Pittsburgh developments to watch in 2017

BEECHVIEW

Atlas’ investment in Beechview was “a no-brainer,” says Berkowitz. The trolley line to Downtown and 20-minute drive to the airport give it “the potential to become the premier millennial neighborhood of Pittsburgh,” he says.

In the business district with several Latino businesses, Berkowitz plans to build a hotel, an Italian restaurant, a jazz club, a diner, apartments and more. He owns or has options on eight buildings, and is working to acquire other Broadway Avenue parcels once owned by a developer who defaulted on loans and fled to his native Brazil.

“There are 189 parcels along Broadway. We could reimagine any of them,” says Berkowitz.

Atlas has committed to delivering several projects for the URA in 2017: the boutique hotel, jazz club, restaurant, and a commercial building that will house Atlas offices and other businesses.

This will be “a real action-oriented year,” Berkowitz says. “It’s time to stop planning.”

LAWRENCEVILLE

Construction crews have framed in The Tech Forge at 47^th Street in Lawrenceville, the RIDC’s technology hub. The first tenant will be a research lab for Caterpillar Inc.

“The core and shell will be complete late this spring,” says White with the RIDC.

The $20 million project includes office and high-bay space, bike and car parking, and a rooftop deck. The building on the site of the former Heppenstall Steel mill is the latest RIDC investment to spur a robotics cluster near Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center.

In Upper Lawrenceville, the URA is seeking developers for a light industrial park at 62^nd and Butler Streets. Tippins International once occupied the 14 acres.

The property is market-ready, Acklin says. “They’d have to do site work specific to their development, but it’s reclaimed and ready to go. I think you’ll see some action.”

OTHER PROJECTS

The URA is seeking proposals to redevelop the historic Hunt Armory in Shadyside. People loved the idea for an ice hockey rink proposed by a developer who couldn’t continue for financial reasons, Acklin says. If someone else agrees to build a rink, “The Pens have expressed interest in helping with programming.”

Along East Carson Street on the South Side, McKnight Realty is working to secure financing and tax credits for The Highline project at the historic Terminal building. The plan includes office and warehouse space, public green space and reconnecting the riverfront trail.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has a plan to develop up to 800 housing units, and the Pittsburgh Parking Authority will replace its garage at 9th Street and Penn Avenue. The Trust project likely would include a riverfront park. “We expect to have an update regarding our progress on the 8th Street Block project later in the year,” says Marc Fleming, vice president of marketing and communications.