Riverfront/Strip District is moving forward (Bloomfield, Penn: apartment, condos, luxury)

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I have to say that although I lived right next door to the Strip in Lawrenceville for seven years, I seldom shopped there unless I was commuting through the neighborhood by bike in the evening. The main reason being that parking was so heavily in the "park all day" rate structure. This helps driving commuters, people going to Steelers games, and suburbanites making a day out of it. It doesn't help me much if I want to stop into Lotus or something for a 30-minute shopping trip.

I live very close to the Strip as well but almost never shop there because it is a big hassle on weekends to get there for just a quick trip IMO.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

I live very close to the Strip as well but almost never shop there because it is a big hassle on weekends to get there for just a quick trip IMO.

I always thought they should shut down Penn Ave from like 10-6 on Saturdays between 21st and 13th and allow vendors to set up in the street to help ease the pedestrian traffic. Leave the cross streets open between Liberty to Smallman, but eliminate the cars on the long blocks. It would go a long way to making it more enjoyable.

[SteelCityRising]

We live in Polish Hill, and the Strip is our playground since Polish Hill surprisingly still isn't wealthy enough yet to have even one restaurant. I walk through the Strip twice each day to and from my office Downtown, and there's nothing quite like inhaling the aroma of Parma Sausage or Gaucho Parrilla Argentina to help wake me up at 6:30 AM sometimes!

I actually e-mailed Starbucks corporate a couple of months ago and suggested they build a location in the Upper Strip District---somewhere far enough northeast that it won't compete with La Prima, Allegheny Coffee, or 21st Street Coffee yet still far enough southwest not to compete with Espresso a Mano. With Postmates I frequently delivered Starbucks beverages to workers at UBER, and it was a pain to have to trek up to Bloomfield for that. If they located themselves somewhere right near Penn & 28th that would be great and would help to solidify the nice little cluster of businesses near that intersection---Klavon's (ice cream), Pittsburgh Winery, Penn Fixtures, Savoy, and Salem's Market. It would be walking distance for the folks who work at UBER or Apple, as well as residents of Polish Hill or Troy Hill.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Lost_In_Translation

I always thought they should shut down Penn Ave from like 10-6 on Saturdays between 21st and 13th and allow vendors to set up in the street to help ease the pedestrian traffic. Leave the cross streets open between Liberty to Smallman, but eliminate the cars on the long blocks. It would go a long way to making it more enjoyable.

Or...people who are the size of three people could stop walking three abreast.

[yinzer93]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Or...people who are the size of three people could stop walking three abreast.

This also drives me bonkers. I will walk up and down Smallman until I go up a cross street near what I am after just to avoid folks like this. Also, as to your earlier comment about no restaurant in Polish Hill, it seems like an opportune place for someone to open a nice corner diner or something with a nod to the ethnic roots of the community. What do you think? I like Polish Hill, but I have never spent enough time there to really feel comfortable firing off tons of suggestions. The community does seem active and cohesive enough, if the civic association's website is anything to go by, to warrant at least something!

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by yinzer93

This also drives me bonkers. I will walk up and down Smallman until I go up a cross street near what I am after just to avoid folks like this. Also, as to your earlier comment about no restaurant in Polish Hill, it seems like an opportune place for someone to open a nice corner diner or something with a nod to the ethnic roots of the community. What do you think? I like Polish Hill, but I have never spent enough time there to really feel comfortable firing off tons of suggestions. The community does seem active and cohesive enough, if the civic association's website is anything to go by, to warrant at least something!

We like to buy frozen homemade pierogies from the Polish deli on our block. They do awesome cold-cut subs, too! Sometimes it would be nice to just walk out our front door and have a place to grab a burger or a slice of pizza at our fingertips on a Friday night instead of having to walk to the Strip or Lawrenceville or hop in the car and head to Shadyside or the South Side, though.

My wet dream would be for someone to put in a mid-rise mixed-use development project on the Donnie's Place site by the Herron Avenue Bridge that would have an underground parking garage, apartments, and a WEGMAN'S! I'd gladly just patronize their prepared foods section once in a while for a meal out.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Or...people who are the size of three people could stop walking three abreast.

OMG! You said it and I did not. Nothing is more annoying than a group of oversized humans clogging the damn sidewalk. I told my coworker that they should walk in single file to eliminate lunchtime pedestrian traffic. Lord forgive me

[yinzer93]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

My wet dream would be for someone to put in a mid-rise mixed-use development project on the Donnie's Place site by the Herron Avenue Bridge that would have an underground parking garage, apartments, and a WEGMAN'S! I'd gladly just patronize their prepared foods section once in a while for a meal out.

Hey, with hard work, wet dreams can become reality! Wait... I mean that in a very nice, innocent way haha

[Paul2421]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

We live in Polish Hill, and the Strip is our playground since Polish Hill surprisingly still isn't wealthy enough yet to have even one restaurant. I walk through the Strip twice each day to and from my office Downtown, and there's nothing quite like inhaling the aroma of Parma Sausage or Gaucho Parrilla Argentina to help wake me up at 6:30 AM sometimes!

I actually e-mailed Starbucks corporate a couple of months ago and suggested they build a location in the Upper Strip District---somewhere far enough northeast that it won't compete with La Prima, Allegheny Coffee, or 21st Street Coffee yet still far enough southwest not to compete with Espresso a Mano. With Postmates I frequently delivered Starbucks beverages to workers at UBER, and it was a pain to have to trek up to Bloomfield for that. If they located themselves somewhere right near Penn & 28th that would be great and would help to solidify the nice little cluster of businesses near that intersection---Klavon's (ice cream), Pittsburgh Winery, Penn Fixtures, Savoy, and Salem's Market. It would be walking distance for the folks who work at UBER or Apple, as well as residents of Polish Hill or Troy Hill.

There is something wrong about ordering Starbucks through postmates...

[wpipkins2]

I do not have a problem with pedestrian or vehicular congestion in the Strip. I usually go on a Saturday and I just go with the flow. Something about turning 40 and having teenagers gives you a new type of patience. My life is in fast forward m-f. Saturday and Sunday are what ever happens type of days. I do not plan or schedule anything. Less stress.