Amazon is looking for a second HQ. Why not, Pittsburgh? (Allentown: purchasing, per square foot)

[_Buster]

Originally Posted by Lost_In_Translation

Strip district to hill incline????? We have the technology!!!!

They should never have torn it down 60 years ago or whenever. Not sure if that one went close to the lower hill tho.

[Faer]

The leaders around here kept trying to push the areas that they were hoping to fill, not necessarily the ones that were going to appeal to Amazon. Maybe thats the right thing to do, idk. But we took them down to the Airport site and the Carrie Furnace? Why? I always thought Lower Hill, Uptown, the Strip, Swietzer Loch, Station Square/Lower SS, Chateau were the best suited areas. The rest was just land that happened to be empty. Not exacly unique in the ol US of A

[Geeo]

If they decide on Pittsburgh, the Hill, Strip and Scheizer Lock locations would probably work. They are urban but with land to develop, and don't forget that the T still has a rarely-used spur that goes from Steel Plaza to Penn Station which could be utilized as a connection.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Faer

The leaders around here kept trying to push the areas that they were hoping to fill, not necessarily the ones that were going to appeal to Amazon. Maybe thats the right thing to do, idk. But we took them down to the Airport site and the Carrie Furnace? Why? I always thought Lower Hill, Uptown, the Strip, Swietzer Loch, Station Square/Lower SS, Chateau were the best suited areas. The rest was just land that happened to be empty. Not exacly unique in the ol US of A

Since this was a joint pitch by Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, I can understand why there was pressure on Fitzgerald to have something not in the city as a pitched location.

[Faer]

Originally Posted by Geeo

If they decide on Pittsburgh, the Hill, Strip and Scheizer Lock locations would probably work. They are urban but with land to develop, and don't forget that the T still has a rarely-used spur that goes from Steel Plaza to Penn Station which could be utilized as a connection.

If Amazon chose the strip, I wonder if the T could be extended as far as 14th Street and a pedestrian walkway added over to the strip. I've been not-really-proposing that we route more west/south busroutes to a turnaround loop at the same area. That would really unlock some interesting options, like developing along a lower Strip/Lower hill-Downtown/First side (blow up the jail!)/Station Square corridor. Also a brown line running down there would be a viable option and do wonders for Allentown. The switch and signal system for that is already in place to handle that although the single track bottleneck is still a thing.

[PghYinzer]

Originally Posted by Faer

If Amazon chose the strip, I wonder if the T could be extended as far as 14th Street and a pedestrian walkway added over to the strip. I've been not-really-proposing that we route more west/south busroutes to a turnaround loop at the same area. That would really unlock some interesting options, like developing along a lower Strip/Lower hill-Downtown/First side (blow up the jail!)/Station Square corridor. Also a brown line running down there would be a viable option and do wonders for Allentown. The switch and signal system for that is already in place to handle that although the single track bottleneck is still a thing.

Heck, if it ended up in that area the benefits for housing would reach as far as Brookline as the 39 terminates at the busway.

[Faer]

Originally Posted by PghYinzer

Heck, if it ended up in that area the benefits for housing would reach as far as Brookline as the 39 terminates at the busway.

I've suggested in other places that we make the Smithfield bridge again transit only on 1 side, make Smithfield street into the equivalent of Denver's 16th Street with buslanes each way, feeding into Penn Station and turnaround at ~14th. Basically this would almost all be dedicated buslanes. Add a restored brown line at you've practically dropped a transit hub at the would be Amazon in the Strip. Something to think about.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Faer

I've suggested in other places that we make the Smithfield bridge again transit only on 1 side, make Smithfield street into the equivalent of Denver's 16th Street with buslanes each way, feeding into Penn Station and turnaround at ~14th. Basically this would almost all be dedicated buslanes. Add a restored brown line at you've practically dropped a transit hub at the would be Amazon in the Strip. Something to think about.

Whoa! You used the "D" word. You'll probably get some nasty rep.

We should never, ever learn from other cities! /s

[Geeo]

There are a lot of transportation options that could be possible if Amazon decides on Pittsburgh. The influx of people, jobs, and increased tax revenue could allow us to actually plan solid improvements in the transit system, roads, and yes, bike infrastructure. There will be more people riding, meaning more demand for more routes to critical destination nodes. If we plan it in an intelligent way, we can mitigate added car traffic with increased reliable transit/Uber/Lyft/bikes.

[krogerDisco]

Originally Posted by Faer

I've suggested in other places that we make the Smithfield bridge again transit only on 1 side, make Smithfield street into the equivalent of Denver's 16th Street with buslanes each way, feeding into Penn Station and turnaround at ~14th. Basically this would almost all be dedicated buslanes. Add a restored brown line at you've practically dropped a transit hub at the would be Amazon in the Strip. Something to think about.

Instead of buses, I'd use autonomous street cars (no fare). I'd also extend it to include Station Square on one end and at least the Produce Terminal on the other.