PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown III - Page 78

Jonboy1983 · #**1541** Posted **Oct 2, 2018, 7:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I liked the idea of reusing the cold storage building, but a 17-story office tower would be a more than satisfactory alternative (and hopefully Buncher would get the message).

According to the part of the article that ISN'T behind the pay wall, it looks like 17 floors would be the minimum. It says 17 stories OR MORE. "Or more" would be fine with me!

eschaton · #**1542** Posted **Oct 4, 2018, 5:19 PM**

New ZBA up for 10/25:

1. New house in Central Lawrenceville (replacing this old frame house it seems).

2. Renovation and expansion of this small industrial building in Bloomfield into office space.

3. Two infill townhouses on Woolslayer Way in Lower Lawrenceville (here)

Planning Commission should be up a bit later today.

eschaton · #**1543** Posted **Oct 4, 2018, 7:12 PM**

Okay, the 10/9 planning commission has landed. Five new items:

1. Transfer of development rights request from PMC. Essentially they want to move 12 units allowable by right at 908 Penn Avenue (it's permitted for 91 units, but currently only has 25, because it's small) to 717 Liberty Avenue - (Clark Building). This would allow them to increase the unit count from 228 to 240.

2. Demolition of 365 N Craig Street. It currently sticks out like a sore thumb as a remaining late 19th/early 20th century chopped up home with a large apartment tower on one side, and a small office building on the other. I wouldn't be opposed to the demolition. Hopefully its for more than just expanding the parking of the apartment building.

3. A small residential project in Uptown. Basically owners of a home on Tustin bought two vacant lots which are are adjacent on Mitenberger. They wish to fill most of the footprint of both their existing and two new lots with an expansion, which will be fronted by a two-car garage. It's a very small project, but going to the Planning Commission because Uptown is now one of the "public realms" of the city.

4. A renovation of 441 Smithfield Street (Frank & Seder Building) downtown. The plan calls for basement parking (58 car spaces, 43 bike spaces) retail on the first two stories, offices on floors 3-5, and 40 units of apartments on the top two stories plus a penthouse. The building will look very sharp once the windows are replaced. The building is being renamed "The Icon on Smithfield."

5. Finally, another, even more substantial project - the new UPMC Vision & Rehab hospital in Uptown. We've seen renderings of this recently online, and the building schedule was sooner than the other two new UPMC hospitals, so it's not a huge shock to see it. Ten stories and 445,000 square feet, plus a new 1,100 space garage. From an urban perspective, I think it's the best of the three new hospitals, although it's also the least interesting design wise.

bmust71 · #**1544** Posted **Oct 4, 2018, 9:37 PM**

You can see in the renderings of the Icon on Smithfield a retail space for Punch Bowl Social. I remember a PG article saying them, an Italian steakhouse, and Honeygrow were/are potential tenants. Every time I've been to Cleveland for a night out Punch Bowl Social is always packed... would be a cool addition to downtown but will probably be more of a happy hour spot than a late night bar.

Edit-- if you look closely you can see Honeygrow and Davio's in there too lol. I feel like its very unusual for a developer to release renders with potential tenants before leases are signed...

highlander206 · #**1545** Posted **Oct 5, 2018, 1:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschaton

Okay, the 10/9 planning commission has landed. Five new items:

4. A renovation of 441 Smithfield Street (Frank & Seder Building) downtown. The plan calls for basement parking (58 car spaces, 43 bike spaces) retail on the first two stories, offices on floors 3-5, and 40 units of apartments on the top two stories plus a penthouse. The building will look very sharp once the windows are replaced. The building is being renamed "The Icon on Smithfield."

I walk by this building nearly daily. I've noticed this week there's an application for a liquor license in front of one of the store fronts on Fifth and noticed construction workers in the same store front too, so they are doing a little prep work for this I suppose already.

AaronPGH · #**1546** Posted **Oct 5, 2018, 6:17 PM**

More Gondola talk, BrianTH!

http://www.post-gazette.com/business...s/201810040118

mikebarbaro · #**1547** Posted **Oct 5, 2018, 10:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by highlander206

I walk by this building nearly daily. I've noticed this week there's an application for a liquor license in front of one of the store fronts on Fifth and noticed construction workers in the same store front too, so they are doing a little prep work for this I suppose already.

Took a photo of the notice. Anyone know this company?

BrianTH · #**1548** Posted **Oct 5, 2018, 10:41 PM**

Great to see Frank & Seder getting started. Maybe it will beat the former Macy's to completion . . . .

BrianTH · #**1549** Posted **Oct 5, 2018, 10:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

More Gondola talk, BrianTH!

http://www.post-gazette.com/business...s/201810040118

Shockingly, I am for it!

Oakland to Hazelwood Green then across the river is such a natural opportunity to show what the technology does well. In other cities where it makes sense, after the first leg there was then a lot of interest in expansions.

bossride · #**1550** Posted **Oct 6, 2018, 12:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikebarbaro

Took a photo of the notice. Anyone know this company?

From the PA liquor license site:

DAVIO'S NORTHERN ITALIAN RESTAURANT

441 SMITHFIELD ST
PITTSBURGH PA 15222

License Information

Status: Pending

License Type: Restaurant (Liquor)

LID Number: 95233

License Number: R3375

Licensee: 441 SMITHFIELD PITTSBURGH LLC

County: Allegheny County

Municipality: Pittsburgh

Premises

Name: DAVIO'S NORTHERN ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Owner: n/a

Manager: n/a

Citation Case(s)

Case LID Number Opened Closed Penalty

2000-0628 10941 May 24, 2000 Jul 31, 2000 Withdrawn, Fine ($0)
2008-1957 57354 Aug 15, 2008 Dec 29, 2008 Fine, Fine ($1700)
2015-2204 68173 Dec 23, 2015 Apr 20, 2016 Fine, Fine ($150)

bmust71 · #**1551** Posted **Oct 6, 2018, 3:58 PM**

PBT reporting site work has begun on the first phase of the town homes in the strip at Waterfront Place. Laurel communities has sold 16 of 21 in the first phase in just two months. Seems like after a summer lull construction has started to pick up around the city

highlander206 · #**1552** Posted **Oct 8, 2018, 12:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Great to see Frank & Seder getting started. Maybe it will beat the former Macy's to completion . . . .

HA, that's possible at this rate! Waffles Incaffinated has finally opened its door though I hope they start sprucing the outside part of the building soon so it doesn't look so dirty and abandoned as well.

bmust71 · #**1553** Posted **Oct 8, 2018, 12:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by highlander206

HA, that's possible at this rate! Waffles Incaffinated has finally opened its door though I hope they start sprucing the outside part of the building soon so it doesn't look so dirty and abandoned as well.

I walked by the other day and they had one of the double doors open to give a view into the first floor and it looked the exact same as it did a year ago. I know they have the residents lobby completed but everything else is a mess. 100 apartments under contact a few months ago and no one (I think?) able to move in. They paid for cheap labor and that's what they get. This has to be a thorn in the side for Core Realty- they started construction on this what, 3 years ago??

Jonboy1983 · #**1554** Posted **Oct 8, 2018, 3:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

More Gondola talk, BrianTH!

http://www.post-gazette.com/business...s/201810040118

I think Gondolas and a LRT extension should be considered, as I think they'd both work very well if incorporated with each other. I see they plan on doing just that for Georgetown Univ. and Rosslyn in Northern VA. To go from Georgetown to Foggy Bottom is quite a schlep, and crossing the Potomac and climbing a hill to get to the Orange/Silver/Blue Line there isn't fun either.

Coming back to the Burgh, extending the T down (or up) the Mon River should be a no-brainer. Many of these communities lack a direct link to Downtown; there isn't even a good/adequate road network linking places like McKeesport and Rankin with Downtown.

eschaton · #**1555** Posted **Oct 8, 2018, 3:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonboy1983

I think Gondolas and a LRT extension should be considered, as I think they'd both work very well if incorporated with each other. I see they plan on doing just that for Georgetown Univ. and Rosslyn in Northern VA. To go from Georgetown to Foggy Bottom is quite a schlep, and crossing the Potomac and climbing a hill to get to the Orange/Silver/Blue Line there isn't fun either.

Coming back to the Burgh, extending the T down (or up) the Mon River should be a no-brainer. Many of these communities lack a direct link to Downtown; there isn't even a good/adequate road network linking places like McKeesport and Rankin with Downtown.

I don't think a T extension down the Mon has even been suggested. However, there is that Lawrenceville-to-Hazelwood ROW which has been mooted for conversion to light rail.

Jonboy1983 · #**1556** Posted **Oct 8, 2018, 7:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschaton

I don't think a T extension down the Mon has even been suggested. However, there is that Lawrenceville-to-Hazelwood ROW which has been mooted for conversion to light rail.

I don't think it was discussed either, but I don't think it would be too terribly tricky to do. I was aware of the ROW along the Allegheny River. I wonder if they're still actively pushing for this.

AaronPGH · #**1557** Posted **Oct 8, 2018, 8:27 PM**

If I recall correctly, that ROW idea was Peduto pushing for some sort of commuter rail link, wasn't it? I don't believe it was to be the T. I also haven't heard another peep on it. That makes it seem dead to me.

BrianTH · #**1558** Posted **Oct 8, 2018, 11:12 PM**

Light rail from Etna via Oakland and Hazelwood to McKeesport, with a branch to Downtown, was one of the recommendations of the Eastern Corridor Transit Study in the early-mid 2000s:

Like the rest of the ECTS recommendations, it went nowhere.

wpipkins2 · #**1559** Posted **Oct 9, 2018, 12:56 AM**

The Buncher apartments turned out better than expected. The site preparation for the townhouses is underway. I look forward to phase II.

The District 15 building looks better in person as well. The rendering looked flimsy and cheap.

The Three Crossing development is the most impressive. The glass and metal contrasts with the funky industrial grit. Railroad Street / Waterfront Place is coming together.

bossride · #**1560** Posted **Oct 9, 2018, 11:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonboy1983

Coming back to the Burgh, extending the T down (or up) the Mon River should be a no-brainer. Many of these communities lack a direct link to Downtown; there isn't even a good/adequate road network linking places like McKeesport and Rankin with Downtown.

There used to be a PAT train that ran from Versailles to Pittsburgh through Port Vue, McKeesport and Braddock. There was a tiny bar near the Versailles stop with 4 stools and a couple of tables that was a great place to stop on the way home.