Region begins $3 Billion Building Boom

According to today's Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Pittsburgh is in the early stages of a $3 billion dollar building boom.
My headline might read a little differently:

Pittsburgh Begins Renaissance III

The projects include the following:

• Three PNC Plaza - A new multi-use, highrise building being constructed on Fifth Avenue, downtown. This proposed tower will be between 25-30 stories and contain 360,000 square feet of office space, a 150 room luxury hotel, 30 condominium units and ground-level retail.
• Piatt Place - A renovation of the former Lazerus Department store into luxury condominiums and street level retail.
• Quantum Two at South Side Works -This new office building will become the headquarters for American Eagle Outfitters. The move by American Eagle represents a move by a major employer from the suburbs to the city.
• The Eastside retail complex - Continued expansion of the "whole Foods" site and the future $25 million to $30 million conversion of the Highland Building into an 84-unit condominium, and construction of an adjacent Holiday Inn.
• Duquesne University Campus Expansion - ground was broken today for the Multi-purpose Recreation Center. Future projects will continue over two acres of Forbes Avenue.

It is obvious that all of these projects (and more) have one thing in common:

Developers are confident in Pittsburgh's future.

Many of the downtown projects include substantial residential components, likely bringing a 24 hour vitality to the central business district. The office components will bring thousands of new employees into the city, and the retailers will give the new workers and residents the ammenities that make city life exciting.

Region begins $3 billion building boom - PittsburghLIVE.com
photo 1 Three PNC Plaza, Gensler Architects
Photo 2 South Side Works