Happenings in Pittsburgh!! (York, New Kensington, Media: live, price, affordable housing)

[guylocke]

Another beautiful building in Pittsburgh that is filing for LEED certification is officially open.

WPXI opens new $30M facility, seeks LEED certification for region's first HD TV studios (http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/wpxi1017.aspx - broken link)

The region’s first fully digital and high definition television facility has opened on the Northside. WPXI dedicated its new $30 million studio last week and is seeking LEED certification for the 69,000 square-foot facility.

Located at 4145 Evergreen Rd., the two-story state-of-the-art media facility features automated equipment, HD technology, two production studios, and a news and weather center. This month, the station is hosting open house events for current and retired employees, as well as for Summer Hill and Observatory Hill residents.

WPXI general manager Ray Carter says that response to the new studios among the station’s 200 employees has been very positive. A number of sustainable design features, including motion light sensors, underfloor systems and fluorescent lighting, will help the station save thirty percent on energy costs.

[guylocke]

And yet another, a green vet in Shadyside, now open for business!

New 3,000 sf green veterinary medical facility opens in Shadyside (http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/vetcentre1017.aspx - broken link)

A veterinary center with a dream to be green has opened in Shadyside. Located at 5875 Ellsworth Ave., East End Veterinary Medical Centre is run by doctors Andrea Cangin and Ken Fisher.

After commuting to offices in Butler and the South Hills, the Squirrel Hill residents recognized a need for additional animal care options in the city, and pursued the chance to work closer to home.

Designed by evolve EA, the 3,000 square-foot facility houses exam, treatment and surgery rooms, waiting areas and a small office. “It was an empty shell. There wasn’t even a floor,” says Cangin, who strives to run an environmentally friendly practice. “From the standpoint of construction, they used recycled drywall and they recycled wood and cardboard. Our faucets have flow control features; all of our lighting is fluorescent. We have digital x-rays with no chemicals, and we’re a paperless practice.”

[guylocke]

Two local companies doing very well, PNC and PPG. The top executive at PNC also named "Banker of the Year" by American Banker Magazine.

PNC beats earnings expectations; CEO Rohr honored

PNC credited the rise in adjusted earnings partly to its $6 billion acquisition of Mercantile Bankshares, giving the Pittsburgh bank a greater presence in Maryland and Virginia.

PNC Chief Executive Ofifcer James Rohr -- named today as "Banker of the Year" by American Banker magazine -- reiterated that PNC has minimal exposure to the subprime-mortgage fallout now roiling the financial markets, telling analysts this morning in a conference call that "we don't take subprime bets and we didn't rely on exotic product plays."

PPG posts record quarterly sales

Boosted by strong results in its coatings, optical and specialty products businesses, PPG Industries said third-quarter sales were a record $2.8 billion, up 13 percent from a year ago.

Net income for the quarter was $191 million, or $1.15 per share, up from $90 million, or 54 cents a share in the third quarter of 2006.

The earnings include $30 million in charges related to the sale of PPG's automotive glass and fine chemicals units. The company said adjusted net income was $228 million, or $1.37 per share, on target with analysts' projections.

[beeswax]

I was just walking around Downtown. Today is a little muggy with a sprinkling of rain, but there were lots of people outside at noon, which I like seeing in this new city of mine.

Conspicuous: Culinary Institute students, people with Steelers shirts on, and loud high school kids with brightly-colored sodas in hand.

What I didn't see: Bookstores, magazine stands with more than 5 titles (other than adult magazines), and boutiques or stores aside from Macy's and Saks. Anyone know if/when the bigger stores (Target, Barnes & Noble, Banana Republic, Gap, American Eagle, etc.) or a really lively bunch of local shops are going to open downtown? It seems to make sense to me to have real shopping in the core and not make everyone have to drive to the burbs (Shadyside, South Side or out to Ross/Robinson Malls) to shop when they're already downtown for work, especially when there's a visible glut of available retail space.

Oh, and I think Crate & Barrel should open at the Cork Factory's open retail space. Their proximity to the new lofts in the area, a new parking structure in the building, and Downtown/Strip location would be perfect for them.

Information on new shops Downtown, anyone?

Sorry, this is kind of a rant, though I'd really like to know what's coming in next.

[guylocke]

What I didn't see: Bookstores, magazine stands with more than 5 titles (other than adult magazines), and boutiques or stores aside from Macy's and Saks. Anyone know if/when the bigger stores (Target, Barnes & Noble, Banana Republic, Gap, American Eagle, etc.) or a really lively bunch of local shops are going to open downtown? It seems to make sense to me to have real shopping in the core and not make everyone have to drive to the burbs (Shadyside, South Side or out to Ross/Robinson Malls) to shop when they're already downtown for work, especially when there's a visible glut of available retail space.

Downtown Pittsburgh is just beginning to reinvent itself. Some of things you mentioned were once here and then gone. Borders closed a few years ago, which I imagine they regret doing, because I bet they didn't anticipate the sudden boom downtown.

Barnes and Noble is planned to open as part of Duquesne Universities retail level in their new building up-town.

New places to eat and shop are coming but very slowly. Retail has been afraid to invest in downtown because so many places have gotten burned by doing so. Downtown hasn't seen this much action since the steel days, which is a good thing, but slow in coming.

It'll come. In the next year to two there is going to be a huge mess of condo's and living spaces opening downtown with many more still planned, including the breaking ground of RiverParc Project (YAY!!).

All I can say is be patient, downtown is catching on big time in terms of businesses and residents, I imagine more commercial will be on the way, too.

Oh, and I think Crate & Barrel should open at the Cork Factory's open retail space.

Crate & Barrel is heading to Ross Park Mall for now.

You can be sure I will post any new information about downtown shopping as it is unveiled.

[fleetiebelle]

It seems to make sense to me to have real shopping in the core and not make everyone have to drive to the burbs (Shadyside, South Side or out to Ross/Robinson Malls) to shop when they're already downtown for work, especially when there's a visible glut of available retail space.

But most people who live in the burbs tend to do their shopping in the burbs regarless of where they work, and it's been shown that people aren't going to come downtown to shop when they can park for free at the mall. When I first moved here in 2000 there was a Gap downtown, and I think a Barnes & Noble among other stores, and they've since closed.

[guylocke]

Well, it's official, UPMC is still taking over the world!! The merge with Mercy was approved and made official this past week. Now they also have the best burn unit in town.

Pittsburgh Hospital Merger Of UPMC, Mercy OK'd (http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/14351000/detail.html - broken link)

The Federal Trade Commission has approved the $120 million merger of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, a deal that will give UPMC control of Pittsburgh's oldest hospital.

Mercy, founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Mercy, will become the 20th facility to join UPMC's network, which is already the dominant health provider in western Pennsylvania.

"I want to personally assure the physicians and the staff here that we have every expectation that Mercy Hospital will thrive," UPMC CEO Jeffrey Romoff said at a news conference Tuesday.

UPMC has said it plans to operate the 428-bed facility as an acute care hospital, continuing Mercy's mission of serving low-income patients, and will upgrade the emergency room and intensive care unit.

In addition, UPMC said it intends to preserve the current 300-plus jobs at Mercy.

[guylocke]

Another huge testament to the local economy. This is, of course, great news.

Region's luxury home sales are hot

Housing prices in many regions of the country are dropping. But in the Pittsburgh area, they're continuing to rise.

That doesn't surprise Jim Toner, who has been buying, renovating and reselling houses at a profit for 17 years.

Toner bought a house on Severn Street in Squirrel Hill almost a year ago for $180,000, for example. He invested $80,000 in work and sold it in May for $346,000, making an $86,000 profit.

"We are sitting on a valuable commodity in this region -- housing that is safe and stable," the North Huntingdon man said.

Some real estate experts say bigger price increases may be coming. "Pittsburgh has been underperforming, and is primed to catch up," said Lawrence Yun, senior economist with the National Association of Realtors.

That could occur early next year, he said, and the area could experience increases between 7 and 10 percent. An improved local job market and the dollar's weakening value compared to the euro could be factors in this, he said.

California could have a 3.8 percent decline. And average prices are predicted to fall in Florida by 2 percent, Nevada by 4 percent, Ohio by 0.3 percent and Massachusetts by 2.9 percent.

[guylocke]

I know this isn't specific to Pittsburgh, but since September, Pennsylvania has hit a record of new jobs added to the state and our unemployment rate has been below the national average for 8 consecutive months and counting.

Pa. says 3,300 jobs added in September

Pennsylvania added 3,300 nonfarm jobs last month to reach a record 5,805,900, according to seasonally adjusted figures released by the state Department of Labor and Industry on Thursday.

The state's seasonally adjusted civilian labor force -- the number of people working or looking for work -- climbed by 66,000 jobs to a record 6,328,000. The state's service industries also posted record employment for the month with 4,866,600 jobs, fueled by record high jobs in both the trade, transportation and utilities (1,136,500) and education and health services sectors (1,089,600) .

The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.5 percent last month, for a second consecutive month. It's the eighth consecutive month the state's unemployment rate has remained below the nation's rate.

The state has added a total of 177,700 jobs since Jan. 2003.

[Katarina Witt]

Since the title of this thread is "Happenings in Pittsburgh", I think the following is apprpriate (enough).

I am going to the Steelers game tomorrow! I will be on the 40 yd line of Invesco Field, in the snow (most likely). I may have a terrible towel.