PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown III

[eschaton]

Here's a roundup of smaller development news:

1. The long-delayed new hotel on Fort Pitt Boulevard - originally a Holliday Inn Express when proposed five years ago, but now a 98-room Fairfield Inn and Suites, will finally open in September. Apparently a fight with NIMBYs in 2017 slowed down the project mid-construction, requiring them to change brands and get approval for the new brand.I am guessing this will be the last new hotel in Downtown proper for awhile now - barring perhaps whatever is going on with the Kauffman's site.

2. In Oakland the Twentieth Century Club is selling their historic building on Bigelow Boulevard. The little-known group basically started out as a female version of the Pittsburgh Athletic Association, and while not as mismanaged, has suffered similar declines in membership. It's a nice building right next to Pitt's campus, and I would be shocked if Pitt wasn't the ultimate buyer.

3. There is a new condo plan for the vacant lot in the Strip near Savoy. Some of you may remember this site was proposed to be the location of an 18-story, 220 foot condo building back in 2015, which was defeated by NIMBYs. The new developer is the guy behind the Otto Milk building and two other nearby condo projects, so he has a proven track record locally. He plans on a more modest, 40-50 unit building, which will conform to RIV zoning requirements (meaning the project will likely be no more than four stories).

[eschaton]

9/12 ZBA is online. Items of interest are limited this week, largely retreads of older requests for variances, like converting this church in Manchester into an apartment complex and the demolition another restaurant on Grandview to make way for a single-family home.

There is one new small project however: construction of two semi-attached houses on Beechwood Boulevard in Squirrel Hill. The location is next door to Blue Slide Park Market.

I'm also going to note that Buildingeye works again to track building permits. However, under the city's new system all residential or commercial permits are intermingled. Since new construction is now intermingled with additions and minor alterations, you can't really use it to map permits for new buildings any longer.

[Jonboy1983]

Did anyone read the PG article Brian O'Niel wrote for the opinion column? He wrote a blurb about the possibility of Port Authority ever expanding T service. Sadly I don't have access to the article.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Jonboy1983

Did anyone read the PG article Brian O'Niel wrote for the opinion column? He wrote a blurb about the possibility of Port Authority ever expanding T service. Sadly I don't have access to the article.

It basically points out T expansions would take a lot of federal funding, which currently is not likely to be forthcoming.

But again, maybe things will be different in the 2020s--although personally, I am skeptical of the T being the best technology to focus on in Pittsburgh.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by eschaton

9/12 ZBA is online. Items of interest are limited this week, largely retreads of older requests for variances, like converting this church in Manchester into an apartment complex and the demolition another restaurant on Grandview to make way for a single-family home.

There is one new small project however: construction of two semi-attached houses on Beechwood Boulevard in Squirrel Hill. The location is next door to Blue Slide Park Market.

I'm also going to note that Buildingeye works again to track building permits. However, under the city's new system all residential or commercial permits are intermingled. Since new construction is now intermingled with additions and minor alterations, you can't really use it to map permits for new buildings any longer.

I'm interested in details about that Manchester Church project. I've been watching that church for years and hoping that someone does something with it. West North Avenue is starting to get some activity lately, like to see that continue.

[themaguffin]

Downtown proper for awhile now - barring perhaps whatever is going on with the Kauffman's site.

That will be an EVEN Hotel.

[bmust71]

https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-storie...onth/978784407

Stabbing in front of Morton’s on Liberty. This is becoming a real problem...

[pj3000]

^ Consistent police presence in "gathering areas" needed:

- 1 cop on foot/bike between Katz Plaza and Wood St. Station and along Penn and Liberty between 7th and 9th
- 2 cops on foot/bike on Liberty between 6th and Stanwix and in Market Square
- 1 cop on foot/bike back and forth along Smithfield between Liberty and BofA
- 1 cop on foot/bike around the blocks bounded by Sixth, Grant, Fifth, and Wood

Presence is deterrence. It is a proven method. 5 cops with a consistent on-the-ground presence all day would be highly effective. There's a reason why teachers are in the cafeteria and at recess and on the bus.

I still rarely see a cop on foot when I'm in downtown Pittsburgh in comparison to other cities.

[PITairport]

Looks like Uber will be moving their Hazelwood Green test track to the abandoned Pittsburgh Metro Airport in South Fayette Twp.

https://www.futurecar.com/3431/Uber-...icle-Test-Site

Never mind developing self driving cars.... after looking at that photo of their current test track I wish Uber would replace PennDot in designing our roads.

[Jonboy1983]

Originally Posted by PITairport

Looks like Uber will be moving their Hazelwood Green test track to the abandoned Pittsburgh Metro Airport in South Fayette Twp.

https://www.futurecar.com/3431/Uber-...icle-Test-Site

Never mind developing self driving cars.... after looking at that photo of their current test track I wish Uber would replace PennDot in designing our roads.

If Uber does move their test track to Southfayette, that will likely open up that big tract of land for a possible expansion of Hazelwood Green. Would it not?

Or, they could just convert that to a park...

[bmust71]

http://www.lunited.org/wp-content/up...ing-Update.pdf

I saw this community presentation for two buildings that are part of the bigger Doughby Square plan. This is personally the first info I've seen regarding development on these lots

[BenM]

Originally Posted by PITairport

Looks like Uber will be moving their Hazelwood Green test track to the abandoned Pittsburgh Metro Airport in South Fayette Twp.

https://www.futurecar.com/3431/Uber-...icle-Test-Site

Never mind developing self driving cars.... after looking at that photo of their current test track I wish Uber would replace PennDot in designing our roads.

I think it is an interesting example of how hard it will be to make truly autonomous cars. I've only seen the Hazelwood site via satellite, but it doesn't have hills (in winter) or tunnels that lead to bridges that lead to forking exits. And there's no blind on ramp like the one from the tech park on the Mon onto 376. (I hate that ramp.)

[BrianTH]

I vaguely recall the plan was always for Uber's test track in Hazelwood to be temporary while they were ramping up the redevelopment.

[eschaton]

September HRC is online. As is generally the case, the vast majority of projects are either small residential projects, or re-submissions of projects from past months.

The one thing which is new and covered in some detail is the restoration of the New Granada Theater. Judging by the floor plans, the theater should involve a food hall in the front portion of the first floor, a theater in the back portion, and some offices, conference rooms, and multi-purpose space above.

[BrianTH]

More delays approved for the North Shore developers (sports teams):

https://www.post-gazette.com/busines...s/201908270139

[bossride]

Good article from Public Source about what did and did not happen with Pittsburgh public transit.

[bmust71]

Originally Posted by bossride

Good article from Public Source about what did and did not happen with Pittsburgh public transit.

Good article. They also have some cool retro transit maps on their instagram. The one of Pittsburgh (also in the article) is super cool.

I saw this image today:



Really like this pic. You can see the the work going on with the Produce Terminal, the Townhomes being constructed directly behind, and then site work being done for phase 2 of Buncher's apartment development. Not pictured but across the street (to the right) is the renovation of 1600 Smallman. So much synergy is happening here. I think once this is completed everyone will be telling visitors- go check out the Produce Terminal!

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by bmust71

So much synergy is happening here. I think once this is completed everyone will be telling visitors- go check out the Produce Terminal!

Particularly if the public areas planned along Smallman work out, it could be really pretty great.

[BrianTH]

A LOT of surface parking in this rough rendering of the "innovation campus" with retail/restaurant "town center" planned for the airport:



But, it is at the airport, so . . . OK. And someday something like self-driving cars could free that up--or even use it as a remote parking site.

[photoLith]

Have any plans been laid out for what's actually going to go in the Produce Terminal? I hope it will be a big open space so we can get a legit market like the West Side Market in Cleveland.