A proposed 20-story tower with 300 apartments atop an existing Downtown Pittsburgh building was approved for a zoning variance on Thursday.
The developer, City Club Apartments, LLC, is seeking to purchase and build upon the YWCA of Pittsburgh building at 305 Wood Street, near Point Park University.
The three members of the Pittsburgh Zoning Board of Adjustment nanimously approved a variance that would allow City Club to build up to 300 smaller apartments at the location — as opposed to about 140 larger units permitted under the code.
The YWCA building is four stories tall, with three floors below the street level. It was originally constructed in 1963 to house a community center and gymnasium, including a below-ground swimming pool.
In its decision on the proposed project, the Zoning Board of Adjustment referred to the existing structure as “in disrepair and almost vacant.” The YWCA occupies a portion of the fourth floor and Point Park University occupies a portion of the first floor. The pool has not been used in over 20 years.
Kim Tague, counsel for the YWCA, told the board that their decision to sell the building and move to a smaller location would be more appropriate to support its current programming — and the proceeds from the sale could help support the organization’s charitable mission.
The organization put the building on the market last summer.
According to information provided by the Zoning Board of Adjustment, City Club Apartments estimated that demolishing the building would cost about $1.5 million. As an alternative to demolition, the developers are seeking the adapt the existing structure while building the tower above it. The first floor would house a restaurant and the three below-ground floors would be used for a public health club.
Their plan also involves adding windows to the second through fourth floors and creating an open-air courtyard along Wood Street.
The tower they plan to construct would “not make use of the entire footprint of the existing building as a podium,” but would instead “have a narrow profile and would be set back approximately 25’ from the facade of the existing building on Wood Street.”
The roof would be used as an outdoor social space and swimming pool.
Several people testified in opposition of the project, with one nearby resident voicing concerns about the impact of the proposed building on sunlight and air, and the impact of the influx of new residents in the area. The Carlyle, a condominium building with about 60 units, is across the street. A half block away on Fourth Avenue, the renovated Commonwealth Building has just opened as rental apartments with 140 units.
The board determined that “the applicant presented sufficient credible evidence to support the request for a dimensional variance.” The board determined that the variance “will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood, impair the use or development of adjacent property or be detrimental to the public welfare.”
Julia Felton is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Julia at 724-226-7724, jfelton@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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July 03, 2021 at 05:01PM
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Plans advance for 20-story apartment complex in Downtown Pittsburgh atop YWCA building - TribLIVE
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