential component - perhaps because there were demands that if the built residential onsite, it would include affordable units - or if they decided to walk away from that element of initial plan for other reasons.

[dfiler]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I also don't understand why the new extension of Saint Clair doesn't align with the segment across Penn Avenue. It also bothers me that Eva Street, although relocated, doesn't align with the one-block stub on the other side of S Euclid, but I can understand this - they want more developable space and Enright Parklet to be a bit smaller.

This is baffling me too. It only looks like a difference of a few feet. Are those few feet really valuable enough to be worth disrupting the street grid? That's an honest question. What's going on here?

My take is that the neighborhood would be better off with a reconnected street grid rather than mega-blocks. Granted, even after this block of St Claire is restored to (near) the original location, two small parklets would still interrupt St Claire street between highland park and center ave. The median of east liberty blvd also interrupts st claire. But otherwise it is a straight shot.

There are some counter intuitive concepts here. Could removing parklets and reinstating a street really be pedestrian friendly? Would it make a more livable neighborhood? My stance is yes. The mega blocks created as part of the "projects" that used to be here, ended up being desolate no-man's land rather than the green bit of urban utopia originally intended. People would walk all the way around the mega blocks rather than cutting through the parklet or greenspace between buildings. Shrinking the parklets and reinstating a sidewalk lined street would actually increase pedestrian use and create a more vibrant neighborhood.

Hopefully the tide is turning away from mega blocks and back to traditional, connected street grids! All across the city are examples of well-intentioned projects that superimposed mega blocks over an existing grid. Most of them turned out horribly with neighborhoods falling into rapid decline.