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North Shore Parking Lots May Be Turned Into Housing

PITTSBURGH (KDKA)--Attention parkers and tailgaters!

Two of your North Shore lots in the shadows of Heinz Field and PNC Park may soon disappear.

"We have been working with the Steelers and the Pirates on a comprehensive plan for the remaining developable lots," Daniel Gilman, Mayor Peduto's chief of staff, told KDKA money editor Jon Delano on Tuesday.

Gilman is the city's negotiator for development, and he says the teams and the city are close to an agreement on what should go in the Gold Lot 2 near Heinz Field and Gold Lot 4 next to PNC Park.

"I think we're really close on reaching an agreement."

"Like I said, it's been a very cooperative process the last several months with the teams, and I think by the end of the year there will be something that can be announced, and shovels in the ground."

The mayor says he wants to see residential housing built on both of those parking lots.

Delano: "Does the North Shore need more residential?"

Gilman: "It does. Absolutely. I think when you look at what's developed on the North Shore -- not only from an entertainment perspective but you start to look at the businesses that are there between the stadiums, we've seen hundreds if not thousands of jobs created on the North Shore."

"I think there are a lot of people who would love to live that close to the riverfront and that close to that type of entertainment and work space."

While there may be a need for residential housing on the North Shore, hundreds of people park in these lots over here.

So what's going to happen to them if this area becomes developed?

Gilman says don't worry about parking.

"Parking is a part of this plan. We're still figuring out the details so I can't sit here and give you a number of spots, but we all recognize not only the day-to-day needs of parking, the entertainment parking needed for the stadiums, but also as we build out more office space, residential and entertainment, those needs would have parking."

"So parking must be part of this solution."

Parking has been a revenue-maker for the teams, each getting half the take on their adjacent lots.

"We're working towards an agreement that will be a benefit for everyone involved," says Gilman.

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