Strip District

More luxury apartments are coming to Pittsburgh, this time in the Strip District.

Oxford Development Company on Tuesday held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the residential and mixed-use development dubbed Three Crossings.

Vice President of Business Development Shawn Fox said the name is a nod to the Strip District’s industrial past and its residential future.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh Thursday voted to terminate a contract with the Buncher Company for possible redevelopment of the Produce Terminal in the Strip District. The URA then voted to negotiate with two separate entities over the next 90 days about possible development.

One of those is McCaffery Interests of Chicago.

When Michael Rubino envisions the future of the Strip District, he sees a grand marketplace at the site of the old Pennsylvania Fruit Auction and Sales building, with a farmer’s market, restaurants, business incubators, Amish craftspeople and closeout vendors.

Pittsburgh’s Strip District has been added to the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic District.

There are currently 18 National Historic Districts registered in Pittsburgh, with the Strip District the latest addition. The 13-block area being recognized will include more than 60 buildings between 15th and 22nd streets and the St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church.

Now that we’re three weeks into the new year, it might be a good time to evaluate your progress on your new year's resolution.

Or, if you’re in the market for a new goal, try ours: Here’s a list of 51 things that every Pittsburgher should do at least once. Try to cross all 51 off the list before you, ahem, before 2014 kicks the bucket.

(Have your own ideas for must-do Pittsburgh activities? Share your own Pittsburgh Bucket List with us on Twitter and Facebook: #PghBucketList.)

A vote on whether the Strip District’s Fruit Auction and Sales Building should be designated as a historic structure will be delayed another week.

Council’s newest member, Deb Gross, represents the Strip District, and is in favor of preserving the building to the fullest extent possible.

“Having said the word 'preserve,' everyone  understands that some modifications are going to be needed to that property in order for it to achieve a positive function in the Strip District and a positive function in the business mix,” Gross said.

The race for the District 7 Pittsburgh City Council seat looks to be wide open heading into the election Tuesday.  Five candidates are vying for the spot vacated by Patrick Dowd in July.  Politically, the candidates are as diverse as the district.

A Democrat, a Libertarian, and a handful of independents all want to represent District 7, which runs from the Strip District to Highland Park and includes Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Polish Hill, Friendship, Morningside, and Stanton Heights.  

Strip District Redevelopment

If you’re noticing parking spaces around the city being taken up by art installations, sitting areas and small “parklets,” it’s because Friday is international PARK(ing) Day.

This is Pittsburgh’s sixth year celebrating the day, which highlights how public spaces and parks improve the community. The installations are meant to turn urban spaces designed for vehicle use into communal space.

This year there are 20 registered spaces throughout downtown, the Strip District, Lawrenceville, Oakland, and the South Side, compared to 19 in 2008.

Finding things to do on a Friday night in Pittsburgh isn't tough.

One might visit the bars on Carson Street or head downtown or to the North Shore for some fancy cuisine. And on any given Friday there are gallery crawls, concerts and movie showings to keep people of all cultural persuasions entertained.
 
But what about the morning after?