Or University Circle.

 

I don't think so. There's some good stuff happening in UC, but nothing approaching the level of Uptown PGH or Short North. I'd say University Circle has probably seen about the same level of investment as Uptown Cincinnati, which is certainly impressive in its own right.

 

Oh no, here we go again.  Get the measuring sticks out..

Or University Circle.

 

I don't think so. There's some good stuff happening in UC, but nothing approaching the level of Uptown PGH or Short North. I'd say University Circle has probably seen about the same level of investment as Uptown Cincinnati, which is certainly impressive in its own right.

 

When you cite Pittsburgh's 'Uptown area' you mentioned Shadyside, Oakland, Squirrel Hill and East Liberty.  But those are 4 distinct Pittsburgh neighborhoods, of which the closest comparison to University Circle is Oakland and although Oakland has traditionally had greater density and retail the U. Circle, the Circle has really been closing the gap with the emergence of Uptown, Centric, the Marriott Courtyard and all the new townhouse development along E. 118, Little Italy, etc... So if you consider all the development in Cleveland's hottest neighborhoods along with Univ Circle, including Ohio City/Hingetown (tons of townhouses and new retail/restaurants), Detroit-Shoreway (Batter Park, Edison, Waverly Station, etc), Tremont (and up-and-coming Duck Island in between), you could argue it's 6 in one hand, half dozen in the other... This, plus all the development in downtown Cleveland, including the Flats, you'd be hard-pressed to argue that Pittsburgh is 'kicking Cleveland's ass in any way.

It seems like Pittsburgh is kicking all of the Ohio cities asses in terms of urban development. The intensity of development in their Uptown area (Oakland, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, East Liberty) is really astounding. The only area in Ohio that is seeing development even close to that level is perhaps the Short North.

 

Our little sub region here of the 3-C's, Pittsburgh and Indy is doing quite well for itself as a whole.  A ton of exciting things proposed and under construction in all of those places.

Or University Circle.

 

I don't think so. There's some good stuff happening in UC, but nothing approaching the level of Uptown PGH or Short North. I'd say University Circle has probably seen about the same level of investment as Uptown Cincinnati, which is certainly impressive in its own right.

 

When you cite Pittsburgh's 'Uptown area' you mentioned Shadyside, Oakland, Squirrel Hill and East Liberty.  But those are 4 distinct Pittsburgh neighborhoods, of which the closest comparison to University Circle is Oakland and although Oakland has traditionally had greater density and retail the U. Circle, the Circle has really been closing the gap with the emergence of Uptown, Centric, the Marriott Courtyard and all the new townhouse development along E. 118, Little Italy, etc... So if you consider all the development in Cleveland's hottest neighborhoods along with Univ Circle, including Ohio City/Hingetown (tons of townhouses and new retail/restaurants), Detroit-Shoreway (Batter Park, Edison, Waverly Station, etc), Tremont (and up-and-coming Duck Island in between), you could argue it's 6 in one hand, half dozen in the other... This, plus all the development in downtown Cleveland, including the Flats, you'd be hard-pressed to argue that Pittsburgh is 'kicking Cleveland's a$$ in any way.

 

The Browns had to have a good draft at some point.  Looks like they just did.  There's still a wide gulf between them and the Steelers, a gulf which has persisted now for decades, but at least we have reason for hope.  Maybe the Browns are finally starting to emulate successful teams, instead of trying to justify ridiculous decisions that no one else would make.  There's really no end to this metaphor. 

Just to clarify, Uptown is actually a neighborhood in Pittsburgh adjacent to downtown that includes Duquesne University and the Penguins arena, there is a decent amount of apartment/housing development happening there at the moment but the neighborhood itself still has a ways to go.

 

When you cite Pittsburgh's 'Uptown area' you mentioned Shadyside, Oakland, Squirrel Hill and East Liberty.  But those are 4 distinct Pittsburgh neighborhoods, of which the closest comparison to University Circle is Oakland...

 

This is correct and the larger region that those neighborhoods and many others are lumped into is usually referred to as the East End. The East end is huge and contains over 40% of the population of the city.

 

 

I don't see Allentown, Manchester, nor even the Southside doing much lately versus even crazy American Addition (a neighborhood most of you haven't heard of) in Columbus is building up yuppie boxes.

 

There are actually a few major projects on the board for the Southside as well that tend to get overshadowed by more booming areas at the moment: Forest City Apartment Development/Station Sq. over 300 apartments in the 1st phase has been approved, the terminal building highline project is actually in the Southside, also another 300+ unit apartment is going in near the riverfront park on Wharton st:

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/development/2016/11/17/New-apartment-project-takes-building-boom-to-South-Side/stories/201611170123.

 

4 office buildings are currently still in the proposal phase for the Southside Works as well. The Southside also probably has the most infill housing projects going on right now in the city.

 

 

Interesting.  I've been coming to Pittsburgh for decades and recently noticed more vacancies along Carson Street as opposed to, say, 4 years ago.  I'm hoping that isn't a trend and that new infill and office developments keep the Flats stable.

I think there are several converging issues that are creating the additional storefront vacancies in the Southside. One factor is that there now are several other neighborhoods that have established nightlife districts and are consistently siphoning away patrons from the bars and clubs on Carson st. Also, the neighborhood has matured to the point where it is transitioning more from the nightlife aspect that has dominated it for the past decade which causing a lot of business turnover.

 

Finally, and the biggest contributor to the problem IMO is that the local political leadership in the neighborhood is almost completely useless. They tried instituting ridiculous permit parking regulations in an attempt to fix the free-for-all parking situation that tends to happen on weekend nights due to the popular nightlife. Unfortunately their "solution" has instead had the effect of preventing employees/customers of daytime businesses from parking conveniently and has not targeted the late night crowd as it was supposedly intended to do. This is sadly causing many daytime businesses to close and move outside of the neighborhood to avoid the problems it has created for their businesses.

I supposed it was too popular for its own good!  It's still easily one of the best nightlife streets in the nation.

Nice interview with Pittsburgh's mayor: https://www.citylab.com/equity/2018/02/bill-peduto-pittsburgh-was-already-a-decade-ahead/552731/

 

 

Peduto gave a nice shout out to Cleveland and Detroit as well. He definitely seems to get the significance of what is happening in Pittsburgh for the rest of the Rust Belt.

 

As Pittsburgh succeeds, Cleveland and Detroit's prospects for new investment and growth will also improve. If Pittsburgh stumbles in its turnaround, however, the prospects and outlook for the entire region will be that much less hopeful.

 

 

Sure that’s true of any region.  You make the statement as if Cleveland would disappear from the map if it weren’t for Pittsburgh.

The Cle-Pitt relationships is more competitive rather than parasitic. The steel industries have existed basically for hundreds of years, and there's more than likely a competition to see who can keep their industries the strongest. Since Cle-Pitt have basically the same industries carried through rust-belt history, there is no need for eachother's imports or exports excluding things outside steel. Simply if Pittsburgh disappeared, Cleveland would just have more steel, and more of the rust belt history. Same goes with the other end.

“Pittsburgh neighborhoods are experiencing record growth, and downtown is at the forefront”

https://smartgrowthamerica.org/resources/amazing-place/

Unpopular take:

 

It's the mix of Conservatives and Liberals in the Pittsburgh city government that allows the city to do well.

Pittsburgh shouldn't have a thread on this site.

 

Unpopular take:

 

It's the mix of Conservatives and Liberals in the Pittsburgh city government that allows the city to do well.

 

I believe this is true for every level of government.  It's always good to have a healthy mix of philosophies.  Pittsburgh is also helped by the presence of CM and Pitt. 

 

On a related note, I was in Pittsburgh this weekend just for a day.  I never really spent very much time there.  A lot of good stuff going on but yet there is still a rust belt vibe.  It does appear that they are still struggling in some areas. 

The neighborhoods in Pittsburgh that are doing well are doing really well. Oakland, Squirrel Hill, Mexican War Streets, East Liberty and Shadyside are all very impressive, vibrant neighborhoods. So is South Side Flats, but it's got a very gritty vibe that you don't find in most "recently gentrified" neighborhoods these days. Other neighborhoods, like the Hill District, are still completely bombed out, and other areas like Troy Hill and South Side Slopes, while relatively "stable", still have a noticeable ramshackle feel to them given the overall cheapness of the housing styles there and the impossibly narrow streets that seem to have been strewn all over the place with no rhyme or reason. And then you have some outer suburbs, like West Mifflin that are just downright scary. It's definitely in an interesting state of flux right now.

I was there this weekend as well. My wife is from there. Great things going on in East Liberty, Lawrence and a few other neighborhoods, but take a drive through Wilkinsburg, Rankin, Braddock or any of those communities along the river and you'll see a lot of poverty. Having the mills outside of the city makes a world of difference.

I was mostly Downtown which seemed nice and on the north side which had an industrial/ isolated feel.  We walked through there on the way to the Warhol Museum.  The Strip District was pretty cool as was the Smallman Galley.  The walkability near the convention center and  I579 around Bedford Ave could use some improvement.  Downtown's narrow street and compact development have a very cool feel though.

 

Overall I think there are things that Cleveland can learn from Pitt and vice versa.

Definitely an interesting mix. My wife still follows the local news. The crime is some of these old steel communities just outside the city is pretty crazy. Last week, a women walking home from work in Wilkinsburg was shot and killed for her tax return. My brother-in-law is a firefighter in city the city and spends more time administering Narcan than fighting fires.

I would love to see a light rail line extended from just south of the  Steel Plaza station, and then heading out East along 5th Avenue to Oakland and then beyond to the busway near Bakery Square.  There it could connect to a long-proposed commuter rail line from downtown out to Oakmont and possibly to New Kensington.

Unpopular take:

 

It's the mix of Conservatives and Liberals in the Pittsburgh city government that allows the city to do well.

 

Without stretching the meaning of the word, who are the "conservatives" in Pittsburgh city government? 

U.S. Census reduces Pittsburgh region's latest population estimate

 

The U.S. Census Bureau reduced its population estimate for the City of Pittsburgh last year, according to figures released Thursday.

 

During the last census in 2010, the city had 305,704 residents.

 

As of July 1, 2017, the city's estimated population dropped to 302,407, the new data show. That's 2,610 fewer than the estimate released in 2016.

 

http://triblive.com/local/allegheny/13685576-74/us-census-reduces-pittsburgh-regions-latest-population-estimate

Pittsburgh is getting a man-made lagoon in the Esplanade, the planned North Side development which includes a Ferris wheel.

 

If all goes as scheduled, it will be the first urban lagoon in the world with the capability to convert from a “paradise-like turquoise body of water” with swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding and white sand beaches into a frozen skating rink.

 

Crystal Lagoons announced its partnership today with Millcraft Investments as part of the 15-acre mixed-use Esplanade development along the Ohio River in the North Side.

 

 

Piatt expects to include a full-service hotel and a mix of condominiums, townhomes and apartments — 700 units in all — within the project, which is expected to cost more than $500 million.

 

Food and manufacturing incubators, water taxis and 300,000 square feet of office are planned, along with a marina and kayak rentals.

 

To complement the climate-controlled “Pittsburgh Wheel” — which will operate year-round — Piatt is even entertaining the possibility of launching a small “Pittsburgh Firsts” museum on the site.

 

 

 

https://www.nextpittsburgh.com/city-design/pittsburgh-is-getting-a-two-acre-lagoon-and-ice-rink-in-the-esplanade/

Pittsburgh authority plans 9 floors of high-end condos at former Saks site

 

 

The Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority board of directors on Thursday unanimously agreed to a limited partnership with a Washington County developer in building nine floors of high-end condominiums on top of a new Downtown parking garage in exchange for $2.2 million in air rights that the URA owns above the garage.

 

Washington-based Millcraft Investments is proposing 86 one-, two- and three-bedroom condos ranging in price from $260,000 to $2 million above the 580-space garage at 350 Oliver Ave., the former site of a Saks Fifth Avenue Department store, which closed in 2012.

 

 

https://triblive.com/local/allegheny/13860754-74/pittsburgh-authority-partners-with-developer-to-build-9-floors-of-high-end-condos

 

 

Eighth and Penn Development

 

 

 

 

$70 million Glasshouse at Station Square will feature 320 apartments, many transit options, river views

 

 

In mid-December, Trammell Crow broke ground on Glasshouse, which is projected to have 320 luxury rental apartments when it is completed in 2019. Financed by Trammell Crow and Northwestern Mutual, the $70 million development will transform more than 15,000 square feet of land near Station Square, which has primarily been utilized for parking.

 

Residents will have access to a pool, a 335-space underground garage and outdoor kitchen and dining areas. In adherence with DEP regulations, archaeologist Christine Davis is exploring the site for glass artifacts, and the developer is partnering with Pittsburgh Glass Center to design unique glass elements for each unit.

 

“We also have a massive ‘jewel box’ amenity space — a two-story indoor space connected to a front ‘porch’ with a cantilevered roof for use during inclement weather,” adds Murray-Coleman. The architect is Baltimore-based firm Hord Copland Macht.

 

The site is along the Great Allegheny Passage, a popular bike trail that connects Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. Tenants will have access to their own free, on-site bike-share program through Healthy Ride.

 

 

 

https://www.nextpittsburgh.com/latest-news/glasshouse-transit-oriented-development-under-way-at-station-square/

 

 

Bakery Square III Office Building

 

 

 

CRAFT breaks ground on 68 townhomes that could change Upper Lawrenceville

 

In March, Toronto-based CRAFT Development Corporation will break ground on this site with 68 townhouses called Mews on Butler. Units will be available for pre-sale at prices starting in the low $400s. The expected completion date for the first phase of the development is in the fall.

 

The project will consist of a townhouse-style condominium community between 55th and 56th Streets on Butler Street. Two collections (called the Hanlon and the Gregory, after the property’s original owners) will offer units with 1,850 to 2,650 square feet of living space, two-car garages and other amenities.

 

 

 

District 15 project in the Strip District is designed to attract talent

 

The first commercial building at Riverfront Landing, the master-planned site in the Strip District, will have 18-foot ceilings on its first floor and a direct loading dock. That will prove attractive to R&D companies, says Shawn Fox, president of Bridgeville-based RDC Inc.

 

“We’re in the Strip District and it’s the center of automated vehicles and artificial intelligence,” he says. “For robotics users, that ceiling height and direct loading dock can create a R&D-style space on the first floor.”

 

 

Murdoch Office Building Oakland

 

 

 

Forbes ave Apartments

 

 

 

 

 

Oakland: Pitt Syria Mosque Site Mixed Use

 

 

 

Go, Pittsburgh!

Great stuff going on!  Thanks for the update bcrice03!

pittsburgh snuck a nucleus in there!

Definitely good seeing all that development in Pittsburgh. It's one hell of an underrated city.

Cleveland pessimists keep asking: why can't the city be more like Pittsburgh?

 

 

 

There must be a lot of people swimming across the Mon here..... ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Downtown office building may be in the works

 

Quote

It stated only that the structure would be “centrally located within Downtown Pittsburgh and the Central Business District” and that it would include first-floor retail space.

Just where Highwoods could build in the Golden Triangle is a subject of speculation in the real estate community, given the scarcity of large tracts of vacant land.

 

 

Quote

The company isn’t the only one looking to redevelop Downtown.

McKnight Realty Partners, whose holdings include the former Gimbels building, the Henry W. Oliver Building and the Grant Building, is pitching a plan to redevelop what it is calling a “high-profile building” Downtown for offices, retail, and restaurants. Izzy Rudolph, McKnight’s president of development, declined to identify the building, saying there was a nondisclosure agreement in place.

 

I find it so strange that Pittsburgh, which is and has been experiencing a development boom for years, continues to lose population. They are seemingly building more than any of the 3Cs, but it continues to lose population both at the city and regional levels. I've also seen that their relatively small black population has been declining rapidly, too, so it might be kind of the Chicago syndrome at play. I really like Pittsburgh, and I know population doesn't tell the whole story when it comes to the health of a region or city, but their continued losses are puzzling to me, since the city is doing so much right when it comes to economic development and revitalization of neighborhoods. 

Quote

I find it so strange that Pittsburgh, which is and has been experiencing a development boom for years, continues to lose population. They are seemingly building more than any of the 3Cs, but it continues to lose population both at the city and regional levels. I've also seen that their relatively small black population has been declining rapidly, too, so it might be kind of the Chicago syndrome at play. I really like Pittsburgh, and I know population doesn't tell the whole story when it comes to the health of a region or city, but their continued losses are puzzling to me, since the city is doing so much right when it comes to economic development and revitalization of neighborhoods. 

 

 

I'm not sure if Pittsburgh is developing more than the 3Cs. Maybe if either towers I noted above today get built, but overall, I would think that more is happening in the Cs.

 

Regarding population, it's complicated, but the short answer is that the massive lose of steel (and related) jobs starting in the 70s, but exploding in 80s caused an additional burden on population growth - even as portions of the metro started to gain in migration, the overall population change would still be a net loss due to natural decline.

 

The exodus of 30+ years ago created a unique issue for the metro of more deaths than births every year. Most metros - even ones with net migration loss, still have even modest gains from births. Not Pittsburgh.

Office complex could be the latest addition to Station Square

 

 

 

Quote

With the 319-unit Glasshouse apartment development at Station Square all but done, a Dallas developer is ready to move on to Glassworks — a new 122,000-square-foot office building.

Trammell Crow Co. has hired the CBRE real estate firm to market the new Class A office tower, with hopes of starting construction sometime this year.

 

Love the density, meh the design.

Agreed. I mean, it's ok, but maybe it will look a little better built...

Busy news week. That said, the  Penguins development is a believe it when ground is broken thing considering how they keep pushing it back. Yet another reason why sports teams have no place in the development business. This news sounds more imminent though.

 

'Let’s do something great’ — Penguins unveil big new vision for former Arena site

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quote

With two developers in place, the team expects to start construction on the first 274 units of housing in the fall, to be followed by development of a 200,000-square-foot office building with 50,000 square feet of retail in the winter.

The Penguins have hired the Buccini/Pollin Group, a Wilmington, Del.-based real estate company with a portfolio valued at more than $5 billion, to develop the office space and the other commercial aspects, including a 50,000-square-foot music venue and the food hall.

 

 

Quote

In all, the new master plan calls for up to 1,420 units of housing, 810,000 square feet of office space, 190,000 square feet of retail, 50,000 square feet of entertainment, and a 220-room hotel.

 

Getting rid of those awful one-way streets that speed traffic and make streets less comfortable for pedestrians and bikes......

 

Rethinking Downtown Streets in a Revitalizing Pittsburgh

With $5.2 billion of investment in the past 10 years, and another $3.5 billion in the development pipeline, Pittsburgh planning organizations are considering ways to rethink the streets of the city's downtown.

https://www.planetizen.com/news/2019/07/105366-rethinking-downtown-streets-revitalizing-pittsburgh

Construction is expected to begin on the new, 635,000-square foot Pittsburgh International Airport building next year, and it's expected to open in 2023.  

https://patch.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/inside-pittsburgh-airports-1-1-billion-new-terminal-project

 

The arena development continues to evolve.

 

After a delay that upset the Penguins, board OKs preliminary plans for new FNB HQ at former arena site

The Pittsburgh Penguins are back in the development business and the new First National Bank headquarters at the former Civic Arena site is back on track after the city’s Urban Redevelopment Authority approved plans for the 26-story office tower Thursday.

 

 

Reminds me of an Amsterdam TOD (that's a compliment, FYI).

the bank office building is so-so (its probably a placeholder anyway), but otherwise the site plan of this important area of the city balances density with open public space really, really well.

Local Pittsburgh development group Troiani Group submitted this to the Pittsburgh Planning Commission. Obviously, who knows what will come of it at this stage, but it's more than a vague announcement.

 

Troiani Group Offers the Pittsburgh Planning Commission a Commitment to Long-Term City Growth and Renewal with Signature First Side Tower

 

The building will have 200,000 square feet of class A office space and around 150 residential units.

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

It'll be a good filler building.