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Old 03-14-2014, 08:28 AM
 
Location: Philly
10,227 posts, read 16,821,015 times
Reputation: 2973

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that Kmart is part of the Galley mall which is a failed urban renewal era mall like allegheny center or east liberty (or a combination of the two). It was built with the idea of bringing shopping back to the city but it actually made things worse. gimbel's customer never took to the new building and the old one was knocked down to make way for new development (still a surface parking lot). It has essentially become a highly successful transit concourse with a failed mall on top of it. Kmart was one of the successful parts of it but it has lost its lease (the first in the owners new urban renewal scheme). plenty of people want a city target there. the mall has incredibly poor design. doors are hidden, it has many confusing levels, and it's plain ugly.
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Old 03-14-2014, 08:35 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA (Morningside)
14,353 posts, read 17,030,476 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pman View Post
that Kmart is part of the Galley mall which is a failed urban renewal era mall like allegheny center or east liberty (or a combination of the two). It was built with the idea of bringing shopping back to the city but it actually made things worse. gimbel's customer never took to the new building and the old one was knocked down to make way for new development (still a surface parking lot). It has essentially become a highly successful transit concourse with a failed mall on top of it. Kmart was one of the successful parts of it but it has lost its lease (the first in the owners new urban renewal scheme). plenty of people want a city target there. the mall has incredibly poor design. doors are hidden, it has many confusing levels, and it's plain ugly.
My family is from Philly, and I've actually been in the Galleria before (albeit not since childhood) so I did recognize it.

The point is as bad as it is in terms of building design, it's still a fair sight better than a strip mall. Or even Allegheny Center, for that matter. It does keep to the existing grid, after all.
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Old 03-14-2014, 08:36 AM
 
Location: North Oakland
9,150 posts, read 10,894,540 times
Reputation: 14503
Quote:
Originally Posted by pman View Post
that Kmart is part of the Galley mall which is a failed urban renewal era mall like allegheny center or east liberty (or a combination of the two). It was built with the idea of bringing shopping back to the city but it actually made things worse. gimbel's customer never took to the new building and the old one was knocked down to make way for new development (still a surface parking lot). It has essentially become a highly successful transit concourse with a failed mall on top of it. Kmart was one of the successful parts of it but it has lost its lease (the first in the owners new urban renewal scheme). plenty of people want a city target there. the mall has incredibly poor design. doors are hidden, it has many confusing levels, and it's plain ugly.
Does (did?) KMart occupy the exact space that used to be Gimbel's?
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Old 03-14-2014, 08:51 AM
 
Location: North Oakland
9,150 posts, read 10,894,540 times
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Originally Posted by szug-bot View Post
is chatham center pretty much what the OP is talking about? from my understanding, that never fulfilled its destiny. i just learned a few weeks ago, on this board, that there was a movie theater there.
The Chatham Cinema was one of the main first-run movie theatres in Pgh. At the very least, I saw Clockwork Orange, The French Connection, Little Big Man, Summer of '42, and Play Misty for Me there. The other "bigs" were the theatre most recently occupied by Gullifty's (conveniently located next to Weinstein's Deli), the one on Walnut Street (Shadyside Theatre?), and the King's Court near the Pitt Towers.
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Old 03-14-2014, 09:30 AM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,977,619 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PghYinzer View Post
A Wal-Mart in downtown Pittsburgh? A Wal-Mart?
To me, that location isn't really part of "downtown". It is an island that is not only very separate from downtown, it is on a hill. People in downtown aren't going up there unless they are going to a Pen's game or concert. It is just out of the way and always will be. I think the best use is condos. If people live there they would walk the hill because they have to. Other than that, forget it. No one will go up there to shop unless it is really unique. People would rather stay in the flat areas.
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Old 03-14-2014, 09:34 AM
 
2,290 posts, read 3,827,428 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by h_curtis View Post
To me, that location isn't really part of "downtown". It is an island that is not only very separate from downtown, it is on a hill. People in downtown aren't going up there unless they are going to a Pen's game or concert. It is just out of the way and always will be. I think the best use is condos. If people live there they would walk the hill because they have to. Other than that, forget it. No one will go up there to shop unless it is really unique. People would rather stay in the flat areas.
"Retail follows rooftops".

I agree, h_curtis... condo the heck out of that hill.
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Old 03-14-2014, 10:08 AM
 
288 posts, read 511,476 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Evergrey View Post
"Retail follows rooftops".

I agree, h_curtis... condo the heck out of that hill.
And build up. My guess is all it would take is one builder to come forward with a plan for a taller, new condo building to show that there is definitely demand for that sort of thing. Although I wonder if Soho is the better area to try and begin adding 10+ story condo buildings.
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Old 03-14-2014, 10:21 AM
 
Location: Philly
10,227 posts, read 16,821,015 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jay5835 View Post
Does (did?) KMart occupy the exact space that used to be Gimbel's?
Quote:
The Gimbel's building is made up of 2 below ground levels (one is presently mall space), 2 levels occupied by K-Mart, and 3 levels redeveloped as office space.
DeadMalls.com: Gallery at Market East: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Old 03-14-2014, 10:22 AM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,977,619 times
Reputation: 17378
I really think the condos would be a hit because of the great view from there. There is a need for housing and that location would fit the needs of the young hotshots working downtown. They could simply walk to work and not clog the highways commuting. I think retail isn't needed at all. Do that downtown in the flat areas.
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Old 03-14-2014, 10:24 AM
 
1,714 posts, read 2,359,201 times
Reputation: 1261
Quote:
Originally Posted by h_curtis View Post
I really think the condos would be a hit because of the great view from there. There is a need for housing and that location would fit the needs of the young hotshots working downtown. They could simply walk to work and not clog the highways commuting. I think retail isn't needed at all. Do that downtown in the flat areas.
I don't know what the right plan is . . . I just wish that the powers that be did before they turned it all into a big ugly parking lot.
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