Connelley Tech to become green technology showcase (Pittsburgh, Forest Hills: sales, house)

[BrianTH]

Courtesy of a poster at another forum, here is the PG article:

Former school to become green center

Some excerpts:

PGI has a sales agreement with Pittsburgh Public Schools and expects to close this summer and begin retooling the former vocational school by fall. . . . The Bedford Avenue school was closed in 2004. It has 220,000 square feet of space. When retrofitted, it will be loaded with green technology to demonstrate function and to absorb the building's costs. The prospective new owners envision the site as an incubator of green industry, a job training center for green-industry jobs and a technical support center for work force development.

. . . PGI is a collaboration of representatives from universities, labor unions, the Green Building Alliance, Hill House and a dozen other entities, plus Mr. Ferlo, state Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Hill District, and U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills. . . . State grants of $4 million will enable the organization to create a geothermal pumping system that is expected to provide the building with 65 percent of the energy it will need, said Bill Miller of Pittsburgh Gateways, a nonprofit developer. The extension's sawtooth roof -- each panel of which slants toward the south -- "is oriented perfectly for solar panels," said Mr. DeCiantis. "There's nothing we're doing that isn't green" Mr. Miller said. Besides the geothermal system, he said, "the rest of our energy will come from solar, wind and microturbines fueled by different energy sources. We will do high-performance glazing, have a green roof, rain gardens and bioswales." Mr. DeCiantis said the first phase of retrofitting the building will be under way by fall.

. . . [PBI] has raised $17 million from public and private donations toward an estimated $16.5 million for first-phase renovations, Mr. Miller said. The entire project will cost about $40 million, he said. . . . Anchor tenants will be Penn State and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 95.

Pretty cool. This is a landmark building given its prominent location, and this re-use should contribute nicely to the new "green" branding the City is seeking. And hopefully this project will also help anchor the redevelopment of the Lower Hill.

[BrianTH]

TR article with some more details:

Ex-trade school to teach 'green' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

[nuwaver88]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Courtesy of a poster at another forum, here is the PG article:

Former school to become green center

Some excerpts:



Pretty cool. This is a landmark building given its prominent location, and this re-use should contribute nicely to the new "green" branding the City is seeking. And hopefully this project will also help anchor the redevelopment of the Lower Hill.

This is a prominent location and is IMHO currently a a bit of an eyesore when viewed from the vicinity of the train station and other areas nearby. I always had hoped that there were plans for this property to coincide with the other development in the Lower Hill.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by nuwaver88

This is a prominent location and is IMHO currently a a bit of an eyesore when viewed from the vicinity of the train station and other areas nearby. I always had hoped that there were plans for this property to coincide with the other development in the Lower Hill.

Indeed. In fact this should be a link to a Google streetview from the intersection of Liberty and Grant, with Connelley building in the background behind Penn Station:

pittsburgh - Google Maps

The sawtooth roof is quite distinctive, and actually would be kinda cool repurposed as a solar cell array as discussed in the articles.

[BrianTH]

Some more stuff . . .

A rendering courtesy of Senator Ferlo:

http://www.senatorferlo.com/images/2010/PGI_rendering_550px.jpg (broken link)

A link from Pittsburgh Gateways with more information about the project:

Pittsburgh Gateways: A Bridge to Economic, Social and Cultural Vitality

Nice image of the building from across Bedford:

[bradjl2009]

Really great idea! Maybe this will help encourage development to more at a quicker pace once the area's land become available to develop.

[BrianTH]

After a stall while they worked out historical preservation issues, this project is moving forward again:

Pittsburgh's Energy Innovation Center breaking ground this summer

Volunteers have been removing reusable materials, and construction is scheduled to begin in July.