DU QU ES NEr.b5z.net/i/u/10061424/i/Duquesne_Report.pdf · 2020-05-18 · Duquesne. This is the first view of Duquesne after passing Second Street, southbound on Duquesne Boulevard;

DUQUESNE: CENTERDUQUESNE: CENTER OFOF THETHE CITYCITY

DUQUESNE

REDEVELOPMENT REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYAUTHORITY OF THE CITYOF THE CITY OF DUQUESNEOF DUQUESNE

Introduction

Section I: Physical Conditions- Historic Context- Duquesne Boulevard Frontage- Duquesne’s Main Entries- Grant Avenue - Main Street- Second Street- Private Design - Public Realm

Section II: Market Conditions- Market Demographics- Residential Market- Commercial Market- Area Retail Market- Reviving the Retail Plaza

Section III: Strategies and Actions- Create First and Lasting Impressions- Concentrate Development in Phases- Recruit Retail and Dining Development- Expand the Local Employment Base- Government and Community Support- Timeframe for Action Summary

Section IV: Concept Plan- New Shopping Plaza Context- New Shopping Plaza Entry - Grant Avenue Mixed Use- Grant Avenue City Gateway- City Center Crossroad - Grant Avenue Character- Green Space Enhancements- Concept Plan Budget Items

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Perkins EastmanTHE PENNSYLVANIAN 1100 LIBERTY AVENUE PITTSBURGH, PA 15222

6 Jaycee Drive, Pittsburgh PA 15243www.impacteconomics.com

Steering Committee Consultant Team

Duquesne

Mayor Phil KrivacekMel Achtzehn, DBACBoyd Anastas, DBACGene Capristo, City CouncilFran Daley, DBAC, RACDBarbara O'Neil Lane, City CouncilBernie Lucas, RACDRobert Macey, DBACElwood Martin, City Council, RACDGeorge Matta Sr., DBACJack Ouellette, DBACTim Petrisko, City CouncilFrank Piccolino, City ManagerAmy Starrett, DBACCharles Starrett, RACD

PA DCEDJack MachekDenny Puko

July 2008

The preparation of this report was financed inpart through a Land Use Planning andTechnical Assistance Grant from theDepartment of Community and EconomicDevelopment, as administered by theGovernor’s Center for Local GovernmentServices, Pennsylvania Department ofCommunity and Economic Development.

Funding


The recently published Mon Valley EconomicDevelopment Strategy noted that:

There now seems to be a wind of hope, ratherthan hopelessness, blowing up the Mon River.The Waterfront in Homestead is a visible testi-mony to the potential viability of the Mon Valley,and the ongoing development of some newemployers at the RIDC parks is readily visible.These developments are being bolstered byplans for further revitalization by theRedevelopment Authority of Allegheny Countyat the large Carrie Furnace site in Swissvale,Rankin and Braddock, at the McKeesport millsite, and at the former public housing districtcalled Cochrandale in the City of Duquesne.

There are legitimate reasons to be optimisticregarding revitalization prospects in the Mon Valleyand the City of Duquesne. The atmosphere ofdespondency that followed the structural decline ofheavy industry in the Valley is now being replacedby a "can do" spirit - a spirit rooted in successfulrevitalization projects occurring within key MonValley communities.

Certainly the City of Duquesne faces challenges.Between the 1930's and the current decade,Duquesne has seen its population decline to justone-third of its peak (7,000 people, versus over21,000 in the '30s). The population that remains ispredominantly low income, and a general decline incommunity fortunes is quite evident. That said,there are many assets and resources to build upon,and opportunities exist to leverage the growingmomentum of revitalization in the Valley.

Introduction


Some of the key assets include:

o RIDC's City Centre Duquesne industrialpark and the growth of key park employerssuch as American Textile and the introduc-tion of new tenants such as the U.S. SteelTraining Center.

o Planned redevelopment of the CochrandaleKeystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) forsmall-scale light industry flex-space.

o Kennywood land acquisition in Duquesne

o Planned local infrastructure improvement,including a $9.9 million flyover entry to theRIDC park and street improvements on GrantAvenue.

o The presence of a high visibility commercialShopping Plaza site with significant rede-velopment potential.

o Improved access to regional high schools forDuquesne high school students and local focuson Duquesne’s Elementary School.

o Surrounding entertainment and recreationassets, including Kennywood, the Mon River,and the growing Steel Valley Trail and theGreat Allegheny Passage - GAP trail system.

o Local government able to leverage state andfederal funds for aggressive project support.

In communities adjacent to Duquesne there arealso synergistic projects that increase the appeal ofDuquesne as a business or residential location.The Waterfront mixed-use development, CarrieFurnace planned mixed-use site, and the develop-ment hub of McKeesport and its RIDC park are allconvenient to the City of Duquesne.

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Against this background of development momen-tum in the Valley, the Redevelopment Authority ofthe City of Duquesne, funded by the PennsylvaniaDepartment of Community and EconomicDevelopment, solicited consulting services for pro-duction of a redevelopment plan for the core areaof the Duquesne CBD, focused on the GrantAvenue and Duquesne Shopping Plaza area of thecity. This study area represents the key commer-cial district of the city, the signature gateway intothe city and RIDC park, and a high visibility loca-tion for redevelopment.

The experienced team of Impact Economics, LPand Perkins Eastman was selected to conduct allaspects of the study and complete a revitalizationplan. The project team worked under the guid-ance of a steering committee comprising keyDuquesne leaders and stakeholders. The resultingplan prioritizes redevelopment strategies andactions based on an assessment of communityassets and opportunities.

It outlines an ambitious but realistic programdesigned to spur public and private investment inthe revitalization of the Duquesne’s Center of theCity (CBD) and the improvement of Duquesne's"design quality and sense of place."

The Redevelopment Plan Process


This economic redevelopment strategy addressesthe challenges faced by the City of Duquesne,embraces the opportunities and offers recommen-dations for initiatives targeted in three geographicareas of the City:

The frontage properties alongDuquesne Boulevard (Rt. 837), includ-ing the shopping center and propertycontrolled by public or quasi-publicentities.

Grant Avenue - which serves as theCity's "Main Street" - from DuquesneBoulevard on the east continuing uphill, westward to Sixth Street.

Second Street beginning at DuquesneBoulevard on the north and continuingtwo long blocks through Grant Avenueto Duquesne’s City Hall and LibraryPlace .

Center City Target Area

GRANTGRANT AAVENUE

VENUE

2ND STREET

2ND STREET

DUQUESNE

DUQUESNE

BLBLVD. (RT

VD. (RT. 837). 837)



DUQUESNE

G. M. Hopkins Company Maps (1872-1939), 1900 Map Plate 19 courtesy University of Pittsburgh's Digital Research Library

Section IPhysical Conditions


HISTORIC CONTEXT


c. 1938

c. 2007

Like many other Mon-Valley communities the lossin steel mill jobs and supporting industries is stillquite apparent for the City of Duquesne. In 1948,the U.S. Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corp. employedover 8,000 people at its National Duquesne Works.A production decline beginning in the 1960s endedwith the mill closing its doors for good in 1980.

Along with McKeesport, Duquesne began losingpopulation as early as 1940 after peaking at 21,396in the 1930's. Including the loss of nearly one-quar-ter of its population between 1960 and 1970, theCity of Duquesne's population decline has aver-aged over 16 percent per decade since 1940. In2000, Duquesne's population of 7,332 is one-thirdof its peak over 70 years ago.

City Center ShiftIn 1938, the intersection of Grant Avenue andDuquesne Boulevard was central to the physicaldensity of residential, industrial and commercialuses. Today, that same area illustrated in thedashed yellow circle is mostly comprised of streets,parking lots and vacant land. The center of theCity’s physical density has shifted to the intersec-tion of Second Street and Grant Avenue, as illus-trated within the dashed red circle.

The 2006 image shows some striking contrastscompared to earlier days: RIDC Riverplace wherethe steel mill and residential blocks once stood; thecurrent shopping plaza in the former commercialcore; and a 1970s subdivision on the formerCarnegie Library site.


Second Street looking toward Grant Avenue

West End Termination of Library Place

Northwest Corner of Duquesne and Grant Avenue

Grant Avenue west from Duquesne Boulevard

Then and Now

Historic post card images courtesy CDCardSales

Once a graceful tree-lined residential street, thisfirst block north of Grant Avenue originally includedOliver School. The site is now the Truman TowerApartments, its adjacent parking lot and a front yarddominated by a switchback accessible ramp.

This two block center median street originallyserved as the approach to the Carnegie Library ofDuquesne. The library’s demolition in 1967, result-ed in Library Place losing its focal point and thecontext for the special street treatment. The streetnow terminates at the back of a single-family lot.

The northwest corner, now vacant and east ofGrant Towers Apartments, was once central to thecommercial core that established Grant Avenue asDuquesne's "Main Street". The unique traffic signalin the intersection most likely explains the existenceof the center circle at Second and Grant today.

At Duquesne Boulevard, this block was once part ofa densely built commercial core. After demolition ofthe buildings, the street was widened with the addi-tion of a planted median. The north side is vacantand the only building on this block is now NationalCity Bank on the south side of the street.

Second Street

Library Place

First Street and Grant Avenue

Grant Avenue


DUQUESNE BLVDFRONTAGE


Property Ownership

GRANT AVENUE

2ND STREET

DUQUESNEBLVD. (RT. 837)

First and Lasting Impression

The vast majority of people who experience theCity of Duquesne do so as they travel alongDuquesne Boulevard at 40 to 50 MPH speeds. Theaverage weekday traffic counts (according to a2000-2001 study) in front of the shopping centertotaled over 23,000 vehicles per day: 12,604 vehi-cles per day in the northbound lanes and 10,510vehicles per day in the southbound lanes ofDuquesne Boulevard (State Route 837). Thefrontage along Duquesne Boulevard, just beyondSecond Street south to Library Place is dominatedby vacant land and surface parking. For those whoonly see the City of Duquesne from this perspec-tive, they are not left with a very favorable impres-sion. Just as the front porch of a house presentsthe public face of its residents, the frontage alongDuquesne Boulevard does the same for the City ofDuquesne.

Land Ownership

The area of the parcels highlighted on the adjacentmap total roughly 17 acres. Approximately half ofthis total is owned by a public entity, including theRACD, which owns nearly 5 acres. The balance ofthis area includes apartment buildings at SecondStreet (A); an automotive repair shop (B) at themid-entry of the shopping plaza (C); Grant TowersApartments (D); National City Bank (E) and theDuquesne Business Center (F).

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D E

F


Because of its prominent location along DuquesneBoulevard, the shopping center is essentially the“front porch” of Duquesne. Unsightly and poorlymaintained, the center is more than half vacantand controlled by an out-of-state owner. Althoughcurrent in real estate tax payments, there has beenvery limited investment in the property over thelast 10 years.

Except for the lone one-story building, the propertynorth of the Shopping Center is vacant and ownedby the Redevelopment Authority of the City ofDuquesne. This is the first view of Duquesne afterpassing Second Street, southbound on DuquesneBoulevard; a less than impressive first impressionof the City.

The 311 spaces at the Port Authority’s park-n-ridelot (bordered by Library Place, First Street, theChurch parking lot and Route 837) cover a sitenearly as large as the shopping center. Overall theparking lot is extremely under-utilized and the mid-dle section is almost never used.

The soon to be demolished pedestrian overpass isa reminder of the former connection between thesteel mill and the City of Duquesne. In the back-ground, the Duquesne Business Center is on theleft and Christ Light of the World Church is on theright.

North of the Shopping Center

Duquesne Plaza Shopping Center

Port Authority Parking Lot

View from RIDC Riverplace


DUQUESNE’SKEY ENTRIES


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Three intersections serve at the City’s key entries:

Grant Avenue and Duquesne Boulevard

If the frontage along Duquesne Boulevard isDuquesne's front porch, then Grant Avenue isits front door threshold, or the main gateway tothe Center of the City. The key issues includefirst impressions and lack of massing that sug-gests the main entry to the City.

Second Street and Duquesne Boulevard

As southbound traffic along DuquesneBoulevard crosses the bridge over the railroadtracks, Second Street offers the first opportunityof a direct route into the Center of the City andaccess to the surrounding residential blocks.Key issues include identity and traffic speedcoming off of Duquesne Boulevard.

Library Place and Duquesne Boulevard

Once the main approach to the CarnegieLibrary of Duquesne, Library Place now servesas direct access to the Port Authority's parkinglot, the Duquesne Business Center and theresidential blocks south of Grant Avenue. Thekey issues include scale, landscaping and theoriginal versus current purpose of the street.

These key entries are the gateways. They provideopportunities to make a good first impression andwelcome visitors to the Center of the City.

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321 Second Street at Duquesne Boulevard

Library Place: DuquesneBoulevard to Second Street

Grant Avenue at Duquesne Boulevard

This block, up to First Avenue, includes the busi-ness district sign installed in the early 1980s (topphoto); National City Bank (top photo background);a median with pavers and a few trees (middle andbottom photos); the vacant corner with excess sur-face parking for the shopping center (bottom photo)and a small parklet at the north west corner ofDuquesne Boulevard and Grant (not shown).

Southbound on Duquesne Boulevard, SecondStreet (top photo) provides somewhat of an “off-ramp” - relatively high-speed - access to VFW Halland apartment building (middle photo). Secondstreet also is a direct connection to the Center ofthe City (see the building at Second and Grant onaxis in the bottom photo) and the residential blocksnorth of Grant Avenue.

Liberty Place is lined by single family housesbetween First Street and Second Street (top leftand middle photo) and provides access to the PortAuthority parking lot and the Duquesne BusinessCenter (top right photo). At Duquesne Boulevard,Liberty Place provides for two lanes of travel ineach direction, suggesting its original purpose ofproviding a main approach to the demolishedCarnegie Library of Duquesne.

REDEVELOPMENT REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYAUTHORITY OF THE CITYOF THE CITY OF DUQUESNEOF DUQUESNEREDEVELOPMENT REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYAUTHORITY OF THE CITYOF THE CITY OF DUQUESNEOF DUQUESNE

GRANT AVENUE“MAIN STREET”

6th 5th

The Key Commercial District

Grant Avenue is the primary traditional commercialdistrict, or "Main Street" of the City of Duquesne. Inaddition to storefront businesses, Grant Avenueoffers direct connections to the heart of Duquesne'sresidential streets to the north and south and linksto the City of Duquesne School, City Hall and theadjacent park and other local institutions.

The character of the street varies block by block interms of density, land use and building type. Theonly consistent thread from First Street to FourthStreet is the brick pavement which is undulating atseveral points - at least in the traffic lane - and iscurrently slated for resurfacing during 2008.

Some of the key issues along Grant include:

o Several vacant parcels of land, especially atcorner locations, where it is most important toanchor the commercial character of the street.

o Vacant buildings - some simply unoccupied,while others are in dire need of structural andstabilization and physical repair. Without inter-vention, some of these buildings could sufferthe fate of demolition, exacerbating the nega-tive symbolism and reality of vacant parcelsalong the City's main street.

o A lack of street level commercial activity,caused in part by inconsistent hours of opera-tion, various storefront uses and lack of marketappeal with the enclosed and insular buildingfacades.

Sixth Street to Fifth Street Fifth Street to Fourth Street

The north side of this block notably includes avacant corner lot at Fifth Street and the G&M Bar.The ten parcels on the south side of the block arebisected by an alley, contain one house, two vacantlots and commercial properties from one to threestories.

In addition to the corner pharmacy at Fifth, thisblock’s north side has several two story storefrontbuildings, a church and a residential-type structureat Fourth. Three vacant lots account for one-third ofthe south side of the block; an apartment building isat Fifth and a vacant building at Fourth.


4th 3rd 2nd 1st

Fourth Street to Second Street Second Street to First Street First Street to Duquesne Boulevard

These two blocks include the school’s parking lotand the City park and the corner clock tower on thesouth side. The north side is solidly anchored bybuildings on all four corners at Fourth, Third andSecond, but these vary greatly in their physical con-ditions and occupancy.

A long narrow two story former flower shop anchorsthe northeast corner at Second, with a large vacantlot next door. Grant Towers on the northwest cornerat First is opposite another vacant lot on the southside of the street. One of the City’s most handsomebuildings is on the southeast corner of First.

The corner of Grant and Duquesne Boulevard con-tains a small isolated park, adjacent to the elevatedparking lot of the shopping plaza on the north sideof the block. The south side of the block is occu-pied by National City Bank and its corner parkinglot along Duquesne Boulevard.

Indicates Key Vacant Parcels

REDEVELOPMENT REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYAUTHORITY OF THE CITYOF THE CITY OF DUQUESNEOF DUQUESNEREDEVELOPMENT REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYAUTHORITY OF THE CITYOF THE CITY OF DUQUESNEOF DUQUESNE

SECOND STREET Second Street Entry Second Street North Block

An Entry and Anchor Street

Running roughly parallel to Duquesne Boulevard,Second Street offers the first entry that directlyserves the Center of the City and its surroundingresidential blocks. Once composed of respectableand physically solid residential blocks, SecondStreet still has some sound single family houses,but also includes houses that are not well main-tained, some that are vacant and an excess ofvacant lots.

Additionally, Second Street combines with GrantAvenue to create the crossroads of the City Centerof Duquesne, serves City Hall, connects to LibraryPlace and terminates only when it reaches theCochrandale KOZ site.

Some key issues along Second Street include:

o The lack of street trees diminishes the residen-tial character of both long blocks.

o The ramp-type entry off of Duquesne Blvd.encourages a high-speed approach into theneighborhood. Because of the long blocks andlack of street calming features (street trees,clearly delineated crosswalks, solid street park-ing), traffic speed is not significantly reduced.

o The excessive number of vacant parcels andseveral poorly maintained houses in the southblock create blighted conditions which not onlydetract from reinvestment in the area, but, if leftunchecked with further the decline in valuealong the street..

With access to or from the southbound lane ofDuquesne Boulevard, Second Street offers a directentry to the Center of the City and access to theresidential streets north of Grant Avenue.

This block includes a handful of vacant parcels, achurch, mid-block apartment building and mostlysingle family houses. Some need repairs, but oth-ers are reasonably maintained.


Solid House

Vacant House

Vacant Lot

Second Street South Block Second Street and Grant Avenue

The seven-story apartment building’s scale tends todominate the south block. The east side of thestreet is problematic with several vacant parcelsand poorly maintained houses.

The first few hundred feet of Second Street, northof Grant Avenue present both a challenge and anopportunity to establish a positive impression andsolid core for the heart of the Center of the City.

A Representative Sample ofSecond Street Conditions

Indicates Vacant Parcels

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PRIVATE DESIGN- PUBLIC REALM

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Good Condition Fair Condition Poor Condition

Design and Conditions Visual Matrix

Two perspectives form the impressions of buildingsalong Duquesne's "Main Street". The first is thedesign character and quality of the buildings; thesecond is building condition. The nine photos to theright provide illustrations of the range of buildingson Grant Avenue from both a design and a physicalcondition perspective.

The adjacent matrix illustrate examples of wherethese impressions meet (with building conditionalong the top in columns and building design run-ning in rows). They represent a range of buildingswith good design and in good condition (upper left)to poor condition and poor design (lower right).

When assessing the district-wide impact and poten-tial for individual buildings - whether new or existing- the City of Duquesne needs to strive for increasedstandards for good and contextual design.

An emphasis on maintaining and improving buildingconditions assures that existing or future uses willbe enhanced. In the case of solid, yet vacant struc-tures, an initial investment in building stabilizationwill yield greater returns in the long run and bemuch more cost efficient and symbolically effectivethan premature demolition of these structures.

Grant Avenue Building Scale/Design & Condition Matrix


Institutional Integrity and Public Places

Whether deserved or not, the character of publicand/or institutional structures and facilities sends amessage about commitment, investment and prideof place.

Duquesne's main school building and theDuquesne Business Center represent a level ofphysical quality so often lacking in budget-con-scious new construction.

Duquesne's City Hall and the U.S. Post office build-ing are more modest, but still very respectable incharacter, but could be greatly enhanced with land-scaping improvements and modest site upgrades.

The "temporary" school buildings, to the east of themain building are at best an eyesore and symboli-cally represent a lack of commitment to quality pub-lic education. And the former church structure onSecond Street- in questionable structural conditions- sends the wrong message to those coming to dobusiness across the street in City Hall.

Parks can play a key role in community revitaliza-tion and economic development providing publicamenities for working families, retired individualsand local employees. Organizations such as theAmerican Planning Association (APA) and theProject for Public Space (PPS) have documentedthe positive impact of parks on residential land val-ues, neighborhood safety and business attraction.

Public or Institutional Buildings Public Parks

Clockwise from upper right: Duquesne School;Duquesne Business Center, City Hall; DuquesneSchool Annex; vacant building across from CityHall; the U.S. Post Office on First Street.

From top to bottom: The parklet along DuquesneBoulevard (Rt. 837) and Grant Avenue; the PortAuthority’s Parking lot from First Avenue lookingsoutheast; the City Park from the School lookingnortheast; the City Park looking south from acrossGrant Avenue.

REDEVELOPMENT REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYAUTHORITY OF THE CITYOF THE CITY OF DUQESNEOF DUQESNE


DUQUESNESection II

Market Conditions


2000 - Census2007- Projected% Change

% Change forNext 5 Years

Median AgeIn 5 Years

White:African Amer:Hispanic/Latino:

9,2988,329

(10.4)%

(7.6)%

36.335.8

45.6%50.6%1.0%

1 Mile Radius 3 Mile Radius 6 Mile Radius U.S. Comparison

281,421,906301,045,522

7.0%

4.6%

36.5%37.6%

73.1%12.4%14.9%

283,124xxx,xxx(x.x)%

(x.x)%

36.537.6

78.62%18.35%0.91%

92,32285,616(7.3)%

(5.9)%

41.742.7

74.6%22.5%1.1%

2000 - Census2007- Projected% Change

% Change forNext 5 Years

4,0213,694(8.1)%

(6.4)%

105,480,101113,668,003

7.8%

4.9%

124,178118,164(4.8)%

(4.6)%

39,43237,221(5.6)%

(5.2)%

2007 Household In 5 Years% Change2007 Per capita

$31,389$33,545

6.9%$14,098

$66,670$73,73710.6%

$25,495

$49,720$54,309

9.2%$22,581

$40,887$44,696

9.3%$18,090

POPU

LATI

ON

HO

USE

HO

LDS

INC

OM

E

% Employed

Emp. CiviliansUnemployedNot in labor force

Blue CollarWhite CollarService or Farm

34.4%

46.1%5.7%

48.2%

34.4%46.1%5.7%

47.1%

60.2%3.6%

35.7%

23.9%60.1%16.0%

45.0%

55.1%3.8%

41.1%

19.1%63.2%17.8%

41.1%

51.4%4.5%

44.0%

23.0%55.9%21.1%

EMPL

OYM

ENT

Owner-Occupied1-Unit Detached% Built Prior to 1939

56.9%60.8%

35.4%

67.0%60.8%

16.5%

64.1%62.7%

34.1%

63.7%65.9%

38.7%HO

USI

NG

%25+ yrs old w/Professional/PhDor MA DegreeBA Degree

1.7%6.6%

8.9%15.7%

9.1%13.1%

3.4%9.1%H

IGH

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MARKETDEMOGRAPHICSMarket Strengths and Opportunities

o A slightly younger median population age thanthe nation in the 1-mile zone.

o Almost 300,000 people live within a six-mileradius of the site.

o Lower than average levels of employment mayimply available labor. However, the employa-bility of this potential pool in terms of educationand skills is an unknown variable.

Market Challenges and Weaknesses

o Declining population.

o Much lower levels of household income andper capita income compared to the nationalaverage.

o Income gap between market area and thenation is projected to widen.

o Comparatively low level of employment withinDuquesne (34.4% over the age of 16employed in the 1-mile radius, vs. 47.1%nationally). The situation is better at the 3-mile and 6-mile levels (41.1% and 45%.respectively).

o Comparatively low population numbers withbachelor's or post-graduate degrees.


1 mile3 mile 6 mile

Redevelopment planning for the Grant AvenueCorridor requires understanding the position of thecorridor, as well as the City of Duquesne in gener-al, in relation to market conditions. While certainaspects of urban revitalization can be accom-plished through the use of public funds (urbanlandscaping, streetscapes and parking) a centralbusiness district, such as the Grant AvenueCorridor, must also attract private sector businessdevelopment. Private sector development is ulti-mately determined by market forces and positivemarket conditions.

Understanding the market position of the GrantAvenue Corridor required the Impact Economics/Perkins Eastman planning team to access informa-tion and data from multiple sources relating to:

Area demographicsRetail marketResidential real estate marketCommercial real estate market

Demographic and retail market data were sourcedthrough Claritas. Real estate data came from twosources, with residential real estate data from theWest Penn Multi-List and commercial real estatedata from Co-Star, generated by by the AlleghenyCounty Department of Economic Development.

Duquesne AreaDemographics

The assessment of demo-graphic data used concentriccircles centered on theDuquesne shopping plaza at31 Duquesne Boulevard.

Circles covered 1 mile, 3 mileand 6 mile radii from this hub,as shown in the adjacent illus-tration.

Market Assessment


RESIDENTIALMARKET

Impact Economics, LP accessed the Multi ListService to gather data on residential real estatesales for a six-month period and listings within theDuquesne zip code (15110). The data analysiswas performed in late September 2007.

According to this residential market analysis, thesales price of listings - both single family and multi-family units - in the Duquesne zip code is generallyquite low. By comparison, according to theNational Association of Realtors, the Median SalesPrice of Existing Single-Family Homes for thePittsburgh Metropolitan Area was $120,700 in2007.

While the good new is that housing is affordablefor home buyers in Duquesne, the downside is thatmarket prices are so depressed there is effectivelyno capacity for new market rate construction.

In all likelihood, without subsidy, for for-profitdevelopers in this market could not attain salesprices to cover construction costs, let alone pro-vide an attractive return on investment.

Market Strengths and Opportunities

o Housing prices are extremely affordable inDuquesne.

o Change in status vis-à-vis high school forDuquesne students likely increases attrac-tiveness of the community for families withschool age children.


o House prices are depressed to a level thatprecludes private-sector developers pro-ducing new housing stock for the market.

o Housing stock is generally quite old incomparison to national averages.

Area Residential Market

Location of Residential Units for Sale in Duquesnefor six-months prior to September 2007.


In September 2007, 50 single family residenceswere on the market within Duquesne. The aggre-gate characteristics of these listings are as follows:

Average Listed Price = $35,174Median Listed Price = $34,900Minimum = $7,000Maximum = $84,900

The table to the right summarizes the 26 listingssold between April and September 2007 in the Cityof Duquesne:

Average Listed Price = $24,560Average Sold Price = $20,850Median Listed Price = $19,900Median Sold Price = $16,750Minimum Sold Price = $3,100Maximum Sold Price = $70,000*

* Only one house, a 5 bedroom unit, sold for morethan $50,000.

Listing and sales of multi-unit residential propertiesin Duquesne are shown in the table below. InSeptember 2007, eight multi-unit properties wereon the market containing 36 individual dwellingunits.

The average list price per unit is $27,945.

In the preceding six months, two multi-unit proper-ties sold with an average sales price of $30,500per unit.

Single Family House Listings and Sales

Multi-UnitListings and Sales


COMMERCIALMARKET

The commercial real estate market analysis wasfacilitated by the Allegheny County Department ofEconomic Development. They provided access totheir Co-Star commercial real estate property data-base for purposes of the Duquesne planning study.

Co-Star has the most complete database of com-mercial properties in the nation, and the depth ofits datasets provides for detailed analysis of com-mercial real estate markets to be performed.

Within a three mile radius of the DuquesneShopping Plaza, CoStar data showed the follow-ing, as of September 2007:

908 commercial properties with a rentablebuilding area (RBA) of 25,277,589 SF.

A total of 12.3% of this RBA is vacant, while88.7% leased.

In 2006 net absorption totaled 280,722 SF,which increased in the first three quarters of2007 to 377,806 SF.

Of the total 3,103,342 SF of vacant property,2,944,670 SF is vacant and available.

The total available space, including occupiedspace that is to be vacated, amounts to3,546,088 SF or 14% of the total RBA in themarket area.

Full service gross rent averages $13.14 persquare foot. The range of $1.00 to $22.00 isbased on data for 120 leased spaces.

Triple net averages $5.86 per square foot. Therange of $2.50 to $28.00 is based on data for 66leased spaces.

Market Strengths and Opportunities

o Multiple spaces are available within themarket, and revitalized brownfield spaceavailable at adjacent RIDC Riverplace site.


o Absorption rates are anticipated to remainlow for the foreseeable future.

o Significant additions of new commercialspace are not anticipated.

o Overall vacancy rate is anticipated to grow.

Commercial Real Estate AnalysisArea Commercial Real Estate Market


The above graph shows CoStar's commercial real estate activity projections for the market area.Absorption rates are expected to roll forward at a similar rate to the 5 year average absorption.

Very little in the way of net delivery of new space is anticipated. Vacancy rates are projected to increasefrom circa 11.5% at the current time to 12.5% in late 2009.

AREA RETAILMARKETMarket Strengths and Opportunities

Potential opportunity to recapture leaking retaildollars through development of some potentialnew retail operations:

o General merchandise storeso Grocery storeso Building materials and supply dealerso Lawn, garden equipment and supplies

storeso Limited-service eating placeso Furniture and home furnishings storeso Pharmacies and drug storeso Office supplies, stationery, gift storeso Computer and software storeso Specialty food storeso Camera and photographic equipment

storeso Used merchandise stores.


o Considerable leakage of retail purchasedollars to areas outside of Duquesne andthe surrounding six-mile market radius.


Understanding the potential for increased retailoperations is key to determining the potential forrevitalization of the district built, at least in part,upon retail development.

The retail market analysis needed to uncoverpotential sales areas of opportunity or gaps withinthe market. Impact Economics went to Claritas,the nations leading provider of market data, toaccess their Retail Market Power™ (RMP) gapanalysis marketing database. This database pro-vides an actionable portrait of sales opportunityfacilitating retail gap analysis, helping to assessthe potential for revitalization and growth strategiesthrough targeting the sales gaps that may exist inthe marketplace. The RMP database allows forcomparison of the supply-side and demand-side ofretail sales within specified market radii.

The Claritas data presents a measure of consumerdemand/expenditures, allowing the user to calcu-late any market gaps or surpluses in the market-place. The dataset uses 88 store type variables.As with the demographic analysis, market circleswere centered on the Duquesne Shopping Plazaencompassing a 1 mile, 3 mile and 6 mile radius.

Within a 1 mile radius of the Duquesne ShoppingPlaza total consumer expenditures on retail items(including eating and drinking establishments)totals $102.7 million annually. Within this same 1mile radius, total retail sales equal only $42.9 mil-lion. Thus the gap totals $59.8 million - represent-ing local dollars effectively leaking out of theimmediate community to make purchases fromnon-local retailers.

Similar gap situations exist at the 3-mile and 6-mile spatial scales. Within the 3-mile radius thereis the largest retail gap amounting to $414.9 mil-lion. At the six mile level this shrinks to $181.1million.

It should be noted that the six-mile radius encom-passes major retail locations including MonroevilleMall, the Century III area, and The Waterfront inHomestead. These are regional shopping destina-tions, and thus inflow of funds occurs from outsideof the area in terms of shopping at these locations.That said, even with these major retail centers,local demand for retail purchases exceeds localsupply.

From this analysis, the data is sorted in order oftotal retail gap (opportunity) for the 1 mile radiusspatial area. It is not assumed that everything list-ed within this radius is a candidate for a new retailoperation located in the study zone. In manyinstances the local demand is being met by busi-nesses located outside of the study area radius,but still within a convenient distance for mostshoppers.

Area Retail Market


Within a three mile radius of the study zone, thereare some major retail categories with significantunmet local demand. There are 17 retail cate-gories, for example, with unmet local demand of$10 million or more.

In considering retail opportunities for the GrantAvenue Corridor study area some categories ofretailing can be ruled out because they would begenerally unsuited to the available site conditionsand character.

The study area is characterized by two primaryretail zones - Grant Avenue with comparativelysmall store frontages located in older buildings,and the Duquesne Shopping Plaza representing astrip mall location. The Shopping Plaza, of course,does represent an opportunity for redevelopmentgiven the total land area it contains.

Generally speaking, the type of retail operationssuited to the study zone include those that do notrequire a "big box" or "superstore" format (whichwould not be in keeping with the scale and charac-ter of the study area) - rather, retail opportunitiesshould be sought in categories better suited to asmaller retail presence in main street store frontsor strip-mall type formats.

Using these parameters it is evident that therecould be demand-based opportunities forDuquesne in attracting retail operations in thesectors listed in the table below.


REVIVING THERETAIL PLAZAPotential Scenario for Duquesne Plaza Shopping Center Site

The adjacent table illustrates two scenarios forthe Duquesne Plaza Shopping Center, based onthe estimated gap in market opportunity, theaverage square foot sales per type of store andthe general occupants for both community andneighborhood shopping centers.

For the two types of centers (as defined by theUrban Land Institute), the potential for theDuquesne site is as follows:

o Community Shopping Center: 131,460 SF

General Merchandise 65,000 SFGrocery Store 49,000 SFLimited Service Eating 2,700 SFFull-Service Restaurant 7,750 SFFurniture & Home Furn. 4,800 SFOffice Supply, Stationery 3,250 SFOther Health & Pers. Care 3,960 SF

o Neighborhood Shopping Center: 61,660 SF

Grocery Store 49,000 SFLimited Service Eating 2,700 SFFull-Service Restaurant 7,750 SFOffice Supply, Stationery 3,250 SFOther Health & Pers. Care 3,960 SF

* ULI - The Urban Land Institute, (Dollars and Cents ofShopping Centers, 2002) provides descriptions of the charac-teristics of both community shopping centers and neighborhoodshopping centers, and data from their extensive research.

A Neighborhood Shopping Center provides for the sale of dailyliving needs - convenience goods like food, drugs, hardware,and personal services. A supermarket is the principal tenant inthis type of shopping center.

The median size of U.S. neighborhood shopping centers in theeast is 68,920 square feet, with an upper to lower decile rangeof 42,720 to 95,350 square feet.

A Community Shopping Center contains many of the conven-ience tenants that are found in neighborhood shopping centers,while offering a wider range of apparel, hardware, home fur-nishing, home improvement, and specialty stores. In addition,the center also may include banking and professional services,personal services, and recreational facilities. A discount depart-ment store and/or large supermarket usually is the principaltenant in this type of center. Community shopping centers typi-cally do not have the drawing power of a regional or superregional center due to their substantially smaller size.

For U.S. community shopping centers in the east, the mediansize is 205,695 square feet, with an upper to lower decile rangeof 119,493 to 371,949 square feet.

Scale, Market and Potential Site Capacity

Calculating the Duquesne SF Scenarios:

The amount of square footage for the DuquesneSF scenarios were derived as follows:

Start with the the 3-mile radius gap in sales foreach retail classification (in dollars).

Divide by the average sales per square foot (fromULI*) for each type of retail store to determine theopportunity gap in square feet.

Divide the total square feet by the average size forthat type of store, which results in the gap of thetotal number of stores for the 3-mile radius.

The Duquense store scenarios - for both a com-munity shopping center and a neighborhood shop-ping center - draws from the total number of storesfrom each retail store classification.


The WaterfrontHomestead, PA

Southside WorksSouthsidePittsburgh, PA

East SideEast LibertyPittsburgh, PA

Banksville PlazaBanksville - Pittsburgh& Dormont, PA

Big Box andEntertainment

- Over 1 Million SF

- 400,000 SF in thehighlighted area“Town Square”

- Big Box Anchors

- Regional Destination

- Typically Single-Story

- Isolated from historicdowntown

Urban LifestyleCenter

- +/- 600,000 SF

- Office & ResidentialAbove Retail

- Structured Parking

- Anchors unique tothe Pittsburgh market

- Regional Destination

- Near, but unconnect-ed to “main street”

Specialty UrbanRetail

- +/- 120,000 SF

- High-end retail inurban neighborhood

- Two levels includingstructured parking

- National retailers withregional draw andonly location in abroad Regional mar-ket (Whole Foods)

NeighborhoodStrip Retail

- +/- 100,000 SF

- Primarily one-story(partial two-story)strip retail with afacelift

- Auto oriented marketon high-volumeBanksville Avenue

- Recent FacadeImprovements

Duquesne Shopping Center and RACD Property

To help visualize the scale of retail developmentpotential for the Duquesne Shopping Plaza the

adjacent images illustrate the size of theDuquesne site, inclusive of the adjacent propertiesowned by the RACD, in comparison to other retail

developments in the region. In terms of physicalsize, the site is more conducive to a small commu-

nity shopping center (such as East Side in EastLiberty) or a neighborhood shopping center

comparable to Banksville Plaza on thePittsburgh/Dormont border.

In addition to the sales gap within the 3-mileradius, the shopping center also has the potentialto draw from the roughly 500 employees at RIDC

Park and the 23,000+ vehicles per day which passthe site along Duquesne Boulevard (Rt. 837).



DUQUESNESection III

Strategies & Actions


STRATEGIESAND ACTIONSAs noted in the introduction, there is redevelop-ment momentum occurring in the Mon Valley,and Duquesne has significant assets to buildupon in its redevelopment efforts. To leveragethese assets, and accelerate economic andsocial revitalization in Duquesne, several strate-gic initiatives are recommended by the ImpactEconomics/Perkins Eastman project team.

A good strategic plan presents a comparativelycompact number of main strategy elements.Limiting the number of main strategy elementshelps to provide focus for organizations and par-ties involved in leading strategy implementation.Separate implementation teams may be formed,for example, to take charge of the implementa-tion of each strategy - thereby breaking a seem-ingly gargantuan task into elements that aremore manageable. Or, one central team canguide the implementation of the entire strategy,allocating work on each element to specific sub-committee teams.

For the Duquesne revitalization project, the proj-ect team refined all of the key issues, opportuni-ties, needs and required actions into five mainstrategies. These seek to address the develop-ment gaps identified and leverage areas ofstrength and opportunity for the future. Withineach strategy lie a series of specific recom-mended actions that need to be made to effec-tively enhance the economic performance andsustainability of the Duquesne study area.

o Strategy One: Create First and LastingImpressions - creating attractive and inspiring"gateways" to the redevelopment area thatcommunicate a positive impression ofDuquesne.

o Strategy Two: Spatially ConcentrateDevelopment and Make Progress in Phases- working to achieve a critical mass of revital-ization through concentrated development instrategic locations.

o Strategy Three: Recruit Retail and DiningDevelopment - developing and implementing aretail and restaurant recruitment program topopulate existing and newly developed retailspace.

o Strategy Four: Work to Expand the LocalEmployment Base - collaborating with arearedevelopment authorities to facilitate furtheremployer development on the RIDC park, atCochrandale and within expanded retailingfacilities.

o Strategy Five: Coordinate Government andCommunity Support - coordinating the activi-ties of local government and community organi-zations to promote an enhanced quality ofplace in the redevelopment area. Top Photo: An open corner transformed into an out-

door public room for gatherings and events

Bottom Photo: The mixed-use building anchors thestreet in both directions with commercial base andresidential upper floors.


A viable community should be a goodplace to live, work, shop and do busi-

ness. Mixed-use creates economicvitality. Thus industrial corridors and

commercial strips are as important asdecent affordable housing

Ted Wysocki, CEO Local Economic & Employment Development

(LEED) Council - Chicago, Illinois

Top Photo: Abundant upper floor windows, first floorawnings and pedestrian friendly oriented storefrontsall contribute to an active and vibrant commercialdistrict.

Bottom Photo: A balance of street trees and welldesigned storefronts offer a pleasant pedestrianexperience in small scale commercial districts.

Top Photo: The pedestrian scale of 2-3 story cornerbuilding is enhanced by the ground floor transitionlinking the outdoor sidewalk and the indoor use.

Bottom Photo: The elements of mixed-use build-ings, street trees, safe crosswalks, mixed-uses,street furnishings and street parking help to createa unified and successful small commercial district.


Strategy One:Create First and LastingImpressionsMost communities in the Mon Valley developedalong utilitarian pathways, rapidly expanding in afairly unplanned manner to meet the residential andcommunity needs of employees at the large heavyindustry operations located along the Valley floor.The result of unplanned growth, and later structuraleconomic decline, is readily evident in Valley com-munities that now look run-down and aestheticallyunappealing. The study area within the city ofDuquesne is no exception.

While the study area contains some magnificentolder structures and open space, together withmodern redevelopment buildings in the RIDC park,there remains much work to be done to make areally positive first impression for those visitingDuquesne or traveling through on Route 837. Theprimary gateways into Duquesne and the studyarea need to be considered "signature sites" for thecommunity and be a focus for highly visible andinspiring redevelopment and aesthetic improvementinitiatives.

By creating a strong first impression at these signa-ture sites, Duquesne sends a message that it isinvesting in its future. Several sites and gatewaysneed to be considered "signature sites", as identi-fied in the adjacent aerial.

Second Street andDuquesne Boulevard

Shopping Center andDuquesne Boulevard

Grant Avenue andDuquesne Boulevard

Library Place andDuquesne Boulevard

Second Street fromDuquesne Boulevardto Library Place

City Hall, DuquesneSchool and Park

Second Street andGrant Avenue

Grant Avenue fromDuquesne Boulevardto Second Street

Enhance the Gateways to the Center of the City

Create Special Districts and Nodes for Development


Incorporate design enhancements as part of the 2008 plans toresurface Grant Avenue from First Street to Fourth Street, toassure that the functional infrastructure improvements provideadded value for Duquesne's commercial district.

Form a signature sites working group to oversee plans and siteimprovement activities, for the areas that will have the greatestimpact and opportunity to leverage private investment.

Target key community gateways and work with architects, plan-ners and landscape architects to produce high quality “entrances.”Start with Grant and Duquesne Boulevard and landscaping theplanted median up to First Street.

Initiate Grant Avenue property and business owners roundtable todevelop an accurate database for property use, availability, poten-tial development and collective marketing strategies.

Initiate building stabilization efforts along Grant Avenue, particular-ly at key corner buildings that could be lost due to exposure to theelements.

Action 1.1

Action 1.2

Action 1.3

Action 1.4

Action 1.5

6 to 18 months

6 to 18 months

6 to 18 months

6 to 18 months

6 to 18 months


Duquesne is one of 30 Mon Valley municipalitieswithin Allegheny County. Each of the other com-munities in the Valley has individual issues, devel-opment needs and hopes for the future. Thesecommunities, in part, represent competitors forscarce redevelopment resources from externalfunding agencies.

Given constrained municipal financial resources,the City of Duquesne cannot finance alone theimprovements needed to revitalize the study area -rather, the City needs the support and resources ofCounty, State and federal government agencies.Redevelopment financing is rarely available in onelump-sum to cover all of the projects needed torevitalize a community, rather it is available moreon a project-by project basis. As such, it is criticallyimportant that the Duquesne revitalization strategycarefully select and phase its projects into a realis-tic timing framework.

Strategy Two:Spatially ConcentrateDevelopment and MakeProgress in Phases

Grant/837Gateway

Improvements(Strategy One)

Gain Access/OwnershipOf Plaza

Site

Draft PlazaMixed-Use

DevelopmentPlan

AssemblePreliminaryFinancing/IncentivesPackage

SolicitDeveloperProposals

PlazaRedevelopment

Progresses

Retail andRestaurantRecruitment

(Strategy Three )

ExistingPremises onLower Grant

Integrated intoPlan

ImprovementsTo

ExistingPremises onLower Grant

Plaza redevelopmentspurs inves tment in adjacent commercialproperty on low erGrant Avenue

Gateway im provem entsencourage investmentand dem onstratecomm itment

Plaza revitalization into a new mi xed-use developm ent. Primary project used to spur additional investm ent in comm unity

Ref inement ofmixed-use conceptplan outlined byPerkins Eas tman/Im pac t Economics herein

L ater phases of housing development on Second Street, upper Grant Avenueredevelopment, and increased employment base a t RIDC and other locations d riven by development momentu m from Plaza and Lowe r Gran t revitalization.

Phased Development Flow(Strategy Two)

The diagram above illustrates the Impact Economics/Perkins Eastman team recommended phasedapproach for the study area revitalization.


Secure ownership of Plaza site (an alternative is to move thisaction step further back in the process - whereby a selecteddeveloper acquires the site).

Refine the Plaza plan contained in Section IV of this report (draft-ed by Perkins Eastman/Impact Economics) into a tool for develop-er solicitation.

Incorporate existing premises on Lower Grant into the Plaza revi-talization plan to present a unified development district.

Work with County, State, Federal and local redevelopment andfinancing agencies to assemble financial incentives package forPlaza site redevelopment.

Formally solicit development proposals from local/regional devel-opers.

Select developer and proceed with Plaza revitalization

In parallel with Actions 2.5 and 2.6, solicit building owners onLower Grant to conduct improvements to premises in accordancewith revitalization plan

Assure that the Steel Valley Trail & GAP trailhead development isintegrated with Lower Grant/Plaza revitalization to encourage trailuser utilization of Duquesne retail services.

Action 2.1

Action 2.2

Action 2.3

Action 2.4

Action 2.5

Action 2.6

Action 2.7

Action 2.8

6 to 18 months

6 to 18 months

6 to 18 months

6 to 18 months

6 to 18 months

18 to 36 months

18 to 36 months

(ongoing)


The revitalization strategy starts with a geographi-cally compact area, but expands out over timebuilding upon success and momentum from earlierphases.

Phase I encompasses the intersection of GrantAvenue and Duquesne Boulevard and the FirstStreet and Second Street Intersections.

Phase II concentrates on a plan for PlazaRevitalization with a parallel track (IIA) seekingto revitalize premises for retail on the lowersection of Grant Avenue between the Plaza siteand Second Street and the two other gateways.

Phase III envisions further expansion ofimprovements to the first blocks of SecondStreet on either side of of Grant Avenue (withhousing infill and rehabilitation and further com-mercial infill), plus integrated improvementsfocusing on the Municipal building locale, parkand school connectivity.

Phase IV improvements along the secondblock of Second Street north of Grant Avenue,plus extension of retail and commercial growthon Grant Avenue north of Second Street.


Reposition Shopping Plaza Shopping CenterRehabilitation ofExisting Buildings

New Shopping CenterBuildings

Phase II Phase III Phase IV

Grant Avenue and FirstStreet - Mixed-UseAnchor Building

Phase ISummary of RedevelopmentActions/Projects

Establish Welcoming Gateways Library Place Medianand Street Trees

Second and DuquesneBlvd Gateway -Landscaping andSignage

Grant Median: FirstAve. to Duquesne Blvd

First Block of Grant: - Signage/Furnishings- Tree Trenches

Stabilization of Nodes Along Grant & Second Grant Avenue Infill -First to Second

Grant Avenue Rehab -First to Second

Building FacadeImprovements - Secondto Fourth Street onGrant

New Parklet at Firstand Grant

Building FacadeImprovements - Fourthto Sixth Street on Grant

New Duquesne ParkCampus

Enhanced Intersections:- Second and Grant - First and Grant

Infrastructure Loop Improvements Building FacadeImprovements - First toSecond Street on Grant

Second Street StreetTrees and TreeTrenches - First BlockNorth of Grant

Remaining SecondStreet Street Trees andTree Trenches

Second StreetResidentialDevelopment


The retail market analysis shows that there are sig-nificant retail gaps within both three mile and sixmile radii from the Duquesne Plaza site. Thesegaps represent potential opportunity areas for newretail store development in Duquesne.

Key retail development opportunities, with over a$25 million supply gap, are evident (at the threemile radius level) in:

o "General Merchandise Stores" and "OtherGeneral Merchandise Stores" with a combined$100 million opportunity

o Clothing Stores and Clothing AccessoriesStores with a combined $70 million opportunity

o Grocery stores (with a $35 million gap)

o Building material and supply dealers ($63 mil-lion gap).

The analysis also shows retailing expansion oppor-tunities in the dining sector with a gap of $18.5 mil-lion in "limited service eating places" and $17.6 mil-lion in "full-service restaurants".

Clearly, the successful redevelopment of the City ofDuquesne's commercial district centered on GrantAvenue, and the redevelopment of the DuquesnePlaza shopping center site, are both contingent onattracting retailers and dining establishments tolocate there.

Strategy Three:Recruit Retail and DiningDevelopment

Retail attraction is a specific skill, and requires ded-icated promotional actions to achieve success.There are three approaches typically adopted bythose seeking major retail developments:

o Marketing by an experienced site developer(often to retail chains with which they haveexisting relationships from other successfuldevelopments).

o Marketing by a hired retail marketing specialistfirm.

o Self promotion by the community in whichdevelopment is located.

City Government and the economic developmentcommunity in Duquesne have very limited experi-ence or expertise in retail attraction strategy.Because of this, one of the alternative attractionapproaches will need to be adopted. If financialresources are able to be gathered to secure theservices of professional retail attraction consultantsthis would be the preferred course of action.

Willingness to retain the services of a retail attrac-tion consultant may also be helpful in securing sitedeveloper proposals. Developers will appreciatethe proactive assistance in leasing/pre-leasing theirspace.

Retail Attraction Consultants - a Selection

Todreas Hanley Associates (Cambridge, MA)

Buxton Company (Fort Worth, TX)

Retail Attractions, LLC (Owasso, OK)

Talbot Consultants International (Toronto, Canada)


Prepare a package of information on the retail opportunity inDuquesne based upon the information contained in the ImpactEconomics/Perkins Eastman strategy report and associatedClaritas-based retail gap analysis.

Work to secure funding from government and/or foundationsources for retail development consulting services.

Distribute the package of information on retail opportunities inDuquesne to retail development consultants and ask them to pro-vide a statement of qualifications and interest in advance of beingsent an RFP.

Issue RFP to selected retail development consultants. Placeemphasis on specific services in identification of specific retailersto be targets and specific services to be provided in recruitingcompanies to Duquesne locations in the redeveloped Plaza andGrant Avenue corridor. Emphasize need for dining as well asretail sales.

Have selected retail consultant work hand-in-hand with selectedPlaza site developers in assuring site layout and building specifi-cations are an optimal match for the preferences of targeted retail-ers and restaurant chain operators.

Implement marketing services per retail consultant recommenda-tions.

Assign a team of high profile community representatives, includingleading employers on the RIDC park, to meet with retail companyrepresentatives during site reconnaissance visits to Duquesne.

Action 3.1

Action 3.2

Action 3.3

Action 3.4

Action 3.5

Action 3.6

Action 3.7

6 to 18 months

6 to 18 months

6 to 18 months

6 to 18 months

18 to 36 months

18 to 36 months

18 to 36 months


Expanding the daytime employment base in andaround the City of Duquesne is an important ele-ment in achieving sustainable revitalization ofDuquesne's downtown. The low income demo-graphic profile of Duquesne's residents limits theappeal of the City for new retail and commercialdevelopments - therefore it is important to show ahigher income demographic among those workingat RIDC and other convenient locations who couldshop at revitalized downtown locations.

To this end, the daily work of the RedevelopmentAuthority of the City of Duquesne and regional part-ners is promoting employment growth within theCity is of critical importance to a sustainable strate-gy. The 250 acre City Centre Duquesne park oper-ated by the RIDC is THE major employment hub,and expansion of current park tenants and new ten-ants must be a central goal for the City ofDuquesne. It is likely that the flyover ramp to thesite will significantly increase the attraction of thepark for potential tenants, who previously were con-strained by the risk of delays attributable to thegrade level railroad crossing site entrance.Likewise, the planned development of light industri-al, warehousing and commercial space at theCochrandale site is also of significant importanceas a potential employment growth engine.

Strategy Four:Work to Expand the Local Employment Base

In addition to Duquesne specific activities it isimportant that the City assure that the AlleghenyCounty Department of Economic Developmentimplement the detailed actions contained in theMon Valley Economic Development Strategy - astrategy designed to boost employment and sus-tainability in the Mon Valley regional economy.With the City of Duquesne centrally located withinthe Valley, as it runs through Allegheny County, thehealth of the Valley economy directly impactsDuquesne's economic and social health.


Push for progress on light industrial and warehousing premisesdevelopment at the Cochrandale site.

Develop joint marketing plan, with the RIDC, to enhance promo-tion and awareness of RIDC location advantages. Reach out toany companies that rejected the park because of rail grade cross-ing to notify of flyover ramp construction.

Build upon small cluster of construction and remodeling compa-nies in Duquesne to create joint promotion of capabilities, anddevelop construction trades training center with rehabilitation ofspace on Grant Avenue as test sites.

Support activities of surrounding communities in their economicdevelopment work, helping to generate critical mass of employ-ment growth in this region of the Valley.

Assess the feasibility of establishing a small retail business (micro-business) incubator on Grant Avenue, with goal of seeding newretailers into the district and encouraging entrepreneurial activity.(Bradford, PA has a successful working model for this).

Action 4.1

Action 4.2

Action 4.3

Action 4.4

Action 4.5

6 to 18 36 months

6 to 18 36 months

18 to 36 months

18 to 36 months

18 to 36 months


Under this strategy are a series of actions thatrespond to issues and economic development gapsidentified during the course of the project. Theseactions are largely the responsibility of governmentor community-based organizations, or a combina-tion of the two. The central goals of these actionsare to improve Duquesne's "quality of place" andenhance a positive business climate.

The strategy to coordinate government and com-munity support can mimic the approach taken in“Main Street” communities. The Main Street pro-gram orchestrates actions under four headings:design, promotion, organization and economicrestructuring, as summarized in the adjacent “FourPoint Approach Matrix for Action Planning”.

Duquesne need not apply for Main Street designa-tion, but incorporate some of the lessons learnedfrom these communities and the methods advocat-ed by the program.

Strategy Five:Coordinate Governmentand Community Support Four Point Approach Matrix for Action Planning

Source: www.padowntown.orgMainstreets Program


Engage in activities that increase the aesthetic appeal ofDuquesne:

o Design standards for development in the Duquesne centralbusiness district and key gateway locations

o Completion of Grant Avenue pavement resurfacing in a man-ner that maintains unique character, facilitates parking andpedestrian functionality and exudes quality

o Form a community volunteer corps to maintain key landscap-ing features in collaboration with City public works crews

o Develop updated signage system.

Promote and sustain high levels of public safety and security inthe Duquesne CBD revitalization area. Sustain highly visiblepolice officer/deputy presence on foot or bike patrol in the district.

Form a business round table, focused on retailers and downtownbusinesses, to facilitate discussion of shared issues and needs.Assure City government is highly responsive to issues and needsraised.

Once the Plaza and lower Grant Avenue redevelopment is in-place, work to schedule regular community events that create"buzz" and draw a regional audience - thereby building exposurefor the revitalized Duquesne CBD.

Develop a Duquesne CBD promotional Website providing detailsof planned developments, showing progress being made, and pro-viding an active forum for community participation and input.

Action 5.1

Action 5.2

Action 5.3

Action 5.4

Action 5.5

6 to 18 months

18 to 36 months

18 to 36 months

2 to 5 years

6 to 18 months

REDEVELOPMENT REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYAUTHORITY OF THE CITYOF THE CITY OF DuquesneOF Duquesne

Action 1.1 Design Enhancements on Grant1.2 Signature Working Group1.3 Targeted Entries/Gateways1.4 Property/Business Owners1.5 Grant Ave. Building Stabilization

Action 2.1 Plaza Ownership2.2 Refine Plaza Concept Plan2.3 Incorporate Grant Ave in Plans2.4 Government Gap Financing2.5 Solicit RFP for Site2.6 Select Developer2.7 Building Owner’s Improvements2.8 GAP Trail Coordination

Action 3.1 Retail Info Package3.2 Retail Development Consulting3.3 Interest Inquiry to Consultants3.4 Issue Consultant RFP3.5 Consultant/Developer Work3.6 Implement Marketing plan3.7 Community Rep. Team

Action 4.1 Cochrandale Progress Push4.2 Joint Marketing Plan4.3 Construction Trades Cluster4.4 Support Surrounding Activities4.5 Micro-Business Development

Action 5.1 Design Improvements5.2 Public Safety Enhancements5.3 Business Roundtable5.5 Duquesne Promotional Website5.4 Schedule Regular Events

Action 1.1Action 1.2Action 1.3Action 1.4Action 1.5

Action 2.1Action 2.2Action 2.3Action 2.4Action 2.5

Action 2.8

Action 3.1Action 3.2Action 3.3Action 3.4

Action 4.1Action 4.2


Action 2.6Action 2.7Action 2.8




Action 2.8

Action 5.5

6 to 18Months

18 to 36Months

3 to 5Years

Timeframe for ActionSummary


DUQUESNESection IV

Physical Concept Plans


NEW SHOPPINGPLAZA CONTEXT

No. 2: New Shopping Center MixSingle Story with +/- 140,000 SF

City Edge - Town Center Viable Alternative: Single Story & One 2+ Story +/- 180,000 SF

No. 1: New “Mid” Box RetailSingle Story with +/- 170,000 SF

+/-42,000 SF

+/-55,000 SF

+/-63,000 SF

+/-5,000 SF

+/-5,000 SF

+/-75,000 SF

+/-12,000 SF+/-20,000 SF

+/-12,000 SF

+/-20,000 SF

+/-57,700 SFon 2.5 Floors

+/-55,000 SF

+/-12,000 SF

+/-10,000 SF

+/-14,000 SF+/-18,000 SF

No. 3: New Town Center Two and Three Stories with +/- 322,000 SF

+/-97,000 SF

+/-136,000 SF+/-89,000 SF2- Stories

an 18,000 SF expansion and a 12,000 SF, 14,000SF and two 10,000 SF buildings.

Along Grant Avenue between Duquesne Boulevardand First Street the three-story corner buildingincludes limited first floor commercial space frontingon Grant with senior apartments above. The totalincludes approximately 130,000 SF of single storyretail, 7,000 SF of commercial and 50,000 SF forthe upper floor apartments in the corner building.

The first scenario includes three medium box retailstores ranging from 42,000 to 63,000 SF; con-ducive for general merchandise or a grocery store.It also includes, two 5,000 SF buildings on out-parcels at the mid-point entry off of DuquesneBoulevard. The total includes approximately170,000 SF of single story retail.

Scenario two includes a new big box retail store at75,000 SF and four other buildings ranging from12,000 to 20,000 SF - suitable for restaurant, fast-food or a drug-store chain. This scheme alsoinvolves the demolition of the existing shoppingcenter resulting in all new construction totalingapproximately 140,000 SF of single story retail.

The third scenario illustrates the potential to buildout the site - irrespective of market - to the maxi-mum physical development including a minimalallowance for parking. This includes two to threestory buildings with footprints ranging from 6,000 to22,000 SF. The total includes approximately322,000 SF of new building area.

The first two massing models illustrate scenarios fora Community Shopping Center development, basedon the gap analysis from the previous section ofthis report. The third is simply physical potentialwithout market consideration. All three involve thedemolition of the existing shopping center.

The adjacent City Edge -Town Center Alternativeincorporates the use of the existing shopping plazastructures, plus 64,000 SF in four new buildings:


Begin by Anchoring the Corner of the City’s Gateway

Reclaim and redefine the First Street right-of-way as a city street, in addition to anew shopping center entry..

Develop a new three-story corner anchorwith ground floor commercial and/or com-mon space for the senior housing on theupper two floors.

Consider the potential for future develop-ment of another corner anchor building.

Create a new park with better access toGrant Towers, the bank, post office andnew mixed-use development along Grant.

Emphasize the unique circle intersection,with highlighted crosswalks using asphaltimprinting techniques at both First andSecond Street intersections.

Develop an open space plaza for new retailspace in conjunction with with new land-scaping for the adjacent Grant Towers.

Reinforce residential character of SecondStreet with new street trees and plantingbump-outs within parking lanes.


NEW SHOPPINGPLAZA ENTRY Current Conditions at the corner of the Shopping

Plaza and Grant Towers

Defined TrafficLanes

ReconstructBuilding Corner

LandscapedParking Islands

This creates not only aquasi-public pedestrianplaza for the revitalizedShopping Center, butalso offers a bufferbetween the GrantTower Apartments andthe Shopping CenterParking Lot.

A new entry offersclearly defined trafficlanes and a strongseparation of pedestri-an and vehicular paths.The current public rightof way and the shop-ping center parking lotboundaries are blurredwith a larger pavedarea, with no pedestri-an amenities.

Creating a true cornerlocation for the shop-ping center offersopportunities for a newrestaurant (with or with-out outdoor dining) andestablishes an invitingfacade to draw peoplein from Grant Avenue.

A landscaped parkingisland helps to definethe travel lanes, reducethe “heat island” effectresulting from all pave-ment and no greenspace; and provides abuffer between theentry and the potentialcorner developmentsite on Grant and First.

Sidewalk Plaza

With careful design considerations, the First Streetentry can be transformed from the undefined swathof asphalt that exists today, to a neighborhoodfriendly streetscape which doubles as a new entryto the shopping center.

The potential opportunity to revitalize the shoppingcenter can be leveraged with public infrastructureinvestments:

- A new entry from Grant Avenue that reclaimsthe exiting First Street right-of-way.

- A transformed first impression of the shoppingcenter from Grant Avenue.

- An enhanced physical attractiveness of the siteand appealing sense of place for a number ofusers - residents, retailers and customers.

- Landscaping not just as an amenity, but thatserves as buffers and adds stormwater man-agement benefits.


Incorporating Landscaping and publicopen space with Retail Store Developmentand Parking

Photos clockwise from upper left: Small cornerplaza in Asheville, NC; Landscaped parking lot inEast Liberty; corner of retail parking lot in Chicagoon Lincoln Avenue; Lincoln Square commercialdistrict in Chicago.

Reclaim First Street to Redefine the Intersection Entry


GRANT AVENUEMIXED-USE Current Conditions at First Street and Grant

Avenue looking toward Duquesne Boulevard (left).

New Mixed-Use Corner Building

Traffic-CalmingCrosswalks

Shared Biking orParking Lane

LandscapedMedian

The new buildinganchors the corner andre-establishes a pedes-trian friendly streetfrontage. The base ofthe building canaccommodate buildingmanagement offices,common rooms andsome limited commer-cial storefronts facingGrant Avenue, andserving both RIDCRiverplace and theCenter of the City.

Clearly delineatedcrosswalks add adesign element to thefirst intersection,increasing safety forboth pedestrians andcars, especially theneighboring residentsand employees.

In addition to servingas a traffic calmingdevice, this sharedshort-term parking andbike lane is an addedamenity for the devel-opment of the cornersite. The bike lane willadd to the “Trail Town”potential when theGreat AlleghenyPassage (GAP) Trailconnects through RIDCRiverplace.

Reinvigorate the exist-ing median with newlandscaping and streettrees, sending an effec-tive and cost-efficientmessage that the Cityof Duquesne is under-going positive change.

Grant Avenue from Duquesne Boulevard to FirstStreet will set the tone for the first impression ofDuquesne. Whether targeting those who are pass-ing by on Route 837 or visitors to the City ofDuquesne, this first block is crucial in symbolizingchange for the City of Duquesne.

Targeted public investment will help leverage mar-ket development and market investment beginningwith this gateway to the City.

The best opportunity for development is on thenorth side of Grant Avenue and transforming thehighly underutilized and oversized parking lot of theexisting shopping center. A three-story cornerbuilding will anchor the future development of boththe Shopping Center and uphill along the GrantAvenue business district.


Mixed-Use Buildings: Residential Above Commercial

Photos clockwise from upper left: East Libertyaffordable housing in Pittsburgh; loft apartments inChicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood, commercialstorefronts below new apartments in Chicago’sRoscoe Village; mixed-use in Asheville, NC.

Develop a Three-Story Anchor at the Corner Site


GRANT AVENUECITY GATEWAY Current Conditions at Duquesne Boulevard and

Grant Avenue looking toward First Street (left).

New Tree Trench& Street Trees

Delineated Bike orParking Lane

Landscaped Bio-Swale

CompactStorefronts

The added sidewalkwidth on the south sideof this block allows foraddition street trees.

These street trees, setin tree trenches, on thesouth side of the streetwill help to provide theneeded physical bal-ance currently notpresent because of thedifferentiated buildingsetbacks on either sideof the street.

This shared parkingand bike lane com-pletes the loop to thenew GAP bike trailaccess and permitsshort term parking forbank customers.

The landscaped medi-an offers the potentialto serve the dual roleof bio-swale to captureand naturally treatsome of the stormwa-ter runoff.

The addition of a lowdecorative iron fencewill not only add anartistic element, but willprovide the necessarysupport for plant pro-tection in the winter.

The site grading on thiscorner location allowsfor small compactstorefronts at streetlevel along GrantAvenue.

The upper floor seniorapartments are easilyserved on the backsideparking lot level andsecond floor of thebuilding.

As the primary gateway to the Center City ofDuquesne, Grant Avenue's transformation is criticalto a renewed image of Duquesne. Implementationof the improvements includes:

- New street trees and tree trenches on thesouth side of the street, with a potential to part-ner with National City Bank.

- Planted median to include removal of pavers,existing trees and poor soils; proper sub-baseand planting bed preparations; installation ofnew salt-tolerant street trees and perennials;and optional low-height decorative fence, whichalso serves as support for winter protection.

- Refreshing the signage at Grant and DuquesneBoulevard does not necessarily mean new sig-nage, but could be an artistic modification tothe existing sign standard.

- Coordinated streetscape furnishings: trashcans, cigarette urns, recycling cans, benches,and landscape fencing.


Street Trees and Planted Medianson Commercial Streets

Photos clockwise from upper left: Tree-lined “mainstreet” in Lewisburg, WV; planted street median onChicago’s Ashland Avenue; Grant Street plantedmedian in Pittsburgh; Chicago’s Roscoe villagetrees and tree trenches.

Invest in Streetscapes to Attract Private Development


CITY CENTERCROSSROAD

Expand and Wrapthe Corner

Establish NewCrosswalks

Targeted InfillDevelopment

Traffic-CalmingIntersection

Unlike the other threecorners, the northeastcorner cuts sharply intoSecond Street.

Expand the cornersidewalk and relocatethe curb to create amore typical cornerradius and allow for thepotential to wrap thebuilding’s first floorstorefront around theSecond Street facade.

In order to emphasizethe importance of thisintersection and toincrease pedestriansafety, provide four tex-tured crosswalks atSecond and Grant.

Using an imprintedasphalt process, thecrosswalks can be eas-ily added after thebasic resurfacing ofGrant Avenue.

Actively pursue theinfill development ofthe block between Firstand Second with newthree-story develop-ment on the north sideof the street and revi-talization of existingbuildings on the southside of Grant.

The paved center circleof the intersectionrecalls the historicaldesign of Grant Street.With an added centralfeature - small land-scaping circle or his-toric stop sign, it willhelp keep traffic mov-ing slowly through theintersection.

The true City Center of Duquesne is grounded atthe intersection of Grant Avenue and SecondStreet. The central importance of this this spot isunderscored by what is encompassed within a500-foot radius:

- Grant Avenue from Duquesne Boulevard toFourth Street and Second Street north toTruman Towers and Library Place to the South

- City Hall, the City’s park, Duquesne PublicSchool and half of the Shopping Center.

and a 1/4 -mile radius (or a 5 minute walk):

- The entire Shopping Center and Grant Avenuefrom Sixth Street into the heart of RIDC Park.

- North on Second Street almost to DuquesneBoulevard and south to Viola Avenue.

Current Conditions at Grant Avenue and SecondStreet looking toward Duquesne Boulevard (left).

500’ Radius


Reinforce Second and Grant as the City’s Center

Enhanced Intersections and Key Corner Sites

Photos clockwise from upper left: Sidewalk cafe inPhiladelphia; “Streetprint” intersection in KansasCity, MO; “Streetprint” intersection at LoyolaUniversity, Chicago; corner cafe in Asheville, NC.


GRANT AVENUECHARACTER

Corner Buildings

Storefronts and Building Facades

Vacant Lots, Blank Walls and Windows

Corner buildings are special and should be treatedthat way. At a minimum the buildings shouldactively address both streets and uses thatengage the street frontage should be highlyencouraged. At a central intersection such asGrant and Second, sidewalk uses along the build-ing frontage enlivens the street level and gener-ates positive pedestrian activity.

Storefronts and building facades along city “MainStreets” are important in their contribution to thepublic face and first-impressions of a community.First floors with high percentages of storefrontglass are more inviting, increasing the chances offirst time customers entering the business. In thecase of this local tavern, which storefront is moreinviting to the passerby?

Vacant lots, blank walls and boarded up windows -especially on a city's main street - are significantdeterrents to private investment. If the marketmakes it unfeasible to build or rehab, interimmeasures such as interim green space on vacantlots, murals on blank walls and plywood artworkare cost effective solutions for short term-holdingstrategies.

PotentialExisting

Street Furnishings and Signage

In addition to landscaping and street trees, streetfurnishings, way finding signs and business sig-nage are all components that help unite a busi-ness in character and marketability.


Enliven Street Level Storefronts and Building Facades

Storefront Windows, Simple PerpendicularSignage, Banners and Window Art

Photos clockwise from upper left: Baltimore store-fronts and signs; Chicago banners; Asheville, NCstorefront restoration; artistic plywood board-up inBaltimore.


GREEN SPACEENHANCEMENTS Current Conditions as viewed from the corner of

City Hall at the parking lot entry on Second Street.

Remove OpenSpace Barriers

A New School &Public Campus

LandscapedParking

Current site conditionsprovide for limited con-nections between theschool, the park andCity Hall. The backsides of the temporarybuildings face the park-ing lot and impose onthe former open spacebetween the schooland City Hall.

Reclaiming the landnow occupied by thetemporary trailers cre-ates the opportunity toopen up a public cam-pus shared by theschool, the park andCity Hall. The hillsideoffers a natural outdoor“amphitheater” settingfor special events.

A newly configuredparking lot and land-scaped parkletenhances the City Hallenvirons and creates amore unified linkbetween the park, CityHall and the school.This could be a placeto hold small festivals,farmer’s markets andother weekend specialevents.

Remove SchoolTrailers

Since the school nolonger serves the HighSchool grades, it isassumed that the trail-ers are no longer need-ed for additional space.

Removing these struc-tures sends a clearmessage of changeand allows for thepotential

1

4

5

3

2

1

Create a new Duquesne Park Campus link-ing the school, the park and City Hall.

6

Landscape the median at Library Place for anew gateway at the Duquesne BusinessCenter and to complete the landscaped loop.

Develop modest gateway at Second Streetand Duquesne Boulevard with new signageand landscaped edge.

Begin to re-establish the residential characterof Second Street through an intensive streettree plan with a continuous tree-lined loop.

Integrate stormwater management tech-niques such as infiltration beds and treetrenches in the extensive public parking lot.

Replace the current parklet at DuquesneBoulevard and Grant Avenue with a newparklet at First and Grant.


Create Added Value with Open Space Landscaping

From Street Polesto Street Trees

From Hardscapeto Landscape Other Key City of Duquesne Locations

Second and Duquesne Boulevard

Second Street Block North of Grant

Port Authority Parking Lot

Vacant Corner Lot at First and Grant

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CONCEPT PLANBUDGET ITEMSGATEWAYS, MEDIANS & ANCHORS

Grant Median - Duquesne Blvd to FirstSignage & Furnishings AllowanceStreet Tree Trenches - First Block of Grant Avenue

Library Place Median and Street TreesSecond and Duquesne GatewaySecond St. Tree Trenches - First Block N of GrantSecond St. Tree Trenches - Remaining Blocks

Intersection - Second & GrantIntersection - First & Grant

New Parklet at First and GrantNew Duquesne Park Campus

SUB-TSUB-TOTOTALAL

$290,000$ 92,500

$382,500$382,500

$210,000

$157,500

$367,500$367,500

$182,500

$265,000

$447,500$447,500

Phase II Phase III Phase IV

$215,000$ 97,500$ 35,000

$ 60,000$ 47,500

$455,000$455,000

Phase I

REVITALIZATION PROJECTS

Grant and First Mixed-Use AnchorShopping Center Renovation Shopping Center New Buildings

Grant Infill - First to SecondGrant Rehabilitation - First to Second

Grant Avenue Facade Improvement AllowanceFirst to SecondSecond to FourthFourth to Sixth

Second Street Residential Development

SUB-TSUB-TOTOTALAL

$2,850,000

TBDTBD

$ 265,000

$3,1$3,115,000+15,000+

$5,250,000

TBDTBD

$ 595,000

$5,845,000+$5,845,000+

$ 720,000

TBD

$ 720,000+$ 720,000+

$6,800,000

$6,800,000$6,800,000

$1,652,500$1,652,500

Total

$16,480,000+$16,480,000+


New Second Street Gateway

Retail Entry at DuquesneBoulevard to New ShoppingCenter

+/- 75,000 SFof Future Building Potential

Second Street Tree-Lined Loopto Library Place & DuquesneBoulevard

New Grant Avenue Gateway fromDuquesne Boulevard to SecondStreet Intersection

New Three-StoryMixed-Use Corner Anchor

Reconstructed Corner ofShopping Center Building withNew Plaza Entry

New Shopping CenterEntry at Grant

Documents

DU QU ES NEr.b5z.net/i/u/10061424/i/Duquesne_Report.pdf · 2020-05-18 · Duquesne. This is the first view of Duquesne after passing Second Street, southbound on Duquesne Boulevard;