The city is seeing rapid growth in residential development in its downtown core, signaling a shift to accommodate a reduced need for office space and a renewed interest in mixed-use, transit-oriented neighborhoods.
An article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette assesses the recent movement to convert downtown Pittsburgh’s increasingly vacant office buildings to housing. According to the article, more than 3,300 units have already been created via adaptive reuse, with 1,500 more in the planning stages.
While no one sees residential supplanting office Downtown as the dominant driver, experts say there is a need for a better mix, particularly in light of changing work habits caused by the pandemic.
The article lists several important buildings slated to be converted to apartments, condos, and hotel rooms, such as the Gulf Tower and the former GNC headquarters. The population is growing fast, with the occupancy rate at 93 percent. “Colliers reported that the average rent for a studio apartment is $1,384; for a one-bedroom, $1,522; for a two-bedroom, $2,188; and for a three-bedroom, a whopping $4,879.”
FULL STORY: From skyscrapers to studios: How the residential boom is transforming Downtown Pittsburgh
The Death of the Office?
Despite efforts on the part of many employers to bring workers back to the office, office buildings are now the most distressed segment of the commercial real estate market.
Pittsburgh Adaptive Reuse Program Accepting Applications
The city has issued a request for proposals to support projects converting downtown office buildings to affordable housing.
Pittsburgh’s Downtown Office Buildings Could Soon Become Housing
The city is proposing a $2.1 million boost to state and county efforts aimed at converting office buildings to affordable workforce housing.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
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