Door open to close Bigelow near Cathedral?

[TIGER-PAUL]

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/tr...nes-to-Bigelow-near-Pitt/stories/201610310224

After several years of planning, Pittsburgh is ready to move ahead next year to install bicycle lanes on Bigelow Boulevard to eliminate a gap in Oakland.

And the city is willing to work with the University of Pittsburgh on its long-stated goal of eliminating motorized traffic on Bigelow where the street passes between the Cathedral of Learning and the William Pitt Union, city planning director Ray Gastil said Monday.

 

[ERICCARTMAN]

Excellent news.

 

[ameoba defense]

This is easily done, but, in order to keep traffic flowing, parking will need to be totally eliminated on both S. Bouqet, and S. Bellefield in the area of Forbes and Fifth. They'll also need to change the lights at Fifth and Bigelow to give pedestrians a walk only light, so that pedestrians can be made to stay out of the street when the light is green for cars coming north on Bigelow, and making the now mandatory right onto Forbes.

 

[Swervin27]

has anyone tried to drive on bigelow between union and cathedral on a weekday? Tried it once years ago, it took about 45 minutes.. Zero reason for that road smack dab in the middle of a college campus..

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

has anyone tried to drive on bigelow between union and cathedral on a weekday? Tried it once years ago, it took about 45 minutes.. Zero reason for that road smack dab in the middle of a college campus..

I believe noted Pitt hater Jim Ferlo has long been an impediment to making this happen

 

[Swervin27]

I believe noted Pitt hater Jim Ferlo has long been an impediment to making this happen

well then jim ferlo must be destroyed.. btw, who is jim ferlo?

 

[CaptainMurphy]

well then jim ferlo must be destroyed.. btw, who is jim ferlo?

State senator, retired last year.

 

[Swervin27]

State senator, retired last year.

oh ok, well he's retired so let's call of the "destroy mission."

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

I'm sure he'll still comment on 'yet another Pitt land grab'

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

he was the one who famously stood in front of the Syria Mosque wanting to prevent it from being torn down, even though the previous owners had no qualms about it. One of the bigger d^ckheads in Pittsburgh history.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

oh ok, well he's retired so let's call of the "destroy mission."

for all the crap he has thrown our way over the years, the destroy mission would still be relevant in retirement

 

[CaptainMurphy]

I like the idea for sure.

If you want to think on a really grand, never going to happen scale, capping/burying Forbes and Fifth between Bouquet and Bigelow would do wonders for opening up campus and eliminating pedestrian accidents.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

Did the Ferlo opposition also have something to do with the owner of The O? I remember hearing this years ago but was never sure if there was any truth to The O owner being a big piece of the opposition. It didn't really make sense to me.

 

[VAPITTALUM]

A long overdue project. Having vehicles trying to take chances to avoid having to sit and wait for students running between classes has been a perfect cocktail for disaster. Glad to see the city finally recognizing the importance of safety for both the students and motorists who travel this area.

 

[Swervin27]

Did the Ferlo opposition also have something to do with the owner of The O? I remember hearing this years ago but was never sure if there was any truth to The O owner being a big piece of the opposition. It didn't really make sense to me.

there was a story of local business owners opposing this road closure but I never did understand the reasoning behind it. Maybe increasing traffic with the forbes/fifth turnaround process. Maybe more cars turn up on Thackeray or N bouquet instead of bigelow? Like it really would make a difference to their business. Anyone going to eat at the O is used to cars zooming by now.. Maybe someone like Paco can describe it better.

 

[CorsosRevenge]

This only took 20 years. Good job.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Ferlo is so courageous he waiting until he was retired to reveal that he is gay.

About Bigelow, Pitt needs to play hardball. If the city wants to waste money on the pretend bus rail line, then Pitt can either make it easy or hard for them.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

The closure - and "greening" - of Bigelow between Forbes & Fifth would be, IMHO, one of the biggest things to help Pitt in years. And it's about time...something that's been long overdue.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

It doesn't seem that there is any plan to close it. They are saying that the cars will be parked parralel and an island in the middle of the street, which would make it look prettier but still open for cars.

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

he was the one who famously stood in front of the Syria Mosque wanting to prevent it from being torn down, even though the previous owners had no qualms about it. One of the bigger d^ckheads in Pittsburgh history.

I don't like Ferlo either and Bigelow should have been closed off in the 80's. However tearing down the Syria Mosque to put in a parking lot was an ENORMOUS mistake and should never have happened.

 

[Panthergrowl13]

Final closing is part of the discussion.

At least it is now part of the discussion.

HAIL TO PITT!!!!

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

It doesn't seem that there is any plan to close it. They are saying that the cars will be parked parralel and an island in the middle of the street, which would make it look prettier but still open for cars.

Well, then no deal. It needs to close permanently for Pitt to get a win here. A little grass island isn't going to get it done. Basically, they need to green off the whole thing.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

I don't like Ferlo either and Bigelow should have been closed off in the 80's. However tearing down the Syria Mosque to put in a parking lot was an ENORMOUS mistake and should never have happened.

paved paradise put up a parking lot.

Like that other fabled Oakland institution, Pitt Stadium, the Mosque had long outlived its usefulness. Ever catch a concert there in the middle of July? Fun stuff. The shriners (or whatever group it is) had no interest in sinking tons of money into renovating, they were thrilled to sell it.

I agree it should have been used as something more beneficial than a parking lot. But other than that where is the enormous mistake? Shriners made a ton of money, Pitt/UPMC got land.

 

[CorsosRevenge]

Didn't the Syria Mosque not have central air conditioning?

Not only should Bigelow between Fifth and Forbes be closed, they should dig up the roads between Hillman and Mervis. Leave the one in front of the Carnegie Library since a connector bridge from Schenley feeds it.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

paved paradise put up a parking lot.

Like that other fabled Oakland institution, Pitt Stadium, the Mosque had long outlived its usefulness. Ever catch a concert there in the middle of July? Fun stuff. The shriners (or whatever group it is) had no interest in sinking tons of money into renovating, they were thrilled to sell it.

I agree it should have been used as something more beneficial than a parking lot. But other than that where is the enormous mistake? Shriners made a ton of money, Pitt/UPMC got land.

Pitt should have

a. gotten involved to purchase the Mosque and sink the money into it for repairs. They then would have had the premier music hall/concert venue they are missing today. or
b. Purchased the land and built a new basketball arena on the site. Pitt Stadium could have been demolished (I don't think renovation was an option) and a new stadium built on the site.

Hindsight is 20/20 but an opportunity was missed.

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

paved paradise put up a parking lot.

Like that other fabled Oakland institution, Pitt Stadium, the Mosque had long outlived its usefulness. Ever catch a concert there in the middle of July? Fun stuff. The shriners (or whatever group it is) had no interest in sinking tons of money into renovating, they were thrilled to sell it.

I agree it should have been used as something more beneficial than a parking lot. But other than that where is the enormous mistake? Shriners made a ton of money, Pitt/UPMC got land.

Yeah, I went to many concerts there. Like Pitt Stadium, it was in disrepair when it was demolished. However, like Pitt Stadium, it absolutely could have and should have been renovated for the betterment of the region. Once you tear down something like that it is gone forever.

We lost one of the truly iconic buildings in the region for surface parking. I'm sorry but that was dumb. It would have been well worth it for Pitt and the region to renovate that building and turn it into a campus landmark.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Yeah, I went to many concerts there. Like Pitt Stadium, it was in disrepair when it was demolished. However, like Pitt Stadium, it absolutely could have and should have been renovated for the betterment of the region. Once you tear down something like that it is gone forever.

We lost one of the truly iconic buildings in the region for surface parking. I'm sorry but that was dumb. It would have been well worth it for Pitt and the region to renovate that building and turn it into a campus landmark.

What exactly could the mosque have been used for? do you know how much t would have cost to get it air-conditioned? Why should Pitt take on those costs for the betterment of the region? If it was a state of the art science lab, or new campus housing area, would you still feel so forlorn?

 

[Saboteur]

he was the one who famously stood in front of the Syria Mosque wanting to prevent it from being torn down, even though the previous owners had no qualms about it. One of the bigger d^ckheads in Pittsburgh history.

You only get so many chances to bulldoze an idiot.
Too bad.

 

[Saboteur]

What exactly could the mosque have been used for? do you know how much t would have cost to get it air-conditioned? Why should Pitt take on those costs for the betterment of the region? If it was a state of the art science lab, or new campus housing area, would you still feel so forlorn?

Maybe if he took on the property grabbing Housing authority he would get more followers.

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

At any rate, this potential closing of Bigelow is a potentially huge development for Pitt.

However, as I said earlier, it needs to be closed for good, not just during certain hours of the day. Pitt's campus would DRAMATICALLY benefit from a true campus green between the Cathedral of Learning and the William Pitt Student Union. You throw in some brick or cobblestone crosswalks, plant some trees and put up a decoratiove wall or cemetery gate and you'll have a winner.

In return we allow a bike path to run though there? No problemo.

However, if it is a bike path in exchange for a two hour closure each morning or something like that, then Pitt needs to play hardball.

If you have ever been to Michigan or Harvard you can envision what something like this would look like. Harvard especially is every bit as urban as Pitt and they have done a magnificent job of creating the illusion of being on an isolated campus right in the middle of the city. It is an amazing place to visit.

It really would change the way Pitt is presented on television, in brochures, etc. It would be a really big deal.

 

[SVPanther]

I'll hold my breathe. What comes first....Bigelow disappears or PA gets rid of State Stores....believe it when I see it.

 

[forgeclifton]

Re Syria Mosque: At least it's not difficult to tear down a surface parking lot when the time comes. And a Pitt related entity owns it. Finally, note Merrill Stabiile's recent observations relative to the future of surface parking lots.

Side note. November 29, 1983 I saw Jimmy Buffett at the Syria Mosque. During the concert, he used a corded land-line (what else) to order a bunch of pizzas for delivery to him at the venue. After they arrived, he sailed them, like Frisbee's, into the audience.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Ironically, I'm pretty sure UPMC sold it to Pitt recently- for 10m. The same price it paid the Shriners for it.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Tearing down the Syria Mosque was an absolutely huge ass clown decision. For those who believe that UPMC can do no wrong... well here is exhibit A. That building will never be duplicated.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Why again wasn't it designated as an 'historic' landmark?

 

[pitt-girl]

Ironically, I'm pretty sure UPMC sold it to Pitt recently- for 10m. The same price it paid the Shriners for it.

Yes - UPMC sold it to Pitt for $10M and Gallagher soon after announced the plan for that space. I understand the historical nature of the Syria Mosque but in the end, this will be a big plus for Pitt.
https://www.utimes.pitt.edu/?p=39825

 

[HailtoPitt]

Why again wasn't it designated as an 'historic' landmark?

Good question. UPMC had it torn down before it could get that distinction.

I went to a Billy Joel lecture in 96/97, and he was asking what ever happened to the Syria Mosque. People told him that it was torn down and he said it was a shame because it had the best acoustics of any venue he's played in.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

I second closing ferlo and retiring bigelow.

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

What exactly could the mosque have been used for? do you know how much t would have cost to get it air-conditioned? Why should Pitt take on those costs for the betterment of the region? If it was a state of the art science lab, or new campus housing area, would you still feel so forlorn?

You're right. It was an awesome decision. One we will surely come to not regret in time. We're not there yet a quarter century after the fact but I am confident we will get there on day. Why would Pitt need an old building like that anyway?

I feel the same way about the Cathedral of Learning. How much money have we sunk into that old pile of rubble? We could tear that down, save a ton of cash in the process and build a massive parking lot in its place - enough to close Bigelow permanently and not miss any parking whatsoever!

 

[pitt-girl]

You're right. It was an awesome decision. One we will surely come to not regret in time. We're not there yet a quarter century after the fact but I am confident we will get there on day. Why would Pitt need an old building like that anyway?

I feel the same way about the Cathedral of Learning. How much money have we sunk into that old pile of rubble? We could tear that down, save a ton of cash in the process and build a massive parking lot in its place - enough to close Bigelow permanently and not miss any parking whatsoever!

Dr. - see my link above. The space is going to be used wisely and will provide Pitt with a cutting edge facility.