If you could bring back one demolished Pittsburgh landmark, which would you pick? (Gettysburg: elementary school, title)

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by greg42

Plus, PNC Park is slightly more urban given how it integrates with Federal Street. Three Rivers was more urban how, with 30 years in a sea of parking lots and lots of promised but never delivered development? I don't see how just having the two uses combined makes it more urban.

Being multi-purpose, 3 Rivers was a better use of limited, valuable space.

Actually, when 3 Rivers was built, in the early 70's, the North Shore area was largely fully developed at that point. There were a couple of dozen bars and restaurants along Federal St. then as well as various retailers, a large apartment bldg on the current PNC site, residences on Federal as well as on East General Robinson St., a popular alternative bar at the base of Anderson St., a big nightclub (2001) on West General Robinson and the mall was full of stores and shoppers.

Only gradually were the buildings razed to be converted into parking as it was by the 21st century.

[Sealtite]

Originally Posted by greg42

This whole thing really makes no sense to me. They DO share a lot of parking, but the attendance for Pirates games is generally so low that parking doesn't often spill down too far towards Heinz.

That kinda started to change last season, and I hope it continues. I went to a series there against the Cubs and the place was PACKED. It was awesome seeing the ballpark so alive like that. Was right behind the visitor's dugout when McKhenry hit his 1st home run in the majors (3-run shot in the 8th and gave the go-ahead run). That place absolutely erupted.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

Being multi-purpose, 3 Rivers was a better use of limited, valuable space.

Actually, when 3 Rivers was built, in the early 70's, the North Shore area was largely fully developed at that point. There were a couple of dozen bars and restaurants along Federal St. then as well as various retailers, a large apartment bldg on the current PNC site, residences on Federal as well as on East General Robinson St., a popular alternative bar at the base of Anderson St., a big nightclub (2001) on West General Robinson and the mall was full of stores and shoppers.

Only gradually were the buildings razed to be converted into parking as it was by the 21st century.

But nothing was in the immediate vicinity of Three Rivers while it was there. All those buildings on General Robinson (where PNC Park now sits) were still there when I moved here in 1991. None of them were closer to the stadium than about where Mazeroski Way is now. Are you telling me there were buildings immediately next to Three Rivers in 1971 after the stadium was built? Because from what I can tell it doesn't seem like there were. The way Three Rivers Stadium was put up is not urban in construction. This is not really that surprising for the late 60s. The limited space was apparently not that valuable since nothing was built on it for 30 years. This is also not that surprising given what happened to the city during that time.

A multi-use facility does take up less space. But a multi-use facility turns out to be a real compromise for a baseball game. I watched a few Pirates games at Three Rivers, and it's just nothing like watching at a dedicated ballpark like PNC. And lets not pretend that somehow Three Rivers was urban in location, design, etc. just because it happened to be multi-use Neither is Heinz. Neither is PNC really, although it squares up nicely with the street grid so it is marginally closer to that ideal. I would gather most new stadiums and ballparks don't really meet an urban ideal. The only ones that really do are the ones that have actually been there for so long.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by greg42

But nothing was in the immediate vicinity of Three Rivers while it was there. All those buildings on General Robinson (where PNC Park now sits) were still there when I moved here in 1991. None of them were closer to the stadium than about where Mazeroski Way is now. Are you telling me there were buildings immediately next to Three Rivers in 1971 after the stadium was built?

Not immediately next to 3 Rivers, but there were buildings from the edge of the 3 Rivers parking lots down West General Robinson and a solid line of buildings from the 6th Bridge all the way up to the Mall on Federal, Sandusky and Anderson Streets.


Many were razed for parking after the stadium was built.

[greg42]

Eh, maybe it's just me, but Federal Street was already too far away from where Three Rivers was to create much of an urban environment, let alone Sandusky and Anderson. Those streets still create a few blocks of stuff.

To me anything built with its own parking surrounding it (which it seems Three Rivers was, even if some of the lots were added later) is pretty much by definition not urban. One thing to have a lot on one or two sides and then real streets with buildings on the others, quite another to be free floating in parking. It just doesn't create an urban effect. But again, maybe that's just me.

At any rate, I wouldn't put Three Rivers (as it actually was) too high on a list of stuff to bring back.

[SlurmsMcKenzie]

Heinz would be far better if they enclosed the entire thing with some sort of brick facade. Lambeau Field was once had an ugly, utilitarian exterior and they managed to class it up quite a bit. Heinz is not nearly as bad but needs some dressing up. I'm not big fan of those exposed supports (they look like giant pencils). And I'm not sure why they didn't horseshoe the upper deck north end zone, either.

Getting back to the topic at hand, I guess I miss Pitt Stadium the most. I'm too young to remember most of those other buildings, though some of the demolished places along Smithfield look pretty spectacular.

[ferraris]

Moving the Pitt games to Heinz Field was probably good for the university's bottom line, but I think it was a disservice to the students.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by trlstreet

Heinz would be far better if they enclosed the entire thing with some sort of brick facade. Lambeau Field was once had an ugly, utilitarian exterior and they managed to class it up quite a bit. Heinz is not nearly as bad but needs some dressing up. I'm not big fan of those exposed supports (they look like giant pencils). And I'm not sure why they didn't horseshoe the upper deck north end zone, either.

Your latter point is what I meant when I said Heinz Field should have been horseshoe shaped. It is and it isn't in that it's not complete on the upper deck. Seeing that they are the "Steelers" and Pittsburgh's heritage, I'd cover Heinz Field's exterior with steel beams put together in some architecturally significant way. Maybe use the same type of steel used in the US Steel Tower. I heard that the rust formed on that steel actually makes a protective coating. Maybe get crazy and use LED lighting on its exterior like CMU did with its library.


Carnegie Mellon University's Hunt Library Rainbow - YouTube

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

Moving the Pitt games to Heinz Field was probably good for the university's bottom line, but I think it was a disservice to the students.

I think Pitt wanted to free up more space to use, and the stadium was only used about 6 times a year. I think moving to Heinz Field also hurt Oakland businesses that wanted the Pitt tailgating traffic. Pitt should work on acquiring more of the surrounding area as its acreage is a bit small for a school of its size and importance.

[Velvet Jones]

I know it would have never been practical, but I would have loved it had they been able to keep Forbes Field. Check out these old pics from the Wikipedia page. Several interesting things in the photos. Almost everyone in the stands are men. Plus, they're almost all wearing jackets and ties. Also, for all of you old house lovers, check out these great houses that use to exist in Oakland.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...panorama-1.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...panorama-2.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...panorama-3.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...panorama-4.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...panorama-5.jpg