Pittsburgh’s office buildings, many of which date back to the early 20th century, are prime candidates for conversion to housing.
Several downtown Pittsburgh office buildings are being converted to housing, reports Ryan Deto in Axios, which will result in roughly 1,300 new housing units. About one fourth of the units will be subsidized for low-income families.
“Six other office-to-housing conversions are in the pipeline for Downtown — including the iconic 582-foot Gulf Tower and the 18-story former FHL Bank Building — said Kyle Chintalapalli, chief economic development officer for Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey.”
Because many of Pittsburgh’s office buildings were built in the early 20th century before the rise of the open-plan office, they are more appropriate for conversion to housing than newer buildings. According to Chintalapalli, there are two dozen additional downtown buildings that could be converted but do not have funding committed. Downtown Pittsburgh has 91 percent office buildings and 9 percent apartment towers, a lower rate of residential buildings than most downtowns.
FULL STORY: These offices are being converted to housing
Office Conversion Sees No Sign of Slowing
The adaptive reuse of office buildings for residential and other uses will grow by as much as 63 percent in 2024 over last year.
Office Conversions Have Increased Every Year This Decade
Since the pandemic, office vacancy rates remain high, leading many cities to adjust zoning codes to accommodate adaptive reuse.
Texas Bill Supports Adaptive Reuse in Commercial Areas
Senate Bill 840, which was preliminarily approved by the state House, would allow residential construction in areas previously zoned for offices and commercial uses.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie