Downtown Population increased 25% since 2000 (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: transplants, safe neighborhoods, wage)

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by pman

seems like a crime to knock these buildings down
Pittsburgh OKs demolition for Point Park Playhouse project | TribLIVE Mobile

The upper-floor facades of the three buildings, including the former Honus Wagner Sporting Goods store, will be cataloged, disassembled and eventually re-used in parts of the finished performing arts center

Ugh, I *hate* this sort of empty gesture towards the preservationists. Keeping the entire facades in tact would be one thing, but taking a gargoyle here or a cornerstone there and implementing them into a newly built building is more of an insult than simply having a totally new building there.

[pman]

ive always liked that stretch. sounds like a garbage proposal from point but everything gets approved unless someone complains about lack of parking

[pman]

Downtown's 13-story Standard Life Building...
Richard Beynon, who represents the new owner, said the plan is to convert the student housing into market-rate apartments, 33 in all. The upper floors currently are vacant.
Mr. Beynon, president of Beynon & Co., a Downtown real estate firm, said the new owner hopes to start taking applications for rentals immediately and have the first units leased in 30 days.
He added that the conversion from student housing should be fairly easy and would be "more cosmetic in nature" than anything else.

Read more: Old Standard Life Building sold for $2 million at sheriff's sale - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

[MathmanMathman]

^Incredible deal, just imagine how much a building like that would cost in New York.

[pman]

should make scr happy
Standard Life Building sold, to be converted into apartments - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by pman

should make scr happy
Standard Life Building sold, to be converted into apartments - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Eh. For the most part. I'll never complain in general about more people living Downtown because that means more foot traffic for existing businesses, more foot traffic to compel more businesses to open, and more potential clients for our business. If "market rate" Downtown means $1,000+ for a 1-BR apartment, then I wouldn't expect to move into what is admittedly converted "student housing" with "limited renovations", per the article. If these apartments will truly be no-frills, then they should be priced appropriately to reflect that. If they're going to be as expensive as everything else Downtown, then why not just move to a much nicer building nearby (i.e. River Vue or even the Morgan at North Shore or Cork Factory) for a comparable price while receiving many more amenities for your money? I'd be perfectly fine paying $900/month to live Downtown in a 1-BR unit in a no-frills building. I wouldn't be happy paying $1,300/month to live in a no-frills Downtown building when I could pay $1,300-$1,400/month for something luxurious. It's interesting how developers never publicly announce what rents they'll be charging---just "market rate".

Before the usual suspects chime in saying "$1,400/month for a 1-BR apartment in Downtown Pittsburgh is a bargain compared to Manhattan or L.A." bear in mind, yet again, we're NOT supposed to benchmarking ourselves to cities like that!

[pman]

id guess theyre going to be less expensive. they were bought on the cheap and will be inexpensively renovated. the owner mentions that "this type" of housing is disappearing downtown. clearly he doesnt mean luxury rentals. market rate means what people are willing and able to pay rather than subsidized housing

[Copanut]

My wife wants to live in the City, looking at the Cork Factory. No way I will spend that kind of money, taxed at 3% and forced to vote Democratic. Long live the 'burbs!

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Copanut

My wife wants to live in the City, looking at the Cork Factory. No way I will spend that kind of money, taxed at 3% and forced to vote Democratic. Long live the 'burbs!

Sorry to hear about your impending separation.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Sorry to hear about your impending separation.

Tell me about it!