Halket Street Station TOD
ELIA E SORICE
CREATING THE THIRD PLACE
Located on the block of Halket Street, Fifth Avenue, Forbes Avenue, and McKee Place, this transit oriented development is linked to the future Halket Street stop along the Fifth Avenue corridor. With a strong urban context to build upon, the design of the site took its cues from the massing of adjacent institutional buildings, creating a continuous street edge along Fifth and Forbes Avenues and Halket Street. Adjacent amenities and institutions, south facing exposure, as well as neighborhood connections to the surrounding area influenced location of commercial, residential, and office uses as well as public open spaces. The design takes advantage of the steep topography, which drops 25 feet from Fifth Avenue to Forbes Avenue, allowing for stepping of the building masses and the creation of a public green space that spans the existing alley. This quality green spaces at midblock create a rare community place within the city and a neighborhood amenity for local residents, connecting community to transit through the idea of the unexpected. The design of the Halket Street TOD site supports the installation of the future Halket Station transit stop along the Fifth Avenue corridor. By providing a business center at the Halket Station, the site can become a destination and meeting place between downtown and the institutions of Oakland and Shadyside. At the intersection of transit, business, and community, the Halket Station TOD can truly become a Third Place within the City of Pittsburgh.
Strategic location at Halket Street supports future BRT stop. Location and Existing Conditions Analysis Located on the block of Halket Street, and between Fifth and Forbes Avenue in Oakland, the transit oriented development site is strategically located along the Fifth Avenue corridor. Building upon local amenities, institutions, and a high number of potential riders, the TOD site can support this future stop along the Fifth Avenue Express.
Downtown: 126,000 Total Employees
Situated between the future Birmingham Bridge Station and the Atwood Street Station, the Halket Street Station can serve potential riders who frequent local destinations, employment centers, and residential neighborhoods within a 1/4 mile walk of the transit stop.
Halket Street Station
East End: Focus of Current Redevelopment
Oakland: Third Largest Pennsylvania Employment Center
ABOVE Halket Station Strategic Location between adjacent stops supports development of the this future stop
Halket Street Station Dinwiddie Street Station II
Dinwiddie Street Station I Birmingham Bridge Station
ABOVE Site selcetion based on greatest potential for site
ABOVE Zone of interest is defined by 1/2 mile walk centered of Fifth Avenue.
Design concepts align with OPDC Oakland 2025 Plan GOALS OF OAKLAND 2025 1. OPEN SPACE AND ART • Weave green infrastructure and public art into all economic development initiatives. 2. TRANSPORTATION • Create new transportation choices that strengthen neighborhood connections and emphasize innovative, safe and high quality design. 3. HOUSING AND BUILDING • Attract diverse population by promoting quality of life, conservation and innovative new choices. 4. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT • Focus on local, unique, diverse businesses that grow from Oakland’s innovation economy and support neighborhood health. 5. COMMUNITY BUILDING • Reinforce neighborhood identity and increase social capital through community consensus, social networks, stewardship, gathering places, and increased connectivity.
ELIA E SORICE | MUD | SPRING 2012
Site Analysis SURROUNDING CONTEXT
ROAD HIERARCHY AND CIRCULATION
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• The future Halket Station site is located in the heart of the dense, urban neighborhood of Oakland. The site is surrounded by larger institutional buildings, characterized by large building masses.
• Vehicular traffic through Oakland is dominated by the one-way pair of Fifth and Forbes Avenues. The intersection of Halket Street at Fifth Avenue and potential connections to the residential neighborhood of South Oakland support the future transit stop.
Primary Secondary Tertiary Signalized Pedestrian Crossing
Site Analysis DESTINATIONS WITHIN 1/4 MILE WALKING DISTANCES
VACANT PARCELS WITHIN 1/4 MILE WALKING DISTANCE
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH: 46,000 Students & Staff UPMC: 9,106 Employees
CARLOW UNIVERSITY: 2,806 Students & Staff
Oakland Business District
MaGee Women’s Hospital: 2,269 Employees
• Many employment centers and destinations are within a 1/4 mile walking distance to the Halket Street station. High ridership from these key destinations support this future stop as well as the proposed TOD.
• Although there are not many vacant parcels in the Oakland neighborhood, economic development in the area can help fill “missing teeth” of the site and adjacent parcels as well as increase property values in the surrounding area.
Occupied Parcels Vacant Parcels
ELIA E SORICE | MUD | SPRING 2012
Challenges and opportunities influence design concepts. CHALLENGES
OPPORTUNITIES
STEEP TOPOGRAPHY • Use natural topography to shape site • Utilize southern exposure through stepped building massing
STRONG URBAN CONTEXT • Take queues from and build upon existing urban fabric
FRAGMENTED BUILDING MASSING • Increase housing density of site by developing “missing teeth” and underutilized parcels • Create strong street edge through continuous building facades
ADJACENT AMENITIES • Form relationship with existing institutions and support local amenities through new development • Support business development by capitalizing on local institutions
HIGH VOLUME, ONE-WAY TRAFFIC • Provide alternative transportation modes • Restore two-way traffic on Fifth and Forbes Avenues for improved traffic flow and pedestrian safety
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS • Engage community through public gathering spaces, art, and civic participation • Support the goals of OPDC’s Oakland 2025 Plan
Design Strategies E
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Halket HalketStreet Street Station Station
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CIRCULATION: Existing vehicular and pedestrian traffic patterns along Fifth and Forbes Avenues limit access to the site.
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Reconfiguration of traffic patterns to accommodate BRT and two way traffic increases access to site.
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Halket HalketStreet Street Station Station
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Halket HalketStreet Street Station Station
New development on the site focused along Halket Street creates pedestrian activity and a strong street edge.
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Halket HalketStreet Street Station Station
BUILDING FRONTAGE: Existing Street Frontage addresses dominant traffic patterns along Fifth and Forbes Avenues.
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Halket HalketStreet Street Station Station
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OPEN SPACE LOCATION: Intersection of Chesterfield Road and Coltart Avenue with the TOD site determines open space locations. Visible public spaces with access to the surrounding community attracts BRT riders and local residents.
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ELIA E SORICE | MUD | SPRING 2012
SITE PLAN Retail: Residential: Office: Community Center: Total
33,500 SF 102,000 SF 147,500 SF 7,000 SF 290,000 SF 190
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Parking:
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Office
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Designated BRT lanes and two-way traffic improves traffic flow along Fifth Avenue
Stepped building mass responds to site topography
Two- way traffic on Forbes Avenue
Fifth Avenue
Forbes Avenue
Ground floor commercial uses support Fifth Avenue BRT and Halket Street TOD
Interior green space on grade with BRT station and Fifth Avenue
Upper storey residential units take advantage of south facing and interior courtyard views
Fifth Avenue Forbes Avenue ELIA E SORICE | MUD | SPRING 2012
Section at Halket Street Station EXISTING CONDITIONS
PROPOSED CONDITIONS
Designated BRT lanes and two-way traffic relieves congestion and improves pedestrian safety Three lanes of one-way traffic with designated counter flow bus lane
Bicycle track and wide sidewalk caters to the pedestrian experience
Two-story commercial building out of scale with adjacent institutional buildings Median platform station allows for shared boarding
• Intersection of Halket Street and Fifth Avenue is dominated by fast, oneway traffic heading towards Downtown Pittsburgh. A designated counter flow bus lane allows for bus service along Fifth Avenue.
• With the proposed BRT station at the Halket Street TOD, two-way traffic is restored to Fifth Avenue. Wide sidewalks that accommodate pedestrians and bikers as well as transparent storefronts create physical and visual links between the BRT and TOD.
ELIA E SORICE | MUD | SPRING 2012
Level 2 Retail: Residential: Office:
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11,500 SF 18,500 SF 36,000 SF
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Level 4
Residential: Office:
18,900 SF 32,700 SF
Level 5
Residential: Office:
10,800 SF 23,100 SF
Level 5
Office:
18,000 SF
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Retail: Community Center: Parking:
22,000 SF 3,500 SF 36
Level 1
Residential: Office: Community Center: Parking:
22,000 SF 5,000 SF 3,500 SF 154
Level 3
Residential: Office:
29,700 SF 32,700 SF
ELIA E SORICE | MUD | SPRING 2012
THE THIRD PLACE Introduced at the transit stop is a new “Third Place”, which provides an alternative to the two social spheres of work and home. A café, copy center, and bicycle storage center along Fifth Avenue creates an integrated business/meeting space for local workers and residents and BRT passengers. The community center will include a childcare facility, which serves the same combined population.
Banquet Space
Building upon the strengths and opportunities of the project location, the TOD site introduces the idea of the “unexpected.” An interior public open space is created by decking over the alley and the parking along it, introducing a variety of facilities, including a community garden, playground, an event pavilion, and a plaza theater, which support both formal and informal activities. The path links destinations and a diverse program of activities for a variety of people, whether just passing through (eg, to/from the transit stop) or meeting with colleagues or friends. The pedestrian journey through the site is facilitated by a series of ramps and steps that lead to and through the green space.
Community Plaza
Business Center Cafe
Commuity Gateway
Residential Gardens
At the intersections of transit, business, and community, these activities create a new “Third Place” in Pittsburgh, centered around the Halket Street Station.
BUSINESS CENTER CAFE
RESIDENTIAL GARDENS
COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES
UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
Copy Center Cafe
Bicycle Storage Center
Meeting Room
Common Plaza
Meeting Room
Meeting Room
ELIA E SORICE | MUD | SPRING 2012
Project enriches the interior and exterior of the site.
ABOVE Aerial view of TOD site. Proposal enriches existing urban context while creating a soft, interior public space
Site development works with existing urban context.
ABOVE Aerial view of Fifth Avenue and Halket Street Station. Building form works with existing urban context.
ELIA E SORICE | MUD | SPRING 2012
Community center builds upon neighborhood goals.
ABOVE Intersection of Coltart Avenue and Fifth Avenue celebrate the community of Oakland. Stepped garden references the steps of Pittsburgh, taking pedestrians on an unexpected journey
Plaza fosters a sense of community and civic pride.
ABOVE Interior public space becomes the heart of the Oakland community, hosting a variety of activities, performances, and catered events.
ELIA E SORICE | MUD | SPRING 2012
ABOVE The intersection of business, transit, and community, create the “Third Place� in Pittsburgh
TOD Contribution to the Fifth Avenue Express • • • •
Supports existing institutions and amenities through new business concepts Creates a destination along route as well as a meeting place Supports and fosters a sense of community Provides quality green space in the city
Fifth Avenue Express Contribution to the TOD • Provides alternatives modes of transit within the City of Pittsburgh • Supports a large number of potential riders who work at nearby institutions as well as local residents who will use transit to reach downtown or the East End • A vibrant and lively pedestrian experience along the street edge and the idea of transparency will help attract riders to use the amenities provided within in the TOD
Contribution to the Oakland Neighborhood 1. OPEN SPACE AND ART
Unexpected green space within dense urban fabric
2. TRANSPORTATION
Improved traffic along Fifth Avenue and alternative modes of travel
3. HOUSING AND BUILDING
Diverse, affordable housing options
4. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Fosters economic development through new commercial activities,employment opportunities, and business development through accessible facilities
5. COMMUNITY BUILDING
Vibrant public spaces that support community building and civic engagement ELIA E SORICE | MUD | SPRING 2012