Elevated Violence on the North Side (Pittsburgh: new home, landscaping, living in)

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Lobick

Maybe, but the design was very well received when initially constructed:

Allegheny Commons East

• Carnegie Mellon University Architecture Archives: drawings
• Apartments of the Year. Architectural Record 155:6 (Mid-May 1974), 107-128.
• “Pittsburgh architect Tasso G. Katselas.” SD: Space Design 130 (June 1975), 27-59.
• “Low-Rise Housing in America: The Urban Scene: Allegheny Commons East.” Process Architecture 14 (April 1980), 48-51

And Franklin Toker praises the development in both his classes and print:

Some notable examples of infill architecture have been modern or post-modern buildings that fit in well despite their obvious break with the older environment, but Pittsburgh is particularly strong also in the "new urbanism" and "contextual" architectural design that deliberately seek to blend new buildings with our older building heritage. Prominent examples of the last two decades: Allegheny Commons East, Doughboy Square in Lawrenceville, Crawford Square on The Hill, the Village of Shadyside, and Washington's Landing. A useful if not essential requirement of contextualism is an architect who knows the local environment. Three such local architects are Tasso Katselas, UDA Associates, and Arthur Lubetz.

I was speaking to the ugliness of Allegheny Center as a whole, not the complex in particular. My thought more than aesthetics though was that despite the shortcomings of the Allegheny Center road pattern the area should be highly desirable, given the easy access to both parks and downtown, given the growth of downtown and "neartown" living.

Originally Posted by Lobick

Personally, I don't have much of an issue with the development at all. I suspect certain people would characterize any complex that supported Section 8 housing with a large number of African-American tenants as a "nuisance" one, especially if it's in their neighborhood.

Do you think people in the War Streets find that highrise on the corner of North and Brighton a nuisance property?

[pman]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I was speaking to the ugliness of Allegheny Center as a whole, not the complex in particular. My thought more than aesthetics though was that despite the shortcomings of the Allegheny Center road pattern the area should be highly desirable, given the easy access to both parks and downtown, given the growth of downtown and "neartown" living.

just stand on the corner, there's just so much wrong with that development from an urban perspective. the set back from the street like it's in the middle of suburbia, then it's across from a blank wall. I'd love to see temple add some sort of cafe to the bottom floor of their building and redevelop that garage. replacing commons east with something more urban would be a good step

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by pman

just stand on the corner, there's just so much wrong with that development from an urban perspective. the set back from the street like it's in the middle of suburbia, then it's across from a blank wall. I'd love to see temple add some sort of cafe to the bottom floor of their building and redevelop that garage. replacing commons east with something more urban would be a good step

Yeah, I've biked through Commons with my daughter. It's absolutely terrible. Honestly, if it wasn't for the few gems (Children's Museum, Allegheny Academy, Hazlet Theater, the church some of the small buildings behind it), I'd advocate leveling the whole thing and starting over.

An interesting aside - Allegheny Center has the highest proportion of vacant units of any neighborhood in the city (around 50%, IIRC)

[Lobick]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Honestly, if it wasn't for the few gems (Children's Museum, Allegheny Academy, Hazlet Theater, the church some of the small buildings behind it), I'd advocate leveling the whole thing and starting over.

It's ironic that precisely the same mindset birthed Allegheny Center in the first place.

I think the need to alter/ re-imagine/ partially demolish Allegheny Center is widely accepted. Aside from its sheer ugliness, the way it inhibits pedestrian access between the Northside and downtown is inexcusable. An entire apartment complex (Allegheny seven I think) sits completely vacant. I know that the City has at least explored reconnecting the street grid with the owners of Allegheny center and small, incremental progress (like the new Buhl park) is at least being achieved.

In response to the building on the corner of Brighton and North I will amend my original comment thusly:

Personally, I don't have much of an issue with the development at all. I suspect certain people would characterize any complex that supported Section 8 housing with a large number of ambulatory, African-American tenants as a "nuisance" one, especially if it's in their neighborhood.

[Mtl-Cns]

It amazes me that PNC has spent so many millions downtown yet there is no discussion about correcting the horrid mistake that was allegheny center- I believe that's their logo on the disgusting 60s mess that blocks Federal Street when you go up and circle around it- could be mistaken though. Even if they dont own it, that hasnt stopped them
from persuing land parcels to redevelop. Clearly redeveloping that monstrosity into something more viable and aesthetically pleasing is one key to opening up the full potential of the north side. Federal st and Ohio st should be reconnected and redeveloped- and not in a south side works way even- but in a way that would genuinely reflect the character of
The north side that was destroyed decades ago.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Mtl-Cns

It amazes me that PNC has spent so many millions downtown yet there is no discussion about correcting the horrid mistake that was allegheny center- I believe that's their logo on the disgusting 60s mess that blocks Federal Street when you go up and circle around it- could be mistaken though. Even if they dont own it, that hasnt stopped them
from persuing land parcels to redevelop. Clearly redeveloping that monstrosity into something more viable and aesthetically pleasing is one key to opening up the full potential of the north side. Federal st and Ohio st should be reconnected and redeveloped- and not in a south side works way even- but in a way that would genuinely reflect the character of
The north side that was destroyed decades ago.

I've looked on maps at the feasibility of restoring the old grid. Sadly it can't be done fully, because the Children's Museum decided in the last decade to merge the old post office and planetarium, and the addition directly blocks where the old road would have been.

[FreightTrainRunning]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I was speaking to the ugliness of Allegheny Center as a whole, not the complex in particular. My thought more than aesthetics though was that despite the shortcomings of the Allegheny Center road pattern the area should be highly desirable, given the easy access to both parks and downtown, given the growth of downtown and "neartown" living.

Do you think people in the War Streets find that highrise on the corner of North and Brighton a nuisance property?

It's a senior tower. It's not the most attractive bit of architecture in the world but unless there's some septuagenarian street gang that I don't know about, I don't think it's a problem.

[Lobick]

Originally Posted by Mtl-Cns

It amazes me that PNC has spent so many millions downtown yet there is no discussion about correcting the horrid mistake that was allegheny center- I believe that's their logo on the disgusting 60s mess that blocks Federal Street when you go up and circle around it- could be mistaken though. Even if they dont own it, that hasnt stopped them
from persuing land parcels to redevelop. Clearly redeveloping that monstrosity into something more viable and aesthetically pleasing is one key to opening up the full potential of the north side. Federal st and Ohio st should be reconnected and redeveloped- and not in a south side works way even- but in a way that would genuinely reflect the character of
The north side that was destroyed decades ago.

PNC only recently inherited that office space when they acquired National City. My sense is that they're bound by the leases now, but when all of the new construction for them is complete downtown, I suspect that they'll vacate their Allegheny Center offices.

[pman]

you only really need federal st, even if it's just restored for pedestrian access (though PAT might appreciate running buses through the center, assuming they're still around)

[Lobick]

Originally Posted by GeneW

It's a senior tower. It's not the most attractive bit of architecture in the world but unless there's some septuagenarian street gang that I don't know about, I don't think it's a problem.

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