Time to connect Federal Street again

[norcider]

eschaton, you are so correct in your assessment. I't like having a casket in the room with you.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by eschaton

The existence of Allegheny Center is the biggest trepidation my wife and I have about moving to the North Side. I mean, the residential neighborhoods are getting better and better all around, but you're basically forced to live next door to a rotting corpse of failed mid-century urban planning.

Walking around the commons is pretty drab and droll, but walking through the commons is actually kind of pleasant other than the 30 seconds it takes to get through the mall building itself.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by ferraris

Walking around the commons is pretty drab and droll, but walking through the commons is actually kind of pleasant other than the 30 seconds it takes to get through the mall building itself.

The times I've had to bike around the Commons have been absolutely awful. Particularly when I need to get to Western Avenue and since it's one way have to go the long way around.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by eschaton

The existence of Allegheny Center is the biggest trepidation my wife and I have about moving to the North Side. I mean, the residential neighborhoods are getting better and better all around, but you're basically forced to live next door to a rotting corpse of failed mid-century urban planning.

While working for PNC I had to endure training within this abysmal failed urban planning experiment, and I really wish it had never been constructed in the first place. That land is PRIME real estate for new mid-rise residential rental development to help ease the city's housing crunch. Most likely when PNC builds their new HQ's building, anyways, they'll be consolidating offices from their other Downtown buildings, freeing up more than enough space to absorb the operations they currently have in Allegheny Center. Bank of America, the other "anchor" employer in the old "mall" part of the compound, has been shedding Pittsburgh jobs left and right, so they, too, may not have a need to be in that building much longer. With these two primary "anchors" gone the remaining small offices and suites won't really be able to support the EcoBistro and whatnot, and they, too, will likely shutter.

The 1950s-1970s were a horrible era for Pittsburgh urban planning, and we need to accept that Allegheny Center Mall was ONE of those mistakes (just like the Civic Arena destroying a large chunk of the Hill District and East Liberty's Penn Circle mess) and rectify it.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

While working for PNC I had to endure training within this abysmal failed urban planning experiment, and I really wish it had never been constructed in the first place. That land is PRIME real estate for new mid-rise residential rental development to help ease the city's housing crunch.

There are 4 apartment houses on the Allegheny Center property already, the original plan called for more in the square but the market could never support it before but maybe now it can.

In actuality, the mall was a great thing while it lasted. Shoppers parked underneath and conveniently took the escalators and elevators to the stores and the place was pretty busy through the 80's. Unfortunately, Sears closed their outlet there when the corporation downsized 20 or so years ago (they closed in East Lib at the same time), Zayre's and Woolworth's closed their chains completely nationwide, and there went the anchors for the mall. Other stores in the old mall included Waldenbooks, Thom McAn and Kelly & Cohen, who lost out to bigger retail concepts like Barnes & Noble, DSW and Best Buy, also closed due to changes in the retail climate.


During the mall's heyday, public transport also stopped right inside the circle, near Sears and the old Post Office- not just from the North Side and Town, but also the 54 C buses and 34 B's from the West End and Mt. Washington. The idea, as far as convenience and assessability to city residents was actually pretty well thought out.

[pman]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

There are 4 apartment houses on the Allegheny Center property already, the original plan called for more in the square but the market could never support it before but maybe now it can.

In actuality, the mall was a great thing while it lasted. Shoppers parked underneath and conveniently took the escalators and elevators to the stores and the place was pretty busy through the 80's. Unfortunately, Sears closed their outlet there when the corporation downsized 20 or so years ago (they closed in East Lib at the same time), Zayre's and Woolworth's closed their chains completely nationwide, and there went the anchors for the mall. Other stores in the old mall included Waldenbooks, Thom McAn and Kelly & Cohen, who lost out to bigger retail concepts like Barnes & Noble, DSW and Best Buy, also closed due to changes in the retail climate.


During the mall's heyday, public transport also stopped right inside the circle, near Sears and the old Post Office- not just from the North Side and Town, but also the 54 C buses and 34 B's from the West End and Mt. Washington. The idea, as far as convenience and assessability to city residents was actually pretty well thought out.

of course, it didn't last and even if it had been good in the beginning, it is atrociously designed. you could build a mall anywhere, the point was to improve the north side which is most certainly failed miserably at. except for the fact that further plans to idiotically raise more of the north side were met with opposition and was the impetus for people to move in and start fixing up the war streets. now you're left with a white elephant that destroyed the fabric of allegheny city. a passing moment of convenience is hardly the kind of triumph one should expect from such a project.