Are there any plans to build more skyscrapers..... (Pittsburgh, Gettysburg: apartment, condo)

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I'm glad that one didn't take off. I dislike McKean. Nothing would make me happier than for him to become a pauper.

Does McKean own the property? Because the dealership in question is the former Don Allen. It's already closed, has been for maybe a year now. Such a waste. It could be owned by anyone I find distasteful and I'd still rather have it developed even if it resulted in that person making money.

Of of the problems with that one was about the height of the building, I think, which really comes down to a few NIMBYs in the Friendship houses right there, I suppose; they would be hurt the most by that. From what I remember, neither it nor the Mt Washington project were running into economy-related issues before being postponed; it all had to do with neighborhood groups. I remember reading about these things. It's almost as bad as the Riverparc project (a different problem, Cultural Trust with cold feet). I understand the desire to make sure it's done right, but in each case I found myself siding with the developer.

[greg42]

Story on the Bloomfield project from last December, stalled because of neighborhood groups: Developer pulls Bloomfield hotel plan -- for now

[Hopes]

McKean was working on a hotel development for decades. From what I understand, it was initially planned for his lower property down the hill. When he first sold his dealership to Don Allen, I believe he still owned all of his property and rented it to Don Allen. Maybe he subsequently traded property with Don Allen. Since the Don Allen property is closer to Shadyside, it's a more desirable location for a hotel. McKean was ALWAYS planning to build a hotel.

[BrianTH]

So after looking at some maps, skyline views, and existing buildings, I have picked out a potentially ideal spot Downtown for a new midsize skyscraper (say around the size of One Oliver Plaza, aka the Ariba Center or K&L Gates building, so 150m give or take). It would basically replace the CVS building and surface parking lot on the southwest corner of Forbes and Smithfield, plus maybe a couple small buildings next to the CVS building further down Smithfield (if you wanted to go L-Shaped, or provide a bit bigger base under the tower).

Located there, it would fill in a skyline hole from multiple directions, and at something like 150m would fit well into the current rough sweep of buildings from the Point up to USX.

If you have a couple hundred million dollars to invest, or even a few tens of millions to get me started, feel free to contact me by private message.

[alleghenyangel]

I don't necessarily think downtown needs more skyscrapers. There are already so many. Downtown has a nice mix of historic and modern, I wouldn't want the city to lean more towards modern than it already does. So much of the city's charm is based in its historic low-rise buildings. I agree with the poster who said give downtown more of a European feel rather than trying to make it cheap and gaudy like Miami.

[tijlover]

After having recently seen the Milwaukee Art Museum on the lake designed by Calatrava, and having long been a skyscraper proponent, I can see now where something low-rise, like that, can put a new shine to any city, and in Milwaukee, it's become the centrepoint of the city. No skyscraper can compete with this low-rise structure as far as W-O-W-ing its residents and
tourists. I just wish I had the capability of downloading a photo of it.

Of course, any Calatrava-designed structure becomes an instant tourist attraction to any city, as will be the new $3 billion Calatrava-designed transit hub for the World Trade Center in NYC. Once built, I'm guessing tourists will skip the Statue of Liberty just to see it and squander a whole role of film on it.

So, perhaps Pittsburgh should consider a low-rise WOWer down there in your triangle area or as an infill project. Let's just hope there's not some NIMBY's down in that area who will object to it blocking their views of the hills or PPG Center. That's San Francisco again, once the hill "kings and queens" approve of a new structure that isn't going to block their views of the Bay, then they have those living on the flats who object to it blocking their views of the hills.

Can't win either way in San Frannimby!

Only been to Pittsburgh a couple of times and I'm long, long overdue for a visit to one of the most underrated, overlooked cities in the country.

[dugdogmaster]

Holy heck Batman, how does that thing even stand!?!?! And it moves!!!

Where have I seen plans for a supertall that moves, is it Chicago?

Yep, it's Chicago.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by tijlover

So, perhaps Pittsburgh should consider a low-rise WOWer down there in your triangle area or as an infill project. Let's just hope there's not some NIMBY's down in that area who will object to it blocking their views of the hills or PPG Center.

I sure hope you don't mean the point where the rivers merge when you say triangle area. It's a state park!

[dugdogmaster]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I sure hope you don't mean the point when you say triangle area. It's a park!

The Golden Triangle, Downtown, not The Point.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by dugdogmaster

The Golden Triangle, Downtown, not The Point.

He's an out-of-towner. We can't be sure what he meant.