Pittsburgh trends the wrong way in its failed planning

Urban density looks like this.

Too often, the trend among Pittsburgh's planning efforts is to take the urban elements out of the city. Those in charge are trying to turn Pittsburgh into a suburban landscape, not an urban one. They have been trying to make Pittsburgh something that it isn't. And, they have been failing.

The URA was fine with the building of the research park on Second Avenue. But, it was a research park that could have been in any rural or beltway city. It was not built with any density in mind. It was not built with a face to the river. It was built with a need for parking garages and without any mixed uses.

We need to do much better.

Downtown has seen many of its buildings torn down. We have 'green space' where there used to be high-rises. If you thin downtown enough, we'll all be able to park on the streets -- as there won't be anyone here.