Archived Projects

Wyndham Hotel antenna

The Wyndham Hotel at 100 Lytton Avenue plans to install a new wireless antenna on its rooftop. Since the project lies within the Oakland Civic Center Historic District, the project will need to go before the Historic Review Commission (HRC).

Jacobs Engineering presented the plan at a required Development Activities meeting on Monday, January 10, 2022. They will move the current 5g antennas from the side of hotel to the roof of the building, to be out of the view of the public eye. The project goes before the Historic Review Commission for a hearing on Wednesday, March 2, 2022.

Resources:

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh entrance renovations

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has plans for entrance renovations to its main branch, located at 4400 Forbes Avenue.

Work includes in-kind reconstruction of the exterior Grand Steps, new paving and landscaping, and updates for accessibility.

The City of Pittsburgh, OPDC, and OBID will host a Development Activities meeting for the project on April 4, 2022. The project will go before the Historic Review Commission for their May 4, 2022 meeting.

Resources:

346 Joncaire Street

PROJECT SUMMARY

Paramount Construction, owners of 346 Joncaire, propose a subdivision of the property to create new lots for development of four new construction duplexes.  The zoning for the property is R2-H.  A duplex is an allowable use by-right.  The minimum lot size per unit in R2-H is 750 square feet.  Thus, a lot size of 1,500 square feet would be needed for an as-of-right duplex. The owners are proposing subdivided lots that would each be in excess of 1,500 square feet.  Each building would have integral off-street parking. 

Tom Chunchick from Paramount presented the project at the virtual Oakland-Wide meeting on May 26, 2020.

The Planning Commission approved a subdivision of the property at its October 26, 2021 meeting. An Oakland resident filed an appeal of Planning’s decision. The Zoning Board of Adjustment determined the project complies with the Codes’s requirement for street frontage at the ZBA meeting on January 20, 2022.

PROJECT RESOURCES

The Julian

Hudson Companies of Hermitage, PA built a new 10-story apartment building at 419 Melwood Avenue in North Oakland. Plans include apartments ranging in size from micro to two bedrooms and an indoor parking garage with 93 spaces for automobiles and 68 bicycles.

A representative from Hudson presented the plans for a 128-unit building at the April 27, 2021 Oakland-Wide meeting.

Responding to a resident’s inquiry following the meeting concerning potential detrimental impacts on traffic patterns and residential compatibility standards of the zoning code (see comments section below), Zoning Development Review staff (including DOMI) commented:

A Zoning and Development Review Application has not yet been made, but based on our understanding of the proposed scope, a new apartment building in a UI / Baum Centre Overlay zoning district will require Planning Commission review and approval and a ZBA Hearing for a Special Exception for Use.

Until a formal ZDR application is made, it's unclear if additional Special Exceptions or Variances will be required per Residential Compatibility Standards or 904.07.C.4 - Special Exception for Height in the UI.

DOMI will also require a transportation study to clarify the project's impact on the right-of-way.

OPDC hosted a follow-up meeting with the developers and representatives from the Department of City Planning, Councilman Lavelle’s office, and bordering community groups to discuss traffic and parking concerns on May 19, 2021. Notes from the meeting are linked below.

Hudson Companies presented at the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) on July 8, 2021. The project is now listed as a 10-story, 148-unit development. Gateway Engineers prepared a traffic study in July; the memo is located in “Resources” below.

The ZBA approved Hudson Companies’ request for special exceptions to construct a 10story/116’ tall building with an 8.4:1 FAR. (9/13/21)

The project went before the Planning Commission for a hearing on December 7. Planning approved the building; demolition and construction are planned to start in early 2022.

107 - 111 Halket Street townhomes

Walnut Capital plans to demolish three townhomes located at 107 - 111 Halket Street. Future plans are TBD, but the lot is to be maintained as a small open space parklet following demolition.

OPDC, OBID, and the City of Pittsburgh Department of City Planning hosted a required Development Activities Meeting (DAM) on Monday, August 9, 2021.

The project went before the Planning Commission for a briefing on October 26 and on November 9, 2021 for a hearing.

Resources

Carnegie Mellon University student health, wellness, and athletics center

Carnegie Mellon is constructing a new, 160,000-square-foot student health, wellness, and athletics center. The building will border Schenley Park and feature both renovation of existing parts of the gym as well as a new home for public entrances to accommodate different student needs. In addition, Carnegie Mellon plans to target LEED Gold certification standards.

Updates

  • Feb 27, 2023: Construction on the project is well underway with anticipated occupancy in the summer 2024. Steel is fully erected and the enclosure of the building is underway.

  • October 2021: demolition is underway at the Skibo Gym/new construction site.

  • July 27, 2021: Planning Commission meeting—the commission approved the project.

  • June 8, 2021: CMU presented the project to the city’s Contextual Design Advisory Panel (CDAP) on Tuesday, June 8.

  • April 27, 2021: CMU presented about the project at an Oakland-Wide community meeting. This project is scheduled to by done by August 2024.

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Banners

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh intends to install eight lamp posts and fabric banners outside of the main library location at Schenley Drive and Schenley Drive Extension. CLP presented plans at the September 28, 2021 Oakland-Wide meeting.

Resources

Lumen Technology

Lumen Technology plans upgrades to the exterior signs on its building at 200 Technology Drive in the Pittsburgh Technology Center.

Lumen intends to replace an existing front/Second Avenue-facing wall mounted cabinet sign, and add illuminated channel letters to the rear/river-facing side of the building.

Both signs require a Development Activities Meeting per the City of Pittsburgh. Accel Sign Group presented the project on behalf of Lumen Technology at the April 27, 2021 Oakland-Wide community meeting. Accel presented the project at the Planning Commission’s June 1 meeting and at the Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting on Tuesday, June 10, 2021.

The project goes before the Planning Commission for a 2:00 p.m. hearing on September 28, 2021.

Resources:

University of Pittsburgh Alumni Hall ADA ramp

The University of Pittsburgh plans to add an ADA-compliant ramp to the Lytton Avenue side of the Alumni Hall. Other improvements include new stars, support walls, and handrails. Construction is estimated to take 16 weeks.

Pitt presented this project at the April 27, 2021 Oakland-Wide meeting. After a June 2 briefing at the Historic Review Commission (HRC), the project returned to the HHRC for a hearing on July 7, 2021.

Resources:

Duquesne Light Riazzi substation

Developer: Duquesne Light Company (DLC)

Project summary: DLC purchased a lot previously utilized for parking to construct a new substation—located at Joncaire and Boundary (Parcel ID: 0053-A-00010-0000-00). The lot is zoned by the City as Park. The Pennsylvania Utility Commission has approved the proposed size of the transformers to be installed; public input sessions will be scheduled to allow review of construction plans.

DLC presented initial building design plans to the community at three separate meetings in late October/early November. OPDC hosted the community meeting on November 7, 2019 (see minutes below).

On November 15, DLC informed OPDC that they are preparing information to address questions and concerns raised at previous community meetings.

DLC will feature project updates and related issues relevant to neighbors and commuters traveling through the Hollow, including work schedules, road advisories, etc here: duquesnelight.com/service-reliability/infrastructure-projects/riazzi-substation#undefined.

Initial grading work (asphalt removal and site grading; no street work) began on the project site on December 9.

Councilman Bruce Kraus and Duquesne Light Co. hosted a Community Open House on January 6th to continue the dialogue with the Oakland community and to review potential site plans for the project.

Review the design concepts linked below and share your input through the feedback survey.

OPDC joined a group of Oakland residents at a meeting with State Representative Dan Frankel and his staff on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. The conversation focused on a number of outstanding concerns about requested environmental studies and project updates from DLC. We had hoped that there was state oversight of this process, but that appears not to be the case.  Even so, we appreciate Rep. Frankel's efforts to assist to gather information and bring together parties to address concerns.

OPDC spoke with Darryl Lawrence, an attorney and Senior Assistant Consumer Advocate for the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate, on March 31. Through his past experiences and research on this project, Mr. Lawrence conveyed that the Riazzi substation is a “step-down” transformer that will operate at less than 100kV, which does not require PUC authority in Pennsylvania when the utility company owns the land.

DLC did receive permission from PJM  (The PA, Jersey, Maryland Power Pool - a regional transmission organization). Permission from PJM is required any time a utility wants to connect to a high voltage grid, such as in this case.

On the topic of environmental concerns and studies expressed by Oakland residents, Lawrence was “fairly certain” that DLC got a permit from the Department of Environmental Protection.

OPDC shared notes on the call with Frankel’s office; they have contacted the DEP for follow-up details on oversight and permits.

Frankel’s office spoke to DEP in late May. DEP confirmed with the Bureau of Radiation Protection that electromagnetic radiation is not regulated as it is a non-ionizing form of radiation. (Please see this document and study for more information. Document and link provided by DEP.)

The Allegheny County Conservation District issued a permit in December 2019 to DLC for earthmoving (which requires stormwater runoff controls during the earthwork) and to maintain runoff from the substation once it's built - this is within state and local guidelines.

July 1, 2020 UPDATES:
via DLC:

There will be a lane closure and traffic restrictions in the area beginning on July 13 and lasting for approximately 8 weeks. The southwest-bound lane of Boundary Street will be closed during working hours to those driving towards Joncaire Street.

At the start of every work shift, a work zone and traffic controls will be set up in accordance with city permits. As the day progresses, the work zone may shift, so please be aware of changes throughout the day.  At the end of each workday, we will reopen the closed lane until the following workday.

Via City of Pittsburgh’s Law Department:

In response to a community request to Pittsburgh’s City Council, the law department provided the following analysis:

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has found that the Public Utility Commission and Public Utility Code preempt municipal regulation of utility infrastructure such as substations. If you’re interested in learning more, preemption of public utility regulation is clarified in  PL Elec. Utilities Corp. v. City of Lancaster, 214 A.3d 639 (Pa. 2019) and Duquesne Light Co. v. Upper St. Clair Twp., 377 Pa. 323, 334, 105 A.2d 287, 292 (1954). Municipalities retain the right to regulate to non-infrastructure buildings (ie offices) of utility companies and have some authority to require construction permits for certain types of work, however, their discretion is limited and any disputes which may arise are resolved by the PUC. 

January 1, 2021 UPDATE:
via DLC:

As the Riazzi Substation project enters its final phase of construction, for the safety of the general public, Boundary Street (also known as S. Neville St.) will be closed north of Joncaire St. to Filmore St. to all thru traffic beginning on Jan. 11 through March 31 as crews perform underground work associated with the project as quickly and safely as possible.

The subsurface obstructions we discovered in the roadway – despite our best efforts to perform due diligence – have required us to redesign the underground portion of the substation project. We used four methods of underground investigation to give us confidence in our original design. Unfortunately, the subsurface reality we discovered will require us to do much more extensive excavation. In order to avoid conflicts with the other underground utility lines, our contractors will need to trench the street to a width that is wider than normal during the installation of our facilities.

In evaluating the safety of the worksite versus the inconvenience of extended closure, we have consciously prioritized safety while being mindful to minimize the duration of the traffic restriction. We realize this will result in restricted options for residents to get to and from their homes along Boundary St. and we have worked with our contractors to streamline the logistics so as to complete the work as quickly and safely as possible. The final traffic restriction plan which has been approved by DOMI will involve the full two-lane closure of Boundary with traffic routed along Joncaire St. during that time.

January 22, 2021 UPDATE

Duquesne Light announced on January 4 that they would close S. Neville/Boundary Street between Filmore and Joncaire in both directions on January 11, 2021, for a period of 11 weeks.

We’ve since been informed that in response to neighborhood concerns about the disruption this closure will cause, excavation has been postponed until later in the project schedule. No firm date for the closure is currently available. OPDC will post additional information as we receive it at opdc.org.

When the closure takes effect, signs will be posted at the intersections of Fifth and S. Neville and Bouquet and Joncaire to alert drivers and indicate the detour route. During the closure, pedestrian and bicycle trips originating in Panther Hollow and Schenley Park will direct people to use the Joncaire sidewalk and steps. Joncaire Street and the Pitt parking lot at Joncaire/Boundary will remain open.

March 2021 UPDATE

The planned closure of S. Neville/Boundary Street is indefinitely postponed. We have no other updates at this time.

June 28, 2021 UPDATE via DLC:

Boundary Street will be closed between Joncaire and Filmore streets beginning June 30. This was not a planned closure, but was deemed necessary out of an abundance of caution and to maintain safe conditions for the public and work crews.

The closure will last approximately 30 days and will only occur on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The project is expected to finish by August 31, 2021.

For more information about the Riazzi Substation project, please visit DuquesneLight.com/RiazziSubstation where you can find answers to frequently asked questions and updates on the project. If you have any questions about the Riazzi Substation project, please reach out by emailing RiazziSubstation@duqlight.com.

Project resources:

4338 Bigelow Boulevard - Latin American Studies Association

The Latin American Studies Association (LASA) has acquired the building at 4338 Bigelow Boulevard to serve as its future headquarters and a Latin American Cultural Center. LASA presented this project at the January Oakland-Wide meeting on January 26, 2021. The center is set to open to the public in fall 2021.

Project resources:

0 Boundary Street/525 Yarrow Way

Developer: Thomas Liang

Project Summary: Owner of the vacant lot bordering Boundary Street, Yarrow Way, and Isis Way is proposing a town home development of five or six units - see below for the site plan options. The developer presented these proposals at the Oakland-Wide Community Meeting on May 29, 2019.

In 2017, the owner proposed to build around eight units on the lot, which was met with community opposition because it did not comply with zoning. OPDC encouraged the owner to postpone their ZBA hearing at the time. Oakwatch and nearby residents have been vigilant about code enforcement concerns related to overgrowth and a failing retaining wall. These concerns have been before various court hearings.

The owner returned to the November 26, 2019 Oakland-Wide Community Meeting with an updated proposal to build six new homes on the vacant lot. The first sales would be restricted to owner-occupants.

The proposal was scheduled for the ZBA virtual meeting on November 5, 2020. The ZBA issued a continuance. The November 5 meeting was not held in order to schedule a public meeting. The design team presented the project at the February 23, 2021 Oakland-Wide meeting.

This project went to the ZBA on April 8. The ZBA released its decision on May 26, 2021, denying the request for variances without prejudice to resubmit a revised proposal for the site.

Project resources:

Pittsburgh Athletic Association - 4215 Fifth Avenue

Developer: Walnut Capital

Project Summary: Developer is rehabbing the former PAA and incorporating office spaces, a fitness center, restaurants, and a social club. After COVID-19 related delays, construction resumed in Summer 2020. Walnut Capital completed construction on the project in April 2021.

CMU Melwood Parking Lot

PROJECT SUMMARY

Carnegie Mellon University is proposing to slightly expand, pave, and install storm water management infrastructure to the dirt parking lot on Melwood across from the former Pittsburgh Filmmaker’s building. CMU bought the building and the lot last year and are still making plans for their use. In the meantime, the paving of the lot will require a Zoning Board action, as well as Planning Commission due to the lot’s location in the Baum Centre Overlay District. CMU presented at the Oakland-wide meeting on January 28, 2020, proposing that paving will take place in June/July 2020.

The project was put on hold during the pandemic lockdown and is tentatively deferred to summer 2022. CMU plans to restart permitting and outreach in fall 2021.

Project resources:

411 South Craig Street

Developer: Building owner and ZILKA and Associates

Project summary: The building owner seeks to request occupancy change for the first floor from retail to restaurant. They also propose to extend the facade of the second floor to match the current free standing facade. The project was presented at the Oakland-Wide Community Meeting on January 28, 2020.

April 2021 update: The project is still active, but work has been delayed due to COVID restrictions and permit delays.

Project resources:

Pittsburgh Technology Center Parking Garage

Project summary: Indovina Associates Architects is working with the URA to design a new structured 7-story parking garage (Parking Garage No. 3) at the Pittsburgh Technology Center on Second Avenue. DOMI is reviewing a recently completed traffic study.

Indovina presented at the virtual Oakland-Wide meeting on July 28, 2020. The Planning Commission unanimously approved the project at its March 23, 2021 meeting.

Project resources:

3500 Forbes Avenue (former Marathon gas station)

About

Clark Street Holdings/CA Ventures, a nation-wide multi-family developer with particular expertise in off-campus student housing,  hopes to develop a mixed-use project on the site of the former Marathon Oil gas station at 3500 Forbes Avenue.

The development site is approximately 1.2 acres in size and is bounded by Semple St. Forbes Avenue and McKee Place.  The proposed building will be designed and constructed to meet LEED certification requirements and will be 102 feet tall, as permitted by the Zoning Code using the Code’s sustainable development bonus. Stormwater controls will include, among other things, a green roof design that will capture and use a significant amount of stormwater that would otherwise leave the site. 

The project will be marketed to young professionals, medical workers, students, and others looking for modern, well-appointed apartments in Central Oakland.  The building will provide office, retail, and amenity space along Forbes Avenue. The building will be designed and constructed with an integral parking garage for tenants and visitors.  There will be approximately 300 residential units on the site with a mix of studios, 1 bedroom, 2 bedrooms, and 3 bedroom units.   

Residential units with ground-floor entrances are planned along McKee Place. Importantly, the site plan for the building includes a twenty-foot wide publicly accessible pedestrian connection between Semple St. and McKee Place.

 

Updates

CA Ventures made a preliminary presentation at the virtual Oakland-Wide meeting on August 25, 2020. A subdivision of the site went to the City of Pittsburgh Planning Commission on November 24, 2020.

CA Ventures presented updates at the December 15, 2020 Oakland-Wide meeting and the January 26, 2021 City of Pittsburgh Planning Commission meeting. CA Ventures re-scheduled the project’s February 9 return to the Planning Commission for February 23, 2021. The commission issued a continuance for the project.

CA Ventures returned to the Planning Commission on March 23, 2021. The commission resumed the hearing for the proposed apartment building, which they continued earlier; testimony was closed and they did not hear a full presentation of the plans as this was done previously and was also provided to the commission in advance for their review.

The developer presented one image of a change to the rear of the property to address community concerns and concerns from the adjacent property owner, Family House. The revised design steps back the portion of the building at the rear of the property, reducing the height by two stories for part of the building at the Semple side. Representatives from CA Ventures and Family House stated that the two organizations reached an agreement on the project; the Planning Commission approved the project.

The site is currently under construction.

resources