My 20 year plan for the Syria Mosque Space that could be done.

[mdpitt]

I have always loved Pitt in a very unique way from the first minute I visited Campus. The Cathedral of Learning, the helicopters, the traffic were all perfect for me being from a small town. There was simply some gravity to the Cathedral of Learning. A short walk up the hill in 1988, I could walk right into the stadium and run around the football field with no questions asked. It really made game day unique knowing you were on the field 24 hours earlier tossing a frisbee.

Back to the plan. The Syria Mosque was an unbelievable dogfight back in the day with the Community but Pitt was in a Manifest Destiny Mode building what is now UPMC. I was on the University Senate at the time and the topic came up with all the important people in the room and the Mosque came up and Wes Posvar kind of threw it out there " what would be the best use of the space? ". There was a lot of silence because this was a really contentious issue. None of the adults were saying anything so I raised my hand almost like I couldn't believe my arm was moving upward. I then said " you should build a replica of the Cathedral of Learning but in Glass like PPG and give all the students the best view in the Country. I should have stopped there but I went on to add that it will house everyone after they remove the Schenly Quad and Litchfield Towers. It would really be a better place to have Pitt Stadium.

Listen, I don't want to be tarred, feathered, ridiculed, etc..... Forget for a second that I even mentioned a Stadium but remember that a Skyscraper to house thousands of students would be pretty freaking cool. It's a huge recruiting advantage to get the best students in America with all the things one needs to be a happy student on the ground floors to share with the community.

You have to admit a nice little 44,000 seat Stadium Between Fifth and Forbes would be a Pitt Sports Fan Dream and would be a centerpiece of Pitt. Dig it deep into the ground.

Again.............focus on the Syria Mosque Space for Skyscraper Housing. Pitt always does big things and I'm quite sure the new Chancellor would love to actually admire a physical creation while he is Chancellor. It would be pretty incredible.

Have the housing done within the next decade and then let's see where we stand in 2026. Heinz Field will be about a decade from demolition so who knows what the climate will be for sports. Be ready.

Wes Posvar said it was a pretty good idea and it started a lively debate. Believe me, everyone in that room saw the writing on the wall for the end of Pitt Stadium. People need to know that.

My goal is great student housing and the possibility of something else down the road.

 

[drunkinoakland]

Well alright then....

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

I have always loved Pitt in a very unique way from the first minute I visited Campus. The Cathedral of Learning, the helicopters, the traffic were all perfect for me being from a small town. There was simply some gravity to the Cathedral of Learning. A short walk up the hill in 1988, I could walk right into the stadium and run around the football field with no questions asked. It really made game day unique knowing you were on the field 24 hours earlier tossing a frisbee.

Back to the plan. The Syria Mosque was an unbelievable dogfight back in the day with the Community but Pitt was in a Manifest Destiny Mode building what is now UPMC. I was on the University Senate at the time and the topic came up with all the important people in the room and the Mosque came up and Wes Posvar kind of threw it out there " what would be the best use of the space? ". There was a lot of silence because this was a really contentious issue. None of the adults were saying anything so I raised my hand almost like I couldn't believe my arm was moving upward. I then said " you should build a replica of the Cathedral of Learning but in Glass like PPG and give all the students the best view in the Country. I should have stopped there but I went on to add that it will house everyone after they remove the Schenly Quad and Litchfield Towers. It would really be a better place to have Pitt Stadium.

Listen, I don't want to be tarred, feathered, ridiculed, etc..... Forget for a second that I even mentioned a Stadium but remember that a Skyscraper to house thousands of students would be pretty freaking cool. It's a huge recruiting advantage to get the best students in America with all the things one needs to be a happy student on the ground floors to share with the community.

You have to admit a nice little 44,000 seat Stadium Between Fifth and Forbes would be a Pitt Sports Fan Dream and would be a centerpiece of Pitt. Dig it deep into the ground.

Again.............focus on the Syria Mosque Space for Skyscraper Housing. Pitt always does big things and I'm quite sure the new Chancellor would love to actually admire a physical creation while he is Chancellor. It would be pretty incredible.

Have the housing done within the next decade and then let's see where we stand in 2026. Heinz Field will be about a decade from demolition so who knows what the climate will be for sports. Be ready.

Wes Posvar said it was a pretty good idea and it started a lively debate. Believe me, everyone in that room saw the writing on the wall for the end of Pitt Stadium. People need to know that.

My goal is great student housing and the possibility of something else down the road.

Enjoyed hearing your experiences, suggestions, and ideas in this post. Pitt Campus is very nice and one of the Best Urban Campuses in the world. Quite unique and the Cathedral of Learning is something special versus many Old Mains seen on most campuses and just small normal buildings in Pitt Shadows!

 

[caleco's]

Mdpitt was Boetticher there? What did he say?

 

[CrazyPaco]

I have always loved Pitt in a very unique way from the first minute I visited Campus. The Cathedral of Learning, the helicopters, the traffic were all perfect for me being from a small town. There was simply some gravity to the Cathedral of Learning. A short walk up the hill in 1988, I could walk right into the stadium and run around the football field with no questions asked. It really made game day unique knowing you were on the field 24 hours earlier tossing a frisbee.

Back to the plan. The Syria Mosque was an unbelievable dogfight back in the day with the Community but Pitt was in a Manifest Destiny Mode building what is now UPMC. I was on the University Senate at the time and the topic came up with all the important people in the room and the Mosque came up and Wes Posvar kind of threw it out there " what would be the best use of the space? ". There was a lot of silence because this was a really contentious issue. None of the adults were saying anything so I raised my hand almost like I couldn't believe my arm was moving upward. I then said " you should build a replica of the Cathedral of Learning but in Glass like PPG and give all the students the best view in the Country. I should have stopped there but I went on to add that it will house everyone after they remove the Schenly Quad and Litchfield Towers. It would really be a better place to have Pitt Stadium.

Listen, I don't want to be tarred, feathered, ridiculed, etc..... Forget for a second that I even mentioned a Stadium but remember that a Skyscraper to house thousands of students would be pretty freaking cool. It's a huge recruiting advantage to get the best students in America with all the things one needs to be a happy student on the ground floors to share with the community.

You have to admit a nice little 44,000 seat Stadium Between Fifth and Forbes would be a Pitt Sports Fan Dream and would be a centerpiece of Pitt. Dig it deep into the ground.

Again.............focus on the Syria Mosque Space for Skyscraper Housing. Pitt always does big things and I'm quite sure the new Chancellor would love to actually admire a physical creation while he is Chancellor. It would be pretty incredible.

Have the housing done within the next decade and then let's see where we stand in 2026. Heinz Field will be about a decade from demolition so who knows what the climate will be for sports. Be ready.

Wes Posvar said it was a pretty good idea and it started a lively debate. Believe me, everyone in that room saw the writing on the wall for the end of Pitt Stadium. People need to know that.

My goal is great student housing and the possibility of something else down the road.

Student housing was seriously considered for that site back in the day. However, before it was torn down, Pitt would have actually renovated it and kept the main auditorium intact. Remember at the time there was no place to hold commencement on campus. Major university events were held in Soldiers & Sailors and the Carnegie Music Hall. There was a major, severe shortage of meeting spaces. In some ways, there is still a shortage but it has been partially addressed by the Pete, Masonic Temple, University Club, and O'Hara Student Center.

That said, you will never see a high rise on that plot. They won't be allowed to build much taller than its neighbor buildings. Think Nordenberg Hall size. The Syria Mosque site sits smack in the middle of a National Historic District with fairly stringent historic review board oversight on anything that is going to be placed there. It is surround by properties that Pitt doesn't own.

Can you imagine move-in "day" if most students were housed in the same high rise building? There is a reason there are three towers...not one giant one.

 

[mdpitt]

Student housing was seriously considered for that site back in the day. However, before it was torn down, Pitt would have actually renovated it and kept the main auditorium intact. Remember at the time there was no place to hold commencement on campus. Major university events were held in Soldiers & Sailors and the Carnegie Music Hall. There was a major, severe shortage of meeting spaces. In some ways, there is still a shortage but it has been partially addressed by the Pete, Masonic Temple, University Club, and O'Hara Student Center.

That said, you will never see a high rise on that plot. They won't be allowed to build much taller than its neighbor buildings. Think Nordenberg Hall size. The Syria Mosque site sits smack in the middle of a National Historic District with fairly stringent historic review board oversight on anything that is going to be placed there. It is surround by properties that Pitt doesn't own.

Can you imagine move-in "day" if most students were housed in the same high rise building? There is a reason there are three towers...not one giant one.

Damn you Paco. My Crystal Cathedral of Learning needs to happen but not at 6-8 stories. Maybe it will be Nordy II.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I would think a pig farm and some cornfields would work well in that location.

 

[pittdan77]

I like the history lesson. Thank you.

Soon as this was announced, I saw stadium tweets.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Damn you Paco. My Crystal Cathedral of Learning needs to happen but not at 6-8 stories. Maybe it will be Nordy II.

Pitt will be able to go up to at least 10 stories....that is the height of Nordenberg Hall and the proposed hotel behind the PAA.

 

[Swervin27]

Pitt will be able to go up to at least 10 stories....that is the height of the proposed hotel behind the PAA.

Oh God, more hotels in Oakland?? That's 4 in the works.. That includes one down by Fisher Scientific, which is somehow considered Oakland to some..

 

[CrazyPaco]

Oh God, more hotels in Oakland?? That's 4 in the works.. That includes one down by Fisher Scientific, which is somehow considered Oakland to some..

Technically, that is Oakland.

Technically, CMU does not sit in Oakland but Squirrel Hill North.

More hotels have been SORELY needed for years. I don't know the current planned count.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

Oh God, more hotels in Oakland?? That's 4 in the works.. That includes one down by Fisher Scientific, which is somehow considered Oakland to some..

A-Hah! More hotels - a sure sign that a new stadium is in the works!

I wanted to be the first to say it....

 

[Swervin27]

A-Hah! More hotels - a sure sign that a new stadium is in the works!

I wanted to be the first to say it....

either that or there is gonna be a superbowl in Oakland next year..

 

[mdpitt]

Technically, that is Oakland.

Technically, CMU does not sit in Oakland but Squirrel Hill North.

More hotels have been SORELY needed for years. I don't know the current planned count.

I don't understand the argument against Hotels as several times over the years I have needed to stay in one because of a family member in a UPMC hospital in Oakland only to find no options. If you stay at a hotel, one would likely grab a meal in Oakland so it pays to sleep someone there. I understand people not liking the cookie cutter styled but they don't really build many Omni William Penn

 

[BurghGuy68]

From a good source...it's going to be a big data center.

 

[Swervin27]

I don't understand the argument against Hotels as several times over the years I have needed to stay in one because of a family member in a UPMC hospital in Oakland only to find no options. If you stay at a hotel, one would likely grab a meal in Oakland so it pays to sleep someone there. I understand people not liking the cookie cutter styled but they don't really build many Omni William Penn

I have very weird pet peeves, this being one of them.. Don't even get me started on people that end a conversation with "Be careful."