Location for next skyscraper? (Pittsburgh, Duquesne: apartment, hotel, tenants)

[nuwaver88]

I like both the height and location of this week's announcement of PNC's new office tower. It will fill in the skyline nicely.
I do not necessarily think will we see a handful of office towers rise in the Golden Triangle this decade, but I do expect one more high rise of twenty-five stories or more to be announced.
The parking lot beside One Oxford Centre has been mentioned. If anything rises here, I hope it is at least forty stories or it will get lost in the skyline given it's location. I personally think a building of thirty stories or more would look great in the vicinity of the Convention Center, maybe a new hotel. It would help that area in the northeastern side of Downtown, which could use another taller building or two. Twenty to thirty stories would look great on those lots in The Strip and even in the area of Mellon Arena. This would expand our Downtown and improve the skyline from certain angles.
Of course, if the long delayed Riverparc project ever becomes reality and is built the way it was proposed, this would add two or three buildings of mixed use of twenty-five to thirty stories along Fort Duquesne Blvd. It is a shame to see this valuable property sit idle for so long.
As a side note, PNC's new office tower will take about four years from demolition to opening. That is longer then average for a forty strory office tower. The reason for this is the site will take a good year to clear and prep for constuction. The sites along Fort Duquesne or even the plot beside One Oxford Centre would be built more quickly because they are more readily developable.

[I_Like_Spam]

I don't think that the demand for office space in downtown can really justify much in the way of new office towers.

My own office in on Penn Ave in town, and I know that many of the former office buildings in that sector have been converted to residential use, I see the residents from Penn Garrison and other buildings walking their dogs every day.

Not many people want to live in a 40 story or higher apartment house.

Sure, it might improve the look, but I just don't see the demand for office space expanding enough to justify the towers that you think would look nice(even though I'm sure they probably would).

[BrianTH]

We know of some projects under 20 stories--The Gardens at Market Square, the Burns & Scalo building next to the County Health Building, and a residential tower for Point Park University along Fourth.

Another couple development sites include the other side of Oxford Centre next to the Salvation Army building, and in back of the Grant Building (a hotel was supposed to go there, but that project may or may not be alive).

[nuwaver88]

[quote=I_Like_Spam;19326711]I don't think that the demand for office space in downtown can really justify much in the way of new office towers.

I don't think this is entirely true. Class A space Downtown has little vacancy left. I am not expecting a boom like we had in the 1980s, where six buildings of thirty stories or more were built. This being 2011, with the demand for both housing and Class A office space, and all of the positive pub Pittsburgh and Downtown is getting, I expect this demand to get larger, not smaller. Expect another major announcement in the next few years.

[I_Like_Spam]

The State Office Building was certainly Class A office space, and it was removed from the office market- presumably to become residential.

I've heard ads advertising space in Gateway Center on KDKA, and that is premium office space as well.


These are the facts I was looking at when I made my post.

Of course, the cultural district of Penn Ave, buildings like Penn Garrison weren't really "premium" Class A office space but they were office space and were converted to other usages.

[greg42]

Were you ever in the state office building before it closed? Not Class A space, not by a long shot. As would be typical of a state-owned building, it mostly hadn't been changed in decades. Now, with a reno it could have been Class A office I guess, but instead the reno will be to residential.

[Blackbeauty212]

[quote=nuwaver88;19327142]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

I don't think that the demand for office space in downtown can really justify much in the way of new office towers.

I don't think this is entirely true. Class A space Downtown has little vacancy left. I am not expecting a boom like we had in the 1980s, where six buildings of thirty stories or more were built. This being 2011, with the demand for both housing and Class A office space, and all of the positive pub Pittsburgh and Downtown is getting, I expect this demand to get larger, not smaller. Expect another major announcement in the next few years.

Just to piggy back, the Burgh also will need a fresh supply of office space if its ever to attract large emplyers moving from elsewhere, right now downtown is in such squeeze I dont think it could accomidate anyone bringing over 500 additional employee to downtown...

I would like to see Downtown progress more through Uptown and the Civic Arena site, and the Parcels of Land in the Strip be more entertainment and residental.

I think the North Shore and Allegheny Center could stand to host a mid-range tower. I think it would be a boon for the North Side.

[Burghgirl17]

Originally Posted by greg42

Were you ever in the state office building before it closed? Not Class A space, not by a long shot. As would be typical of a state-owned building, it mostly hadn't been changed in decades. Now, with a reno it could have been Class A office I guess, but instead the reno will be to residential.

This. It was a dump inside. Not even close to Class A. The Gulf Tower is Class B, by way of an example. I used to work in the Gulf Tower. I'd gladly go back there over the State Office Building any day.

According to BOMA:
Class A

Most prestigious buildings competing for premier office users with rents above average for the area. Buildings have high quality standard finishes, state of the art systems, exceptional accessibility and a definite market presence.
Class B

Buildings competing for a wide range of users with rents in the average range for the area. Building finishes are fair to good for the area. Building finishes are fair to good for the area and systems are adequate, but the building does not compete with Class A at the same price.
Class C

Buildings competing for tenants requiring functional space at rents below the average for the area.



Building Class Definitions