Funding and zoning changes are likely necessary but insufficient on their own, to borrow a phrase from Nolan Gray. Pittsburgh hopes to deploy both to spur adaptive reuse in the city.

Pittsburgh is using $2.1 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to fund a portion of a pilot program to make it easier to convert vacant or obsolete commercial buildings into housing. The reinvigorated focus on adaptive reuse in the Steel City is also made possible by a slate of zoning changes under consideration by the city in September. Adaptive reuse is a hot topic in 2022, as cities look to shift downtown land uses as significant numbers of downtown workers continue to work from home in the third year of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to an article by Julia Felton, the zoning changes would remove the requirement for planning commission review for new residential development in the Golden Triangle area of the city. “The legislation also looks to change a requirement that all exterior renovations with a price tag of $50,000 or more earn Planning Commission approval. That piece of the zoning code dates back to at least 1983,” reports Felton. The new price threshold would be $250,000.
Felton also reported in July on the city’s planned using of American Rescue Plan Act funding for its adaptive reuse program, which was part of the OnePGH program launched by former mayor Bill Peduto.
FULL STORY: Proposed zoning changes would make it easier to convert unused Downtown office space into housing

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Santa Barbara Could Build Housing on County Land
County supervisors moved forward a proposal to build workforce housing on two county-owned parcels.

San Mateo Formally Opposes Freeway Project
The city council will send a letter to Caltrans urging the agency to reconsider a plan to expand the 101 through the city of San Mateo.

A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard
After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.
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