The City of Pittsburgh just released a 20-year blueprint for transforming the Allegheny riverfront corridor from a faded industrial relic to a boom town, with new housing, businesses, industry, transportation connections and a complete environmental makeover. The 77-page "Allegheny Riverfront Vision Plan" describes the 2,000 acres stretching from the fringe of Downtown Pittsburgh to Highland Park as prime for development, with an abundance of vacant and underused property. The report, by a consulting team led by Perkins Eastman Associates, follows nearly two years of studies and meetings with property and business owners, residents, community leaders and nonprofit organizations.
The plan envisions five "layers" of development moving away from the riverfront, with the more intensive changes nearer the river, including residential development, walking and bicycle trails, trees and a riverfront populated with green spaces and affordable housing alongside new industries. Pedestrians and cyclists are encouraged and are separated from heavy vehicular traffic. The redevelopment corridor stretches from 11th Street on the fringe of Downtown to Washington Boulevard on the edge of Highland Park.
Suggested transportation improvements are: a commuter rail line stretching along the current Allegheny Valley Railroad right of way, connecting Greensburg and Arnold with Downtown Pittsburgh; a "circulator" trolley that would move people through the Strip and to Lawrenceville, with a later phase going into Oakland; and a "green boulevard" through the heart of the redevelopment that would accommodate multiple forms of transportation.
The earliest development activity is likely to be on property in the Strip District owned by the Buncher Co. and currently used for parking. It is one of the nation's premier development sites and apartments, an office building and a parking garage were possible. Already happening is the conversion of the old Armstrong Cork factory into apartments and the Otto Milk building into condominiums.
Allegheny Riverfront Plan
Highland Park
Lawrenceville
Strip District
Metro Pittsburgh Real Estate
No comments:
Post a Comment