Things you wouldn't mind getting "redeveloped?" (Pittsburgh, Oliver: appointed, section 8)

[ferrarisnowday]

Any public housing project that is occupying prime land. Even including ones aimed at seniors. Not necessarily demolishing them, but at least re-purposing them into market rate units. If we're going to have public housing, that's fine, but offer good public transit and other services instead of locating it on prime land.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by eschaton

There's a few nice rowhouses in the Upper Strip. I'd actually advocate demolishing nearly everything on Penn but them, and then infilling with residential.

Obviously, I am in favor of incorporating the few decent historic structures into a redevelopment plan.

Originally Posted by eschaton

Forgot about this from my time in that area. I dunno how it stays vacant given the location.

NIMBYs obstructed a really fantastic mixed-use plan for the Don Allen site back in 2007/08... using the old "it will generate too much traffic" argument. Of course, it may never have been built anyways... as one of the developer's financiers was an Icelandic bank.

Originally Posted by eschaton

I'd redevelop all of Station Square actually. Not demolish it, but turn it into a mixed-use area with some housing, less parking, and retiring that sad mall entirely.

I'm cool with that. I haven't been in the mall portion since 1996... and have no idea what's in there anymore. I never hear anyone say they shop there.

Originally Posted by eschaton

West? You mean East? There's not much of anything past the Duquense incline, but east of Hallock you start seeing some houses right on the slope.

Exactly. WEST... specifically west of Monterey Bay Fish Grotto building. From Sweetbrier to Republic... Grandview is inexplicably occupied by nothing more than a handful of shabby houses on oversized weedy lots. The house at Shaler and Grandview is undergoing demolition. I'd support anything from more condo towers to denser single-family houses to wacky upscale vanity houses... anything would be better than the depressing mid-century suburban houses that exist there now.

Originally Posted by eschaton

There's 5-10 buildings worth saving - Allegheny Academy, Children's Museum, New Hazlett Theatre, etc.

Once again, those particular buildings would be incorporated into the redevelopment plan.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

Any public housing project that is occupying prime land. Even including ones aimed at seniors. Not necessarily demolishing them, but at least re-purposing them into market rate units. If we're going to have public housing, that's fine, but offer good public transit and other services instead of locating it on prime land.

I support this concept.

A somewhat related dream I have... that will obviously never be realized... would be relocating Allegheny Co. Jail from its high-profile riverfront location next to Downtown... to some obscure corner of the county (it doesn't have to be in Pittsburgh limits, does it?)... and redevelop that area with a major condo/apartment complex. Access to Downtown, South Side and Oakland... it would be a gold mine.

[fleetiebelle]

There's an old car dealership near the corner of Blvd of the Allies and Craft in Oakland that's been empty for years: Google Maps

I'm really surprised it hasn't been turned into something: apartments, doctor's offices, a hotel, a grocery store. Anything.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

A somewhat related dream I have... that will obviously never be realized... would be relocating Allegheny Co. Jail from its high-profile riverfront location next to Downtown... to some obscure corner of the county (it doesn't have to be in Pittsburgh limits, does it?)

I don't know if it has to be in the City, but for various reasons they want it near the courts, and the people associated with the courts won't want them moved to some obscure corner of the county.

If it is any consolation, I think that location is overrated. Yeah, it looks at the river, but is also surrounded by highways/ramps.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

There's an old car dealership near the corner of Blvd of the Allies and Craft in Oakland that's been empty for years: Google Maps

I'm really surprised it hasn't been turned into something: apartments, doctor's offices, a hotel, a grocery store. Anything.

I was just talking to a friend about that hideous waste a few days ago.

Another site that just popped in my mind... Centre/Craig intersection... that should be a really attractive area, but it languishes.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

If it is any consolation, I think that location is overrated. Yeah, it looks at the river, but is also surrounded by highways/ramps.

...and you can walk to your job Downtown, walk to Carson St., walk to Consol, and take a very easy trip to Oakland... fantastic location just like the rest of Uptown... but with a riverfront view

It would be a multi-family tower... not a Regent Square type neighborhood... proximity to ramps wouldn't hamper its appeal.

[LIRefugee]

Few things make an area an unattractive place to be as much as highways do, whether below, at, or above grade. That's why parking lots are so commonly found underneath highway overpasses.

[Evergrey]

The site of the Jail is not all that dissimilar from the successful Stonebridge Condos in Cleveland's Flats District.

Neighborhood

But I don't want to get this discussion sidetracked on my jail redevelopment fantasy that will never happen anyways.

[Caladium]

Fairywood. Ever since AlleghenyAngel mentioned his notion of opening some really cool gay bars there and turning it into the hip new gayborhood, I've thought yeah yeah yeah!!! That's something I'd love to see happen!

Also, I wouldn't mind seeing some of the steps redone. They can remain steps, but there are a few that could be made nicer.