A new planning commission presentation dropped - for tomorrow - with little fanfare. Ever since they switched to the new format they seem to be posting things with very little advanced notice. Regardless, three new items for the coming week - all of them worth discussion.
1.
Rezoning of 29 parcels in Larimer from single-family to LNC. This is being spurred by Steel City Squash's plan to build a sports facility with rear parking on one of the blocks - something which could not be done under current zoning. However, they are seeking a broader rezone than just on their facility site, and note that this will allow additional development - and mean that in the event that they cannot complete the project, it will be relatively easy to build multi-family housing on site. Considering the area has been a collection of vacant lots for decades - and there will be no serious private residential development in that part of Larimer for decades to come - I cannot complain.
2.
A new four-story, 42-unit apartment building off of North Beatty in East Liberty. This project is within Penn Circle, directly behind the Detectives Building. Although the presentation is not explicit, I presume these will be in part affordable units given the location and Trek being the developer. I have...mixed feelings...about the development. On one hand, I think the street presence and massing is much more appropriate for the core of East Liberty than Mellon's Orchard (which had setbacks which seem quasi-suburban). I really like seeing a new mid-size apartment building in general, because it seems we typically get nothing new between townhouses and 100+ unit behemoths. On the other hand, the design is complete contemporary brobox. Also, while the parking is mostly obscured in the rear, around half of the parcel will still be taken up by surface spaces. I realize that you're not going to get affordable housing with a parking garage, but couldn't they do an L-shaped building and at least obscure the parking from one side?
3. Finally, Pitt has released its finalized new institutional master plan. There's a lot here, including
the presentation,
the plan itself, and
an appendix. The presentation itself isn't all that helpful to me - it's too abbreviated and clearly meant just as a visual aid while the presenter talks about the IMP. The IMP itself has...a lot of stuff. Nearly 8 million square feet of potential development over the next ten years alone, a net of 1,000 beds of new dorms, and a new 280-foot health sciences building on Fifth. This is literally too information-dense for me to absorb much from at this time, but others should feel free to peruse.
Prev
Linear Mode
