Planning group OKs Bakery Square building proposals, with conditions

The Pittsburgh Planning Commission voted Tuesday in favor of Walnut Capital’s proposals for a nine-story office building and sixstory parking garage at Bakery Square in Shadyside, with a few conditions.

Concerned about the developer’s commitment to the surrounding community, the commission unanimously approved the office building with a condition requiring “ongoing engagement of community members from East Liberty and Larimer… as an advisory group.”

The commission approved the garage in a 4-1 vote under the same condition as well as one requiring the developer to work with city planning staff to address “entry and public passage,” “design,” and to “enhance” the structures and walkways between developments in Shadysideand Larimer.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment initially ruled against the proposed office space, which the company is calling Bakery Square 3.0, because the nine-story building would exceeda six-story maximum. But after appealing the decision to Allegheny County Common Pleas Court, the developer recently came to an agreementwith the city.

The garage is the first step in Walnut Capital’s vision for a “multi-modal transit center” that would link Bakery Square to the Martin Luther King Jr. Busway and Hamilton Avenuein Larimer.

Of eight people who gave publiccomment at the hearing Tuesday, five voiced opposition to or concerns aboutthe development.

Laura Wiens, director of Pittsburghers for Public Transit, called the proposal “a naked bid to extract more public dollars.” She said the idea that people would use Walnut Capital’s garage to park and then take public transitis “bewildering.”

Others voiced concerns about “rapid” gentrification and the detrimental effects the development might have on racial and incomediversity in the area.

Councilman Ricky Burgess of District 9, which includes Bakery Square and neighborhoods to its east, said the development would help surrounding lower-incomecommunities.

“You cannot build affordable housing in isolation,” Rev. Burgess said, adding that the project would generate money and make resources available that would help open up affordable housing.

City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger’s chief of staff, Moira Egler, read a letter from Ms. Strassburger in support of the project, calling it an “economicdriver.”

Two planning commission members appeared concerned about the effects the development would have on lower-income neighborhoodsnearby.

“Community development seems like a real tossoff,” said Sabina Deitrick, the commission member to voteagainst the garage.

“The piece that’s missing to me is the people,” said Fred Brown, advocating more evidence of Larimer community support of the development. “I see it as transactional, not transformational.”

Still, Mr. Brown voted in favor of both developments, saying he sees value in the investment.

The office building would cost $30 million, and the proposed transit center another$28 million.

Max Graham: mgraham@post-gazette.com or @maxmugrah