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  #2681  
Old Posted Aug 14, 2019, 12:19 PM
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Jonboy1983 Jonboy1983 is offline
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Am I the only one who thinks that new LRT line through Allentown, Mt. Oliver, Carrick, and Baldwin makes absolutely no sense? I highly doubt it will have its own dedicated right-of-way. I could see this as a streetcar line, but light rail???
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  #2682  
Old Posted Aug 14, 2019, 2:56 PM
eschaton eschaton is offline
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Am I the only one who thinks that new LRT line through Allentown, Mt. Oliver, Carrick, and Baldwin makes absolutely no sense? I highly doubt it will have its own dedicated right-of-way. I could see this as a streetcar line, but light rail???
In general, population density is too low in the South Hills to warrant additional rapid transit.

The most sensible LRT extension would be to extend the T on the North Side at least to Bellvue/Avalon, because they're by far the densest suburban areas outside of the urban core which only have access to surface bus routes. Unfortunately the best route for this is likely along 65 - which is kind of afield from the core of the boroughs - but it's better than the status quo. After that I'd personally take the T out to Sewickley, build a bridge from Ferry St to University Boulevard, and send it to the airport.
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  #2683  
Old Posted Aug 14, 2019, 3:13 PM
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Wow, the city is actually considering expanding light rail???? Never thought Id see the day. Of course, it doesn't actually go anywhere useful though.
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  #2684  
Old Posted Aug 14, 2019, 4:54 PM
eschaton eschaton is offline
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9/05 ZBA is up. It's a light schedule for that week, with only six items in total. The most substative - three homes on 38th Street in Lower Lawrenceville - is a retread/retooling of a project already announced. The most interesting thing beyond this is a small project in Calfornia-Kirkbride, which seeks to add a third-floor addition to this building, increase the unit count by one, and - most interestingly - re-open the first floor as a retail space/coffee shop. California-Kirkbride is a very dead area commercially, and this would be a welcome addition if that is their true intention.
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  #2685  
Old Posted Aug 14, 2019, 5:19 PM
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That sucks, thats the only architecturally interesting building left in California Kirkbride and I'm sure when they add the floor they'll muddle it up and probably remove the awesome turret.
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  #2686  
Old Posted Aug 15, 2019, 12:50 PM
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Originally Posted by eschaton View Post
In general, population density is too low in the South Hills to warrant additional rapid transit.

The most sensible LRT extension would be to extend the T on the North Side at least to Bellvue/Avalon, because they're by far the densest suburban areas outside of the urban core which only have access to surface bus routes. Unfortunately the best route for this is likely along 65 - which is kind of afield from the core of the boroughs - but it's better than the status quo. After that I'd personally take the T out to Sewickley, build a bridge from Ferry St to University Boulevard, and send it to the airport.
So we basically agree then - on pretty much all points. I'm a little split though on where I'd have the LRT Airport extension aligned. Not sure if sending it along the Ohio River makes more sense or if aligning it along the Parkway does...
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  #2687  
Old Posted Aug 16, 2019, 6:19 PM
dfiler dfiler is offline
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Originally Posted by photoLith View Post
^
That sucks, thats the only architecturally interesting building left in California Kirkbride and I'm sure when they add the floor they'll muddle it up and probably remove the awesome turret.
I'm a bit optimistic. My guess is that the two story portion of the building will gain a 3rd floor and the turret portion of the building will be preserved.
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  #2688  
Old Posted Aug 17, 2019, 11:26 AM
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Possible redevelopment of the former Iron City brewery complex is still crawling along:

https://www.post-gazette.com/busines...s/201908150072

Executive summary: the prospective new owner (a coal mine magnate) has an agreement with the seller, Collier, but is still waiting to get actual full site control. Nonetheless he has been investing in stabilizing the properties, and has some tentative ideas. And the City and neighborhood organization want input since it is a key property.

I for one would be OK if it was taken step by step and wasn't done all at once as some sort of master plan project.
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  #2689  
Old Posted Aug 17, 2019, 12:42 PM
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Anti-density Oakland NIMBYs are opposing the 13-story office/tech building that would replace the CVS building on Forbes--right in the middle of other recent dense development:

https://www.post-gazette.com/busines...s/201908150200

They are making the usual arguments, such that the proposed height is out of character for the neighborhood and the building would lead to more parking issues. The irony is that the main reason the developer wants to make it so tall is that they are incorporating three levels of parking.

And of course the big picture is that further densifying areas like the core Fifth/Forbes portion of Oakland is a great public policy outcome--good for transit/transportation efficiency, good for walking/biking, good for public health, good for energy efficiency, promotes more rapid economic development, and on and on.

But local incumbents sometimes don't want the competition, or just fear change, so oppose the sorts of developments the general public very much would benefit from.
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  #2690  
Old Posted Aug 17, 2019, 1:15 PM
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The opposition to the Wexford project is maddening on a number of levels which have been discussed here. Most notably, to me atleast, is the fact that Oakland is the third or fourth largest employment and economic center in PA and we can’t build a 13 story building.

I wrote a letter to the OPDC supporting the project but it looks like the neighborhood is overwhelmingly opposed. .
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  #2691  
Old Posted Aug 17, 2019, 4:37 PM
Minivan Werner Minivan Werner is offline
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Originally Posted by BrianTH View Post
Anti-density Oakland NIMBYs are opposing the 13-story office/tech building that would replace the CVS building on Forbes--right in the middle of other recent dense development:

https://www.post-gazette.com/busines...s/201908150200

They are making the usual arguments, such that the proposed height is out of character for the neighborhood and the building would lead to more parking issues. The irony is that the main reason the developer wants to make it so tall is that they are incorporating three levels of parking.

And of course the big picture is that further densifying areas like the core Fifth/Forbes portion of Oakland is a great public policy outcome--good for transit/transportation efficiency, good for walking/biking, good for public health, good for energy efficiency, promotes more rapid economic development, and on and on.

But local incumbents sometimes don't want the competition, or just fear change, so oppose the sorts of developments the general public very much would benefit from.
Unreal.
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  #2692  
Old Posted Aug 17, 2019, 7:46 PM
eschaton eschaton is offline
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The reaction of the Oakland NIMBYs to the project is completely predictable. Particularly when you consider it's at the top of Coltart Street, which is well-known as having a high concentration of old-time homeowner occupants compared to the rest of Oakland who are highly organized. I'll never understand how - in a neighborhood which is probably 90%+ renter occupied - they have so much friggin pull, but whatever.


It's the hostile stance that the OPDC has taken that just has me scratching my head, as projects of similar scale in the same general area have either sailed through or met limited resistance. It makes me wonder if - similar to the fiasco with Penn Plaza and ELDI - OPDC just felt like they had to take an anti-development stance for once in order to still be seen as legitimate in the eyes of the (NIMBY) community.

Edit: I should also note this fight comes at a bad time, because the city is considering an overlay for the Forbes-Fifth corridor, with the presumed eventual goal of replacing the existing zoning, and all of the impetus appears to be on downzoning, rather than upzoning.

Last edited by eschaton; Aug 17, 2019 at 8:27 PM.
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  #2693  
Old Posted Aug 18, 2019, 2:07 PM
BrianTH BrianTH is offline
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Really interesting article on the ongoing renaissance in Allentown:

https://postindustrial.com/featureds...lltop-revival/

I couldn't begin to summarize all the important details, but my big picture takeaway was a whole bunch of government, non-profit, and for-profit folks have been working together in a variety of ways to create smart opportunities for improvement, and it has been a big success.
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  #2694  
Old Posted Aug 18, 2019, 6:37 PM
highlander206 highlander206 is offline
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Originally Posted by BrianTH View Post
Really interesting article on the ongoing renaissance in Allentown:

https://postindustrial.com/featureds...lltop-revival/

I couldn't begin to summarize all the important details, but my big picture takeaway was a whole bunch of government, non-profit, and for-profit folks have been working together in a variety of ways to create smart opportunities for improvement, and it has been a big success.
I was happy to read that. It's great to see some good things finally starting to happen up that way in the last few years. I think the momentum could certainly continue into the 2020's if people want a near Downtown alternative to the expensive and rather crowded South Side.
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  #2695  
Old Posted Aug 18, 2019, 7:16 PM
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I was happy to read that. It's great to see some good things finally starting to happen up that way in the last few years. I think the momentum could certainly continue into the 2020's if people want a near Downtown alternative to the expensive and rather crowded South Side.
Yep. Only about 2 miles driving from Downtown, and 4 miles driving from Oakland. With a significant grade change and river to cross, but still.

Part of what I find cool is there is definitely a distinctive vibe to the emerging neighborhood. That's always been a silver lining to Pittsburgh's challenging topography--neighborhoods are often not just arbitrary lines on a map, they have a natural identity, and I think that lends itself to distinct neighborhood identities in all sorts of other ways too (particularly now that the built environment in many neighborhoods is well-established).

ETA: By the way, my proposed aerial gondola network had a line from South Hills Junction that went right through Allentown on its way to the South Side, PTC, and then central Oakland. Just saying that there are technological solutions to the whole grade change and river thing, if we want to use them.
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  #2696  
Old Posted Aug 19, 2019, 2:01 AM
Brentsters Brentsters is offline
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ETA: By the way, my proposed aerial gondola network had a line from South Hills Junction that went right through Allentown on its way to the South Side, PTC, and then central Oakland. Just saying that there are technological solutions to the whole grade change and river thing, if we want to use them.
fwiw karina ricks/pgh DOMI has mentioned gondolas a couple times lately.



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  #2697  
Old Posted Aug 19, 2019, 11:00 AM
BrianTH BrianTH is offline
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fwiw karina ricks/pgh DOMI has mentioned gondolas a couple times lately.
Awesome! The technology continues to get more and more applications in urban areas worldwide. The U.S. is lagging behind, but Pittsburgh is really an ideal place to start.
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  #2698  
Old Posted Aug 19, 2019, 1:38 PM
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Jonboy1983 Jonboy1983 is offline
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Originally Posted by highlander206 View Post
I was happy to read that. It's great to see some good things finally starting to happen up that way in the last few years. I think the momentum could certainly continue into the 2020's if people want a near Downtown alternative to the expensive and rather crowded South Side.
I enjoyed reading that as well, and it's nice to see this renewal spread to other places like Beltzhoover. I wonder what hardware store they talked about in reference to that Work Hard Pittsburgh digital media company.

All that said, I just hope Allentown doesn't gentrify too much.

It looks as though Port Authority has yet to reinstate T service along Warrington St. Frankly, I think a street car would make more sense. As was mentioned earlier it looks like there's a loose proposal to extend LRT service along Arlington Ave to Brownsville and Becks Run Road. I think a PCC/street car would make the most sense for both this and reinstating Warrington/Arlington Ave. service (as far as any rail transit expansion is concerned). Considering PA completely overhauled the T line, is it possible to route a street car through the subway system. I know Steel Plaza and Wood St still have the low-level platforms in tact but fenced off, but the newer stops are high platform only if I'm not mistaken...

You know, the idea of a goldola serving the hilltop isn't a bad idea. Running it along Brosville to Southside and across the river to the PTC and up to Oakland would be my suggested routing...
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Last edited by Jonboy1983; Aug 19, 2019 at 2:14 PM. Reason: Adding tidbit about goldolas
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  #2699  
Old Posted Aug 19, 2019, 3:47 PM
BrianTH BrianTH is offline
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Article about the completely broken process for acquiring vacant properties from the City:

https://newsinteractive.post-gazette...ale-long-wait/

I understand bodies like the URA can serve a useful function, but that is mostly as a last resort. Reserving properties for the URA, letting neighborhood groups kill sales via their council members, and so on has basically ensured vacant City-owned properties stay that way for many, many years.
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  #2700  
Old Posted Aug 19, 2019, 4:18 PM
eschaton eschaton is offline
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Originally Posted by Jonboy1983 View Post
I enjoyed reading that as well, and it's nice to see this renewal spread to other places like Beltzhoover. I wonder what hardware store they talked about in reference to that Work Hard Pittsburgh digital media company.

All that said, I just hope Allentown doesn't gentrify too much.

It looks as though Port Authority has yet to reinstate T service along Warrington St. Frankly, I think a street car would make more sense. As was mentioned earlier it looks like there's a loose proposal to extend LRT service along Arlington Ave to Brownsville and Becks Run Road. I think a PCC/street car would make the most sense for both this and reinstating Warrington/Arlington Ave. service (as far as any rail transit expansion is concerned). Considering PA completely overhauled the T line, is it possible to route a street car through the subway system. I know Steel Plaza and Wood St still have the low-level platforms in tact but fenced off, but the newer stops are high platform only if I'm not mistaken...

You know, the idea of a goldola serving the hilltop isn't a bad idea. Running it along Brosville to Southside and across the river to the PTC and up to Oakland would be my suggested routing...
There are technical reasons why the Brown Line didn't work well. Apparently due to the steep hill and the limitations of the electrical system, no more than one car can ascend Arlington Avenue at a time. Due to the sheer length of the street this really restricts the frequency under which the Brown Line could be run - particularly in icy weather where the T has a harder time ascending the hill.
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