DelMonte opens East Ops on northshore!

[PghUSA]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06021/641830.stm

Looks like the Del-Monte building is getting ready for it's GO, signs are to be lighted up on it this week and first floor retail will offer a great oasis in the sea of parking between Heinz and PNC! This is great news especially right before the ASG this summer! I also like how DelMonte reaffirms their "commitment" to Pittsburgh, that they want to be long-term corporate citizens here!

[SouthJersey7]

Very nice. If anyone gets pics I'd like to see it.

[tooluther]

That building is hardly the "jewel" of the north shore redevelopment. Those builidng are too boring and dated. The best thing to come out of the north shore project is def. PNC Park, as well as the countinued construction of the park. Also, apartments over there will be nice.

p.s. GO STEELERS!

[PghUSA]

Ok so my fiscal mind thought of "jewel" as the taxbase entry in the city's revenue ledger (god knows they aren't taxing PNC or Heinz ). I know I'm such a "dismal science" geek.

[UrbaniDesDev]

It is a handsome building, ALCOA should have set the standard for development along the North Shore. Unfortunately we got a developer unwilling to take a chance. It is great to see development there finally, after decades. Originally the plan was to have the roadway run along the riverfront. I like to think I had a little to do with fighting against that and there is now a pedestrian walk and a large lawn area.

One thing I find is troubling is the lack of interest in the first floor commercial. It seems it is laid out as having all interior access as opposed to storefronts/restaurants opening onto the pedestrian walk. I think by simply having the storefronts simply slide away so tables could flow right out onto the walkway. The walkway is perfect to be lined with tables and cafes in the warmer months. Being nextto PNC Park would serve this well also. This is just another example of a rather constipated development.

[TheGerbil]

You mean the first floor retail DOESN'T open to the walkway outside? I just assumed it would! I hope the rest of the buildings that eventually get built are done more intelligently.

I also really hope they get moving on the T extension soon, because that is holding up a lot of the development.

[PghUSA]

G, I saw that the PG was reporting that the T extension has AGAIN been delayed by higher then anticipated starting bids (seems this happened 6 months ago and backlogged the whole project till another reverse auction could go on). This is getting frustrating already!

[TheGerbil]

I saw that too. Very frustrating indeed. I want them to get on with it already!

Why does everything always seem to cost more than estimated?

[PghUSA]

Saddest thing about this is that our local reps went to the mat (or so they say) on Federal funding to grease the wheels on this thing, those Federal funds won't stick around forever waiting to get spent, they might reallocate it to Cleveland