US Steel is now said to be looking for up to 1,000,000 sq feet of space. By contrast, the huge Dicks Sporting Goods campus at the airport is 675,000 feet on 116 acres.
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U.S. Steel is said to be looking for 800,000 to 1 million square feet of space, enough not only for the 1,500 employees in U.S. Steel Tower but also for workers now at other locations in the region.
The Civic Arena site is again mentioned in the article, but it looks like USS wants to occupy something prominent - I don't know if a mixed use development bordering the Hill District projects an image of corporate power that a large campus or downtown tower does.
I'd first expect a campus setting in the airport area, if not perhaps a new tower downtown, assuming they in fact need that much space.
Last edited by PITairport; Apr 6, 2012 at 4:42 AM.
Reason: Grammar
I don't know if US Steel would be interested, but the tentative plan for the Lower Hill was to have some signature office towers in the blocks closest to Downtown. A tenant could easily build a million sqft in those blocks if they wanted (that would likely require building taller than the original plan, but that plan was based on what their market study suggested, and a real tenant beats a market study every time).
I think it would be great if US Steel went to the Penguins site, but I don't think thats really what they have in mind.
They probably want a site that provides them control for expansion purposes. The probably want free parking. They probably want to consolidate their data center on the South Side (which requires a semi-remote location). And they probably want easy access to the airport since most of their facilities are located elsewhere.
Also, nice pics chris. Thanks for the views of the new stations and downtown. I'm underwhelmed by the Gateway station... I just don't get it. And it looks cheap and unfinished. Though that sidewalk map is very cool. At track level, all the new stations look pretty good though. That Arena/US Steel pic with the remnants of the Arena steel arm is a wonderful shot, as Austin said above. Good eye.
Exciting to see the demolition and fencing for the new PNC Tower, knowing a real skyscraper is going to rise in Pittsburgh once again!
I'm underwhelmed by the Gateway station... I just don't get it. And it looks cheap and unfinished. Though that sidewalk map is very cool.
I agree. I don't get what look they were going for with the external design. It's really flat looking and looks like it's missing some external cladding. The large metal elevator structure on the market square side looks strange and out of place when approaching from the square as well.
BTW, here is a a copy/paste/zoom I did of the above banners surrounding the tower at PNC project. They don't seem to be the same as any of the conflicting designs released so far for the tower either. I think the final design is going to be different than anything we have seen yet to be honest. I hope it exceeds our expectations. Knowing PNC and Gensler I think it will.
Also, nice pics chris. Thanks for the views of the new stations and downtown. I'm underwhelmed by the Gateway station... I just don't get it. And it looks cheap and unfinished. Though that sidewalk map is very cool. At track level, all the new stations look pretty good though.
Exciting to see the demolition and fencing for the new PNC Tower, knowing a real skyscraper is going to rise in Pittsburgh once again!
I think from this angle, it looks more complete:
Although yeah, it could def be viewed as having a somewhat "unfinished around the edges look to it" I think with all the surrounding touches it is quite nice though. The inside is def boss. Love those angled round concrete columns.
I also added chris's awesome pics to page one of this thread for the new lightrail stations. Also one page 1 I added the proposals for the Fort Pitt Boulevard 3 finalists for that midrise tower that we debated.
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I think it would be great to have US Steel stay Downtown. Once the site is rid of the arena, it would be the ideal location should US Steel want to stay downtown. I hope they consider remaining within the Golden Triangle. They could be a real driving force behind the redevelopment of the Civic Arena site. Plus, they could also be a driving force behind extending the T to the Airport if they want easy access from their HQ to there.
"Ok, we helped put a signature building or two on the former site of the Civic Arena, now how about we get LRT service from Downtown to the Airport!" I think this could get a ton of people to jump on board. Anyone else with me?
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I think it would be great to have US Steel stay Downtown. Once the site is rid of the arena, it would be the ideal location should US Steel want to stay downtown. I hope they consider remaining within the Golden Triangle. They could be a real driving force behind the redevelopment of the Civic Arena site. Plus, they could also be a driving force behind extending the T to the Airport if they want easy access from their HQ to there.
"Ok, we helped put a signature building or two on the former site of the Civic Arena, now how about we get LRT service from Downtown to the Airport!" I think this could get a ton of people to jump on board. Anyone else with me?
I think this is such a perfect idea most of us are probably thinking it. It's right across the street from their tower... It's a huge parcel, prime, prime location. It would be such a great fit. What a thrill it would be if they would fill that gap and spur more development in uptown and into the hill and start to see an organic connection with oakland again.
As for lightrail out to the airport.... Everyone keeps talking about such a thing, but I can't imagine it being done for less than probably like 1-1.5 billion. I don't see how that could happen anytime soon.
Think of it: The west end busway cost like $400+ million for just a few miles; The north shore connector cost almost $600 million for 1.2 miles... I mean, if a link to the airport happens, all of us in our 30s now will be 98 yrs old when it is finished.
Yeah, since connecting the north shore to the airport requires crossing *back* over the Ohio river, and I can't think of any railway bridges that aren't already in heavy use for cargo trains, it's gonna be a pricey venture.
The next phase, and the most realistic, is a spine-line connecting downtown to Oakland, and maybe then onto East Liberty & Wilkinsburg. And I wouldn't expect it to be completed in this decade.
Yeah, since connecting the north shore to the airport requires crossing *back* over the Ohio river, and I can't think of any railway bridges that aren't already in heavy use for cargo trains, it's gonna be a pricey venture.
The next phase, and the most realistic, is a spine-line connecting downtown to Oakland, and maybe then onto East Liberty & Wilkinsburg. And I wouldn't expect it to be completed in this decade.
And personally, I think connecting Downtown to Oakland and East Liberty is more important than rail to the airport, anyhow. If you're going to do airport service, make sure there's a good bus service first, and then gauge potential passenger numbers based upon that.
Aaron (Glowrock)
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Originally Posted by glowrock
And personally, I think connecting Downtown to Oakland and East Liberty is more important than rail to the airport, anyhow. If you're going to do airport service, make sure there's a good bus service first, and then gauge potential passenger numbers based upon that.
Aaron (Glowrock)
Fair enough. What alignment would you use? I've considered doing an extension from Steel Plaza right along Centre Avenue to East Liberty. I also thought they could make this extension into a full subway line (heavy rail) and convert the East Liberty/Shadyside bus garage into a heavy rail maintenance facility.
I also thought it could extend beyond Steel Plaza and include a couple more stops in the southern portion of Downtown, but I guess that's not likely tho...
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The other day I was thinking of a rail connection essentially following 5th Ave.. It could be an elevated track through the Bluff and then moves below the street level just before it enters Oakland. And from East Liberty on it would be at-grade. This doesn't do much for the Hill, but wt least it connects Duquesne, Carlow, Pitt & CMU all to downtown.