Trib: Study: Extra Mt. Lebanon real estate would cost $36.4M

It would cost about $36.4 million to create 1.2 acres of prime real estate and four stories of parking seemingly in mid-air within Mt. Lebanon’s Uptown business district, according to an engineering study released this week.

Los Angeles-based AECOM studied cost and feasibility of building a pair of steel and concrete “decks” up above the Port Authority light-rail tracks and station that run behind the Washington Road business district, with the idea that developers could build offices, condominiums and retail on the decks. Company representatives presented their findings to the board of commissioners on July 10.

Read the full article:

• www.triblive.com/neighborhoods/2175696-74/decks-lebanon-business-rail-station-aecom-build-district-authority-cost (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon envisions development above light rail tracks

With most of the space in Mt. Lebanon's Uptown business district developed, the township's next project is up in the air. Literally.

This fall, the municipality received a $150,000 grant from Allegheny County to do the preliminary engineering for a "lid" that could support development projects over the Port Authority light rail tracks behind the Washington Road business district, said Commercial Districts Manager Eric Milliron.

Read the full article:

• www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_715548.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon introduces 'star' in business district

For years, Mt. Lebanon's Uptown business district has been a paradox: a slice of downtown in a suburban setting; a walkable community that didn't take off until the Liberty Tunnels and automobiles opened up the South Hills to widespread settlement.

Last night, officials cut the ribbon on a $737,000 revitalization project along Washington Road, designed to add a touch of parkland and performance space to the businesses, offices and residences Uptown.

Read the full article:

• www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_702384.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

What Do You Think about the New Signage in Uptown?

A few weeks ago, I noticed the new signage on lamp posts lining Washington Road in Uptown Mt. Lebanon. I'm not sure what to think about urging passers-by to "Shop Local," but otherwise I think the signs look great – clean, modern, unfussy. A welcome improvement.

I've always admired the ambitious signage initiatives that certain communities have fostered, but apparently these initiatives can be expensive. Sewickley, for example, recently had its council halt a proposed wayfinding initiative because it would have cost an estimated $400,000. Ouch.

Maybe, all things considered, simpler signage is the better way.

In any case, what do you think about the new signage in Uptown Mt. Lebanon?

Christ Community Church Coming To Washington Road

It didn't take long for the space previously inhabited by La Boheme to be rented again. Christ Community Church of the South Hills, an Upper St. Clair based church, will be using this new space as their Uptown Center according to their pastor's blog. He states the reason for their selection of this space as:

Our hope and prayer for the Uptown Center is that it might become a tangible expression of the kingdom of God in the midst of this neighborhood. Our intention is to join in the work that God is already doing in this neighborhood and by faith, contribute what we can to the promotion of flourishing in this community.

On behalf of Mike and myself, welcome to the neighborhood!

Uptown's Best Kept Secret: $1 Saturday Parking

I ran some errands uptown last Saturday, and, partly out of curiosity, I parked in the Academy lot. Had I not, I probably would have looked for a metered space on the street. Walking a back to the car, I passed the South Garage and noticed that on Saturdays garage parking costs $1 all day.

This is a great policy, but could it possibly be advertised any worse? I've been uptown many times in the year since I moved back here, and I had no idea about it until last week. Cheap parking is essential for uptown businesses to compete with all the places where shoppers can go and park for free. Sure, the rates are posted on the garages, but customers have to actually come uptown and try and park in the garage to see that. The rates are posted on the MLPA website, but people don't go check parking rates on the web when deciding where to shop, they operate from memory.

If you doubt how strong the parking effect is, consider that my wife, who is not originally from here, refused to shop at Rollier's for months after we moved here because she didn't know they had a parking lot in back -- she had only ever driven by the front of the store. It never occurred to me to ask her if she knew about the lot, and never occurred to her to ask me where I park when I go there. Instead, she just went to Home Depot. She eventually discovered the lot by accident while driving through Lebo for some other reason. I think her reasoning is typical of most shoppers: they go where they feel it's easiest. The same reasoning applies to any of the businesses uptown that don't have their own parking lots. I'll be much more likely to go to Aldo's or Empire Music on a Saturday afternoon now, knowing that I only have to pay a dollar to avoid having to look for a parking space on the street -- but it took me a year to learn that I can do that.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that the street meters and Academy lot still charge hourly rates on Saturday. Why the inconsistency? The Academy lot, particularly, is equivalent to a single-level garage, why different rates? And what's up with the Sunday rates? From the MLPA rates page, I have to infer that the garages charge hourly rates on Sunday while the meters are free. Yes? If so, why?

Uptown businesses should be fiercely promoting whatever cheap parking they have available, as should the MLPA, if it wants to serve the Lebo business community.