East Liberty becoming a mixed-income success story (Pittsburgh, Millvale: houses, neighborhood)

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

Just how i imagined it would happen...

Developers plan theater/office project in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood



Developers plan theater/office project in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood - Pittsburgh Business Times

The area of target is basically from Highland Av to the CVS on Penn and to the Highland Building on Highland

PM me if you want the entire read

That's great news! Essentially then this will lead to redevelopment of the entire "triangle" between Penn Avenue, Highland Avenue, and where Penn Circle South meets Penn Circle East? Does this include preservation of that historic (yet deteriorating) structure on the NE corner of Penn Circle South & Highland (the one with "Happy BDAY Julia" in the windows)? Does this project include apartments in the high-rise on Highland?

Very exciting. If that entire triangular area is being redeveloped, then I also foresee the struggling block across Penn Avenue (anchored by Capri Pizza on one end and Yen's Chinese Food on the other end) becoming much more desirable, too.

I also hope that in the long-term new housing options will be built where surface parking currently exists on Penn Circle West south of Penn Avenue.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I suppose I don't understand where BrianTH's concerns about increasing traffic congestion between the "Riverfront" (I'm assuming the revamped master plan for the Strip District) and Downtown when you can easily walk or bike between the two locales if you're not disabled or lazy.

The Riverfront plan actually encompasses the Strip all the way up through Lawrenceville to Highland Park. A lot of that is well outside reasonable walking distance.

Generally, certainly the planned bike/pedestrian path is also a crucial part of the transportation plan. But the fact is that regardless of the reasons, a lot of people don't like to bike (or walk longer distances) to work. Similarly, a decent number of tourists are only willing to walk so far, and so on.

So if this development plan is going to be a success, we will need to accommodate such people as well.

I'd be more concerned about building an additional parking garage or two in the area to accommodate vehicles that will be displaced when the seas of asphalt in the Lower Strip District (i.e. along Penn Avenue and Smallman Street between 11th Street and 16th Street) are reclaimed for mixed-use redevelopment.

That's also part of the overall plan (building more garages).

If anything one would think more people moving closer to the area's dense urban core would decrease congestion.

More people living in the Riverfront or up the Valley may mean less congestion in other places, but it will mean more congestion on this particular route.

let me use Arlington as a prime example. That area has well over 200,000 people and has far less surface street traffic congestion than a place like Reston, with about 65,000 people, because Arlington was planned to be dense and walkable

Arlington also has the Metro. In fact, the driving paths into DC from Arlington are similarly bottlenecked (in that case by the need for bridges) and are regularly jammed, and if it wasn't for the Metro it would not have been possible for Arlington to be built up so densely.

So Arlington is indeed a great example--a great example of how if you want to develop a dense residential neighborhood right next to a major employment center but with a surface transportation bottleneck in between, you will need transit with a dedicated ROW.

More of those people driving between Downtown and Highland Park, Shadyside, or wherever else via Liberty Avenue moving to the Strip District and walking or biking to work would mean LESS traffic congestion in the area Brian is concerned about, right?

These are very likely mostly going to be people moving from outside the City, and many from outside the Metro entirely.

Seriously, it will be a good thing as more people bike or walk from these areas. But that is not going to come close to relieving the future jams on these streets, and it won't be an answer for everybody.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

Just how i imagined it would happen... Developers plan theater/office project in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood

That is FANTASTIC news. It really has it all--a new entertainment option, new office space, and it gets rid of one of the worst-looking buildings in that whole area.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

if I were going to live in perhaps the upcoming expansion of the Cork Factory Lofts, for example, why on Earth would I need a streetcar or trolley to get me Downtown when I could walk there in about 20 minutes or bike there in much less time?

If you're living in the Cork Factory Lofts or some other high end condo/apartment complex in the strip, then you probably value your time and value the luxury of having a 5 minute streetcar or train ride.

Also, Winter.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Does this include preservation of that historic (yet deteriorating) structure on the NE corner of Penn Circle South & Highland (the one with "Happy BDAY Julia" in the windows)? Does this project include apartments in the high-rise on Highland?

The "Julia" building is the Wallace Building, and it is part of the same project as the Highland Building (it is planned for retail on the first floor and apartments on the upper two floors).

[Tinare]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

If you're living in the Cork Factory Lofts or some other high end condo/apartment complex in the strip, then you probably value your time and value the luxury of having a 5 minute streetcar or train ride.

Also, Winter.

To me, even worse than winter, is a 90-something percent humidity morning. I routinely walk from Station Square to Grant Street every morning and, even on some of the cooler July mornings, I arrived to work on the verge of being a bit too sweaty. My workplace is business casual attire, but certainly not gymwear. Suit-types can't arrive at work needing a shower.

[pman]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Does this include preservation of that historic (yet deteriorating) structure on the NE corner of Penn Circle South & Highland (the one with "Happy BDAY Julia" in the windows)? Does this project include apartments in the high-rise on Highland?

Called the Odeon Building, the $18 million project is proposed to replace the current buildings at the site with a 97,000-square-foot structure. The building would offer nearly 60,000 square feet of office space above the two-level cineplex and its 8,000-square-foot restaurant...The project seeks to build on the momentum of revitalization East Liberty has seen with its East Side development, which started with Whole Foods and culminated in the opening of a Target ...The new project also could soon be joined by the redevelopment of the neighboring Highland building into an apartment project, a plan that benefited last week by the administration of Gov. Tom Corbett following through on a $4.5 million grant for a new parking garage, as well as a plan to redevelop the former YMCA ...They hope to begin construction as soon as April and shoot for a 2013 completion date.

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburg....html?page=all

taken as a whole, the projects really have the potential to be transformative.

[stburr91]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I suppose I don't understand where BrianTH's concerns about increasing traffic congestion between the "Riverfront" (I'm assuming the revamped master plan for the Strip District) and Downtown when you can easily walk or bike between the two locales if you're not disabled or lazy. I live in Polish Hill, which is much further away, and routinely walk Downtown myself. If I were going to live in perhaps the upcoming expansion of the Cork Factory Lofts, for example, why on Earth would I need a streetcar or trolley to get me Downtown when I could walk there in about 20 minutes or bike there in much less time? I'd be more concerned about building an additional parking garage or two in the area to accommodate vehicles that will be displaced when the seas of asphalt in the Lower Strip District (i.e. along Penn Avenue and Smallman Street between 11th Street and 16th Street) are reclaimed for mixed-use redevelopment.

If anything one would think more people moving closer to the area's dense urban core would decrease congestion. Since so much discussion about NoVA occurs on this sub-forum given our strong connection to the DC Metro Area let me use Arlington as a prime example. That area has well over 200,000 people and has far less surface street traffic congestion than a place like Reston, with about 65,000 people, because Arlington was planned to be dense and walkable while Reston was planned to be autocentric with all of its cul-de-sacs and wide gaps of open space between developed areas. Similarly I foresee many of the new people who will be moving into the Strip District in the coming years being those who currently live further out from the core and are tiring of their commutes. More of those people driving between Downtown and Highland Park, Shadyside, or wherever else via Liberty Avenue moving to the Strip District and walking or biking to work would mean LESS traffic congestion in the area Brian is concerned about, right?

I agree with Brian about his concerns of congestion in the Riverfront area.

The Riverfront area could be developed into some of the premier neighborhoods in the city, why not pursue the best transit options?

[pman]

Originally Posted by stburr91

I agree with Brian about his concerns of congestion in the Riverfront area.

The Riverfront area could be developed into some of the premier neighborhoods in the city, why not pursue the best transit options?

depends on who is paying. "the best" for whom is another question. in all likelihood, the strip will develop nicely with or without a streetcar....east liberty also has a ton of potential, as does the northside.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by stburr91

The Riverfront area could be developed into some of the premier neighborhoods in the city, why not pursue the best transit options?

Not everything can, or should be, a premier neighborhood.

Pittsburgh definitely needs places for light industrial, heavy industrial, warehouses, school bus and taxi garages, parking and other uses.

The idea that the Strip ought to be just predominately retail and high end residences is fine I guess. But it still leads to what to do with other necessary functions. Pittsburgh only has a finite number of single professional people who would want to (and can afford to) live in the the Cork Factory and other expensive and close high brow properties, no matter how convenient they are.