Oxford, Hammel among developers with projects
From Mark Belko, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Known for its produce wholesalers and Penn Avenue vendors, the Strip District is fast becoming a mecca for new housing.
Oxford Development Co. is proposing the latest venture, a 299-unit apartment complex on the Allegheny riverfront between 26th and 27th streets.
The new development will feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units on 4 acres of land now used as a truck terminal by Pitt-Ohio Express, which is building a new facility in Harmar.
Oxford hopes to get started on the project in the spring and have the first units ready for occupancy in early 2015, said Ben Kelley, development manager.
The company will go before the city’s zoning board of adjustment Dec. 19 to seek permission to construct a multi-unit residential development in an urban industrial zoning district. It also needs approval for off-site parking spaces.
“There’s enormous opportunity in the Strip District for this type of product. It’s in demand and it gives us the ability to invest in an area of the city that we have not previously done so,” Mr. Kelley said. “The access to Downtown and the amenities available create a really good opportunity for us in our home market.”
He sees young professionals and empty nesters as potential renters given nearby Strip amenities and the easy access to Downtown.
Mr. Kelley said the complex will total 233,000 square feet and stand 51/2 stories high. There will be integral parking on the first floor and designated areas for bicycles. There also will be connections to a riverfront trail.
Oxford is not the only firm planning housing in the Strip District.
