PITTSBURGH | Development Rundown III

[Don't Be That Guy]

Originally Posted by eschaton

at the 11th hour the Penguins struck a new deal with the Hill, agreeing to add a $2 ticket surcharge for ten years, which would go towards Hill District redevelopment...

That speaks to just how poorly this city is governed. A non-profit not beholden to voters or review should not be allowed to take funds from a private entity or developer to ostensibly fund their activities or some nebulous developments in exchange for "supporting" projects that are allowed by-right under the law. OPDC has gotten away with this extortion for years and Planning Commission is now openly supporting it in the Hill.

[eschaton]

Development roundup time. Not much going on, but there is some stuff to report.

Earlier this week, the Planning Commission did approve both the new concert venue and the amendments to the master plan for the Lower Hill. It seems they had a bit of a hissyfit regarding the situation regardless however, essentially noting they agreed with the Lower Hill NIMBYs unhappiness, but didn't really think they had any ability to block the development. They also approved the Brickworks in the Strip to little fanfare on the same day.

Also, the February HRC agenda is online. There's surprisingly little there considering it took January off. I don't think it's really worth linking to any of the individual presentations.

Finally, the February 16th ZBA agenda is available. Only two items of note here.

1. Infill house in Lower Lawrenceville. I'm 99% certain this is a resubmit of a project from a year or two back. It's fine in terms of overall massing/window placement, not trying to look historic but they don't go crazy with mismatched windows and weird materials either. I'd really prefer if they flipped the garage though (it's off the alley as code requires, but right at the corner), and that third deck level above the roof line is just excessive.

2. Four infill houses in Garfield, on N Aiken. This is the location. Looks like the homes are going to be stepped back from the street pretty far, closer to fronting on the alleyways than the street, which honestly may make a bit of sense given the steep terrain at the front of the site. There's only some crude schematics of the front/side elevation, but boy, do they look godawful. Like, nothing on the houses match. This kinda stuff makes me wonder how an architect is even involved.

[dfiler]

There's an assisted living complex being built in the corner of the edgewood towncenter. Seems strange to live in a strip mall but there is a ton of convenience.

https://www.cmshousing.com/funded-in-edgewood/

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by dfiler

There's an assisted living complex being built in the corner of the edgewood towncenter. Seems strange to live in a strip mall but there is a ton of convenience.

https://www.cmshousing.com/funded-in-edgewood/

Huh, I had no idea that was so far advanced. This site suggests construction should be beginning:

https://www.constructionjournal.com/...f7b84c049.html

There is pretty good transit from there too, plus a medical office building, so I can understand the senior living appeal.

[Chip15213]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Huh, I had no idea that was so far advanced. This site suggests construction should be beginning:

https://www.constructionjournal.com/...f7b84c049.html

There is pretty good transit from there too, plus a medical office building, so I can understand the senior living appeal.

In many places, strip malls and shopping centers are considered to be land banks. It is relatively easy to add density in the surrounding parking lots with new construction and in the process make the existing retail space more viable for services and commercial activity.

In the Bay Area, there were developers that targeted strip malls in more densely populated suburbs and signed on food and beverage tenants and a smaller food market like Trader Joes. The developers added more outdoor seating, pleasant lighting, shading structures, and greenery to create a lush physical environment.

[Johnland]

Originally Posted by Chip15213

In many places, strip malls and shopping centers are considered to be land banks. It is relatively easy to add density in the surrounding parking lots with new construction and in the process make the existing retail space more viable for services and commercial activity.

In the Bay Area, there were developers that targeted strip malls in more densely populated suburbs and signed on food and beverage tenants and a smaller food market like Trader Joes. The developers added more outdoor seating, pleasant lighting, shading structures, and greenery to create a lush physical environment.

Anything they can do with this strip center would be an improvement. It's such a pathetic, jarring disconnect to the tightly knit neighborhoods surrounding it. There's two little business districts on either side, Swissvale and Regent Square. Both are somewhat walkable and far more complimentary to the whole area. They could've served as a model. Edgewood Town Center is like a Monroeville type shopping center plopped in Edgewood.

[dfiler]

There's already groundwork started at the Edgewood towncenter.

There is also plenty of more space to develop. Since K-mart left and Scene 54 went belly up, one of the two main anchor stores has sat empty. And even if it wasn't empty, the parking lot is waaaay bigger than needed. There's room for more density for sure.

An interesting thing to note about that strip mall is that Edgewood receives the tax dollars but no Edgewood streets connect to it*. It is separated by the train/busway and interstate, from the rest of the borough. To some degree, Swissvale deals with living next to the strip mall but Edgewood gets all the taxes.

Not that I have a suggestion on this, just noting that this is a factor in how it was built and how it interfaces with the surrounding communities.


* Technically, there is a pedestrian street, Laurel St, that connects to the back corner of the parking lot. It's a fairly highly trafficked shortcut for pedestrians and cyclists. The vehicle gate is closed but the sidewalk gate is open. It leads to a short bridge over the parkway.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Johnland

Anything they can do with this strip center would be an improvement. It's such a pathetic, jarring disconnect to the tightly knit neighborhoods surrounding it. There's two little business districts on either side, Swissvale and Regent Square. Both are somewhat walkable and far more complimentary to the whole area. They could've served as a model. Edgewood Town Center is like a Monroeville type shopping center plopped in Edgewood.

Hey, that was state of the art back in the late 1980s!

For people who don't know, that was the main location of Union Switch & Signal until it closed in 1985, then it was quickly knocked down and replaced with the shopping center:



This should pull up a similar view, and actually the medical building was part of that complex:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ed...2Fm%2F011jj8g3

Seeing the later success of Heinz Lofts (conversion to residential started 2001), Bakery Square (redevelopment started 2007), and so on, it is definitely hard not to imagine what could have been.

But back then, the Pittsburgh area was still trying to erase its post-industrial image, and suburban-style strip malls were all the rage. See also "The Waterfront" in Homestead (replacing the Homestead Steel Works which closed in 1986, although that one took until 1999 to be completed, including because they had to do way more site work and construct the flyover ramp before it could start actual development).

Anyway, the only "good" news is they didn't actually knock down a residential neighborhood, local commercial district, or some such to get that land. And even as a relatively cool industrial complex, it was not at all part of the urban fabric of the area generally. But that is small comfort.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Chip15213

In many places, strip malls and shopping centers are considered to be land banks. It is relatively easy to add density in the surrounding parking lots with new construction and in the process make the existing retail space more viable for services and commercial activity.

In fact as we speak, the somewhat similar Shady Hill Center in Shadyside (former location of the Shakespeare Street Giant Eagle) is getting comprehensively redeveloped.

So nothing is forever--not least strip malls in urbanized areas.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by dfiler

There's already groundwork started at the Edgewood towncenter.

There is also plenty of more space to develop. Since K-mart left and Scene 54 went belly up, one of the two main anchor stores has sat empty. And even if it wasn't empty, the parking lot is waaaay bigger than needed. There's room for more density for sure.

Yeah, really they could do anything with that land if they wanted. We are seeing plenty of supermarkets and other retail included in redevelopments with structured or underground parking, and the upper, pretty level, plateau part of the site is really quite massive.

Maybe toss in some bike/ped bridges over the Busway, possibly even a vehicular bridge or two, maybe even a new Busway stop . . . could be something pretty special.

[pj3000]

Well, this was a foregone conclusion. And it gives me the opportunity to complain once again about Pittsburgh's once-noble and now-cheesy skyline awash with giant, illuminated corporate names.

Can't wait to see that big FNB with the odd American flag handshake thing join other newcomer to the scene, PwC, atop Oxford Centre. When oh when will PPG join in the fun??


FNB to add its name to the Downtown skyline



https://www.post-gazette.com/busines...s/202302010108

First National Bank is ready to make its mark on the Downtown skyline.

The North Shore bank is expected to go before the Pittsburgh Planning Commission on Tuesday with a proposal to put its initials and logo atop the 26-story office tower being built at the former Civic Arena site in the lower Hill District.

FNB, which will anchor the building, will be the latest company to splash its identity on skyscrapers in or near Downtown, where the number of so-called “high wall” signs has proliferated since PNC Park and Heinz Field opened in 2001.

According to the planning commission presentation, the bank plans to place its initials and logo at the top of all four sides of the building. Each LED sign will measure 996 square feet.

“It’s in beautiful scale to the proportion of the building, we think,” said William Kolano, president of Kolano Design, which is handling the sign package.

The FNB initials, about 13 feet tall, and its red, white and blue American flag-like logo will be affixed to an opaque glass background — a first for a Pittsburgh skyscraper. That background will look lighter during the day and darker at night, Mr. Kolano said.

In addition, the FNB initials will be wired with the capability to change color, as do many of the others Downtown, although the bank has yet to decide whether to deploy that feature.

“They’re exploring that capability at this point,” Mr. Kolano said.

If it’s visibility FNB desires, its new building — and the signage at the top — will rise directly over center field at PNC Park, making it hard to miss for fans at a game.

The number of high wall signs has expanded greatly over the last two decades. They are now fixtures on most Downtown buildings, including U.S. Steel Tower, Pittsburgh’s tallest at 64 stories, where UPMC has its initials at the top.

One of the last to resist — the distinctive 45-story One Oxford Centre — will join the crowd soon when the name of global accounting firm PwC appears.

Other big skyscrapers with names at the top include Fifth Avenue Place with Highmark, BNY Mellon Center with BNY Mellon, and EQT Plaza with EQT. In all, it’s safe to say at least 20 major Downtown buildings have names attached to them.

About the lone holdout at this point is PPG Place.

The proliferation of the signs has sparked debate. Some argue that they give the Golden Triangle an added sense of vibrancy while others maintain they have made the skyline increasingly garish.

While the first signs were neon, more and more are becoming LED, which is believed to be more energy efficient, longer lasting, and cleaner looking.

One thing is clear: Companies clamor for them.

“It’s a big deal for a company to have its name on the skyline in any city in the world,” said Mr. Kolano, whose company has done the vast majority of them in Pittsburgh.

[Johnland]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Hey, that was state of the art back in the late 1980s!

For people who don't know, that was the main location of Union Switch & Signal until it closed in 1985, then it was quickly knocked down and replaced with the shopping center:



This should pull up a similar view, and actually the medical building was part of that complex:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ed...2Fm%2F011jj8g3

Seeing the later success of Heinz Lofts (conversion to residential started 2001), Bakery Square (redevelopment started 2007), and so on, it is definitely hard not to imagine what could have been.

But back then, the Pittsburgh area was still trying to erase its post-industrial image, and suburban-style strip malls were all the rage. See also "The Waterfront" in Homestead (replacing the Homestead Steel Works which closed in 1986, although that one took until 1999 to be completed, including because they had to do way more site work and construct the flyover ramp before it could start actual development).

Anyway, the only "good" news is they didn't actually knock down a residential neighborhood, local commercial district, or some such to get that land. And even as a relatively cool industrial complex, it was not at all part of the urban fabric of the area generally. But that is small comfort.

I remember the Switch when it was still operating. That old drawing is amazing. It shows that, of course, it was oriented towards the rail lines originally. In the background it still looks rather rural, pre-Parkway.

The one thing I'll give the town center is that they had enough thought to keep the classic old brick office building along Braddock.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Johnland

That old drawing is amazing. It shows that, of course, it was oriented towards the rail lines originally. In the background it still looks rather rural, pre-Parkway.

Yeah, apparently it is from 1929. At that time those areas on the other side of the valley in the background were pretty far along in terms of residential development, but not so much in terms of mature trees. Not sure how accurate the drawing was supposed to be, buy maybe you can see some blobs that might be houses?

The one thing I'll give the town center is that they had enough thought to keep the classic old brick office building along Braddock.

Here is a nice shot of it before the demolition of the rest of the complex:

Union Switch & Signal Co. by Robert S. Dorsett, on Flickr

I miss the sky bridge, and for some reason they toned down some of the crenellations, but absolutely, nice that this one survived.

[Austinlee]

^Wow, I never knew such a massive complex was located on that site.

[xdv8]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

^Wow, I never knew such a massive complex was located on that site.

Yes, thank you for sharing. Amazing scale.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Austinlee

^Wow, I never knew such a massive complex was located on that site.

Yeah, looking at old maps you can get some sense of how much land along the PRR main line was being used for industrial purposes back in the day. But for me, at least, it really doesn't hit home fully until you see these old drawings or sometimes photos and such. I think many of us basically know the story as to the massive steel plants along the rivers, but these sorts of railroad-related areas have kinda slipped out of public consciousness.

Random note, but I have an old stock certificate from the Wilkinsburg Ice Company (not particularly valuable, just a fun historical item). Before refrigerated train cars, these ice companies were lined along the major railroads so they could pick up fresh ice. They had their own spur where Railroad Alley is today, and their plant was approximately where the more modern water authority building is now located:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Wi...16zL20vMHpqY24

I'd really love to find a drawing or photo of what that looked like back in the day. Nothing yet, but who knows . . . .

[xdv8]

The latest edition of The Bulletin (pg. 6) has some renderings of Pittsburgh Glass Center's soon to break ground expansion. I don't think I had read anything about that here.

[Johnland]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Yeah, looking at old maps you can get some sense of how much land along the PRR main line was being used for industrial purposes back in the day. But for me, at least, it really doesn't hit home fully until you see these old drawings or sometimes photos and such. I think many of us basically know the story as to the massive steel plants along the rivers, but these sorts of railroad-related areas have kinda slipped out of public consciousness.

As much as I've read about Pittsburgh history, I always find yet new information revealing even more history. Lately I've been fascinated by East Liberty. When I moved to Pittsburgh in the 70's, East Liberty was already run down and desolate. It wasn't until recently that I learned how big and developed it was in the first half of the 1900's. The train station there (where the Village of Eastside shopping center is now), a few stops inbound from Swissvale, had 100 trains a day. Assuming they ran between 8 am and 8 pm, that's a train in less than every ten minutes. So without a car, one could've lived in East Liberty and easily worked at the Switch.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Johnland

As much as I've read about Pittsburgh history, I always find yet new information revealing even more history. Lately I've been fascinated by East Liberty. When I moved to Pittsburgh in the 70's, East Liberty was already run down and desolate. It wasn't until recently that I learned how big and developed it was in the first half of the 1900's. The train station there (where the Village of Eastside shopping center is now), a few stops inbound from Swissvale, had 100 trains a day. Assuming they ran between 8 am and 8 pm, that's a train in less than every ten minutes. So without a car, one could've lived in East Liberty and easily worked at the Switch.

I particularly like the aerial photo map from 1939 for exploring this period, available here:

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

1939 is early enough to be before the Parkway, and generally still within the peak period of East End railroad-related development.

Out on the eastern border of that map, you can see the PRR Main Line coming in and the complex we were talking about in Edgewood/Swissvale.

Tracing along the PRR, there is then a big railyard and industrial complex in Wilkinsburg/Homewood. The railyard is now the Wilkinsburg Park and Ride, and you can see how the dense residential develop of 1939 has a lot of new green gaps today. But still, a lot of the industrial buildings survived and are now being incorporated into the Rockwell Park development and such.

Tracing further you get to the massive railyard and industrial complex that is now a combination of things like the East Liberty PAT garage, Bakery Square, the strip malls, and the "gated community"-style residential development. Unfortunately a lot more of that was lost, but on the plus side it is gaining a lot of new stuff.

East Liberty is then basically a small city of its own, and finally you pass through the densely-developed Shadyside and the railroad dips into the ravine, heading for Lawrencville and the Strip, and finally Downtown.

If you want to depress yourself, you can center on East Liberty and click on the 1957 layer--still very impressive--and then the 1967 layer, where it looks like East Liberty just went through WW II-style bombing. Ugh.

Anyway, I believe pretty strongly that the fundamentals that led to those developments back in the day have evolved but never really gone away, and therefore these nodes can continue to anchor new developments going forward. And although not quickly, it does seem to be happening.

[Johnland]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I particularly like the aerial photo map from 1939 for exploring this period, available here:

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

1939 is early enough to be before the Parkway, and generally still within the peak period of East End railroad-related development.

Out on the eastern border of that map, you can see the PRR Main Line coming in and the complex we were talking about in Edgewood/Swissvale.

Tracing along the PRR, there is then a big railyard and industrial complex in Wilkinsburg/Homewood. The railyard is now the Wilkinsburg Park and Ride, and you can see how the dense residential develop of 1939 has a lot of new green gaps today. But still, a lot of the industrial buildings survived and are now being incorporated into the Rockwell Park development and such.

Tracing further you get to the massive railyard and industrial complex that is now a combination of things like the East Liberty PAT garage, Bakery Square, the strip malls, and the "gated community"-style residential development. Unfortunately a lot more of that was lost, but on the plus side it is gaining a lot of new stuff.

East Liberty is then basically a small city of its own, and finally you pass through the densely-developed Shadyside and the railroad dips into the ravine, heading for Lawrencville and the Strip, and finally Downtown.

If you want to depress yourself, you can center on East Liberty and click on the 1957 layer--still very impressive--and then the 1967 layer, where it looks like East Liberty just went through WW II-style bombing. Ugh.

Anyway, I believe pretty strongly that the fundamentals that led to those developments back in the day have evolved but never really gone away, and therefore these nodes can continue to anchor new developments going forward. And although not quickly, it does seem to be happening.

I've that map somewhere before. Thanks for posting. It's amazing. Yes, what was self inflicted on East Liberty was truly a Dresden style destruction. The 1930 population was 60k, a bit more than present day Lancaster.

I agree it's looking better these days compared to say, the 1980's. I was in town in the Fall and drove around. Lots of development for sure. I wish they could reconnect one or two of the north/south streets across East Liberty Blvd. Like Beatty and St Clair. It would tie Highland Park closer to East Liberty.