Pittsburgh Area Development - Request for Info & Updates (Beaver: custom home, garages)
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First, UPMC has its design for the new Children's Hospital Heart Institute. I've been hearing about this project for a while. It's within the existing footprint, to be built on top of an existing parking garage . There will be some spill-over effects on parking within the campus, with more of the remaining garage set up for visitors, and additional employees having to use the shuttle lots in Upper Lawrenceville. A decent design.
Also of note is our first look at Hudson Companies' plans for two new apartment buildings in the Strip District. This is another project we've known about from local media, but not to this extent. One of the two buildings will front on Smallman (here), while the other will have its entrance on 30th Street (here). The Smallman building (105 units) is more traditional looking, with a brick facade harkening back to the large warehouse buildings in the strip. Plans are to have residential units on the ground floor, but there is a possibility of retail as well. The 6th Street building (129 units) is less traditional, with balconies for most of the units. It seems like the development is going to be called "The Maxx."
PITTSBURGH —Residents in Pittsburgh's East End have posted flyers throughout their neighborhood that say "No Frick'n Way," in response to a 162-unit apartment building proposed at the site of the former Irish Centre.
One of the objections is increased traffic. I get that concern, but it doesn't really fly in the city, which has traffic everywhere.
Ironic that the same wealthy homeowner East Enders who decry the lack of affordable public housing in this city are NIMBYing much-needed additional residential units that will increase housing supply OVERALL to help ameliorate rising rents citywide OVERALL. When I questioned them on Facebook about their hypocrisy with wanting more housing units (but not near me) I was torn to shreds about how this project "isn't affordable" (never said it was) and about how a building doesn't belong "in the park" (then how did that ugly night club building ever get approved in the first place there?)
If only developers could be bribed to build more housing on the North Side where we actively NEED and WANT more housing units. New construction in the Lower North Side goes generally from $500,000-$700,000, indicating a housing shortage here. Why not spread some of that wealth up to Perry South/Perry Hilltop, California-Kirkbride, and Marshall-Shadeland, all of which could house THOUSANDS of new housing units combined? Hell, Marshall-Shadeland is becoming so underpopulated that deer just walk up and down our sidewalks in broad daylight, and vegetation is reclaiming vacant homes.
Ironic that the same wealthy homeowner East Enders who decry the lack of affordable public housing in this city are NIMBYing much-needed additional residential units that will increase housing supply OVERALL to help ameliorate rising rents citywide OVERALL. When I questioned them on Facebook about their hypocrisy with wanting more housing units (but not near me) I was torn to shreds about how this project "isn't affordable" (never said it was) and about how a building doesn't belong "in the park" (then how did that ugly night club building ever get approved in the first place there?)
If only developers could be bribed to build more housing on the North Side where we actively NEED and WANT more housing units. New construction in the Lower North Side goes generally from $500,000-$700,000, indicating a housing shortage here. Why not spread some of that wealth up to Perry South/Perry Hilltop, California-Kirkbride, and Marshall-Shadeland, all of which could house THOUSANDS of new housing units combined? Hell, Marshall-Shadeland is becoming so underpopulated that deer just walk up and down our sidewalks in broad daylight, and vegetation is reclaiming vacant homes.
If only developers could be bribed to build more housing on the North Side where we actively NEED and WANT more housing units.
You do not need to bribe developers, make the zoning/permitting/fees attractive and if there is a housing demand they will build. Its not hard, they need to make a profit and if you present something that will make money they'll do it.
If only developers could be bribed to build more housing on the North Side where we actively NEED and WANT more housing units.
The last mayor that really pushed the North Side was Murphy. He lived there and I think still might. It would be prefect for development. It is odd it is overlooked. Crazy really. I don't think there would be much opposition. It is also a VERY good location for proximity to everything. Shame about the crime, but lots of developed places had crime.
Ironic that the same wealthy homeowner East Enders who decry the lack of affordable public housing in this city are NIMBYing much-needed additional residential units that will increase housing supply OVERALL to help ameliorate rising rents citywide OVERALL. When I questioned them on Facebook about their hypocrisy with wanting more housing units (but not near me) I was torn to shreds about how this project "isn't affordable" (never said it was) and about how a building doesn't belong "in the park" (then how did that ugly night club building ever get approved in the first place there?)
The one concession I would make is that site isn't the most ideal location for multi-family. Commercial Avenue lacks a bus line, and it's a really far walk from anything other than Frick Park, meaning it will be a totally car-dependant development. It would be preferable to have something of that scale proposed around Forbes/Murray instead.
That said, no such developments are on the horizon. And in the last few years, NIMBYs have defeated two proposed apartment buildings in very appropriate areas of Shadyside, and one is now working to defeat the planned Mozart development on S. Aiken despite the ZBA having already ruled in its favor, taking the matter into state court. It's become painfully clear that there will always be someone in rich-ish neighborhoods willing to spend time and money defeating new housing a few blocks away from their home.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SteelCityRising
If only developers could be bribed to build more housing on the North Side where we actively NEED and WANT more housing units. New construction in the Lower North Side goes generally from $500,000-$700,000, indicating a housing shortage here. Why not spread some of that wealth up to Perry South/Perry Hilltop, California-Kirkbride, and Marshall-Shadeland, all of which could house THOUSANDS of new housing units combined? Hell, Marshall-Shadeland is becoming so underpopulated that deer just walk up and down our sidewalks in broad daylight, and vegetation is reclaiming vacant homes.
The North Side hasn't been without development recently, however. Off the top of my head:
1. Continental is finally building the multi-family apartment building on the North Shore. IIRC this is an 108-unit building.
2. The 46-unit Garden Block apartments seem just about done.
3. The Esplanade development in Chateau is slowly moving along, which will eventually add 300 residential units, among other things.
4. Ultra at PNC Park will add about 280 units, whenever it finishes.
5. The lower portion of Allegheny Dwellings has been completely redone. The upper portion is slated to be redeveloped as well eventually, though I don't know if the plan is to have it be on-site or to spread the public housing across other parts of the North Side.
6. The Branch House Lofts near Allegheny West are supposed to add another 38 units into a historic building on W North Ave, just down the street from the already-completed Stables Lofts,. There's also a large stand of infill townhouses proposed for the next block of W North Ave, replacing a parking lot and an old warehouse.
7. This affordable development in California-Kirkbride has been moving along with little fanfare.
8. As I noted above, there now appears to be a plan to build up to 30+ new houses in Brighton Heights.
9. Something has been slowly under construction here in Troy Hill.
In the end, I feel like the North Side gets a fair share of development, considering it contains less than 50,000 residents in total. The "forgotten" segment of the city is south of the Mon/Ohio, where essentially nothing new is built outside of South Side, unless it happens to be in a little enclave that has amazing views.
The one concession I would make is that site isn't the most ideal location for multi-family. Commercial Avenue lacks a bus line, and it's a really far walk from anything other than Frick Park, meaning it will be a totally car-dependant development. It would be preferable to have something of that scale proposed around Forbes/Murray instead.
That said, no such developments are on the horizon. And in the last few years, NIMBYs have defeated two proposed apartment buildings in very appropriate areas of Shadyside, and one is now working to defeat the planned Mozart development on S. Aiken despite the ZBA having already ruled in its favor, taking the matter into state court. It's become painfully clear that there will always be someone in rich-ish neighborhoods willing to spend time and money defeating new housing a few blocks away from their home.
The North Side hasn't been without development recently, however. Off the top of my head:
1. Continental is finally building the multi-family apartment building on the North Shore. IIRC this is an 108-unit building.
2. The 46-unit Garden Block apartments seem just about done.
3. The Esplanade development in Chateau is slowly moving along, which will eventually add 300 residential units, among other things.
4. Ultra at PNC Park will add about 280 units, whenever it finishes.
5. The lower portion of Allegheny Dwellings has been completely redone. The upper portion is slated to be redeveloped as well eventually, though I don't know if the plan is to have it be on-site or to spread the public housing across other parts of the North Side.
6. The Branch House Lofts near Allegheny West are supposed to add another 38 units into a historic building on W North Ave, just down the street from the already-completed Stables Lofts,. There's also a large stand of infill townhouses proposed for the next block of W North Ave, replacing a parking lot and an old warehouse.
7. This affordable development in California-Kirkbride has been moving along with little fanfare.
8. As I noted above, there now appears to be a plan to build up to 30+ new houses in Brighton Heights.
9. Something has been slowly under construction here in Troy Hill.
In the end, I feel like the North Side gets a fair share of development, considering it contains less than 50,000 residents in total. The "forgotten" segment of the city is south of the Mon/Ohio, where essentially nothing new is built outside of South Side, unless it happens to be in a little enclave that has amazing views.
A lot of interesting developments mentioned, but I would caution lumping "the North Shore" with the North Side. There is a reason they named it differently for separation and it worked. When I think of the North Shore (which is a stupid name because it really isn't a "shore"), I don't think of the North Side. I wish the Perry Hilltop and Observatory Hill area would get moving. Great location! Some of those old homes probably need to be torn down at this point.
A lot of interesting developments mentioned, but I would caution lumping "the North Shore" with the North Side. There is a reason they named it differently for separation and it worked. When I think of the North Shore (which is a stupid name because it really isn't a "shore"), I don't think of the North Side. I wish the Perry Hilltop and Observatory Hill area would get moving. Great location! Some of those old homes probably need to be torn down at this point.
The big divide on the North Side is really between the flat areas closer to Downtown and the "outer North Side."
Everything in the "flats" is improving these days. There's proposed developments along the river ranging from by Heinz Lofts all the way to the Esplanade. Allegheny Center has been transformed in recent years with the renovation of the Park View apartments and Federal Galley (though Allegheny Commons continues to be a drag on the area). Allegheny West was always nice, but Western Avenue is more active than it has ever been. Infill continues to spill out of the Mexican War Streets into the Central North Side more broadly. Deutschtown west of the highway has now been almost 100% filled in, with East Ohio Street starting to attract some more upscale retail and dining for the first time. Market-rate infill has also spread to East Deutschtown in recent years. On the other side, Manchester seems to have turned a corner in the last decade in terms of real estate prices, and there are even some market-rate homes for sale in California-Kirkbride, which is by far the worst of the "flat" neighborhoods.
But past this, there's not much. Spring Garden and Troy Hill have a little going on in terms of green shoots of commercial vitality, but they're much closer to "the action," as it were. Brighton Heights is stable and semi-desirable, but it's sort of doing its own thing (kinda like a North Side Brookline) rather than being integrated into the North Side more broadly. I can't say I've seen much of anything resembling a recovery in the other neighborhoods. Observatory Hill, in particular, has been depressing. It's the only neighborhood in the North Side I'd say has categorically gotten significantly worse since I moved here in 2005. Beautiful housing stock and a business district with good bones around Perrysville - it's sad to see it languish.
The big divide on the North Side is really between the flat areas closer to Downtown and the "outer North Side."
Everything in the "flats" is improving these days. There's proposed developments along the river ranging from by Heinz Lofts all the way to the Esplanade. Allegheny Center has been transformed in recent years with the renovation of the Park View apartments and Federal Galley (though Allegheny Commons continues to be a drag on the area). Allegheny West was always nice, but Western Avenue is more active than it has ever been. Infill continues to spill out of the Mexican War Streets into the Central North Side more broadly. Deutschtown west of the highway has now been almost 100% filled in, with East Ohio Street starting to attract some more upscale retail and dining for the first time. Market-rate infill has also spread to East Deutschtown in recent years. On the other side, Manchester seems to have turned a corner in the last decade in terms of real estate prices, and there are even some market-rate homes for sale in California-Kirkbride, which is by far the worst of the "flat" neighborhoods.
But past this, there's not much. Spring Garden and Troy Hill have a little going on in terms of green shoots of commercial vitality, but they're much closer to "the action," as it were. Brighton Heights is stable and semi-desirable, but it's sort of doing its own thing (kinda like a North Side Brookline) rather than being integrated into the North Side more broadly. I can't say I've seen much of anything resembling a recovery in the other neighborhoods. Observatory Hill, in particular, has been depressing. It's the only neighborhood in the North Side I'd say has categorically gotten significantly worse since I moved here in 2005. Beautiful housing stock and a business district with good bones around Perrysville - it's sad to see it languish.
Manchester could def use some more infill, however I am not sure if it is the homeowners holding on to empty lots to give themselves a little more breathing room or if that it's a historic district that slows down the infill process since they cant build ultra modern infill like in other parts of the city.
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