New 7 Story Apt Bldg Proposed Uptown (Pittsburgh, Oakland: zoning, bike, area)

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by nuwaver88

That's a fair comparison, but East Liberty is hardly "there" yet.

I don't know, I think East Lib is just about there.

I used to drive Yellow Cab out of the Centre Ave. garage in the 90s.

Today, after going into Whole Foods, I stopped at the Starbucks on the site of the old garage and chuckled at the huge changes from the rather gritty East Liberty of the 1990s.

[BrianTH]

Although I understand the comparison, I also think Uptown could have a faster progression, in part due to location and timing, but also because it is such a blank slate right now.

[nuwaver88]

[quote=I_Like_Spam;19831163]I don't know, I think East Lib is just about there.

I'll have to agree to disagree. The Penn Avenue corridor, the main thorofare, still leaves a lot to be desired. I am impressed with what has been done and the potential in the coming years. The key word being potential. East Liberty has yet to realize it's potential until we revitalize Penn Avenue and bring in some new businesses.

[SteelCityRising]

I think East Liberty is an exciting place to be right now, but I agree that there is still much, much room for improvement. I really love the block of Penn Circle South between Highland Avenue and Penn Avenue (the block with Pizza Sola, Vanilla Bakery, etc.), and I feel as if Target's impending opening will help to spread revitalization of the currently run-down two-block stretch of Penn Avenue between Highland Avenue and Penn Circle East/South. The Highland Building really is "key" to the area's rebirth. Generally speaking Penn Circle South to Target and then east up Penn Avenue to Bakery Square is nearly fully revitalized, but the Penn Avenue corridor itself in the "heart" of East Liberty on northwards towards Highland Park could really use a lot of TLC. I really wish someone would renovate the building on the NE corner of Highland and Penn Circle South (the one across from Spoon that still has the "Happy Birthday Julia" graffiti scrawled in the windows). I also really hope the former Borders location doesn't stay vacant for long. An indoor family fun park might be a cool concept there with laser tag, paintball, mini golf, an arcade, etc.

Getting back to Uptown I'm now much, much more optimistic about the project that will be converting the old school along Fifth Avenue into lofts because in and of itself I saw it as a tough sell; however, with at least two other large-scale residential projects in the works just blocks apart that increased population density will almost certainly lead to a few new business ventures springing up in Uptown as well. I never felt inherently "unsafe" in Uptown, but it has indeed become SO depopulated that it DOES feel "eerie" after dark to be in the shadow of the skyline yet simultaneously be waiting for tumbleweed to roll on by.

[stburr91]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Although I understand the comparison, I also think Uptown could have a faster progression, in part due to location and timing, but also because it is such a blank slate right now.

Indeed, the location, but really the timing is going to lead to a much faster growth.

[airwave09]

Originally Posted by stburr91

Indeed, the location, but really the timing is going to lead to a much faster growth.

Timing because Pittsburgh and urban living in general is becoming much more popular now then it was 10 years ago, I assume. Add to that the construction of CEC and the new hotel and the impending redevelopment of the arena site...

"Houston we have liftoff!"

[nuwaver88]

Another key for Uptown is the area around the northern end of the Birmingham Bridge. Maybe there is not a ton of room for much physical development, but there is a great oppurtunity to create an attractive "gateway" to Uptown and Oakland. As it stands now it is anything but attactive. We need some attractive streetscaping and possibly some colorful artwork on some of the nearby edifices.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Birmin...27.06,,0,-3.39

I know we can do better.

[PreservationPioneer]

I just hope the new residential developments in the area will bleed into the existing Victorian residential neighborhoods in Uptown/ Bluff. I want to see those beautiful Victorian townhomes saved!

[BrianTH]

Some details and renderings for this project:

Fukui Architects PC - Uptown Apartments

[Blackbeauty212]

Looks great, glad to see so much energy going on....Question though - what is suppose to be going in the area just south of Robinson Street right opposite the entrance ramp to the Blvd on Fifth Ave? Is that the Oakland portal project? I though that was suppose to be happening on the other side of the street.