Exhibit A-2 · Development
Current Development Projects
The Lower Hill, the North Shore, and the Convention Center hotel. Two of these are parcels the Authority holds directly; the third is a project on ground the Authority does not hold.
The Lower Hill
The ground beneath these parcels was not empty before the Authority held it. As part of Pittsburgh’s urban renewal program in the late 1950s, the historic Lower Hill District was cleared, displacing over 8,000 residents and roughly 400 businesses. What follows is the Authority’s own account of what the site became and what has been decided about it since.
- Note
- The Authority holds the development parcels on the ground cleared for the Civic Arena in the late 1950s.
- Where
- Lower Hill
- Public record
- 2 entries, 2018
The Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) own the site bounded by Centre Avenue to the south, Washington Place to the west, Bedford Avenue to the north and Crawford Street to the east. Recognized as a prime regional economic development priority by the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and the Allegheny Conference, the site is in Pittsburgh's Lower Hill District and is adjacent to Pittsburgh's Central Business District.
History The Hill District is one of Pittsburgh's oldest residential neighborhoods and one of the Country's culturally significant African-American neighborhoods, due in large part to its contributions in music (jazz in particular), literature and sports. As part of the City of Pittsburgh's urban renewal efforts of the late 1950s, the historic Lower Hill was declared blighted and 95 acres of the Hill District neighborhood were cleared, including 1,300 buildings, 413 businesses and 1,600 families (over 8,000 people).
A new Cultural Center was planned which was to include an opera house, playhouse, art gallery, upscale hotel and apartment buildings. By 1966 the area contained only a new public auditorium (that became known as the Civic Arena), an apartment building and an apartment/ hotel complex. Significant portions of the land were never developed and remained surface parking. Option Agreement In September 2007, as part of the Lease negotiations for PPG Paints Arena, the URA and SEA entered into a short-form Option Agreement pursuant to which the Penguins have development rights to the 28 acres in the Lower Hill that were formerly the site of the Civic Arena.
The short-form Option Agreement was replaced with a Comprehensive Option Agreement in September 2014. That agreement was then replaced by an Amended and Restated Comprehensive Option Agreement dated June 20, 2018. The term of the Option Agreement expires on October 22, 2025. The Penguins have undertaken a master planning process for the development of a new high quality, sustainable development with open spaces and residential, commercial, office, and hotel uses on the site.
In addition, a Community Collaboration Implementation Plan for the continued redevelopment of the Greater Hill District was entered into among the Penguins, Hill District Community and the Lower Hill Working Group, with support from the City and Allegheny County. The Penguins have chosen Buccini Pollin Group as the lead commercial developer for the eastern-most portion of the site. Preliminary Land Development Plan The Preliminary Land Development Plan (PLDP) and Specially Planned Zoning District text, as well as accompanying subdivision plan for the work related to infrastructure, was approved by City Planning in December 2014 and February 2015 respectively.
The PLDP is the basis for the creation of a Specially Planned Zoning District for the development site. The PLDP document identifies guidelines for plans, street types, building types, signage, lighting and street furniture, open space and landscape standards, systems and network integration (utilities), sustainability goals and objectives, and off-site improvements. Sustainability Initiatives The PLDP incorporates expectations of innovative sustainability initiatives.
It is intended that the development will earn a certification in the LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND) rating system. The sustainability initiatives for the total project were guided by a “Sustainability Stakeholder Group” that included experts in the following fields: Energy (exploring alternative energy and energy-efficient concepts, such as central energy or thermal co-generation facility); Water Management (focusing on integration of sustainable stormwater management techniques to reduce rainwater runoff); Transportation (implementing best practices for vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow); and Materials (identifying sustainable materials for use in the construction of infrastructure and buildings).
Text as published by the Authority at pgh-sea.com.
The North Shore
- Where
- North Shore
- Option area opened
- 2010
- Public record
- No board resolution or document in the Authority’s record names this parcel yet.
Overview In 2003, the Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh and North Shore Developers, L.P. entered into an Option Agreement where the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates were given the opportunity to bring commercial development to the North Shore. The Option Area includes the land between PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium. North Shore Developers, L.P. contracted with Continental/North Shore Manager, LLC to be the developer of the Option Area.
The master plan for the Option Area includes the development of office, retail, and residential uses. The SEA provides staff support to the Stadium Authority in managing this development. Features Development in the Option Area includes the Peoples Gas Building (formerly Equitable Resources Building), the People’s Center (formerly Del Monte Buildings), Hyatt Place Hotel, Stage AE, North Shore Place I and II, SAP Building, and the Parcel 4 Garage (construction underway)”.
Peoples Gas Building In August 2003, the Stadium Authority approved the sale of the first development parcel for construction of a new office building. After construction was completed, Equitable Resources became the prime tenant for the building. Currently, major tenants include Starkist and PJ Dick Corporation. The Equitable Resources Building is located next to PNC Park facing the river and has two restaurants on the ground floor: McFaddens and Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse.
McFadden's, an Irish Pub and Restaurant, has several different party rooms and floors and is well-known for its night life. Hyde Park is one of Pittsburgh's premier restaurants and boasts an outdoor patio overlooking the river. Architect: Strada Construction Manager: Continental Total Development Cost: $30 million Office Space: 125,000 square feet Retail & Restaurant Space: 25,000 square feet Construction Start: October 2003 Construction Complete: April 2005 Peoples Center In March 2004, the Stadium Authority approved the sale of two development parcels for construction of a second office building.
After construction was completed in 2005, Del Monte became the prime tenant in the building. Other tenants include the VA Administration, ROOT Sports, and People's Natural Gas. The first floor provides space for restaurant and retail use including: The Foundry Table & Tap Jerome Bettis Grille 36 Architect: Strada Construction Manager: Continental Total Development Cost: $40 million Office Space: 270,000 square feet Retail & Restaurant Space: 43,000 square feet Construction Start: June 2004 Construction Complete: February 2006 Hyatt Place Hotel In August 2008, the Stadium Authority approved the sale of the fourth development parcel to Continental/Rockbridge North Shore Hotel, L.P. for the construction of a 7 story, 178 room, Hyatt Place Hotel.
Construction began in summer 2009 and was completed by December 2010. Architect: Burt Hill Construction Manager: Continental Building Systems Total Development Cost: $27 million Building Space: 108,500 square feet Total # of Rooms: 178 Parking Spaces: 148 Construction Start: Summer of 2009 Opened: December 2010 Stage AE In August 2008, the Stadium Authority approved the sale of a four acre parcel adjacent to Acrisure Stadium to PSSI Stadium Corp.
Formerly a surface parking lot, this parcel was developed into Stage AE, which presents over 100 indoor and outdoor concerts and events year-round. Architect: WD Partners Construction Manager: Continental Building Systems Total Development Cost: $13 million Total Outdoor Capacity: 5000 Retail & Restaurant Space: 36,063 square feet Total Indoor Capacity: 2600 Annual Number of Events: Approx. 100+ events Construction Start: May 2010 Construction Complete: December 2010 North Shore Place I & North Shore Place II In March 2013, the Authority approved the sale of a 1.6 acre parcel (a portion of an existing surface lot) to North Shore Developers, L.P.
The parcel is located in the southern half of the surface lot along North Shore Drive adjacent to Stage AE and across the street from the Del Monte Buildings. This development consists of two three-story buildings with 5 retail spaces on the first floor, and office spaces on the upper two floors. A pedestrian passageway provides for a continuous walkway from the river through the People’s Center’s view corridor, and through the new buildings.
Current restaurants include Burgatory, which opened to the public in September, 2015, Bar Louie, which opened in February 2016, Tequila Cowboy, which opened in September 2016 and Southern Tier Brewing Company, which opened January 2017, and Burn by Rocky Patel which opened April 2018. Architect: Strada Construction Manager: Continental Building Systems Total Development Cost: $26 million Retail & Restaurant Space: 43,000 square feet Office Space: 85,000 square feet Construction Start: August 2013 Construction Complete: September 2015 SAP Building In June 2017, the Authority approved the sale of the Option Area Parcel 14 in Lot 3 (consisting of 33,106 sq ft) together with approximately 13,014 sq ft of adjacent land below the Fort Duquesne bridge to North Shore XIV, LLC.
The parcel is located along the esplanade west of the People's Gas Building (formerly Equitable Building) and is the last remaining development parcel facing the river. This development is a seven-story building with retail, restaurant and other commercial use on the first floor, and office spaces on the second to seventh floors. A service court (underneath the Fort Duquesne Bridge) provides for public amenities including bicycle racks for at least 40 bikes, bike repair station, and cell phone charging station.
The building has a public restroom with the entrance at the esplanade side. The development also provides for improvements to the western portion of the Canal Square water feature. The office anchor tenant is SAP / Ariba.
Text as published by the Authority at pgh-sea.com.
Convention Center Hotel
The hotel project adjacent to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
Exhibit A-2 adds this as its own destination, but it has no page on the Authority’s current site to draw a description from. Its full project page is forthcoming. In the meantime:
Two Parcels, Two Very Different Records
The Lower Hill’s ground was cleared decades before this site’s decision trail can produce a document for it. The North Shore parcel has an opening year but, as yet, no board action or document naming it at all.