On November 3, 2026, Pittsburgh Planning Commission heard one briefing, on demolishing three condemned buildings at 1100 Fifth Avenue in the Bluff, and acted on six plans of lots. There was no hearing and action on a development case. Here’s what happened, by case.
Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKy-6l9zoMU
Also on the Agenda
Briefing: DCP-ZDR-2025-05734 — 1100 Fifth Avenue (Bluff)
City materials: Presentation · Meeting agenda
In the news: Collier proposes demolition to make way for six-story apartment building in Uptown — Pittsburgh Business Times, Oct 30, 2026 · Collier Development plans to demolish three Uptown buildings across from PPG Paints Arena — Pittsburgh Business Times, Nov 3, 2026
A briefing is a first look: there's no public testimony and no vote, and the case comes back later for hearing and action. Mohit Raut of City Planning presented the staff report. Collier Development, the property owner, has applied to demolish three existing three-story buildings on Fifth Avenue across from PPG Paints Arena. In this district, a demolition that isn't part of a new construction application needs Planning Commission approval of a project development plan, including a statement of the property's future use. The zoning rules there also encourage adaptive reuse and keeping existing buildings in new projects. The applicant says the site will eventually hold a new six-story mixed-use building with ground-floor retail, parking on the lower level, and apartments above, extending onto the parking lot it owns next door. No application for that new building has been filed. Staff said the applicant still needs to answer the demolition review criteria and explain how the site will be maintained until construction starts, both before the hearing. The demolition was reviewed at a development activities meeting with the Uptown registered community organization on December 15, 2025. The site is in the Uptown Public Realm zoning district, so the neighborhood planner will provide a letter for the hearing on whether the proposal complies with the Uptown EcoInnovation District plan.
The applicant team said the buildings are condemned and unsafe, with a collapsed roof on one and a collapsed rear wall on another. The team said it bought the property in 2025 without development plans, and that the Mayor's office later approached it about developing the site. It estimated a timeline of roughly a year before new construction and said it would backfill and level the site in the meantime. Asked whether surface parking is allowed in the district, staff indicated it isn't. Joe Fraker of City Planning said he believed at least one of the buildings is condemned but wasn't sure about all three. Diamonte Walker asked about community review, and the applicant said it has met with Uptown Partners once and plans another meeting to show the proposed building. Rachel O'Neill confirmed that only the demolition is before the Commission and asked why it's coming now. David Vatz asked what criteria the Commission uses to decide on a demolition in this district, and the chair confirmed the review is limited to the demolition. Asked to clarify, the applicant said all three properties are on a magistrate's docket. A representative of the demolition contractor said the demolition permit materials are filed with the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections, the adjacent parking lot would be used for equipment staging, and the site would be fenced.
For the hearing, commissioners asked for community feedback, a demolition and construction management plan (including any sidewalk or street closures and whether the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure has approved it), interim plans showing the site will be safe, stable and fenced, and a firmer development timeline. O'Neill noted that the district is meant to avoid vacant lots. No hearing date was announced.
Plan of Lots — five final approvals and one preliminary approval
City materials: Case packet · Meeting agenda
Daniel Scheppke of City Planning presented all six. There was no public testimony on any of them. The first five were preliminarily approved on October 6, 2026 and got final approval at this meeting, with no votes against heard on the recording. Rachel O'Neill, who abstained on the Freeport Road and River Avenue items in October, was heard voting aye on both this time.
DCP-LOT-2026-00245 — Freeport Road (Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar): the Waterworks consolidation, five parcels into two. Lot 1 (about 899,000 sq. ft., fronting Delafield Avenue and Freeport Road) holds St. Margaret's Hospital, and Lot 2 (about 1.79 million sq. ft., fronting Route 28) holds water treatment infrastructure. Approved.
DCP-LOT-2026-00246 — 7881 Lock Way (Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar): splits one parcel into three (about 215,900, 72,500, and 12,700 sq. ft.) around PWSA's Bruecken Pump Station. Approved.
DCP-LOT-2026-00247 — 3446 Milwaukee Street (Upper Hill): splits the Herron Hill Reservoir property into two lots (about 210,700 and 285,300 sq. ft.). Approved.
DCP-LOT-2026-00248 — 672 Science Street (Allentown): splits a water storage tank property into two lots (about 94,800 sq. ft. on Science Street and 703,300 sq. ft. fronting Bailey Avenue). Approved.
DCP-LOT-2026-00238 — River Avenue (North Shore): consolidates four parcels into two (about 27,600 and 41,900 sq. ft.) on a site with a four-story office building, a one-story industrial building, and a surface parking lot. Approved.
DCP-LOT-2026-00265 — Wharton Street (South Side Flats): a new item that consolidates seven parcels into one 3.6-acre parcel fronting Wharton Street, South 23rd Street and South 24th Street. The site has several industrial buildings that are slated for demolition. That's the same block as the 2329 Wharton Street apartment project the Commission approved on September 22, 2026, though staff didn't mention the project at this meeting. Preliminary approval, with final review scheduled for November 17, 2026. Motion by David Vatz, seconded by Gerardo Interiano, with no votes against heard.
Minutes and Correspondence
The Commission approved the September 8, 2026 and October 6, 2026 minutes, with Rachel O'Neill abstaining on both. The Commission received correspondence on the short-term rental legislation and on the Grandview rezoning bill. There was no Director's Report.
Summary prepared with the assistance of AI from the public YouTube recording. This is not an official City of Pittsburgh record.
