PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown III

[Minivan Werner]

didn’t realize the Shop n’ Save closed.. that didn’t last long.

[mikebarbaro]

The current warehouse behind Allegheny Station on the North Shore is to become Eleven 06 condominiums. If I remember correctly it was supposed to become a hotel but I guess that fell through. I really like to rendering where The Esplanade towers are shown in the background. This is also a Piatt Sotheby project.

Here are some renderings...

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I should have held off posting for a bit today...feels like I'm talking to myself sometimes...but another major project has been unveiled in East Liberty due to the URA meeting agenda for this Thursday. The project in question is a nearly $80 million development on the two parking lots at South Beatty and Migonnette Streets (behind the library, more or less. The development - a three-firm venture between Walnut Capital, Midpoint, and Corcoran Jennison - will have two phases. The first is a six-story, 220-unit mixed-income building, which will include 66 affordable units and 12,000 sqare feet of retail. The second will be a six-story, 40 unit senior housing development. The project will also involve a 480-unit parking garage "visually shielded from the street" - which I am guessing from the unit count will be on the block with the senior housing.

As an aside, even when I don't respond, I always read, and appreciate, all the news posted here. I suspect I am not at all alone.

Anyway, that's huge news for East Liberty. Redeveloping that surface parking lot area will sort of bridge the gap between the Penn Plaza redevelopment and the heart of downtown East Liberty. And hopefully the remaining privately owned lots and underutilized parcels will eventually get in on the action (I think the AAA owns the one long one along Beatty between Baum and Eva, and I am assuming it is not one of the lots in question).

[pj3000]

Bizarre Post-Gazette editorial today supporting the zoning board’s denial of the Baltimore developer’s height variance request for its proposed project on Forbes in Oakland. Basically says that they should be a good neighbor and give the OPDC the money it wants for OPDC’s blessing of the development. Something weird going on here.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

didn’t realize the Shop n’ Save closed.. that didn’t last long.

In the articles I had read about its demise, it wasn't entirely clear if the grocery store closed due to low sales, or because the landlord became so dysfunctional they were no longer providing any property management services whatsoever.

Originally Posted by mikebarbaro

Cool to see some project going forward here, but this view really confuses me, because it shows buildings that aren't there. I mean, this is the building right? There's no tall building down the block, visible at the end of the street, or behind it. Maybe they know something we don't about the redevelopment of the Mercy Behavioral Health Complex and the Green 33 lot?

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Anyway, that's huge news for East Liberty. Redeveloping that surface parking lot area will sort of bridge the gap between the Penn Plaza redevelopment and the heart of downtown East Liberty. And hopefully the remaining privately owned lots and underutilized parcels will eventually get in on the action (I think the AAA owns the one long one along Beatty between Baum and Eva, and I am assuming it is not one of the lots in question).

The lots in question are here. One is just south of East Liberty Place South. The other is the pentagonal lot behind the Carnegie Library. AAA does own the third lot - along with most of the block along South Euclid another surface lot taking up an entire block on Centre, and the lot in front of their building. At some point they will cash out and leave, and there will be another "Bakery Square" type project which arises from their substantive footprint.

[daviderik]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Cool to see some project going forward here, but this view really confuses me, because it shows buildings that aren't there. I mean, this is the building right? There's no tall building down the block, visible at the end of the street, or behind it. Maybe they know something we don't about the redevelopment of the Mercy Behavioral Health Complex and the Green 33 lot?

Yes, that's the right building. I've seen promotional renderings like this before, making the property look more appealing. I mean look at the view out of the picture window. It's of the front of Heinz field not the back. (Although you might not really see much of the back either considering the T-line is in the way. And them showing the new Northside development? Not sure you will see over the giant casino garage.

[highlander206]

Originally Posted by eschaton

The lots in question are here. One is just south of East Liberty Place South. The other is the pentagonal lot behind the Carnegie Library. AAA does own the third lot - along with most of the block along South Euclid another surface lot taking up an entire block on Centre, and the lot in front of their building. At some point they will cash out and leave, and there will be another "Bakery Square" type project which arises from their substantive footprint.

Wow, that's going to be an awesome project to get rid of a good bit of parking lot space. East Liberty continues to improve.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by daviderik

Yes, that's the right building. I've seen promotional renderings like this before, making the property look more appealing. I mean look at the view out of the picture window. It's of the front of Heinz field not the back. (Although you might not really see much of the back either considering the T-line is in the way. And them showing the new Northside development? Not sure you will see over the giant casino garage.

Yeah, I don't think any of those sight lines could actually exist from that location.

Can't really understand why anyone would want to live in a condo in that location other than for its location across from the T station for a quick ride downtown.

To me, it's such a depressingly uninviting environment -- empty or packed stadium, massive surface parking lots (which have little to no chance of being developed to better use anytime soon), enormous parking garage and casino, hemmed in by a highway, nearly surrounded by a behavioral health/elderly care facility; overall, thoroughly un-walkable surroundings.

I don't really get what Millcraft is doing here, unless they know something about the Mercy complex...

I'd actually prefer to see this building and the Mercy complex leveled, so it could be used for Steelers parking/tailgating for now into the near future, and trade that lot for development of one of the surface lots between the stadiums.

[bmust71]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I should have held off posting for a bit today...feels like I'm talking to myself sometimes...but another major project has been unveiled in East Liberty due to the URA meeting agenda for this Thursday. The project in question is a nearly $80 million development on the two parking lots at South Beatty and Migonnette Streets (behind the library, more or less. The development - a three-firm venture between Walnut Capital, Midpoint, and Corcoran Jennison - will have two phases. The first is a six-story, 220-unit mixed-income building, which will include 66 affordable units and 12,000 square feet of retail. The second will be a six-story, 40 unit senior housing development. The project will also involve a 480-unit parking garage "visually shielded from the street" - which I am guessing from the unit count will be on the block with the senior housing.

In other URA news, it is buying the failed Centre Heldman Plaza - where the Hill District Shop 'n Save used to be - for $10.

Love the updates, Eschaton. Your commentary and Pittsburgh knowledge is invaluable on this thread so keep talking to yourself lol.

I went to the community meeting about a month ago where three developers presented their ideas for these lots. I did not expect the Walnut Capital proposal to win, as the last group that presented (whose name escapes me though not known by many), was very well received and their project had lots of 'extra' benefits for the community.

[BrianTH]

It isn't THAT bad of a location. I agree about the immediate surroundings, but it is in fact across from the T Station. And then it is a short walk down to the riverfront, and you can also walk relatively quickly up to Western Avenue.

[BenM]

Originally Posted by eschaton

In the articles I had read about its demise, it wasn't entirely clear if the grocery store closed due to low sales, or because the landlord became so dysfunctional they were no longer providing any property management services whatsoever.

It was probably a bit of both, sending the project into a spiral. Hill House, the social services organization, played a role in the development of the site and was the landlord. They had financial/management struggles for years, even before the Shop and Save.

And they shouldn't have been in the real estate business.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by highlander206

Wow, that's going to be an awesome project to get rid of a good bit of parking lot space. East Liberty continues to improve.

By the way, every once in a while I like to do these bird's eye views from a different angle than the traditional north at top. I think it can help me get out of familiar habits when looking at maps, and really focus on the fundamentals:



In this case, you can really see how East Liberty is the center of a greater web of streets and neighborhoods, which really starts once you get past the Oakland/Hill/Lawrenceville arc. Which is more or less one definition of the "East End"--and you can also see how Wilkinsburg is really part of all that, which is a whole other story.

Anyway, the old saying is "all roads lead to Rome," and in this case, one could say in the East End, all roads lead to East Liberty. And it would be more or less true!

Except as to I-376, which again explains a lot about East Liberty's history, the adverse role limited-access freeways have played in urban areas, and so on . . . but again, that is a whole other story.

But one important non-conventional "road" which DOES lead to East Liberty is the East Busway, which follows the path of what used to be the Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line to Downtown, more or less as directly as possible subject to having to bend around the Hill.

And that, fortunately, seems to be enough, when combined with the fundamentals and existing neighborhoods, to secure East Liberty's reemergence as the "capital city" of the East End.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by pj3000

Yeah, I don't think any of those sight lines could actually exist from that location.

Can't really understand why anyone would want to live in a condo in that location other than for its location across from the T station for a quick ride downtown.

To me, it's such a depressingly uninviting environment -- empty or packed stadium, massive surface parking lots (which have little to no chance of being developed to better use anytime soon), enormous parking garage and casino, hemmed in by a highway, nearly surrounded by a behavioral health/elderly care facility; overall, thoroughly un-walkable surroundings.

I don't really get what Millcraft is doing here, unless they know something about the Mercy complex...

I'd actually prefer to see this building and the Mercy complex leveled, so it could be used for Steelers parking/tailgating for now into the near future, and trade that lot for development of one of the surface lots between the stadiums.

I think it's a great location for apartments, though I'm not sure about condos. Though considering rich people sometimes buy condos as a part-time residence, I have to think being close to the casino and Heinz Field would be attractive to some. Hell, depending upon the condo rules people might make a pretty penny on airbnb when they aren't on site.

Also, the North Shore just has a critical total absence of units now, other than Morgan at North Shore, which means I think that virtually anything would get some sales, regardless of location.

I wonder where they're going to put the parking?

[BenM]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

By the way, every once in a while I like to do these bird's eye views from a different angle than the traditional north at top. I think it can help me get out of familiar habits when looking at maps, and really focus on the fundamentals:



In this case, you can really see how East Liberty is the center of a greater web of streets and neighborhoods, which really starts once you get past the Oakland/Hill/Lawrenceville arc. Which is more or less one definition of the "East End"--and you can also see how Wilkinsburg is really part of all that, which is a whole other story.

Anyway, the old saying is "all roads lead to Rome," and in this case, one could say in the East End, all roads lead to East Liberty. And it would be more or less true!

Except as to I-376, which again explains a lot about East Liberty's history, the adverse role limited-access freeways have played in urban areas, and so on . . . but again, that is a whole other story.

But one important non-conventional "road" which DOES lead to East Liberty is the East Busway, which follows the path of what used to be the Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line to Downtown, more or less as directly as possible subject to having to bend around the Hill.

And that, fortunately, seems to be enough, when combined with the fundamentals and existing neighborhoods, to secure East Liberty's reemergence as the "capital city" of the East End.

Someone once posted a map of the ancient riverbeds of the region and showed how the geography they created influenced the patterns of development in Pittsburgh. You can really see it in that map.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by BenM

Someone once posted a map of the ancient riverbeds of the region and showed how the geography they created influenced the patterns of development in Pittsburgh. You can really see it in that map.

That was me! I love that stuff, and you are absolutely right.

[Johnland]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

By the way, every once in a while I like to do these bird's eye views from a different angle than the traditional north at top. I think it can help me get out of familiar habits when looking at maps, and really focus on the fundamentals:



In this case, you can really see how East Liberty is the center of a greater web of streets and neighborhoods, which really starts once you get past the Oakland/Hill/Lawrenceville arc. Which is more or less one definition of the "East End"--and you can also see how Wilkinsburg is really part of all that, which is a whole other story.

Anyway, the old saying is "all roads lead to Rome," and in this case, one could say in the East End, all roads lead to East Liberty. And it would be more or less true!

Except as to I-376, which again explains a lot about East Liberty's history, the adverse role limited-access freeways have played in urban areas, and so on . . . but again, that is a whole other story.

But one important non-conventional "road" which DOES lead to East Liberty is the East Busway, which follows the path of what used to be the Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line to Downtown, more or less as directly as possible subject to having to bend around the Hill.

And that, fortunately, seems to be enough, when combined with the fundamentals and existing neighborhoods, to secure East Liberty's reemergence as the "capital city" of the East End.

Limited access highways may have been a major cause of East Liberty's demise in the 50's and 60's, but thank God a highway was never plowed through Pittsburgh's East End. At least it doesn't have that irreparable damage to contend with.

[highlander206]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

By the way, every once in a while I like to do these bird's eye views from a different angle than the traditional north at top. I think it can help me get out of familiar habits when looking at maps, and really focus on the fundamentals:



In this case, you can really see how East Liberty is the center of a greater web of streets and neighborhoods, which really starts once you get past the Oakland/Hill/Lawrenceville arc. Which is more or less one definition of the "East End"--and you can also see how Wilkinsburg is really part of all that, which is a whole other story.

Anyway, the old saying is "all roads lead to Rome," and in this case, one could say in the East End, all roads lead to East Liberty. And it would be more or less true!

Except as to I-376, which again explains a lot about East Liberty's history, the adverse role limited-access freeways have played in urban areas, and so on . . . but again, that is a whole other story.

But one important non-conventional "road" which DOES lead to East Liberty is the East Busway, which follows the path of what used to be the Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line to Downtown, more or less as directly as possible subject to having to bend around the Hill.

And that, fortunately, seems to be enough, when combined with the fundamentals and existing neighborhoods, to secure East Liberty's reemergence as the "capital city" of the East End.

Wow, that's wild. I never thought of how many of the northern half of the East End's major roads leads to East Liberty, but this does a great job of visualizing it.

[eschaton]

New Planning Commission presentation up for next week. Another pretty weighty agenda, with five new items up:

1. A briefing on the proposed public engagement guide being developed by City Planning. These kind of process documents honestly don't interest me all that much. The most interesting thing this, and the related neighborhood planning program guide suggest is that PlanPGH is not - as I thought - dead. It had a relatively good beginning some years ago with the open space and historic preservation sections, but once Peduto became mayor nothing whatsoever was heard from it. But some sort of comprehensive new city plan is slowly unfolding. If only we wouldn't have so many committees to form a committee to form a committee.

2. Oxford's planed new apartment building at 2239 Railroad Street (the empty lot next to the Cork Factory) is finally before the Commission. The building - apparently named (unimaginatively) 23RR, is a seven floor, 220-unit building. 32 of the units are designed as co-housing (all facing toward Railroad Street on the second and third floors) with the remainder almost entirely studios and one bedrooms. 15% of units are designated affordable - which does not include the co-housing. The building also has a small amount of "street corner" retail, a 139-space parking garage, and 110 bike parking spaces. I like the overall massing - though in terms of proportions it kinda reminds me of a cruise ship. I think the green accent color seems like a mistake - particularly from the river, where it will just blend in with the foliage.

3. Oxford also has the master plan for Three Crossings Phase 2 up for next week. The details of the master plan are not all that different than from earlier presentations. After The Stacks are finished, they are looking at another 450,000 square feet of office space in four buildings, 300 residential units in two buildings, and a 600-space parking garage. They are designing a new L-shaped street (termed Hopper Place) and a related plaza/open space in the heart of the new development. The next buildings to be constructed are the new 150,000 square foot office building by Hopper Plaza (discussed in more detail below) followed by the parking garage. The later phases - particularly the residential buildings - appear to still be subject to change.

4. At the same time Oxford is approaching the Commission with the master plan, it is also seeking approval for the next building within Three Crossings Phase 2 - the 150,000 square-foot office building mentioned above. The building is called 75 Hopper Place (presumably the intended address as well) and is a six-story, squarish structure. I honestly think the design is kinda bland and flat from Railroad Street, though it pops much more from the plaza. Still, I have no major issues with the structure.

5. There is a proposal to nominate the City-County Building as a historic landmark. I'm honestly shocked that it isn't already. Peduto nominated the building himself, so I'm guessing this will sail through.

[photoLith]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

That was me! I love that stuff, and you are absolutely right.

If you want some awesome stuff than go here. All of the cities history visualized very detailed like. Ive spent probably the equivalent of weeks on this website; mainly for archaeological purposes to dig up antique bottles and such. Either way, this website is endlessly fascinating.

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/View/ind...9dfc5bf6828126

[eschaton]

PBT has some more coverage of the new East Liberty project. Along with a first rendering:



Looks like the senior housing will be plastered onto the front of the parking garage, as I suspected.

The article doesn't have too many other new details, save that despite the board voting to proceed, there was criticism that no one from Penn Plaza was involved with the planning process, and the Carnegie Library has some minor concerns that its rear entrance will be hidden behind a parking garage now.