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ITHACA, N.Y. The Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency can expect a busy meeting on Wednesday, as it reviews a trio of tax abatement applications. Rather unusually, however, they all stem from one project - the Carpenter Park mixed-use development located on Carpenter Circle, between the city's waterfront and Northside neighborhood.

The reason for the three applications is that the three major components of the project - the affordable housing component, the mixed-use retail and market-rate housing component, and the medical office building and clinic are each seeking a different set of abatements, some more generous than others. This would complicate the tax structure of the development such that the developers, Cayuga Medical Center and Park Grove Realty, are returning to the city Planning Board this month to break the 8.9-acre property, which has already received preliminary site plan approval, into three separate tax parcels, one for each potentially tax-abated component.

First up, let's have a look at the affordable housing component. This is a standalone $10.1 million, 4-story, 42 unit apartment building. 32 of the units (26 one-bedroom and 6 two-bedroom apartments) would be set aside for those making 50% AMI or less, which is about $30,000/year or less for a single person, $34,250/year for a two-person household. The other ten apartments (8 one-bedroom and 2 two-bedroom units) would be priced slightly higher, for those making 60% area median income. The building would be built to LEED Certification standards and designed to comply with the city's incoming Green Building Policy.

Technically, this applicant isn't actually a property tax abatement, because it's not based on the future property tax assessment. The developers are seeking a 30-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT agreement, for the affordable housing building, as well as sales tax exemptions on building materials and state tax exemptions on the mortgage recording filing. The annual PILOT payment would be the current tax assessment for that portion of the Carpenter Park property, plus 12% of the net operating income, and allowed to increase 2% per year. The figures are modeled on a similar abatement awarded by the IDA to the rentals in INHS's 210 Hancock project back in 2015.

The PILOT would save $701,434 over 30 years, the sales tax exemption on materials would save $400,000, and the mortgage recording tax exemption would shave $4,125 from the project's expenses, for a total savings of $1,105,559 over 30 years. Over the same 30-year time period of the PILOT, the project would pay an additional $728,461 in property taxes on top of the current taxes paid for that 0.83-acre chunk of the property.

The argument is that the PILOT would reduce expenditures and put the affordable housing proposal in better financial shape. It's something that the state looks for when awarding affordable housing grants - they won't give money unless the project is financially resilient, in that expenditures are paid on-time and in full, and that there's demand for the affordable housing. The grants are very competitive, and the project has already been turned down by the state once. A PILOT or other local tax reduction makes it more appealing to the state, and more likely the housing would get the grants needed to obtain construction loans and actually be built. If they are awarded in the next funding round this fall, the project could start in the spring and would take about a year to build.

Cayuga Medical Center's application is what comes closest to a normal IDA application, though it also comes with the most substantial tax reduction request. This abatement would apply to the 2.08-acre property that would host a new 5-story, 64,000 square-foot building to be occupied by CMC. Non-profit CMC will lease the $32.2 million building from the development team, which they are a part of, but it's a for-profit entity. Like the affordable housing, the building would be designed to meet the City of Ithaca's incoming Green Building Policy.

The primary selling points here are 62.5 full-time equivalent jobs and a walk-in clinic, which would be a welcome addition to the Northside neighborhood. According to the application, "CMC will offer many essential healthcare services at this location that will be Medicaid eligible including womens health, quick urgent care, imaging and specialty services. The programs and services will be targeted to the at-risk minority and low-income community in the City of Ithacas West End Downtown District. This will allow lower-income families to have much better access to health care and essential services."

In return comes a fairly hefty 50-year PILOT request, along with the sales tax exemption on construction materials and the mortgage recording tax exemption. CMC has an unusually strong hand to play with this particular application. Being a non-profit, this portion of the project could be taken off the tax rolls and made tax-exempt through direct CMC ownership, and it's noted in the application. If the PILOT is awarded, the application stipulates the ownership, non-profit or not, will be required to stay taxable throughout the PILOT period. A similar deal played out with Cornell and developer John Novarr's Breazzano Center project several years ago.

The PILOT would save $2,739,078 in property taxes over 50 years. The sales tax exemption on the construction materials would reduce costs by $1.1 million, and the mortgage recording tax exemption would save $70,000, for a total of $3,909,078 in savings. Over the same 50-year time period of the PILOT, the project would pay an additional $8,560,514 in property taxes on top of the current taxes paid for that 2.08-acre chunk of the property.

If awarded, CMC would start construction on the project next March, and the new building would open in around March 2023.

The bulk of the site is included with this submission. This application includes the site improvements (including costs associated with re-configuring the Ithaca Community Gardens) and two mixed-use buildings that would be built in Carpenter Park, 303,255 square-feet in total and carrying an estimated cost of $47.1 million. The six-story buildings would have ground-level retail, parking on the back of the ground floor and on the second floor, and a mix of 1-3 bedroom apartments on floors 3-6. In total, the mixed-use buildings will include approximately 166 market-rate units, 23,000 square feet of commercial space, and 187 internal parking spaces. The project also comes equipped to meet the city's Green Building Policy

Given that this is only creating a few jobs directly and does not fill as critical of a need as affordable housing or a medical clinic to serve lower-income households would, the request here is a more typical 10-year tax abatement. The abatement would save $4,172,103 in property taxes over 10 years. The sales tax exemption on the construction materials would reduce costs by $2.4 million, and the mortgage recording tax exemption would save $95,000, for a total of $6,667,108 in requested savings. Over the same 10-year time period of the tax abatement, the project would pay an additional $2,083,571 in property taxes on top of the current taxes paid for that 5.66-acre chunk of the property, and indirectly supports new sales taxes from the future retail tenants.

If the abatements are awarded, the stated plan in the application is to begin construction in the spring of 2021, with completion two years later. Discussions at city planning board meetings have indicated this portion is the "Phase II" of the site's buildout, to start construction after private equity and affordable housing grants have been secured for the medical building and affordable housing respectively.

Along with the 66.5 full-time equivalent jobs offered in the applications, the project promises over 750 construction jobs over the buildout period (typically, one-third to one-half may be on the site during any one phase, so if they all moved in tandem, it would be more like a few hundred at any given time). The project team estimates 30 to 35% of the construction labor will be locally sourced.

For those interested in having a closer look, the applications are here.

The IDA will have their first look at the application on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. The meeting will be livestreamed here when the meeting starts. Comments, questions and concerns can be sent to Tompkins County Area Development's Ina Arthur at inaa@tcad.org and should be sent no later than 9 a.m. on Oct. 14.

Read more from the original source:
Carpenter Park redevelopment abatement heads to IDA - The Ithaca Voice

The purpose of the houses to be built in Hirvensalo, Turku, is to compare the climate effects.

To Turku there are two apartment buildings on the rise that differ only in their materials: one is made of wood, the other of concrete.

The floor plans and apartment areas of both houses are identical. In addition, they are located on the same plot, so the conditions are the same. There are good conditions for comparison, says the CEO of Mangrove in Turku, which specializes in ecological housing construction. Antti Lundstedt.

The houses will be built in Hirvensalo for the City of Turkus rental housing company ICT Asunto, and will include 82 rental apartments.

Construction work is underway. The houses are estimated to be completed in November 2021 and will be built with two different work teams.

The two of you carbon footprint and carbon handprint calculations have been utilized in the design of the new apartment building. They investigate the climate impacts during construction and life cycle.

According to VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, the carbon footprint of a concrete apartment building is 75 per cent larger than that of a wooden apartment building. The comparison included the foundation, bottom floor, exterior and partition walls, midsole and top floor, stairs, windows, doors and balconies.

In this project, we take the research further and take into account, in addition to building elements, the behavior of materials, in-service maintenance, occupant satisfaction, and the carbon footprint of buildings, which in turn lowers the carbon footprint, says Lundstedt.

The results will be reported more comprehensively throughout the life cycle of the buildings, ie also after completion. At the same time, residents experiences of, for example, indoor air and sound insulation are studied.

Mangroves responsible foreman Veli-Matti Toivonen (left) and CEO Antti Lundstedt.Picture: Piritta Fors

Mangrove has built numerous buildings across Finland, the design of which has assessed both the carbon footprint and the carbon handprint.

The best way to reduce the carbon footprint and increase the carbon footprint of the entire life cycle of a building and building is to take them as design starting points and construction goals.

Hirvensalo will be Mangroves first wooden apartment building, but there are already several similar ones on the design table. The Hirvensalo wooden house is built of clt elements, ie multilayer boards, which consist of cross-glued solid wood.

In the wooden apartment building, the design time was about a third longer. We have done concrete projects in the past, so we knew the details better, says the responsible foreman, Mangroves project manager Veli-Matti Toivonen.

In addition to planning, the ecological way of operating is reflected in site operations and recycling arrangements.

Its a big cultural change. In the orientation, we emphasize the responsibility of employees, and different wastes have their own, carefully labeled pallets. For example, due to the higher amount of packaging waste in the finishing phase, a waste compactor enters the construction site. And every employee knows that if only one paint can is hit on the wrong stage, for example, the full price of expensive municipal waste will go from the stage.

New according to the design data, the carbon footprint of a wooden apartment building is about 8.5 percent smaller than that of its concrete double. The carbon handprint of the positive climate effects, on the other hand, is about three times that of a concrete house.

Wood acts as a better carbon sink. Still, it must be remembered that concrete is also needed, which means that both materials are important, says Toivonen.

There are few differences in the foundations of the houses. A wooden house could be built on the foundations of a concrete house but not the other way around.Picture: Piritta Fors

According to him, the concrete benchmarks for the builder are the balcony tiles, the facade and the details of the windows.

In addition, there is sprinkling in the apartments in the wooden apartment building, Toivonen says about fire protection.

Mangrove has also estimated that weather protection will double the cost of maintaining a wooden apartment building site.

Managing director According to Lundstedt, a comparison of about 500 sites showed that the climate impact of Mangrove sites is about 20 percent lower.

District heating has been selected for the Turku apartment building project.

Based on the calculations, geothermal energy would have reduced life cycle climate emissions by another ten percent.

According to the low-carbon calculation method being developed at the Ministry of the Environment, the net climate impact of a wooden apartment building is significantly lower than that of a concrete apartment building. Lundstedt says that calculated in this way, the net climate impact of the whole is pretty close to zero.

The more wooden apartment buildings we can build, the more concrete we can use.

Fact

Founded in 1994, a domestic family business.

Developed in 25 years from construction consulting tasks to the construction of terraced and apartment buildings.

In addition to the Turku region, operations in the Uusimaa, Western Finland and Pirkanmaa regions.

Net sales last year EUR 20.48 million, profit for the financial year EUR 1.34 million. Net sales increased by 68.1 percent.

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Housing Two otherwise identical apartment buildings are being built in Turku, but one is made of wood and the other of concrete - Pledge Times

Despite Penn closure of on-campus housing to not come to Philadelphia for the fall semester, several dozen first-year students have moved into The Chestnut.

After Penn closed on-campus housing and advised students to not come to Philadelphia this fall, several dozen first-year students flocked to The Chestnut, a new luxury apartment complex off campus, in hopes of mimicking a normal college experience.

Students who live in the building located at 3720 Chestnut Street estimate that there is a total of 40 to 50 first-year students living in The Chestnut. The building opened on July 1 and consists of apartments with prices ranging from $1,800 to $6,100 a month.

First-year students said they have found a sense of community while living with their peers and are not too concerned about potential COVID-19 spread, because students are spread out within the building and each apartment has, at most, two bedrooms. Some students said that they have heard rumors of other first years throwing parties in their apartments while others said they are not aware of such parties.

Smaller groups of first years, who knew each other through assigned roommate pairings and social media connections, made plans to live in The Chestnut following Penn's closure of on-campus housing. These smaller groups quickly accumulated to one large group as word spread about more and more first years living in the same building through various group chats like the Class of 2024 GroupMe.

When College first-year Sydney Saltiel learned she would not be able to live on campus for the fall semester, she and her assigned roommate in Rodin College House began looking for off-campus housing. After finding out through the Class of 2024 GroupMe that about eight other girls who were also supposed to live in Rodin would be living in The Chestnut, Saltiel and her roommate decided to live there as well.

Saltiel added that she does not feel as if living in the same building as a large group of first years has significantly increased the risk of COVID-19 spread and believes that the benefits of being near campus and friends outweigh the health risks.

Saltiel said she personally knows about 30 other first-year students living in The Chestnut. She said she has gotten to know other first years living in the building by studying outdoors on campus and attending outdoor events at Penn Hillel with them.

Honestly, [coming to campus] has been a pleasant surprise, Saltiel said. I thought that for the first few weeks here that we would just be sitting in our apartments not really being able to get to know anyone, but it ended up being not the same freshman experience but a good one.

Students living off campus are expected to follow the Student Campus Compact which requires them to adhere to a set of public health and safety measures, including practicing social distancing and using facial coverings. Those who arrived in Philadelphia from areas where there are high amounts of COVID-19 cases were also required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

College first-year Asher Lieberman was initially planning to study from home when his mom, a Penn graduate, suggested he try to find an apartment in Philadelphia to have more of a traditional first-year college experience. Lieberman added that he felt more encouraged to move to The Chestnut after hearing that a lot of other first-year students would be living in the building.

He said that the "big social scene" in The Chestnut has given him the opportunity to interact in-person with fellow peers despite the remote semester.

Theres already a really big Chestnut friend group and you can always see them walking around together, Lieberman said. Ill go down into the study lounge, and Ill see like five kids there every time, and Ill be able to socialize and work with them.

Lieberman said that he has heard of some first years throwing parties in their apartments, although he has not attended one himself to keep with social distancing guidelines.

Students must refrain from organizing, hosting, or attending events, parties, or other social gatherings off-campus that may cause safety risks to members of the Penn community, according to the Student Campus Compact. Although large gatherings are prohibited by both the University and the city, parties without social distancing were spotted around Penn's campus last month.

The Chestnut Leasing Professional Jazmin Means said all residents and guests are required to wear masks and social distance in common areas in the building, but there is no restriction on residents bringing guests into their apartments. The Chestnut's occupancy rate is currently 29.88%, she added.

College sophomore Luke Elegant, who transferred to Penn this semester from Vanderbilt University and lives in The Chestnut, said he decided to live in the apartment building after seeing a post in the University of Pennsylvania (PENN) Housing, Sublets, & Roommates Facebook group. An incoming first year from Costa Rica had posted to the Facebook group that he was looking for someone to room with in The Chestnut, and Elegant said he subsequently reached out to him about rooming together.

I decided I should just come to [Philadelphia] and see what happens, Elegant said. As an incoming student, I didnt even know where typical off-campus housing was.

Of the Penn students he has met in the building, Elegant said the majority are first years.

Wharton sophomore and Chestnut resident Alexa Grabelle agreed, adding, Theres a pretty large population of [first years] that are in The Chestnut. The floor above me, at least Ive heard, is literally a floor of all [first years] who are living together and kind of have their own social distancing pod.

Both Grabelle and Elegant said they are not aware of any parties happening in The Chestnut and are not concerned about living with a large group of first years during the pandemic as everyone is "spread out" in the building.

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The building features studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments. Residents have access to amenities including 24/7 concierge, a co-working space, a fitness center, and a rooftop pool which is still under construction. Means said construction of the building's upper-level floors will not be completed until December.

Although The Chestnut is currently occupied by a large number of Penn students, Means said the building is not intended to be student housing.

When Penn did decide to not allow students to go on campus, we know how we were able to accommodate during those crazy times, but we want to make sure it is very known that we are open to anyone over the age of 18, Means said. We don't consider ourselves student housing.

Read more:
Penn closed its campus for the fall. Dozens of first years came to Philadelphia anyway. - The Daily Pennsylvanian

A planning application proposing the demolition of the iconic Strickland House and the proposed construction of two garage levels, entering from St Ursola Street, 42 apartments and one house on five floors and one receded floor is set to be decided on Thursday.

Strickland House used to be the home of the Times of Malta in Valletta. The building in question has a main frontage on Triq San Pawl, with secondary frontages on Triq Melita and Triq Sant' Orsla. This area is designated as an Urban Conservation Area and Valletta is a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. The existing building is an early 1980s construction, replacing the previous building which was ravaged by a damaging fire in the late 1970s, the case officers report read.

The case officer, in his report, notes that both internally and externally the building in question has no special architectural features, its elevations having no UCA characteristics. As noted by Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, the building does not have value that would warrant its preservation in its entirety. The original building on Triq Sant Orsla is being retained and integrated into the development.

The main entrance to the apartment building will be from St Pauls Street. The site comprises an area of approximately 1,505 m.

A justification for the proposal (residences only) was submitted by the architect. In his submission, the architect argued that although recently, many boutique hotels have been built and are being built in Valletta, there are very few high-end apartments due to the limited opportunities in the area. The nature of the buildings in the city makes it very difficult to have a full renovation job done on the premises. The architect argued that the site provides a unique opportunity for a proposal which will not only target a much-needed niche market for the area, but also upgrade the streetscape of one of the main entrances into Valletta, the case officers report read.

The Planning Directorate said that it is inclined to agree with this argument and is of the opinion that the proposed residential is the least intrusive option and would improve the overall character of the area, as well as boost the residential use of the city. It would also give a new use to what is currently an abandoned building of considerable size.

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage advised that the development as proposed has undergone considerable amendment and evolution since the first proposal, as advised by the Superintendence.

Having reviewed the latest drawings and documents as received, it appears that issues and concerns as raised by the Superintendence have been addressed. Nevertheless, in keeping with its role as a regulatory entity and in view of the UNESCO World Heritage status of Valletta, the Superintendence has brought this application and the proposed development to the attention of Malta's UNESCO World Heritage Technical Committee, seeking it comments and recommendations on the proposed development. At the time of writing, the Superintendence has received no response or comment from the Technical Committee as this is awaiting re-appointment.

The case officer has recommended that the project be refused, stating that , among other things, the proposal does not comply with the provisions of the Development Planning (Health and Sanitary) Regulations, 2016. Every dwelling except the corner dwellings with a depth of more than 15m require a backyard in line with the laws. The internal yards are not in line with the laws either, the case officer said.

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Application to demolish Strickland House, construction of apartments to be decided on Thursday - Malta Independent Online

Brinkman Construction recently completed work on the first phase of South Main Station, a multifamily and mixed-use project at First Avenue and Main Street in Longmont, Colo. The project is part of a larger plan for redeveloping the 26-acre former Butterball Turkey plant. The $70-million, mixed-use complex is the first large-scale urban apartment community built in downtown Longmont.

South Main Station has 253 apartment units and 10,000 sq ft of ground-floor space, including residential and commercial units that front Main Street. Of the five buildings, two include residential units built above street-level retail, and one building is a traditional walk-up with garden-level units. The Phase 1 mix includes 35 studios, 161 one-bedroom apartments and 57 two-bedroom units, averaging 860 sq ft. The complex also includes access to an onsite gym, yoga room and community room with a kitchen as well as a swimming pool, hot tub, firepits, pet spa, mail center and storage. One of the most unique amenities is a do-it-yourself garage with a self-service bike and ski workshop thats open to all tenants.

The life sciences business unit at Merrick & Co. has been contracted to support Bolivias National Service of Agricultural Health and Food Safety (SENASAG) agency with master planning, civil, architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and commissioning services for a future laboratory campus in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

The campus will strengthen the countrys research and diagnosis capacity for veterinary, phytosanitary and food safety challenges. The new state-of-the-art facility will include five laboratory buildings for animal health, plant health, food safety, fruit fly research and administration.

The campus also will include space for future greenhouses, a sterile fly-egg production plant and a pesticide and fertilizer storage area. Merricks planning strategy has focused on designing modular spaces that can be installed within a metal frame structure and a perimeter curtain wall envelope with columns outside the laboratories. This approach meets SENASAGs need for flexibility with future modifications and ensures quick constructionall while meeting international biosafety design standards.

The rest is here:
Mountain States On the Scene: August 2020 | 2020-10-12 - Engineering News-Record

Garfield Township planning commissioners will get their first look at plans for a proposed apartment complex off US-31 South behind the Baymont Inn and discuss possible rules to allow solar projects in the township at the boards 7pm meeting Wednesday.

M Brothers Northern LLC is proposing an apartment complex behind the Baymont Inn between Hartman and South Airport roads. The project site, which currently consists of vacant land, is surrounded by Applebees and the Grand Traverse Commerce Centre to the north, Harbor Freight Tools and Sams Club to the west, and Miller Creek Nature Reserve to the east. Plans call for constructing 60 apartment units on a 1.6-acre parcel, with two three-story buildings containing 30 apartments each. Another .7 acres of land would be dedicated to open space for resident use, while 11.9 acres mostly adjoining wetlands would remain untouched on the property. A total 96 parking spaces would provide 1.6 spaces per unit for the development.

Wednesdays planning commission meeting will serve as a conceptual review for the project, or an informal first look at plans that allows commissioners to talk through the project and share feedback before developers return with a formal application. In a written analysis of the development, township planning staff highlighted both advantages and potential concerns with the project. The building area is in a commercial highway zone, which allows for certain housing developments with a special use permit. Because construction wont extend into neighboring wetlands, it will help to preserve this environmentally sensitive area, according to staff.

In addition to adding more rental housing to Garfield Township, the apartment complex could also provide an opportunity (to build) two key connections to the township non-motorized transportation network, according to staff. The first would be adding a bike path along US-31 that would help extend the existing two-mile Mall Trail running along the highway from Fourteenth Street to South Airport Road. The second connection is a proposed nature trail that would connect the Miller Creek Nature Reserve to US-31.

Connecting this proposed development with a trail to Miller Creek Nature Reserve would help to provide more connections to the overall non-motorized network and provide an amenity for the residents of the proposed apartments, staff wrote. The township may want to consider the feasibility and best location within Miller Creek Nature Reserve to connect to the trails there.

Among potential concerns are plans to have a single entry point to the development from US-31, a driveway that also serves the Baymont Inn. Staff noted developers will need to work with the Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department on ingress and egress plans, given the high number of proposed units to be accessed from a single entrance drive and the potential need for emergency access to the site. Other areas still needing to be fleshed out going forward include landscaping, utility, snow storage, and internal sidewalk network plans for the apartment complex.

Planning commissioners will also consider scheduling a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to allow solar energy projects in Garfield Township. Growing interest in developing renewable energy and a lack of rules on the books about how and where solar arrays could be located prompted commissioners to review the issue over several meetings this summer.

The proposed draft ordinance would allow accessory solar energy systems small systems designed primarily to provide electricity to the property theyre on, such as at a private home or business by right in any district. Roof-mounted equipment couldnt exceed the maximum building height for the district, and ground-mounted systems could not exceed 10 feet and would be required to be located in a side or rear yard. Accessory solar energy systems could not exceed one acre in size.

The ordinance also allows for primary solar energy systems, larger arrays exceeding an acre in size that are built primarily to generate electricity for offsite sale and distribution. Such systems would be allowed in any district with a special use permit, provided they meet rules including being at least 100 feet away from front property lines and 50 feet away from side and rear property lines. Ground systems could not exceed 15 feet in height, and panel glare could not be directed onto adjacent buildings or roads. All utility collection lines would be required to be buried underground, and applicants would have to provide a bond or escrow account to cover the cost of system removal in the event Garfield Township had to remove an array, such as when it reaches the end of its useful life or is abandoned.

Planning commissioners will discuss the draft ordinance Wednesday and vote on scheduling a November 12 public hearing on the proposal, at which point the new rules could be adopted. One solar project could already potentially be in line for the township; Traverse City Light & Power is exploring the possibility of installing an array on utility-owned property on Cedar Run Road, which is located within the boundaries of Garfield Township.

More:
Proposed Apartment Complex, Solar Rules On Garfield Township Agenda - Traverse City Ticker

The City Planning Commission, meanwhile, has thwarted or postponed action on three major commercial development proposals (including Troianis) since July. And the board of the citysUrban Redevelopment Authority[URA] hasnt reviewed a new development proposal of more than $20 million in value since May, when it approved an incremental step toward thestill-controversial redevelopmentof the former Civic Arena site.

Commercial development in the city this year has been not as much as Id like, said Tom Melcher, business manager to the Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council, an umbrella organization of construction unions. He pointed to the still-quiet arena site as an example, saying, Theres a lot of road blocks. A lot of road blocks.

Theres no sign of a slowdown in housing construction.

Greg Flisram, executive director of the citysURA, noted that the state recently awarded low-income housing tax credits to six proposals within the city, each of which will exceed $10 million in investment.

Thats consistent with Pedutos housing-first development priorities. We need to build more affordable housing, we need to build more subsidized housing, and we need to build more market-rate housing, the mayor said, while cheering the Forte project.

U.S. Census Bureau data shows that through August of this year, the Pittsburgh metropolitan area saw 81% as many new housing units approved as it did all of last year. That pace is better than those of metro Cincinnati, Baltimore, Cleveland, Toledo, Buffalo, Philadelphia or Harrisburg. (Columbus, Ohio, has performed better than Pittsburgh on housing permits, but even that city has seen an 18% drop in commercial building applications.)

The prognosis for the office-and-tech building boom in the city, though, may be darker.

Applications for commercial building permits were down 29% through September of this year versus the same period in 2019. (Some, but not all, of that drop is likely attributable to procedural changes at the citys Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections, which in May 2019 began accepting amended applications where it would previously have demanded new applications, creating duplicate permits.)

[T]he commercial real estate industry is in a period of adjustment, said Flisram. COVID-19, he said, is especially drivinguncertainty regarding office development, as developers and architects weigh the size and layout of the post-pandemic workplace. People are trying to figure out whether certain trends that they see happening now, on an interim basis, get locked in and become kind of imprinted and permanent, or whether they are kind of temporary solutions, or stopgaps.

Perhaps as a result, he has seen fewer large, new projects come before his agency, compared to earlier in the year.

Peduto said theres plenty of building coming, noting that the Penguins development team has said that theyre still going to begin construction in the first quarter of next year on the arena site. An estimated $528 million development in the Chateau neighborhood, called Esplanade, has slowed but not stopped while Millcraft Investments is working with the neighbors before seeking state aid, he added.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto speaks at the groundbreaking of the planned Forte Condos in the Strip District. Photo by Jay Manning/PublicSource.

The mayor blamed the dip on permit applications on the spring shutdown and said there was reason to hope that it will be short term. I look at it with the major developments and how many of them have been stalled or canceled. We havent had any canceled.

Developer JMC Holdings wants to build a 20-story office building in the 1500 block of Penn Avenue. It won the endorsement (with reservations) of the community group Strip District Neighbors.

There was definitely concern about the design and size, said Chris Watts, chair of the Strip groups community development committee. But the proposal struck the group as an improvement over the empty, concrete Wholey Building that it would replace. We wanted to see that property be a contributing property and felt that there were some elements that would benefit the community.

Last month, though, the Peduto-appointedCity Planning Commissionvoted down the proposal after commissioners called it a gigantic barrier and a Lego office building. JMC has the option of returning with a new concept.

A rendering of a proposed Strip District office tower, submitted to the City Planning Commission on behalf of developer JMC Holdings, on Sept. 15, 2020 (screenshot).

Two weeks later, the commission postponed its vote on developer George Mongells proposed Uptown Tech project, a conversion of a former industrial laundry building along the Boulevard of the Allies into a technology workshop and office. Commissioners acceded to the wishes of the Hill District Community Development Corp. whose officers said the developer had not specified the amount of minority- and women-owned business involvement in the construction. The commission could vote on Oct. 13.

Neither Mongell nor JMC Holdings partner Matt Cassin responded to PublicSources emails and calls. Commission Chair Christine Mondor declined to comment, saying she could not talk about matters still before her panel, and City Planning Director Andrew Dash did not agree to an interview.

Peduto backed the commissions decisions. In Uptown, he said, commissioners want to know specifically that, in development in predominantly Black neighborhoods, there are Black contractors and women contractors that are involved in it. Regarding the Strip, he said: We dont want to see new developments overtake the historic character of a neighborhood, and the Planning Commission has made it very clear to the developer that this design overtakes the neighborhood.

He also supported the commissions July decision to bar Troianis family from demolishing the Froggys building and several adjacent addresses.

That is a historic district of Downtown, the mayor said, and it sets a bad precedent when you buy buildings, dont maintain them, then declare them not able to be saved.

The Troiani family started buying Firstside parcels about 30 years ago and owns 13 of them, said Michael Troiani. The family took steps to repair and lease the long-vacant buildings but couldnt find interested tenants. Meanwhile, several of the buildings have become a card castle, ready to tumble, he said.

Thats where the structure is joined, and its stressed out, he said, pointing to one of numerous interior walls in which large cracks, patched with mismatched mortar, are evident. This has had 100-plus years of Band-Aids on this structure.

Michael (right) and Nicholas (left) Troiani stand in one of their buildings in Downtown Pittsburghs Firstside district. They say the buildings are held together with 100-plus years of Band-Aids. Photo by Jay Manning/PublicSource.

He wants to replace the boarded-up buildings with a tower including about 150 apartments and 190,000 square feet of office space. But because the buildings are in a historic district, he needs the City Planning Commissions nod before swinging the wrecking ball.

Troiani provided a timeline showing two years of meetings with neighbors, Downtown groups, historic preservationists and city officials. He won the approval of the Downtown Community Development Corp., whose Executive Director John Valentine told PublicSource: If you get development with that type of building, youre looking at jobs, youre looking at vibrancy in an area that needs that.

Architect Ken Doyno discusses plans for a 385-foot office tower on Troiani family property in Downtowns Firstside Historic District during a City Planning Commission meeting held by Zoom on June 16, 2020 (screenshot).

In June and July, though, historic preservationists opposing the demolition wrote to the commission and then spoke at its July 14 meeting.

We think we can save the buildings, or part of the buildings, Mr. Troiani can have a new building [and] we can live congenially, said Arthur Ziegler, president emeritus of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, during the commissions July 14 meeting.

Troianis development team said the buildings couldnt be preserved. The commission then voted not to allow demolition, while inviting Troiani to return with a new, complete plan for the site.

The Troiani family appealed the commissions decision to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, where briefs are due in November. The family argues that while their buildings are within the National Register of Historic Places Firstside Historic District, they are not historically significant structures. Restoring the crumbling brick walls wouldnt be economically or physically feasible, they add.

If the commission had approved demolition, Troiani said, I would be marketing the opportunity to bring a tenant in from outside of Pittsburgh to anchor a building of about 190,000 square feet in the Golden Triangle.

Instead? I have more attorneys than I ever wanted to have in my life.

PublicSource

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The Peduto administration supports some development in the city, stops other plans. A look at what's up and down in building - NEXTpittsburgh

Have you walked past the empty lot on Sutter and Wyona Ave. and wondered what is going to built there? Well here you go.

According to YIMBY, a four-story mixed-use building will be developed at 717 Sutter AvenueinEast New York. The site is 5 blocks away from the Van Siclen Avenue subway station, serviced by the A and C trains and 8 blocks away from the 3 train.

The building will be a mixed use building, with 2,030 square feet for two retail spaces on the ground floor. Ten apartments will be created, averaging 680 square feet apiece, indicating rentals. There will be a studio apartment on the ground floor, with each remaining floor having three apartments apiece. A recreational area will be created on the ground floor.

The lot is currently vacant. Construction can start as soon as permits are approved. The estimated completion date has not been announced.

Subscribe to EastNewYork.com to receive updates about the application process for this building as well as others.

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Sutter Ave Lot in East New York To Be Developed into a 10 Unit Apartment Building - eastnewyork.com

In summary

A small group of Oakland tenants landed a deal that ensures their rents remain affordable.

When Christine Hernandez moved her familyinto a yellow apartment building on 12th Avenue in Oakland two years ago, she wasnt planning on paying rent. She knew squatting was risky, but homelessness was worse. What she didnt know was that her decision would eventually put her at the forefront of a tenant-led fight to create lifelong affordable housing for the five families living in the buildings six units.

Im shifting from being in a constant state of fear, said Hernandez, whose family of six hadnt had a stable home for half a decade. But it worked out. Now were stable, legit, long term.

Hernandez and some of the other 12th Avenue tenants earlier this year got a community land trust to buy the home theyd been living in. Land trusts buy properties, retain ownership of the land, and then build or preserve affordable housing,selling or renting units back to low-income tenants at a discount.

I had to wash my child in a bucket.

Amid the Bay Areas high rental prices,community land trustshave becoming an increasingly attractive option with at least seven now operating in the region. Last year, the Moms 4 Housing group led a similar effort in West Oakland to fight their eviction from a Magnolia Street home they had illegally occupied. The owner eventually agreed to sell the home to the Oakland Community Land Trust.

The conditions at the 12th Avenue house, tenants said, had been bad for years: a dilapidated roof that leaked, missing windows, and plumbing installed without permits, all code violations found by the city of Oakland during a 2018 inspection. The rent was cheap between $800 and $1,400 monthly but the living was hard. For halfa year, some tenants said, the building had no hot water.

I had to wash my child in a bucket, said Jayda Garlipp, a mother of two who lived in one of the buildings apartments for nine years, and paid $1,050 in monthly rent.

When the longtime owner defaulted on the home mortgage, oneof the original financial backers took possession of the home and started construction work with the intention, he said, to renovate and sell quickly.

But for Hernandez and Garlipp, that meant a new owner could decide to flip the house and evict them. So, they organized: The two women tried to discourage any interested buyers and pitched the project to the Bay Area Community Land Trust, which in June bought the building for $700,000. The longtime owner could not be reached for comment.

The land trust has started construction work, including updated plumbing, new windows, an extra room for Garlipps kids and an oven, which she hasnt had in six years. The plan is to have tenants manage the buildings maintenance and live cooperatively. Tenants will pay their same below-market rents to the land trust, and Hernandez has started paying rent too.

The 12th Avenue project wasbacked by a grant of more than $1.3 millionfrom the city of Oakland and by theBays FutureFund, the investment branch of the Partnership for the Bays Future, a collaborative that finances and advocates for affordable housing. The partnership, which includes the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the San FranciscoFoundation and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, hopes to disburse half a billion dollars to fund 8,000 affordable homes by 2025 by providing low-interest loans to land trusts or developers who want to create or preserve affordable housing.

So far, thefund has invested $97 million in 14 projects with 1,121 affordable housing units in the five-county Bay Area. The financial model behind each project varies and the housing developments range from units for chronically homeless people to emancipated foster youth cohabitating with middle-income working families, according to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, which manages the Bays Future Funds financial portfolio.

Tenants are at the heart of this, said LISC CEO Maurice Jones. Frankly, they have the best intelligence. The only way you know whats happening is by talking directly to them.

The land trust movement, coupled with investment managers and funds like the Bays Future Fund, is making it possible for tenants to advocate for themselves in new ways, Hernandez said. But to do that, tenants need to know their rights and understand the ways to enforce them. Hernandez said the experience helped her find a new career path, one she realized shes been practicing for years.

Now, she is a co-director for the Sustainable Economies Law Centers new project: a radical real estate law school where apprentices like herself follow faculty attorneys for four years and then attempt to pass the bar. The goal is to teach future lawyers about alternativemodels of land ownership that help tenants buy and get affordable housing. In the meantime, Hernandez and Garlipp have started a Youtube channel for tenants facing eviction.

I can create new opportunities so that people can pass through them, Hernandez said. Ive been on the defensive for five years now its us getting into an offensive position.

This article is part ofThe California Divide, a collaboration among newsrooms examining income inequity and economic survival in California.

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From homelessness to real estate: How some Bay Area tenants won their affordable housing fight - CALmatters

But locals would prefer a more carfree Cairo

THE NEW flyover in Giza, near Cairo, is something to behold. The road runs so close to the adjacent apartment buildings that some residents can reach out of their windows and touch it (see picture). One jokingly told a local newspaper that he would invite passing motorists in for tea on his balcony. But the road is more than just an object of ridicule. To many Egyptians, it is a symbol of their governments ineptitude, as it pursues an ambitious national development plan.

The scale of construction, which includes highways linking new and planned cities, is vast. In August the transport minister, Kamel al-Wazir, said 130bn Egyptian pounds ($8.3bn) had been allocated to complete 1,000 bridges and tunnels by 2024 (about 600 are already done). The goal is to double Egypts urban space over the next 30 years. President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, a former general, wants the work done quickly. Roughly a fifth of Egypts 100m citizens live in Cairo, the timeworn capital.

Many Egyptians support the effort. Cairos roads are notoriously clogged. Part of the plan is to reorient the flow of traffic towards a shimmering new capital, 45km east of the current one. With new highways taking shape, commutes into central Cairo from the periphery have never been so brisk. The roads are a rare but tangible way in which the quality of life for many Egyptians has improved under Mr Sisi.

But much of the construction appears poorly planned. The new concrete bridges and flyovers are eyesores. Residents of Heliopolis, a relatively posh neighbourhood in the capital, mourn the loss of hundreds of trees. Public parks and squares have been paved over and roads have gobbled up pavements to make way for cars. Dozens of pedestrians were struck on one expanded stretch of road in the weeks after it reopened earlier this year. The carnage forced the government to station soldiers there to help people cross.

The construction also threatens Egypts heritage. One planned expressway would slice through the City of the Dead, an ancient necropolis listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Bulldozers have already begun rolling through a section of its more contemporary graves. Elsewhere a pair of highways is being carved through the Giza plateau, near the Great Pyramids. Egyptologists worry that archaeological treasures may be lost under concrete. (An earlier version of the Giza highway plan was scrapped in the 1990s after an outcry.)

Locals complain that the government has not consulted them (they are not allowed to protest). Urban planners say the development is misguided. They point to cities elsewhere, from Paris to Seoul, which have recently become more green and walkable. Norman Foster, an architect, put it plainly at a forum in Cairo: One has to question why one part of the world is building huge roadwork when elsewhere...the lessons have been already learned.

This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline "A rage for roads"

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Egypt is busily building expressways - The Economist