Monday, February 22, 1999

SS Planning Forum

The LTV Steering Committee issued a report at a meeting I attended.

The LTV Steering Committee had met twice since the Feb 9 Planning Forum Meeting. On Feb 17 the committee met with Dr. Mulu Birru, Exec. Director of URA to review the planning process being used for the LTV site and discuss current projects and challenges. Dr. Birru reaffirmed the URA's commitment to working on the South Side Planning Forum and the LTV Steering Committee and expressed his confidence in the process.

The committee met again on Feb 22 with representatives from UPMC and IBEW to review the status of their proposals.

UPMC Sports Medicine Complex

It appears that the peices are in place to insure that UPMC will be making payments to the URA at the same rate as commcercial property taxes for as long as the property is owned by them. Further, the URA is committed to adding a covenant to the deed of the property to insure that the future non-profit owners would be under the same arrangement. A letter to this effect has been received and was distributed at the last Forum meeting. The Steering Committee has indicated to the URA and UPMC that it would like to insure tht the final PILOT (payment in leu of taxes) documents reflect these considerations.

UPMC has indicated that it would be open to considering community access for structured uses of the site. That is, the fields could be made available to specific community programs, though a lease or reservation system. The proposed 4 outdoor football fields will be limited to use by the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers football teams, however, there are possibilities for uses of the indoor field -- which is full size. UPMC will consider a request from the Forum or another designated community group to run a specific number of programs each year. A group and individual point person would need to be identified to handle this planning. As evidence of the above commitment, UPMC will bring a list of current community programs that use UPMC facilities.

In addition to above, the Steering Committee discussed options for a proposed investment to South Side recreational facilities by UPMC. Ideas will be discussed at the Forum meeting on February 23. The Steering Committee agreed to have a formal response to the offer ready prior to the April 8th URA board meeting, when the project will be presented for final approval.

Also, the URA agreeded to provide an analysis of the job projections for the UPMC use of the portion of the site versus the flex office space use outlined in the master plan.

With regard to the approval process, after the presentation to the Forum on teh 23rd, the URA board would like to vote on accepting a proposal from UPMC at a special board meeting, to be held as early as February 26. The SSLDC's Design Committee will review the project at their March meeting. The project will go before Council for a motion to sell the property in March. On April 8 the URA board would like to vote on the final projet and the financing.

IBEW Complex

The committe also met with the IBEW and their architects to review changes to the design as suggested by the LTV Steering Committee and SSLDC Design Committee. Although the group has elected not to move the parking from the frst level of the building, they have implemented several design enhancements to improve the appearance of the first floor of the building. These include changes to reduce the scale of the front elevation cornice and consideration fo the use of offset brick to break up the surface at street level. IBEW has also agreed to investigate using non-reflective glass on the building and would like to avoid using reflective glass. An East Carson Street entrance to the building has been added, with more development being don t the landscaping of this entrance. The curb cut into the site has been moved to be consistent with the contunuation of Sidney Street.

Other

The Life Sciences building plans and the Final Land Development Plan for sub-district B will be presented to the Forum on March 9.

Saturday, February 20, 1999

The URA's Life-Science Building

Jerry Williams of the URA presented some of the facts at a public meetings.

Much of the speculation and delivery of the information below is not from the URA, but rather is opinion and fuel for in-depth discussions to come.

Ownership

The building is going to be owned by the URA. This building increases the URA's land-lord role to a higher level. The URA already owns many buildings around town such as 200 Ross Street. Some of these building built by and maintained by the URA are viable commercial buildings that should be sold into the free marketplace. The public money is being spent, and this expense needs to be justified.

Building Specifics

45K square foot in size
costs $10.7M
2 stories tall
next to the ugly UPMC-warehouse-distribution site by Stoffer (closer to SS Biz)
located near the Electrical Union building
corner of Sarah Street Extension and East Carson Street
has parking behind the building

Purpose of the Life-Science Building

biomedical incubator
ideal for professors who start a business while keeping their teaching jobs
building to be open around the clock with much work getting done in evenings due to nature of the inventors schedules
flex-office space
shared lobby and entry with rest-rooms in the center of the building.

Traffic

Most of the traffic is going to come from Oakland.
Most of the traffic is going to use the new bridge.
Parking is in the back of the building on a surface lot.
the construction of a parking garage is expected in later phases
Because Sarah Street Extension is not going to cross over the RR tracks, all traffic leaving the building is going to have to go to East Carson Street.
A short cut road from the back of the Life-Science Building across the back of the lot of the IBEW property would allow for cars to avoid East Carson Street.
The decisions to move all of the UPMC Sports Performance compound to the river-side of the RR Tracks, and to NOT build a costly bridge over the RR Tracks, hence splitting the land of the site, is costly to the fate of this building. All traffic into and out of this building might be forced to drive onto a bumper to bumper traffic on East Carson Street. Driving on East Carson Street, even for one-block, only to turn onto the new Gateway Blvd. is not good. That street has gridlock on a daily basis now, with zero development on the LTV site due to folks driving to and from Brentwood, Baldwin, the valley and to and beyond the Saw Mill Run areas.
The lack of a bike way and foot traffic across the bridge is going to greatly hinder this building's success. People will not be able to walk across the bridge from Second Avenue. Nor will people be able to ride a bike from Oakland to this building.
Connections within the site are important so traffic does not need to pour out onto East Carson Street and making gridlock all the way to Station Square.
Connections from one side of the river to the other side of the river for walkers and bikers are important to the success of this building and the entire site. The construction of parking garages is costly and should not occur until after the bridge has been made to pass foot and bike traffic.

Other Points:

Inventors of Sterioids, Andro, Ergo-genic aids, Supplements and masking agents can easily reach the football players for research studies and then in turn, the marketplace, with the drug warehouse, as both are neighbors.
This is the third building to be done by IKM on this site. Another sign of in-breeding and a lack of diversity.
This is NOT a grand landmark building, nor is is as ugly as the existing UPMC Drug Warehouse building either. The building has a long, low, warehouse feel none-the-less.
"To combat that look, we sheared it in half and pulled half down in an offset, using a series of brick and glass facade pannels."
Pannels, without doors, simulate storefront spaces.
Some trees in part of the front.
Smart set back from the street allows for later widening of East Carson Street.

Job Points:

Expect 100 people to work there.
Not new jobs, but more of incubator work expansion jobs.

What is the Real Deal?

The URA folks know who is going to occupy a good portion of this building, but the URA officials declined to comment on who that could be.

High Tech Business Incubators have been build and in operation in other parts of the US since the 1970s. In the early 1980s, Northwestern University had such a building, but it was not a brand-new building. Rather the space was a converted warehouse that was in a part of town behind the college that was able to be gutted and re-used as a high-tech space.

Rehab or Build New Buildings

Why not pick-up a few of the older buildings that are for sale and on the market for many years now in the South Side and convert those into high-tech spaces? The old police station has been sitting on 13th Street for more than a decade. The free market is not going to reclaim that building, and the URA should. The old Emerald Art Glass building is vacant on the South Side. Same too for the old Bingham building. These buildings could serve as flex office space for bio-medical outfits.

Then, when the company starts to take off, the company could build its own building in new space.

The overhead of new building space for a start-up company is suspect. Unless, of course, there is a hidden agenda. Perhaps a specific company or department at a university wants to have the URA build a building and only pay rent to them, dodging the capital and finances.

The URA has asked for a $25M TIF cap for finances on the LTV site. The URA can build a lot of buildings based upon this source of funding.

Comparison Speculation:

I'd love to see an alternative plan put forth where the URA acquires three, vacant buildings in the South Side and does a major rehab on those properties to be used for bio-tech incubator space. In the end, the cost would be much less than what is going to occur in these plans. Furthermore, the benefits would be much greater to the area as well.

Alternative Plans

Let's take the last steps for the development of the Life-Science building, get final approval, and then pause for 12 months. In the pause, let's uncover some alternatives with existing structures on the South Side. Then let's see how much it would cost to renovate those spaces and what issues are discovered. Then let's look to see what other type of developement would be possible for that section of the LTV site.

Perhaps a large community recreation center, like a YMCA or a Jewish Community Center, should be built by the URA on the site that is now slated for the Life-Sciences Building? It would not be possible to retro-fit an existing police station to a large gym space, with locker facilities and with ample parking.

Perhaps an expansion of the retail district is possible on the space? Then the building won't have to be made to look like retail space, but it could be retail space for small business.

Perhaps the demand for bio-tech incubator space is so great that both the rehab of the existing buildings could advance and then the Life-Science building could be built too?

Approval Process Ahead

The Life-Science Building seems to be another example of another project that is expected to get the approval of the LTV Steering Committee and the SS Planning Forum, (of course).

The South Side Forum and Steering Committee is fully justified in approving this project as the spirit of the preliminary plans of past years are being considered. The Life-Science Building has the hope of job creation. The ownership issue is suspect however. The traffic problems are highly suspect too.

City Council could insist that the Life-Science Building be built and opened with a "For Sale Sign" planted firmly in the middle of the front lawn of the building. Go so far as to put up the sign and note a clear asking price as well.

If the building is built and opened and then sold, all the better. Then the money can be turned into other endeavors.

To Pittsburgh Planning Commission

The Life-Science Building is going to be a topic of discussion at the Pittsburgh Planning Commission meeting in early April. The URA is going to submit Final Land Development Plans for subsection B. That includes the three IKM buildings.

Thursday, February 18, 1999

Shared facilities between Pitt and the Steelers, NCAA and NFL -- a rule breaking arrangement

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From: "Batson, David" 
To: "'mrauterkus@sportsurf.net'" 
Cc: "Cuka, Kathy" 
Subject: RE: Planning Issues: NCAA & Professional Facilities
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 15:57:19 -0600
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From: "Batson, David" dbatson@ncaa.org

	Mark,

	Thanks you for the e-mail.

	Question 1 and 2:

	The NCAA National Office does not compile a list of institutions
sharing facilities with a professional team.  You may want to contact the
appropriate professional sports association to see if they can provide such
information.

	Question 3:

	You are correct that the NCAA wants to maintain a line a demarcation
between college athletics and professional sports along with maintaining the
amateur status of the student-athletes by limiting their involvement with
professional teams and agents.  However, legislation permits some limited
involvement between a member institution and a professional sports team such
as permitting a professional team to rent institutional facilities subject
to normal institutional contractual agreements and permitting Institution's
to host and promote an athletics contest between two professional teams as a
fund-raising activity for the institution.  However, the former
Interpretations Committee had determined that the member institution's team
and the professional team may not use the facility jointly at the same time.

	I hope that this information is helpful in your research.





> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Mark Rauterkus [SMTP:mrauterkus@sportsurf.net]
> 
> Sent:	Saturday, February 13, 1999 7:27 AM
> To:	csmrt@ncaa.org
> Subject:	Planning Issues: NCAA & Professional Facilities
> 
>     
> Dear NCAA Enforcement Folks,
> 
> I need some clarifications, please, on some general rules issues about the
> build in measures that are in place to create some distance (firewall, if
> you will) between PROFESSIONAL athletes/organizations and Div. I NCAA
> programs.
> I gave a few calls on the phone to you all last week, bouncing between
> enforcement and membership voice mail boxes-to no satisfaction. Thanks for
> your attention to this email.
> Who am I? This is always one of your first questions-so I'll tell you.
> I'm a publisher of many sports releated titles (books, etc.) as well as
> Internet Journalist-as well as local advocate for some community issues as
> per sports/fitness and such. I'm also leading a non-profit coalition of
> sports agencies in the tri-state area, meeting with school boards and
> such.  So, I'm not affiliated with any NCAA member institution-and it is
> okay to treat me as a media person as what is discovered will be reported
> upon in different position papers and perhaps news releases or public
> committee meetings.
> Mark Rauterkus, 412-481-2540
> 108 South 12th Street
> Pittsburgh, PA 15203-1226
> email: mrauterkus@sportsurf.net
> 
> 
> Questions:
> 1.	What Div. I football programs share PRACTICE FACILITIES on a day to
> day basis with PROFESSIONAL (NFL) FOOTBALL Teams?  Are there any?
> 
> 
> 2.	We realize that there are some NCAA programs that share stadiums
> with pro teams:
> 	Tampa Bay NFL & Univ. of South Florida
> 	Army/Navy Game at Veterans Stadium
> 	Rutgers Univ. at Meadowlands
> 
> What others am I missing? 
> 
> 3.	We realize that there are some strong rules in place with NCAA
> institutions to distance themselves, their athletes and even the recrits
> from PRO teams, agents, and such. With this in mind-does it make sense to
> share practice facilities on a day to day basis with pros and college
> athletes? Would it be permitted or not by the NCAA?
> 
> Thanks.
> Mark Rauterkus
> 412-481-2540
> mrauterkus@sportsurf.net

Wednesday, February 17, 1999

Mark to City Council

Mentions Before City Council on February 17, 1999

Appreciation:

The opportunity to address the council is appreciated. May this be a first step as some pressing issues loom large.

Highlight:

I'm here to wave a flags of concern about UPMC buying nearly 30 acres of property from the URA at the heart of the LTV site.

A hightened awareness;
some extra nudging throughout the system for the next couple weeks;
and then around March 1st -- the request is for your individual and collective brain power to consider our pending POSITION PAPER.

Introduction:

My nane is Mark Rauterkus. I live in the city on the South Side. Councilman Ricciardi represents our neighborhood with great dilligence and insight.

Councilman Riccciardi and I are both are parenting 4-year old children. My second is one. I'm a stay at home dad.

FWIW, My wife is a professor who works in the Health Sciences. We've been here and together for 9 years after meeting Chicago. I have family roots in Allegheny County.

Sports Connection & Profession

Sports, recreation, and fitness my entire career. I've coached swimming in six states from Park Districts to IVY League. Travels and work perspectives include Colorado Springss' USA's Olympic Training Center, the Australian Institute of Sports, the UK.

I've been an independent publisher of sports magazines in mid-west, and then LA. Then I turned to doing books and multi-media titles from volleyball, water polo, weight lifting, sports psych, competitive swimming, triathlon-ing -- even sports philosophy.

That's the concerned citizen. Next comes the political advocate and knowledge base organizer. As part of the South Side Markethouse Athletic Association, we're a booster group that runs a lot of programs with City Parks, we convening a non-profit coalition. We're organizing, investigating, making priorities, and challenging people to integrate various opportunities -- within sports, fitness, and community. These efforts need some additional grass-roots input from other concerned people in these areas. We welcome ideas and input from anyone.

Send email to: backyard@sportsurf.net --- or, our meeting schedule is posted in the South Pgh Reporter -- or at the Markethouse.

The outcome of these efforts is an offering of some creative solutions -- detailed in a POSITION PAPER.

The flags of concerns with UPMC and the URA at the LTV site. ----
Simply put -- We should be scratching to reach our potential...

I'm a positive person.
Yes, this is a 25-30 Million $ development.
Yes, bulldozers and graders are already pushing dirt around the site today.
Yes, another public meeting is slated for next week --- But, I can't get a site plan out of the people at Pitt or the URA.

First worry

In November the URA inked a deal for a 90-day open discussion period -- and I'm not satisfied at all with that open-ness.

The South Side has a Planning Forum -- and a Steering Committee --- but mind you, they're charter stipulates a concensus. With one disenting vote --- they are beached. When push comes to shove, by committee -- and with a consensus -- they can change a lightbulb.

I salute them for that accomplishment.

When your only tool is a hammer --- everything tends to look like a nail. They have been given a "rubber stamp."

They can change a light bulb. And they've been doing it for a long time -- and things are fine. They work hard and are goof folks.

Our worry is not the ligh-bulb -- but it is finding the switch.

Who is going to throw the switch and make sure it goes in the right direction. We need a switch to the kids, the graduates, the people. The folks in the community are our prime asset -- and they need attention.

Dive In Example

On 10th Street in the South Side -- we've got the Oliver Bath House -- the only indoor pool that the city operates. I've been there hundreds of times. That facility served us well. The Bath House is NOT ADA compliant.

Furthermore -- on the same block we are going to have two new neighbors -- a new Comfort Suites Hotel and a Red-Roof Inn-like hotel complex is about to start it construction. They are building a pool too.

Pittsburgh should not be in the only city in the world to have two terrible pools confined to the same city block.

Why does the developer have to put up two nice hotels -- and wedge in the plans a new kidney shapped hotel pool, plunk in a couple exercise bikes in the corner -- all next to (litterally touching against) our relic --- The OLIVER Bath House.

We need to pull some strings on a more "global" level -- more vision.

How about a nicer 8-lane adult lap pool to serve the guest, and our seniors -- open 24 hours a day, staffed by the city guards, -- quid pro quo -- so everyone wins. Then the bathhouse can be a wonderful re-positioned use -- like a grand-concourse resteraunt, ball-room, perhaps.

But, we've got something even better that this in our Position Paper.

The sky box fans, the game-day ball-players seem to be taken care of. Seems Dr. Fredie Fu wants to work his magic on injured gladiators of the gridiorn so we can keep the point-spread respectable --- but there is a higher calling about to come forth, and I hope to do more integrating.

so we can shine a brighter light -- in certain critial spaces for our kids and citizens.

We'd love a brainstorming session with the (NEW) director of Parks, Can we get an audience with the director of the URA -- and perhaps some URA board members?

Consider better integration with:

the Pgh. Public School Board and Administration

the County, and

the grass-roots players, organizers and those in the sports participation field.

To Pitt / UPMC say: #1. community access issues are important -- and #2, a secluded compound behind a fence of arrogance is NOT going to FLY here.

Pitt already screwed up the development and building of an indoor football practice facility this decade. That's proof enough that they have trouble changing light-bulbs.

We are looking to stretch our potential -- from here on in --- and wellness counts big time. --- And, the roads that UPMC can pave on URA lands -- as a TIFF -- well it can wait if need be so we can do it right. I'd rather have intermural fields move the South Side -- and let the PITT football team can play in its indoor practice fields -- or else on the grass that surrounds the Cathedral of Learning. The rugby and lacross players can come on down.

PS --- stop

Design Competition -- Yet alone Local Consultant

No design competition, and the developer refutes the planning documents. Goes counter to "flex-office space" and "job creation" Mr. James Goldman, local, -- retainer. PS2 Jay, moved to W.VA. Polo - 4th River

----

Background and Backyard web site:

The Citizen Call to City Council for a Public Hearing

Signatures Submitted

As per city requirements, more than 25 people have signed a petition thereby expressing and interest to hold and attend a Public Hearing on the pending sale of land presently owned by the U.R.A. to U.P.M.C. for a Sports Performance compound to be built on the South Side's LTV site.

A wide range of people from many sections in the city choose to sign the petition to request the public hearing. Pettitions were passed around at the University of Pittsburgh, at the South Side Market House and at a high-tech firm, US Web Pittsburgh.

Regional Issue

This issue is important as the proposed plans play on the city-wide stage and have regional consequences. The impact of these decisions goes beyond the South Side to Oakland (looses the day-to-day activities of the football team at Pitt and some 800+/- jobs) to the North Side (looses the day-to-day activities of the Steelers football team and the Steelers' corporate headquarters) and to all the corners of the city. The happenings on the LTV site can set the stage for later efforts at the 200+ acre Hazelwood site, Nine-Mile Run and other URA developments. What happens on the South Side, and why it happens, impacts many corners of the city.

Because of the regional and city-wide impact, it is most important for all the members of city council to give the plans and the alternatives careful consideration with an open minded approach.

The graceful custom of City Council to often cast votes based upon the desires of the individual City Council Memeber who resides in that district is not suitable here. Everyone on City Council needs to be fully aware of this development plan and the related issues. Please do not opt to base voting decisions according to some "default decision methods."

Many people who live outside the city expressed and interest to sign the petition, but could not do so because of the stipulated rules. Some would like to speak at the public hearing.

Philosophy, Policy and Planning

We want astonishing developments to occur. This pending transaction and policy approach is sure to impact city residence for decades. The endeavor is similar to the building of the new stadiums on the North Side. in that everyone is called to make a space that impacts all city-council districts.

Plan B Fallout

Now that the finance hurdle of the two stadiums has been crossed, let's gather ourselves and look into the looming shaddows of Plan B's future. Now it is time to move onto the next decisions. Earnest discussion begin because:

There is a natural fallout and aftermath of Plan B.
The training facilities took a back-seat to the discussion of game-day facilities.
The scope of focus widens to training, citizens and institutions.
There is much to do beyond the new building issues and corporate convention center scheduling. Now it is time to give a care about the players who are NOT under professional contracts with agents.

Advanced Discussions in Meaningful Ways

The goal is to be positive and to present uplifting solutions to some difficult challenges. Version 1.0 of the Position Paper and the delivery of the petitions for the Public Hearing to the City Clerk are coupled events. Knowledge of the hearing and knowledge of the position paper should make for more fertile discussions to come.

People need to take the microphone to make public statements and public promises on many issues that circle these plans.

Let's wait and see if the owners of the Steelers show up and assert the claim that the Steelers are to make a permanent move of its corporate headquarters out of the North Sie and onto the South Side to be a tennant at the proposed UPMC site.

Let's wait and see if the University of Pittsburgh football coach can stand to see his athletes manage pressing schedules as student-athletes with daily trips out of Oakland. The proposed site means a trip off campus, down Bates Street, up Second Avenue, across the unopened Hot Metal Bridge, and along River View Drive to the football practices, tudor/study sessions, rehab, film reviews, conditioning practices. The commute times (plus rush hour, plus hurt limbs, plus need for personal cars, plus closing of the Glenview Bridge for 18 months and the Ft. Pitt Bridge for additional time) are sure to burn hours out of players' days.

Let's wait and see who says what when the NCAA compliance officers prohibit the sharing of the same facility at the same time with professional athletes, as clearly stated in the NCAA Manuals.

Let's wait and see what amount of money UPMC wants to grant to the South Side athletes.

Prelude to City Council's Public Hearing and Vote

Much work and education should be slated with the help of City Council before the formal public hearing even occurs.

Telivised Round Table Discussions Are Welcomed

Let's schedule open discussions and informational sessions that can lead up to the Public Hearings. I'm sure that the citizens would like to know what is slated with the pending UPMC plans. Let's give the URA and UPMC television opportunities to outline and detail the pending plans. Understanding a $30-Million development with various buildings, new road-way construction, complicated site challenges takes time. Only the informed can expect to get beyond the glitz of a new complex to see the flaws and troubles. Unknown plans can't garner objections nor improvements nor outside recomendations. Wiser to dismantle and re-assemble plans rather than buildings and roads, yet alone the river and flood-plane issues.

Case in point, the present location of Dr. Freddie Fu's Sports Medicine office includes a therapy pool. The aquatic's pool, built into an existing building on Baum Blvd., and the extensive remodeling for Sports Medicine occurred in 1990. Seemingly, the hydro-therapy pool doesn't fit its present location and reportedly is constantly under reapair. UPMC remodeled the building at considerable costs. To retrofit and accomidate specialized sports equipment, i.e., swimming pools, is both new and abandoned properties is expensive. Let's ponder the plans and see if UPMC is going to repeat past mistakes like the ones at the existing Sports Medicine offices or like the ones at its indoor football practice facilities, The Cost Center.

Video Tape and Broadcast the URA Board Meeting

The URA staff should make a technical presentation to the URA board on the sale of land to UPMC in the days ahead. Let's capture that presentation on tape and on the URA.org web site so we can review the details before the public hearing. Another show-and-tell session that covers the A-B-Cs is not needed as the troubles happen more in mid-stream near L-M-N-O and P.

I'd like to request the broadcasting of a number of meetings before the public hearing.

The city-wide cable can be used as a before the Public Hearing and before the eventual City Council vote on this issue. This is an extra consideration that does not need to be granted by the Sunshine Law and such. I'd like to see City Council go the extra mile for me now so we can facilitate some extra communications on these on-topic issues.

When the stage is set for a public hearing, certain things can be accomplished, but other items and issues flounder. Speakers with an opportunity of a three-minute sound-bite can't address philosophy, global issues, nor any lengthy first hand accounts. A public hearing can be a forum to display a watershed of pent up ideas in support for specific legislation about to be enacted. But, a public hearing is not a debate. Otherwise, let's call a public hearing and get to the roots of society's ills.

Give and Take Is Needed For Excellent Planning

A lot of give and take is needed to craft philosophies and to uncover both the basics and the spectacular. There isn't any give and take within the process with the minute expections of:

The URA Director gets asked some questions by City Council at Working Meetings on Wednesdays.
The URA Board gets together to sign-off on the projects that the staff submits.
Tame community groups are tickled with tidbits and ponder window-dressing design conerns.

If UPMC and Pitt make a $30 million mistake with its move and development to the South Side, they can then, in-turn, choose to close Pitt Stadium. That then becomes another mistake with a possible price tag of $200-$300 million. The people of our city suffer and the people have to pick-up the pieces, such as is the case with UPMC arch-rival AHERF's $1.6 billion bankrupcy.

Pitt already built an indoor football practice facility in the 90s. Let's let them use that one for a while longer.

UPMC isn't a private corporation, but a public-non-profit hospital in a volitile health-care industry. Let's talk about little leagers, scholastic sports and wellness issues. Let's talk about employee fitness, day-care responsiblities and improving access. Let's talk about Pitt too, its state funding, its tenure record, its public space policy in Oakland.

License Plates, made my those in prisons

WWW.STATE.PA.US

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/penndot/railway.nsf/webcast?readform

On Feb. 17, 1999, Gov. Tom Ridge unveiled a new look with a website address for the Pennsylvania license plate. Our Commonwealth kicks into high gear for a 'New Pennsylvania.' With our web address, a strong and positive signal says that Pennsylvania is high tech, high energy and ready for the new millennium.

Our website is a gateway to important information for tourists, motorists, families, employers and students. "People who may someday visit or even move here."

What about the people that already live here! What about the South Siders who have complained for years about the over-crowded parking problems? What about the people who want to develop new businesses with new technologies? The people in our area don't have the props from the locals in high-tech start-ups and technology insights, and we need a Passion Park, a small-business convention center, a high-tech hang-out.

The state replace the 9 million license plates over a three-years - at no cost to motorists, ha, ha, ha. Who pays, the taxpayers. Gee, some of them might be motorist too.

Pennsylvania's $1.9 billion-a-year Motor License Fund will absorb the cost of the license-plate replacement, expected to total about $32 million. PennDOT will not charge motorists a fee for the new license plate unless they want to buy one before their scheduled replacement time. Motorists who want a new plate sooner will pay $7.50.

Gov. Ridge, let's tap into the Motor License Fund to build Passion Park. It is going to cost less than $10 million. Correctional Industries will manufacture the new license plates using reflective-sheeting technology, resulting in greater visibility. The existing plates use a "beads-on-paint" system, in which only the numbers and letters, not the background, are reflective. Once completed, PennDOT expects the statewide license plate replacement to result in a 4 percent to 5 percent increase in vehicle registrations. This is because motorists must have a valid registration to receive the new license plate from PennDOT. PennDOT estimates this boost in registration fees would generate about $13.8 million a year - more than covering the cost of the re-issuance within three years.

PA License Plates

WWW.STATE.PA.US

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/penndot/railway.nsf/webcast?readform

Our website is a gateway to important information for tourists, motorists, families, employers and students. "People who may someday visit or even move here."

The state replace the 9 million license plates over a three-years - at no cost to motorists, ha, ha, ha. Who pays, the taxpayers. Gee, some of them might be motorist too.

Tuesday, February 16, 1999

South Vo Tech event

South Vo Tech to Host Regional Competition

South Vocational Technical High School is hosting the regional competition for industrial arts students in grades 11 and 12 on Tuesday, February 16, 1999, 9 to 11 a.m. The competition, which also includes state and national meets, is sponsored through VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America).

Students from Pittsburgh Public Schools will compete against students from programs in Western Pennsylvania Career and Technical Centers, including Somerset, Green, North Fayette, Fayette, Central Westmoreland, Western Area and Mon Valley.

Superintendent of Schools Dale E. Frederick said the competition is held in Pittsburgh once every eight years. "We are proud to host this activity for students at our vocational education magnet school," he said. "Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their leadership and applied skills in a variety of technical concentrations such as Cosmetology, Commercial Baking, Sheet Metal and Welding.

Many of these areas have incorporated computer technology. Student projects will be judged by community volunteers. First place winners advance to the state competition in the Spring along with other areas that are classified as "byes" and automatically qualify for the state meet.

Monday, February 15, 1999

Seeking Sports and Fitness Advocates for a newly forming Coalition

Dear Friends and Folks with connections to the 'burgh!

Advance Notice. Call for LOCAL (Pgh. PA) Political Action, No $ Solicitation

Seeking Sports and Fitness Advocates for a newly forming Coalition

Those with brain-power to spare with political, grass-roots, and community access interests are most welcome to join the South Side1s Market House Athletic Association as we convene a coalition to champion ideas and issues central to sports participation opportunities.
Today: The URA (Pittsburgh, PA's Urban Renewal Authority, http://www.ura.org, and UPMC (Univ. of Pittsburgh Medical Center, http://www.upmc.edu, have begun a 90-day OPEN DISCUSSION period. A $25-30M sports-medicine / sports-performance compound is on the drawing board for a large section of the LTV site on the South Side.
Yesterday: At the Washington1s Landing development, the URA invested $3M in tennis courts and park space. Furthermore a .9 acre site is leased at nominal charge to the non-profit Three Rivers Rowing Association, http://www.threeriversrowing.org, for its boathouse, fitness center and offices. Gems like these found in other development projects are uncertain -- quote: community access issues are nebulous at best -- when it comes to the LTV site.
Tomorrow: Ideas and voices needs to be organized and shared.
Please send email to: Backyard@SportSurf.Net
Get further information and a kit geared to getting yourself, community agencies and regional businesses into this extended planning process.
Mark Rauterkus
Thanks for listening. This advance notice was posted by Mark Rauterkus, convener's chair, mrauterkus@sportsurf.net. The message went to a number of contacts such as yourself via BCC. Your address is part of Mark's personal email address listings. News agencies, thanks for NOT publishing, rather wait for the pending OFFICIAL Press Release. Feel free to forward this message others you know who might be keenly interested. Please do NOT post as spam or broadcast to USENET Newsgroups.

Sports Provide for Life -- or Not

Newsweek Letters Section, Feb 15, 1999: Response to Jan 25 cover story on Michael Jordan's retirement.

Gayle Mitchell of Lakewood, Colo.
"I can't tell you how ridiculous all the players, coaches and other poepole on the sidelines look studying their charts so seriously with their little headsets on, as if they're doing something important. You'd think that they were launching a rocket or contemplating brain surgery. If all that money and effort were used for something worthwhile, we could probably cure cancer or end poverty."

Mail Call from others without attribution:
Is it really that earth-shattering that a basketball player called it quits?

A Professional athlete's contributions, even Jordan's, are minimal.

The fact a person can run, kick or throw some ball means nothing.

The Run, the Kick and the Throw Means Nothing

Very true.

People everywhere are confused about the role of sports. The media does not have a clue. Many school administrators have lost a grip on this imporant, fundamental, philisophical understandings too. The ADs are to lead the coaches who are to lead the athletes. To many are floating in the sea of sports without a rudder.

We wonder what the AD at Pitt would say about sports philosophy and other global points of life this week. No doubt a philosophy can be stated by the Pitt AD. But, how long that statement is left to stand on its own in words and deeds is another issue too.

The Pitt AD has proven that his word can be altered easily, as per the November publication with quotes. See: AD speaks page. Sports is a business. Sports is entertainment. Sports is to build character. Sports is for recreation. Sports is for fun. Sports is a ticket to a scholarship. Sports is an income/job/advertising medium. The views are diverse.

The Poison Paper

This effort, called a position paper, is going to feel more like a "poison paper" if a vision is built upon the sandy soil of a shared understanding of sports. Sports are a passion, and this passion can be poison-free.

Get a poison-free perspective on sports by getting things right from the start. First things first. Sports are games of time, space and relationship.

Great athletes have a special sense for grace in time, space and relationship. Roberto Clemente roamed right field and made it looked easy. The Clemente relationships lives today, such as too with Arthur Ashe, Jimmy V, and countless others.

Being #1

In the field of psychology, many studies have examined successful people. Research has tried to find the keys to success. Are the keys located among the common elements of personality, development, genetics and such?

Being #1 is a bogus objective in most instances in sports. On the other hand, being #1 works in politics to a much better level of success. Being #1 in an election means getting the most votes and getting to keep or get a "job." For a politician, being #1 is job security for being a politician.

An ultimate athlete strives to be and to do his or her best. Meanwhile, a politician does strive to be #1. A politician who strives to do the best and to be the best is not a politician in the true sense of personal definitions as that person would be called a leader.

Being #1 is not the stated objective of this position paper. Being #1 is not the same as being successful. Rather let's examine the number one trait of being successful. The #1 being for success is risk-taking. Restated: the top trait of successful people is their willingness to take risks. The key to success is in risk-taking decisions.

Releasing this position paper, submitting your feedback to these positions, striking up conversations about these issues, calling elected officials and going to public hearings are all acts that have some degree of risk. Speaking your mind is scary and this can freeze many people in their tracks.

The same too goes for changing your direction and altering your course of direction. If the Pitt Athletic Director can be made to see some of these positions and should this revelation alter his opinions for what should become the best actions for the student-athletes at the University of Pittsburgh --- and should this include the continued operation of Pitt Stadium --- then what?

Would it be too risky for the Mayor to change his mind and instruct the URA to NOT proceed with the sale of land on the South Side to UPMC?

Success Include Elements of Risk

This position paper attempts to stake out some positions. This position paper contains a lot of information. Some of it might be wrong or might be unknown or might be unproven. The hope is to be accurate and to be passionate and to aim for the highest and best outcomes for the long-term good of the greatest number of people.

If there are errors in fact or judgement, they won't linger.

Saturday, February 13, 1999

Interesting email from the NCAA

https://dystopia.4rs.org/ncaa-confirmed-issue/

Wednesday, February 03, 1999

Too global! Guilty as charged.

The Observation and Associated Guilt for Being, "Too Global"

Gulp, You Are Right, Hugh.

Global Perspectives Do Fill These Messages.

Hugh Brannon, director of the South Side Planning Forum, was right on the mark when he told me I was being, "too global." His valid observation was stated on February 3, 1999 at a meeting with the LTV Site' Steering Committee (a sub-group of the South Side Planning Forum). The four members of the "steering committee" were present. Also present at that meeting were people from UPMC (prospective owners), Oxford Development (partners with UPMC in site development) and the URA (Urban Redeveloment Authority, a City of Pittsburgh agency).

Too Global -- An Insult and Compliment

Being global is not okay in the eyes of the chair of the South Side Forum.

Guest Attendance and Worn-Out Welcome

The opportunity to attend a South Side Planning Forum Steering Committee Meeting was a special occurance. These meetings are generally closed to "concerned citizens." The closed door policy is something that needs to be changed.

Inner Sanctum

The opportunity to raise questions and express some concerns at the meeting held in early February came about after I had expressed a great desire to attend such a meeting since November. I had begged repeatedly to every member of the committee for a chance to have some meetings to discuss some thoughts on these issues. I had made at least 20 specific requests to have a meeting, any type of meeting, with these people before I was granted such a meeting.

It took a long time and a lot of work to get a chance to have a meeting, and then it was at a higher-level than expected.

I'm guilty of being too global. Yes, the point was made and understood.

Monday, February 01, 1999

Call to Action -- South Side and UPMC's sports medicine site

Not sure of the date.

Saturday, January 30, 1999

Reinstate a Market House Experience into the South Side

Turn Back the Clocks to a Past Era
The Market House of the past buzzed of a real Market House. Butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers with push-carts, fruit stands and a fluid array of shops made for a special place. The Market House was a mall before surburban sprawl and suburban malls. The Market House was a super market before supermarkets.
Pittsburgh has Market Square too, sans the market part. Pittsburgh's Market Square does get a weekly visits from a few local growers in the summer for an open-air farmers market.
To some degree, one of the visions makes a Market House Reinstatement to be much like a farmers market. Rather than the selling and buying of food-stuff, the new Market House can be built for idea transactions and building releationships.
Re-Set the Clock to Today's Era
We can re-create a Market House for the next century within this region, within these plans, and with your help so as to share the visions and possibilities. The Market House can succeed because of today's digital economy, struggling retail sector, outsourcing of production, specialized workforce, wired internet, booming lunch and dinner crowd, virtual corporations and need for community connections to schools and young people.
The Market House Concept Map
Be sure to scroll around, left to right, as this is a wide map. It might take a moment to load into the browser window below if you are using a slow net connection.

We Need a Convention Center for Everyday People
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center is a huge place for Fortune 500 Companies to showcase in mega-costly exhibits. Meanwhile, the Market House Concept creates a place for the small, young, activitist, artistic, grass-roots, casual to find nurture and flourish. Pittsburgh can capitalize in many ways with the opening of a convention site for the rest of us. This fits the South Side.
Build Upon the Past!
The South Side has a "historic designation." An interesting approach to a re-launch of a slice of our history in the Market House will be the reactions from the Historical advocates. Can a new age Market House be built to embrace the good-old days of the past glory of the Market House?
Start-Up Heap
Pittsburgh is near the bottom of the heap when it comes to turning ideas into companies and startups, as mentioned on the front page of the Sunday Post-Gazette, March 7, 1999. The new Market House aims to battle against that problem and perception.
Entice Cultural Tourists
Pittsburgh overriding aim of increasing tourism fits into the proposed Market House relaunch. The cultural tourists, as described in the P-G are affluent, usually college -educated and often middle-aged who enjoy traveling on weekends and can afford to satisfy their discriminating tastes.
Cultural tourists spend $190 more per visit than the average tourists. Distinctive draws to museum exhibits, theater and music. Pittsburgh has a new Office of Cultural Tourism as part of the Greater Pgh Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Cultural, arts and heritage experiences. Put Perigie Cookoffs into the list of events for the Market House.
Blockbuster events are to be developed. These are world-renowned international afairs, getting high expenses. The Andy Warhol Museum, Fallingwater, Symphony, Opera, Pgh Cultural Trust, Nationality Rooms, Heinz History Center, Tamburitzans, Ethnic neighborhoods,

Monday, January 18, 1999

Citiparks Pool Fees

Some Points:

The no-charge options should be part of an overall policy

No-charge admissions reasons can be for income or policy.

The City needs the revenue

No-Charge admission to young people has some support

The swim pools can become splendid opportunities for young people and others.

The City leaders, staff and citizens need to systematically sit down and begin collaboration to come to some findings and understood policies for swim pools.

Let's explore and find ways to make the pools more meaningful,

More programs cost, and the participants or other revenue streams need to be paid for. How is the city to pay for overhead of the new or expended programs.

New programs need to be created with the expectation that extra funds not going to be forthcoming out of the existing budget.

One of the suggested ideas is to close some city facilities. This suggestion could become a reality if the closing decisions are not made in a vacuum. The closings need to be augmented by better run facilities as an outcome of the closing. The point of engage community beef up more regional pools distorting figures... amendment..

Friday, January 01, 1999

FreeTeam.Org -- a defunct domain that used to be in the network, along with SportSurf.net, since 1994

The Internic's Org domain is for non-profit organizations. .Org is a worldwide top level domain designated for miscellaneous entities not fitting under Net, Edu, Gov nor Com.

Non-Profit Status

FreeTeam.Org is slated to become a non-profit organization, to be incorporated in one of the States of the U.S. as a 501(c)(3) entity. This incorporation process should occur in 1999 -- but it didn't. We are resolving issues on the FreeTeam.Org charter, original by-laws, early roles and leader members.

Relationship between FreeTeam.Org and SportSurf.Net

FreeTeam.Org's cousin is SportSurf.Net, founded in 1994.
The Net domain is for entities and computers that represent part of the Internet's infrastructure.
Net domains were originally intended for use by Network Information Centers, Network Operations Centers, and administrative computers (such as a name server) and network node computers.
The Net within SportSurf.Net is apparent in the hosting of hundreds of email discussion groups.
SportSurf.Net serves as a collaborative, community message hub with top-notch bandwidth utilization and deployments. Many communication opportunities for input, feedback and grass-roots participation are fortified at the site. One aim is to better ideas, information, and participation in sports and related activities.

These Org and Net sites are not Commercial

Neither the non-profit organization, FreeTeam.Org, nor the network happening place, SportSurf.Net are commercial, for-profit, businesses. These efforts are hosted and maintained with altruistic reasons and motivations. These sites present places where re-cycled electrons collide from around the world, mingling folks from any domain (.edu, .gov, .org, .com and others) to sharpen ideas, messages, mediums, and even the masses, one-by-one basis if necessary.

Update:

Other old and gone domains are listed at Hub.SwimISCA.org.

Bundle.com.

Tuesday, December 29, 1998

Don't beat yourself!

Pitt's Problems are Pitt's Doings

Pitt want to buy a 18-acres site on the South Side and get itself into another land-locked position again. Why?

Pitt's move to the LTV site gives Pitt more of the same headaches it already has. The football fields don't fit. There is no elbow room within those 18 acres. The LTV site is a long-thin strip of property. A rail-road right of way pinches the space to the river's edge and there isn't suitable room.

The entire LTV site is 130-acres. Today, in its brownfield conditions with one ugly UPMC building in another parcel, the space looks big. But, the look is an illusion that is temporary.

The LTV site isn't as dense as Oakland, but it is tight. The apartments, the entertainment places, the other buildings are coming.

Face the Facts

The 18-acres of space UPMC wants to purchase is a long, thin strip of space, suitable for a bike path and a dog run. But this space isn't okay for football facilities. This space, for sure, is not suitable for TWO football facilities, as we'll be hearing in an effort to end-run the NCAA rules.

Pitt is going to go to lots of trouble to make two facilities, when one does not even fit. Pitt officials and UPMC officials are really jazzed about their ownership and their master-mindedness.

Sports Coaching Prime Mission

As a coach, one of the biggest responsibilities within the art and science of coaching, is to allow the athletes to NOT beat themselves. Sometimes a team is beaten by superior competition. Other times a team gets beat by its own actions. This is sportscaster's jargon, but the idea does make sense.

On a more technical note, in the sport of swimming, coaches instruct the athletes to get out of their own way. You can't flail around and go at the highest speeds.

The principles apply to Pitt, sad to say. Pitt's loss is Pitt's fault. UPMC tripped and did itself a face plant.

Pitt has other Options -- Better Solutions Loom Much Larger

To build a Sports Performance development, UPMC should be seek 50 acres. Or, UPMC should grow where it is now. Both are talked about here.

UPMC Could Move to Quarry Field, Behind UPMC South Side Hospital

UPMC owns South Side Hospital now. There is plenty of room behind South Side Hospital that would be a perfect location for a UPMC expansion.

UPMC has an employee parking lot behind the rail-road tracks behind the Brew House and UPMC South Side Hospital. That is land that UPMC already owns. UPMC has employees park in that lot and get onto a bus to go to Oakland for their day jobs.

Directly across the street from the UPMC parking lot, and directly behind UPMC South Side Hospital is another parking lot that is the home of Courier Express delivery trucks. That small business owner would be willing to sell the property to UPMC for the right price.

Further behind UPMC South Side Hospital is Neville Ice Rink. The Ice Rink has a large parking lot.

Further behind Neville Ice Rink is another open space, park area, Quarry Field. This is the current home to the South Side Sabers youth football teams. A football field no less. This has lights, and room for expansion by taking over the ancient swing set at the far end of the property or taking over the crumbled basketball courts, nearer to Neville.

South Side Hospital Upside

Dr. Freddie Fu operates in a hospital. Surgery isn't going to be done at the Sports Performance Center -- unless the Sports Performance Center is moved to a hospital location. We can get the best of both world for everyone by putting the proposed UPMC site next to the existing UPMC site.

Dr. Fu, if he and his fellow doctors, move into the LTV site, they will need to drive to the hospital to do their other work. Why not position Dr. Fu and the medical team next to a hospital and get more for less?

Capacity is Ready at South Side Hospital

South Side Hospital was a community hospital that was purchased by UPMC in recent years. South Side has infrastructure and capacity to spare. The hospital was designed in another era and has many less beds than what it can handle. The S.S. Hospital could double in its capacity, if not triple, without needing an extra operating or examination room as it is under-utilized.

Lower Costs at South Side vs. Oakland for Operational Procedures

South Side Hospital has better economics for charges for services such as operations. To operate or do a procedure in an Oakland hospital costs a certain amount, and the costs are less at South Side Hospital. If South Side Hospital gets better utilization, then the citizens, health care, city employees and so on are going to benefit.

Others have said that Pitt should build a new stadium or the new convocation on the LTV site. It is a nice idea, but it doesn't work. There is not enough space in a square, round or rectangle condition to allow for those types of facility.

Friday, December 25, 1998

Card

Thursday, November 19, 1998

WQED Pittsburgh

Went to the WQED Board meeting on Nov. 19, 1998.

We made a little fuss about the wasted WQEX, 16.

Tuesday, November 10, 1998

Seeking Sports and Fitness Advocates for a newly forming Coalition

Dear Friends and Folks with connections to the 'burgh!

Advance Notice. Call for LOCAL (Pgh. PA) Political Action, No $ Solicitation

Seeking Sports and Fitness Advocates for a newly forming Coalition

Those with brain-power to spare with political, grass-roots, and community access interests are most welcome to join the South Side's Markethouse Athletic Association as we convene a coalition to champion ideas and issues central to sports participation opportunities.
In November 1998: The URA (Pittsburgh, PA's Urban Renewal Authority, http://www.ura.org, and UPMC (Univ. of Pittsburgh Medical Center, http://www.upmc.edu, began a 90-day OPEN DISCUSSION period. A $25-30M sports-medicine / sports-performance compound is on the drawing board for a large section of the LTV site on the South Side.
The Past: At the Washington's Landing development, the URA invested $3M in tennis courts and park space. Furthermore a .9 acre site is leased at nominal charge to the non-profit Three Rivers Rowing Association, http://www.threeriversrowing.org, for its boathouse, fitness center and offices. Gems like these found in other development projects are uncertain -- quote: community access issues are nebulous at best -- when it comes to the LTV site.
The Future: Ideas and voices needs to be organized and shared.
Please send email to: Backyard@SportSurf.Net
Get further information and a kit geared to getting yourself, community agencies and regional businesses into this extended planning process.
Mark Rauterkus
Thanks for listening. This advance notice was posted by Mark Rauterkus, convener's chair, mrauterkus@sportsurf.net. The message went to a number of contacts such as yourself via BCC. Your address is part of Mark's personal email address listings. News agencies, thanks for NOT publishing, rather wait for the pending OFFICIAL Press Release. Feel free to forward this message others you know who might be keenly interested. Please do NOT post as spam or broadcast to USENET Newsgroups.

Monday, September 21, 1998

Market House Children's Athletic Association

Year unsure.