PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown III - Page 215

qwho · #**4281** Posted **Apr 29, 2021, 5:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by shantyside

This is the first time I've ever scrolled through this site and something made me say WTF out loud

pj3000 · #**4282** Posted **Apr 29, 2021, 5:36 PM**

^ I actually don't mind those. I recognize them... just up the hill from Round Corner Cantina. Certainly not my favorite, but grouped together, they at least have a presence and seem to be constructed of some measure of quality.

The "houses" directly across the street however are cheap, putrid awfulness. Terrible materials and substandard construction practices going on there. You can see that they're putting the air/vapor barrier house wrap right on top of the OSB exterior sheathing and then just throwing that vinyl siding right on top of it!

Total crap. Even using chunks of the original foundation and sealing with Great Stuff foam, if you notice the bottom corner.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4666...7i16384!8i8192

eschaton · #**4283** Posted **Apr 29, 2021, 5:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by shantyside

IMO lawrenceville's appeal is being severely diminished by these absurd modern houses, and this is coming from someone who went to an architecture school that worshiped Le Corbusier like a god

At least the bottom examples used rusted metal on the facades, which gives them some texture and lived-in feel. I believe they're a Moss project (Andrew Moss's own house is the next one up the hill).

The top one just seems to be orange paneling. Bleh.

eschaton · #**4284** Posted **Apr 29, 2021, 5:55 PM**

Would it be better if Lawrenceville had more infill like this?

Austinlee · #**4285** Posted **Apr 29, 2021, 6:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by shantyside

There are some terrible infill projects in Lawrenceville but I don't consider these to be in that category. Those are real corten-steel facades. I love this style and the material is very fitting for Pittsburgh. It would be my dream to own a corten steel townhome in a nice walkable city neighborhood.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschaton

Would it be better if Lawrenceville had more infill like this?

Oh shit, I know these townhomes well. My coworker listed these two for sale and I have spent some time inside them for an open house and also my team did some marketing videos & drone footage from the top floor balcony. They have a very suburban sensibility. Didn't appeal to me at all and also the scale is all wrong. They are like twice as big as the surrounding townhomes. He ended up selling the one on the right for 725k (cash buyer). The first agent who had them listed started the price at 1.1m each. The one on the left was rented out for I believe, 4k per month.

photoLith · #**4286** Posted **Apr 29, 2021, 6:38 PM**

^^
Well I hate the bottom garages but at least those use brick and have traditional row house styled roofs. Leaps and bounds better than corrugated metal siding and odd sized Lowes tacked on windows.

^
The corten metal infill ones in Lville are nice in my opinion. Im totally fine with those as they actually look like some thought went into them and have nice materials. They still dont fit in with the historic row houses at all, but its better than most of the utter shit in Lawrenceville.

Austinlee · #**4287** Posted **Apr 29, 2021, 6:48 PM**

Did anyone post this one yet?

CMU reveals plans for new $105 million athletic facility

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...s/202104290153

Austinlee · #**4288** Posted **Apr 29, 2021, 6:51 PM**

And this seems to be very good news. Garages and driveways for SFH townhomes in the city will have to be built in the rear. Hoping this is approved next week.

https://www.post-gazette.com/local/c...117?cid=search

eschaton · #**4289** Posted **Apr 29, 2021, 7:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austinlee

And this seems to be very good news. Garages and driveways for SFH townhomes in the city will have to be built in the rear. Hoping this is approved next week.

https://www.post-gazette.com/local/c...117?cid=search

We discussed this awhile back when it went before the Planning Commission. I think it's a good idea but...how frequently are townhouses built with front-facing garages when they have alley access as it is? I can't think of a single one.

Other issues:

1. What happens when they are plotting out a new mini-subdivision? Or even when the developer attempts to subdivide a "street to alley" parcel into two so as to build more houses on less land? Seems like unless the ordinance is taken into account during lot creation/division we'll still end up with a lot of them.

2. There are cases where there are very steep grade changes between the road and the "alley" where this isn't warranted. Of course, in most of these cases, there's enough space to spare for shared driveways and the like.

Austinlee · #**4290** Posted **Apr 29, 2021, 7:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschaton

We discussed this awhile back when it went before the Planning Commission. I think it's a good idea but...how frequently are townhouses built with front-facing garages when they have alley access as it is? I can't think of a single one.

Other issues:

1. What happens when they are plotting out a new mini-subdivision? Or even when the developer attempts to subdivide a "street to alley" parcel into two so as to build more houses on less land? Seems like unless the ordinance is taken into account during lot creation/division we'll still end up with a lot of them.

2. There are cases where there are very steep grade changes between the road and the "alley" where this isn't warranted. Of course, in most of these cases, there's enough space to spare for shared driveways and the like.

Good points. I hope it has a positive effect but I suppose that remains to be seen.

themaguffin · #**4291** Posted **Apr 29, 2021, 7:59 PM**

Looks like Google street view is updated to Nov. I know it varies by place, but Oakland is. I saw a mask and that's when I checked the date.

eschaton · #**4292** Posted **Apr 30, 2021, 11:49 AM**

I haven't seen this before - six very high-end townhouses coming to Penn Avenue in Bloomfield (near Apteka). This is the location. Only the two structures on either end are being demoed - the rest is going on that parking lot.

It's nice to fill in the street wall, but it's also a shame they are building townhouses and not a mini-apartment, considering the site is zoned LNC and multifamily of up to three stories is allowed by right. Of course, parking for these mini-apartments is hard...and if the developer thinks they can get close to a million per townhouse, the economics probably wouldn't work regardless. I just hope the newly rich residents don't form an intractable NIMBY cluster, considering there are two other projects in limbo for that block (the hotel on the other end, and a brewpub immediately to the east).

deja vu · #**4293** Posted **Apr 30, 2021, 1:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Did anyone post this one yet?

CMU reveals plans for new $105 million athletic facility

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...s/202104290153

Didn't see this yet. Wow, another big project for CMU! It makes me wonder though, The University Center is more-or-less the main athletic facility today, what with the gym, pool, several smaller courts & fitness rooms. I assume all of that will remain long-term, for use by general student body & intramurals?

Here's the rendering, from that article -

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | Courtesy BCJ

deja vu · #**4294** Posted **Apr 30, 2021, 2:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by shantyside

IMO lawrenceville's appeal is being severely diminished by these absurd modern houses, and this is coming from someone who went to an architecture school that worshiped Le Corbusier like a god

I don't hate them - on their own. I think the real "absurdity" comes from the juxtaposition of scale and materials with what is adjacent. I'm sure the architect / designer + homeowner would argue that these homes are contextual though, citing things like street frontage, large openings, topography, corten steel, etc. Whether we like it or not, this style has become as much of a typology in Lawrenceville (and elsewhere in Pittsburgh) as this ubiquity was, 70 - 100 years ago.

I do wish I could travel 100 years into the future to see if, and how, these homes have been remodeled / reskinned. Preferences and sensibilities change. They always do.