PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown II

[zeno333]

Originally Posted by daviderik

I pray that they do not place their name "PNC" in big giant letters atop this tower. Because if you like that all your taste is in your mouth. haha.

I bet they will put some sort of PNC letter near the top...They may try and design it so that according to "them" the letters "fit in"....I agree, it should not have any name on top, but it seems Pittsburgh in particular has the name and or letters on top of tall buildings "addiction" big time.

[Evergrey]

Whatever PNC decides to do... I'm sure it will look classy.

[Evergrey]

http://triblive.com/news/2200887-74/...th-jobs-palmas

Latinos move into Southwest Pa.

...

The Brookline-based grocers are expanding this summer, opening what’s expected to be Washington County’s first Latino supermarket. The county is experiencing increased migration from the Southwest and from Latinos yearning for the cheeses, meats, soft drinks and spices they left behind, said Gabrel Berumen, one of four brothers who own the three-store Las Palmas chain.

“They say it’s hard to find the meats they’re used to in Texas. ... I say, ‘We need a store,’” Berumen, 34, said, explaining plans to open in about three weeks. “Right now when you go (to Washington County), you see vroom, vroom — everybody going everywhere. I think Washington is going everywhere and doing really good business. It’s good for everybody.”

For some there, it’s a sign of a changing community. Barbecue and Mexican restaurants are on the rise. A Spanish Mass in the village of Muse in Cecil has grown to more than 100 regular attendees. A decade of economic growth boosted by the recent gas drilling boom is broadening the cultural fabric beyond coal and PONY baseball.

“People are coming from all over the place. It’s changing the dynamic on even a social level,” said Betsy West, former president of the Washington-Greene County Association of Realtors. “I just think any time there’s a blend, it’s good for the children to understand that’s part of being in America.”

Outside of the Mid-Atlantic region, the Southwest has become the biggest contributor of domestic migration to Washington County. Hundreds of people came from Houston, Dallas, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles, according to census data from 2009-10, up from only a few dozen from Phoenix and San Diego 10 years before.

...

[daviderik]

Originally Posted by zeno333

I bet they will put some sort of PNC letter near the top...They may try and design it so that according to "them" the letters "fit in"....I agree, it should not have any name on top, but it seems Pittsburgh in particular has the name and or letters on top of tall buildings "addiction" big time.

Yeah, You're probably right. I believe the first building the city allowed to put their signage on was the Mellon Bank Tower. Which is now BNY Mellon. Which at the time I didn't have a problem with. But if you let one, you have to let them all do it. The city still has to approve it. It's a shame. I know some people like it. of corse some people also think the vagas strip is classy.

[BrianTH]

For the record, the data I have seen indicates that Hispanic immigrants to the United States are assimilating in pretty much the exact same way, at the same pace, as other prior immigrant waves.

With new Hispanic immigration to the U.S. dropping sharply, I think it is a good bet that most of the Hispanic-heritage people in the Pittsburgh area in the future will actually be native-born (either here or before migrating domestically). They will also increasingly have mixed heritages.

[daviderik]

I would like to disagree. But that's not allowed. Soooo. You're RIGHT!!!

[daviderik]

Brothers have big dreams of restoring former Iron City Brewery site

A South Fayette firm wants to restore the historic Iron City Brewery and develop it into a national attraction, but estimates it would cost about $3 million just to prepare the property for development.

Collier Development, owned by brothers Jack and Jim Cargoni, is seeking community approval before finalizing plans for the 8.95-acre complex on Liberty Avenue in Lawrenceville, said Tim Frew, Collier’s on-site business consultant. He said the company expects to develop the property during the next decade and would seek assistance from the city, state and federal government.

“We’re going to restore it to its original grandeur,” Frew said during a tour of the site on Friday. “It’s very important that the citizens be involved in the process for us to be successful.”

The company is leasing office space to Pittsburgh Brewing Co., which produces Iron City Beer in Latrobe, and has two tenants lined up for warehouse space along Sassafras Way. Frew said a master plan under development would determine other uses for the property. He said the company has received inquiries from people interested in establishing a restaurant there.

“It’s unique because it’s a large site, it has a long history, and it intersects several city neighborhoods,” said Matt Galluzzo, executive director of the Lawrenceville Corp. civic group. “We want to see the buildings and the site maintained. What will go into the site remains to be seen. What buildings remain on the site remains to be seen.”

Collier raised concern among neighbors this week when it tore down two buildings in what Frew described as an emergency demolition. Pittsburgh’s building inspectors cited the company for failing to have demolition permits and permission from the Historic Review Commission. The brewery is designated as a city historical landmark.

“Why are they tearing down historic buildings if they want to restore them?” said Carol Peterson, who co-chairs the Lawrenceville Stakeholders Historic Preservation Committee. “Let’s not destroy the village in order to save it.”

Collier officials said the buildings, which they said were not historic, were dangerous to workers.

The brewery moved from near 17th Street in the Strip District to what was then Lawrenceville’s Iron City Park in 1867, said Chuck Puckett of Peters, Pittsburgh Brewing Co.’s historian. It includes about 20 buildings, most of them attached and made of red bricks, constructed from the late 19th century through the 1970s.

The oldest dated building is the 1884 “Brew House” where beer was made. An arched stone above the entrance bears the names, “Frauenheim & Vilsack,” two of the founders.

Other notable buildings on the site include the 1886 office building on Liberty and an 1896 keg storage building.

Frew said possibilities for the complex also include condominiums and a hotel, but the company is open to suggestions. Inquires about a possible restaurant involve the keg storage house. The building also included a cooperage where wooden kegs were made.

The long building has two steel support beams from the Herron Avenue Bridge’s 19th-century predecessor. They run from a sandstone block foundation in the basement through the first floor up to the roof where they were cut off. Collier plans to leave the beams and foundations intact.

Frew said plans for the complex would be discussed at a public meeting in September that will include representatives of Bloomfield, Polish Hill, Lawrenceville and the Strip. DLA Architecture of Green Tree is developing the master plan.

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/2...toric-brothers

[Jonboy1983]

I like the idea of locating a hotel there, but what if they build the whole thing into a museum for beer? They could restore some of the buildings and illustrate how beer is made and discuss the history of Pittsburgh Brewery along with the history of beer in Pittsburgh. I think something like that could draw tons of people to Pittsburgh and to Lawrenceville...

[daviderik]

I see your point. But I think it might me hard to find investors and developers for that plan. Museums don't bring in the cash. But the complex is so large they could devote part of building for that. I'm suprised how much of a dump it has become since Iron City moved out. Then again maybe they were working in a dump.

[BrianTH]

Boring, I know, but given the proximity to the Herron Station on the Busway, I'd like to see the site developed with the maximum possible number of residential, hotel, and/or office units.

[Jonboy1983]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Boring, I know, but given the proximity to the Herron Station on the Busway, I'd like to see the site developed with the maximum possible number of residential, hotel, and/or office units.

Brewery Square?

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Jonboy1983

Brewery Square?

Not exactly--unfortunately both Station Square and Bakery Square had too much retail and no residential, although Bakery Square intends to start addressing the latter oversight in its 2.0 phase.

I'm not sure there is a recent complex-style development that has really nailed the mix I think appropriate, although some of the single-building projects Downtown have (Century Building, Verizon Building, PMC's proposal for the old ALCOA HQ, etc.).

[haimon]

Pittsburgh Makes the list, "9 places you haven't visited -- but should"
http://itineraries.nbcnews.com/_news..._utmk=74095890

[daviderik]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Not exactly--unfortunately both Station Square and Bakery Square had too much retail and no residential, although Bakery Square intends to start addressing the latter oversight in its 2.0 phase.

Raise your hand if you want to live at station sqaure? haha. Some things are the way they are for a reason.

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by daviderik

Raise your hand if you want to live at station sqaure? haha. Some things are the way they are for a reason.

Why the heck not? Station Square is right across from downtown, has great transit access, and is pretty much walking distance from the South Side as well. The views would be amazing as well!

What are the downsides to living in Station Square's location, pray tell?

Aaron (Glowrock)

[daviderik]

Just because you find the attraction does'nt mean everyone would want to live in the middle of a tourist trap. If there was real desire for residence it would already be there.

[daviderik]

Originally Posted by haimon

Pittsburgh Makes the list, "9 places you haven't visited -- but should"
http://itineraries.nbcnews.com/_news..._utmk=74095890

I saw this earlier today. With all this good press, I wonder if it brings in a significant amount of money to the area. It would be an interesting study. But I think either way it effects peoples perceptions of Pittsburgh in the long run. Word of mouth is always more powerful than reading some article.

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by daviderik

Just because you find the attraction does'nt mean everyone would want to live in the middle of a tourist trap. If there was real desire for residence it would already be there.

Not really, daviderik. If there's no residential, perhaps it means that there didn't USED TO BE demand, but perhaps there is, especially now that Pittsburgh is growing again. It also might mean that the owners of Station Square were more interested in just sitting on their land waiting for it to increase in value for years before they decided to do anything with the excess surface parking! Thankfully, the new soccer stadium is taking care of a lot of that parking!

Station Square really isn't that much of a tourist trap, at least other than the Gateway Clipper and Hard Rock Cafe. Otherwise it's just a pretty nice, albeit somewhat dated, place to hang out during a weeknight or a weekend afternoon/evening.

Aaron (Glowrock)

[daviderik]

Sweet Dreams Billy... (later that night) ...GOALLL!!!!!!!!! (Billy screams). haha

[BrianTH]

An Economics student and his professor are walking together after class. They see a wallet lying on the sidewalk. As the student starts to reach down, the professor stops him, and explains, "If it was worth anything, someone would already have picked it up."