Hotel Indigo, office building considered for Pittsburgh Technology Center

Hotel Indigo and another office building may be in the works at the suddenly booming Pittsburgh Technology Center in South Oakland.

The citys Urban Redevelopment Authority board is expected to consider Thursday whether to enter into negotiations with Northpointe Development Group LLC for the sale of a 1.6-acre parcel of land at Second Avenue and Bates Street Extension.

Northpointe is proposing to build a $14.7 million, 100-room Hotel Indigo with 1,500 square feet of meeting space and a restaurant with seating for 104 people. There currently is not a restaurant at the technology center, which is home to numerous businesses.

The URA has been trying to attract a developer to build a hotel on the parcel since late 2007, but previous efforts have failed. In 2013, the redevelopment authority entered into exclusive negotiations with PTC Lodging LP to build a 135-room hotel but that never culminated in a deal. Before that, a deal with Harmar-based Kratsa Properties to build a 142-room hotel fell through.

Northpointes properties include Hampton Inns in Greensburg, West Mifflin and Johnstown, according to the URA. It also recently opened a Holiday Inn Express and Suites at Southpointe in Washington County.

The exclusive negotiating period with Northpointe would be for 90 days with a possible 90-day extension. The development would be the second Hotel Indigo in the city. Another is under construction by a different developer in East Liberty.

In addition, the board will consider on Thursday exclusive negotiations with The Ferchill Group of Cleveland for the sale of a 1.2-acre plot of land at Pittsburgh Technology Center for the construction of Bridgeside Point III, a 130,000-square-foot office building designed for research-oriented uses for biotechnology clients.

It would be the third building to be built at the technology center by Ferchill, which also developed the Bridgeside Point I and the Bridgeside Point II office buildings at the office park. Like Northpointe, exclusive negotiations with Ferchill would run 90 days, with a possible 90-day extension.

Besides those projects, Oxford Development Co. is in the process of developing a $12 million, three-story urban flex office building on 1.5 acres of riverfront land at the site. The Downtown-based developer hopes to start construction this summer. Walnut Capital also is proposing to build a 352-unit apartment complex at Pittsburgh Technology Center.

Mark Belko: mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262. First Published March 10, 2015 5:22 PM

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Hotel Indigo, office building considered for Pittsburgh Technology Center