Pittsburgh Area Development - Request for Info & Updates (Liberty: purchasing, live in)

[Higherho]

Urban renewal of the past was just horrible, not going to lie about that. Mainly because of the individuals running it. Today, it’s a little different as planners are better but I dislike Modern archectecure in general. The URA of Pittsburgh should have focused more on other neighborhoods first instead of focusing on the more wealthy / consolidated neighborhoods I feel. Also, when I say “Focus” I don’t mean come in with a bulldozer and get rid of everything kind of renewal.

Originally Posted by eschaton

It's always interesting to me to travel through European cities, because the mid-century brutalist stuff is just as aesthetically dodgy as in the U.S., but it's generally built in a much more walkable fashion.

IMHO it's a lot easier to ignore ugly architecture on busy city streets packed with pedestrians. Much of Tokyo is godawful ugly, but you don't tend to notice it.

I wish we had more cities like Edinburgh, simply stunning. Even the ares that are newer, it is done well. I love going there.

[svband76]

Gateway Center may have aged well but what it replaced would have aged better.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by svband76

Gateway Center may have aged well but what it replaced would have aged better.

It burned to the ground. It was an amazing structure located where the current Four Gateway Center sits. There were plans to demolish the grand structure but the major fire came before demolition.

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

It burned to the ground. It was an amazing structure located where the current Four Gateway Center sits. There were plans to demolish the grand structure but the major fire came before demolition.

Same thing happened to Poli and that old drugstore.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by eschaton

It's always interesting to me to travel through European cities, because the mid-century brutalist stuff is just as aesthetically dodgy as in the U.S., but it's generally built in a much more walkable fashion.

IMHO it's a lot easier to ignore ugly architecture on busy city streets packed with pedestrians. Much of Tokyo is godawful ugly, but you don't tend to notice it.



Gateway Center was maybe one of the only examples of urban renewal the city undertook which was not a total failure, but that doesn't mean I think it was the best possible way to revitalize the area. I think stringing a highway through Point State Park in particular was a horrendous, awful idea.

The issue is Pittsburgh learned from its "success" in Point State Park that it could do it again...and then all the disasters happened. Not just Allegheny Center/the Lower Hill/East Liberty either. Manchester was basically destroyed by urban renewal. Beaver Street used to be similar to East Carson, but they turned 65 into a highway, obliterated the business district, and then cleared everything towards the river to turn it into Chateau, a giant industrial park.

We dodged a few bullets as well. There were plans to demolish all of the Mexican War Streets and to replace them with "towers in the park" ala NYC. There was also a plan to do to South Side what was done to Manchester - turn East Carson Street into a highway, destroy the business district, and empty the area close to the river of residents. This is why the Birmingham Bridge and the Glenwood Bridge are so over-engineered - they were meant to link into high-capacity highways.

I disagree regarding the interstate and how it weaves through the park. The highway was necessary and the bridge and tunnel connected to it are iconic. The interstate speeds overhead with little to no impact on the park as far as the view and noise level. The landscaped berm acts as a natural sound barrier. The bridge and reflecting pool is a nice feature and frames the fountain perfectly while walking through it.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Moby Hick

Same thing happened to Poli and that old drugstore.

The Poli block has been totally transformed. The latest apartment complex is nearing completion.

[anthony_c55]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Gateway Center was maybe one of the only examples of urban renewal the city undertook which was not a total failure, but that doesn't mean I think it was the best possible way to revitalize the area. I think stringing a highway through Point State Park in particular was a horrendous, awful idea.

Yes on Gateway Center though the design still feels more isolated and not as part of the street as other developments - still better than other post war developments though.

I'm not sure what the solution could have been with the interstate.

[eschaton]

A new 240-unit apartment is being proposed for Uptown:



It's on the 1700 block of Fifth, and will mostly be replacing surface parking lots, though it will take out one historic building which managed to survive mid-block.

Overall building is 280,000 square feet, and will include 12,000 square feet of retail, along with two levels of subsurface parking. Market-rate rents will go from $1,600 to $2,000 per month. There will be 24 affordable units available for around $700 a month.

Uptown Partners appears to be in support, though the Hill District CDC is opposed, saying it doesn't provide enough affordable housing (the Hill District master plan calls for a minimum of 30% in all projects, not the 10% provided here). I'm not sure if the Hill District CDC gets veto power over something outside of its neighborhood however. TBH I've never understood why the Hill and Uptown are lumped together, since they have always been different neighborhoods socially and demographically.

[svband76]

Not a fan of this architectural style or taking out an older building for it. But it will house medical types working at Mercy mostly? Uptown is too loud for me though.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by eschaton

A new 240-unit apartment is being proposed for Uptown:



It's on the 1700 block of Fifth, and will mostly be replacing surface parking lots, though it will take out one historic building which managed to survive mid-block.

Overall building is 280,000 square feet, and will include 12,000 square feet of retail, along with two levels of subsurface parking. Market-rate rents will go from $1,600 to $2,000 per month. There will be 24 affordable units available for around $700 a month.

Uptown Partners appears to be in support, though the Hill District CDC is opposed, saying it doesn't provide enough affordable housing (the Hill District master plan calls for a minimum of 30% in all projects, not the 10% or so provided here). I'm not sure if the Hill District CDC gets veto power over something outside of its neighborhood however. TBH I've never understood why the Hill and Uptown are lumped together, since they have always been different neighborhoods socially and demographically.

This is awesome and will really add to the residential concentration in the immediate area. This is a lot larger than I imagined. Uptown is coming along fairly quick.