Office building planned in New Granada block
URA considering sale of properties to further develop Hill District site
Three months after plans advanced for a 40-unit apartment complex adjacent to the New Granada Theater in the Hill District, a new office building is in the works on the same block.
Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority board members will consider authorizing six months of exclusive negotiations with the Hill Community Development Corp. for the sale of 5,557 square feet of URA-owned land needed for the office project.
It is one of two developments in the Hill’s Centre Avenue corridor that could move forward at Thursday’s board meeting.
Members also are expected to vote on the sale of property needed by Amani Christian Community Development Corp. for the construction of a 18,000-square-foot mixed use building.
According to the URA, the $22.5 million New Granada office development is expected to include 21,000 square feet of office space, a 5,300-square-foot restaurant, a 6,700-square-foot rooftop deck, outdoor space, and 14 parking spaces.
In all, the building footprint will total 10,000 square feet. The Hill CDC already owns 4,443 square feet of land, which will be added to the URA parcels to be sold.
The office building will be connected to the New Granada Theater, a one-time jazz mecca to be rehabbed into office and theater space and a food hall, the URA stated.
Completing the development of the block will be the 40-unit New
Granada Square Apartments. The complex also will feature 4,800 square feet of first-floor retail.
In its summary, the URA stated that the apartment complex already is under construction and that work on the New Granada Theater itself will begin soon.
The Amani Christian development, meanwhile, involves the sale of three URA-owned parcels, including one with a vacant structure that is to be rehabbed, for $27,300 plus costs.
Amani is proposing to build a $4.9 million mixed-use building that will feature 12 affordable residential units — four one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom — as well as first floor commercial space.
The project is an outgrowth of a
2019 request for qualifications issued by the URA seeking developers to purchase and redevelop any of 170 publicly owned parcels along the Centre Avenue corridor in the middle Hill.
Also on Thursday, the URA board will consider authorizing six months of exclusive negotiations with Oak Moss Consulting LLC for the sale of 48 city-owned parcels in Hazelwood between Tullymet and Serwick streets.
Oak Moss is proposing to build a 62-unit mixed-use development on the properties surrounding the Woods House, considered the oldest house in Pittsburgh.
The project would feature eight studio units, four one-bedroom, 45 two-bedroom, and five three -bedroom. At least six of the units would be affordable to households at or below 80% of the area median income.
“URA staff recommends the redeveloper work with the URA housing lending team during the exclusive negotiation period to increase project affordability and ensure rents align with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority’s limits,” a summary stated.
It noted that the proposal still has a long way to go and has generated both positive and negative feedback.
Some residents and organizations favor the development as supportive to the Second Avenue commercial corridor, a summary stated. Others prefer to maintain the parcels as green space that later could be transformed into walking or bike paths to help turn Hazelwood into a recreational destination.
Most of the parcels are zoned hillside, meaning Oak Moss will have to seek to rezone them or apply for a variance. There also are environmental concerns, according to the URA.
Also on Thursday, the board is expected to entertain selling nearly 1.8 acres of land to SouthSide Works owner SomeraRoad for $756,160 for a proposed 246unit, seven- story apartment complex on the Monongahela riverfront.
Members also will consider awarding a $1.78 million contract to Gito Inc. for a roof replacement and facade restoration at Shadyside’s URA-owned Hunt Armory, where the Pittsburgh Penguins are proposing to build a temporary ice rink this winter for public use.