Ambitious new residential project in the works for...CHATEAU?!? (Pittsburgh: homes, casino)

[phatty5011]

This would be an awesome area to have redeveloped but I just do not see it happening until the Strip and Hazelwood are close to capacity.

[norcider]

Yep, the streets in Manchester extended all the way to the river where there would have been a bustling dock scene.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by norcider

Yep, the streets in Manchester extended all the way to the river where there would have been a bustling dock scene.

When you look at the old parcel maps of the North Side from 1920 or so, it makes you want to cry. Everyone knows about Old Allegheny City of course. But we also lost the entire neighborhoods of the Old First Ward and Schweitzer Lock. In addition we lost like half of Manchester, and close to half of Deutschtown (when you consider all the blocks lost for 279). That's before even taking into account buildings which were lost to mere blight. I mean, we're lucky some things remained - there were plans to replace the Mexican War Street with NYC-style "towers in the park." But the level of destruction was breathtaking - much worse than what East Liberty went through, and arguably worse even than The Lower Hill (since there was so much more to begin with).

[Geeo]

I do remember seeing old pictures of Beaver Avenue before it was destroyed. It was a big commercial district with storefronts lining both sides of the street. One of my co-workers at the time grew up there, and remembers thinking that it was downtown Pittsburgh when he was a little boy. What a shame.

[norcider]

Originally Posted by eschaton

When you look at the old parcel maps of the North Side from 1920 or so, it makes you want to cry. Everyone knows about Old Allegheny City of course. But we also lost the entire neighborhoods of the Old First Ward and Schweitzer Lock. In addition we lost like half of Manchester, and close to half of Deutschtown (when you consider all the blocks lost for 279). That's before even taking into account buildings which were lost to mere blight. I mean, we're lucky some things remained - there were plans to replace the Mexican War Street with NYC-style "towers in the park." But the level of destruction was breathtaking - much worse than what East Liberty went through, and arguably worse even than The Lower Hill (since there was so much more to begin with).

Yes, the area that was the First Ward was very dense, it's all highway and parking lots now. I understand the march of progress, but I also believe it was the city's way of thumbing its nose at the former glory of Allegheny City by sacrificing it every chance they got.

[Geeo]

When you look at the number of people that were displaced for highways and/or "urban renewal" in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and even 80s, it really adds up and helps explain part of the population loss during that period. In addition to smaller households starting to be the norm in that period, a lot of those people were forced to other neighborhoods or out of the city. People were still being displaced in the early 80s for the 279 highway, which decimated that part of the North Side for years while construction was held up.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by norcider

Yes, the area that was the First Ward was very dense, it's all highway and parking lots now. I understand the march of progress, but I also believe it was the city's way of thumbing its nose at the former glory of Allegheny City by sacrificing it every chance they got.

The wealthy and middle class also basically abandoned the North Side during the period roughly concurrent with the forced annexation for the East End and Sewickley. So when a lot of this urban renewal was taking place, there was no powerful lobby to push for the retention of these neighborhoods.

[Bobjefferson]

When you consider the blank slates of land along the rivers and close to downtown, it's really amazing to see Chateau getting some love too. My fear is that there is just too much to develop and that the demand will never keep pace in all of these areas (Hazelwood, PTC, Station Square area, Chateau, North Shore, Strip, old "S"(not even gonna attempt a spelling) Loch area mentioned above, Civic Arena site)...to see them all built out seems impossible to me. I love the recent momentum and hope to see it continue in all of these areas, there is no sign of it slowing down yet.

[xdv8]

Update:

Firm plans to add lagoon, ice rink to North Side riverfront development | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Millcraft Investments has reached a deal to build a man-made lagoon on the Ohio riverfront on the North Side as part of an ambitious mixed-use development in Chateau known as the Esplanade.

The two-acre lagoon with “paradise-like turquoise water,” to be built by Dallas- and Miami-based Crystal Lagoons, will be the first of its kind in a cold weather climate, according to Millcraft.

[svband76]

Double yuck. Doubt this nutty idea will ever get off the ground. Wildly expensive. And Sandcastle pretty much has the "Lagoon Market" cornered. Waste of money.