Downtown Population increased 25% since 2000 (Pittsburgh, Oliver: 2015, rooftop, buses)

[BrianTH]

Thank goodness the City did not drop any more money into a dying business model.

And that is some valuable land with a rather lame and short building sitting on it. PNC Five anyone?

[BrianTH]

By the way, Paris is investing in one-way, electrified carsharing:

Car Sharing 2.0 Leaps Forward in Paris « The Transport Politic

I've noted before that if you could combine Zipcar with Google's automated cars, you would get a service that could completely transform transportation and parking needs as we know them, which could in turn could provide a HUGE boost to places like Downtown Pittsburgh. I don't know if Paris can actually make this work, but if they can, it would be a significant intermediate step in that direction.

[pman]

Meat and Potatoes, Downtown, is now serving brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Indulgent dishes include fried chicken with cheddar-jalapeno waffles, sourdough french toast with bananas, and smoked salmon and cream cheese flat bread. Don't miss all you can drink Bloody Marys at the bar, $15; meatandpotatoespgh.com, 412-325-7007

Read more: Little Bites: 10/06/11

Upon entering, Munch was immediately hit with warmth and bakery smells. From the case, Munch selected a salt-specked pretzel dog ($2.99) with a sweet and hot mustard dip (79 cents) and a cinnamon sugar pretzel ($2.79) with a sweet glaze dip (79 cents). The combination of the slightly sweet pretzel wrapped around the savory hot dog was awesomely satisfying and the slightly spicy sweet mustard proved a perfect companion. The cinnamon sugar pretzel was the lovely finisher.

BHFOM, with his thick-framed glasses and his nonchalant Converse sneakers, also noted the slight sweetness of the dough in his original pretzel ($2.69) and said it was one of the best pretzels he'd ever had. NDFOM liked her pumpkin pretzel ($2.79), that day's specialty, but said it could use a little more pumpkin flavor. Munch agreed, but it was nonetheless delicious.
Go Pretzel is at 807 Liberty Ave., Downtown

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11279...#ixzz1a0XFcrPm

[BrianTH]

Nice to see another mid-day weekend option.

[pman]

yet to announce intent, sure, but these moves broadcast that they are not interested in keeping its current use

The SEA joins the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, tourism agency VisitPittsburgh, and the Regional Industrial Development Corp. in moving out of the building, which was the subject of a sheriff's sale last spring.

Lender First Commonwealth acquired the building for $1,706 at sheriff sale. It was recently sold to Philadelphia developer PMC Property Group, which has yet to announce its plans for the 30-story skyscraper.

Read more: Sports Authority moving offices to convention center

[pman]

McKnight Realty Partners is close to completing a deal to take over the 101-year-old Oliver Building.

One option the Downtown real estate investment firm is considering is turning the top half of the building, floors 14 to 25, into a hotel. The floors had been occupied by the Gates law firm.

San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, an upscale boutique hotel and restaurant chain, reportedly is close to a deal to convert the Reed Building into a hotel.
...Philadelphia developer PMC Property Group has reached a deal to buy the Regional Enterprise Tower from First Commonwealth Bank, which acquired the building at sheriff sale.

PMC has yet to close on the transaction, so the purchase price was not available. While the company has yet to release its plans for the 58-year-old aluminum office tower, talk among local real estate brokers is that it will be converted into housing, just as PMC is doing with the former Verizon Building on Stanwix Street.

Read more: Is Downtown Pittsburgh becoming a ghost town?

[SteelCityRising]

Grrrr. Hotel, hotel, hotel. How about some more moderately-priced rental options? $1,500/month for a 1-BR unit Downtown is expensive, and it's only so expensive because supply has not yet risen to meet the growing demand of people to live in our hip and trendy central business district.

[BrianTH]

I wouldn't hold your breath on cheap rentals Downtown--I kinda doubt the ability to market moderate-high rentals is going to run out.

[Blackbeauty212]

Downtown is never going to be cheaper than what you're getting now....No one would bring apts online downtown if they can't make a profit and this is pretty much the market rate for Central Apartments, no one is going to build 800$ a month apartments Downtown there's just no return for that...The Burgh is cheap but its not that cheap, also remember Pittsburgh is a cheap place for BUYING, Renting is a whole nother ball game where the rental market in the Burgh is one of the tightest in the nation where demand outweighs supply it's the Manhattan effect.

[BettyTheHun]

Originally Posted by pman

Read more: Is Downtown Pittsburgh becoming a ghost town?

What I found most interesting in this article was:

"Mr. Popovich said one hindrance to retail and office redevelopment could be the constant bus traffic on Smithfield and the sidewalk congestion it brings."

Does anyone else buy into this? I think he may have a point. I used to catch buses at the McDonald's on Smithfield when leaving downtown, but got sick of people constantly trying to hustle me. I go to sixth ave now, where I'm bothered much less.

It seems most of the buses that use Smithfield, also use the Smithfield Bridge, so I'm unsure of a logical way to reroute.