California. Dreaming.

Metaphysicians teach us that we don’t have to know the means to achieving our dreams; we merely have to dream them.  We have to have the wish and desire.

With that in mind I am writing a dream piece having just returned from a wonderful weekend in California’s Bay Area, specifically mid-Peninsula, staying with friends in Menlo Park and attending Commencement ceremonies at Stanford University.

Given the rudimentary nature of my blogging it may surprise many that I work in high tech: computer software to be exact.  And I have for over 20 years.  I have thus spent a lot of time in the Bay Area and know it well, physically, socially and psychically.  And for me, two places on earth recharge my “batteries”: New York and the Silicon Valley.

From the first time I visited Silicon Valley I have said to myself “Pittsburgh needs more of this.”  I don’t tilt at windmills and I’ve always felt that Pittsburgh has the elements needed to recreate that unique atmosphere found in the Bay Area.  It’s just waiting for a catalyst.  [Negative free ions coming in from the Pacific Ocean notwithstanding.]

I believe most of my blog postings are attempts to specify what those catalysts might be.  But as in all of life, there’s a special magic to how things grow and develop.  We humans “study” things, whether in the physical or social sciences, to determine the how and why.  That’s hard.  I want to go easy here and just dream the un-definable.  So here are some thoughts in no particular order.

SRI, the Stanford Research Institute, in Menlo Park looks a lot like the Reizenstein School area that’s being developed into Bakery Square Two.  This seems to be a prime location for attracting big name, established high tech companies and at the same time incubating local firms that will hopefully become the marquee, big name corporations that will solidify Pittsburgh’s technology future.  Make that redevelopment happen as soon as possible.  Ideas are looking for terra firma to grow in Pittsburgh.

Panther Hollow is an uncut jewel.  I want to see it “developed” end-to-end.  But not overdeveloped.  By that I mean I want the majority of the green hillsides retained.  I would like to see transparent, translucent and transcendent architecture grown into those verdant hillsides.  That’s not hyperbole; look up Panther Hollow toward Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning the next time you head west on the Parkway out of Squirrel Hill [if you dare do that at 60mph coming around the bend] and see what a great set piece that view is.  I would like to see the world’s most notable architects as well as the most innovative up-and-comers put in site-sensitive structures that use modern materials that add significant structures in a way that doesn’t overpower the natural setting.  I want Frank Gehry, Norman Foster, Rem Koolhaas and Herzog & de Meuron, and also a pre-graduate class from CMU’s architecture department to design signature pieces.

Pittsburgh’s Hill District, while showing signs of attention, if not quite revitalization, is another un-polished gem.  Location, location, location is the old real estate expression [as well as useful in single bars] that pertains to the Hill.  But there is a very important historical aspect to the Hill that should be reborn not only because history, and Black history in particular, is important, but because this could be a tourist and development draw.  I myself am a jazz fan; a true fanatic actually.  Pittsburgh’s Hill District gave birth to so many jazz legends I am reluctant to list even a couple as I will be missing so many: Stanley Turrentine, Errol Garner, George Benson, Billy Strayhorn and Billy Eckstein.  The list goes on.  There needs to be residential and commercial development to support any kind of artistic life but perhaps a small museum space or cultural center where jazz can be performed?  I believe the residential redevelopment [it was for decades already a very vibrant community] is inevitable.  So someone [Duquesne University, Carlow University, Pitt – all who share a border with some part of the Hill] anticipate the rebirth and get in there, deeply.

A high or mid rise condominium tower near Pitt’s campus with a spectacular view of the Cathedral of Learning.  Expats like me want a place to come back to especially as we consider our “retirement years”.  [Whatever that expression really means.]  I’m looking for something refined and restrained, elegant, with glass and steel. And notable.  See above and pick an architect.  I think it would be a hit project for the first developer that takes this risk in Oakland.

That’s it for now.  Those are my most pressing ideas at this point.  I may be repeating some of these but …I feel these are worth harping on.

Re-creation in Recreation

The American College of Sports Medicine recently ranked 50 cities for being the most or least fit cities across the nation.  Pittsburgh came in at a respectable number 16, sandwiched in between Raleigh, NC and Philly, and not too far from trendier cities like Denver and Austin.  These lists of rankings, especially when featured on CNN or USAToday are definitely showing their age.  Those of us that took some statistics courses know that with the right criteria, Lagos can be viewed as London.  But this particular ranking got me to thinking about recreation, lifestyles, and the attractiveness of a city for desirable [read: higher income] demographics.

I posit Pittsburgh has all the recreational opportunities, and then some more, of larger or simply better reputed “cool and hip” cities.  Think the ones on every such list: Boulder/Denver, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Diego, and San Francisco Bay Area to name the obvious.  OK, the ocean-side beachfront we will never have.  Deal with it.  But even a large venue for sailing is just a couple hours north on Lake Erie.  And how many really swim off the frigid, shark infested Pacific beaches of northern California?


My point here is not to list Pittsburgh’s recreational opportunities.  That WOULD be tiresome and those that participate already know of them. Well OK.  A few of the outdoor oriented or “extreme” sports include street and BMX biking, mountain hiking and camping, white water sports, flat water sports as in rowing or kayaking, and triathlon.  Then there’s always the great equalizer of participant sports, running, of which Pittsburgh is developing a good core culture and an even better reputation.

 

So what I would like to see is more local political and development leaders play up the participant sports availability.  I note that outdoor recreation is mentioned in most thorough presentations of Pittsburgh’s quality of life.  But it’s never really highlighted.  My contention here is that participant sports attract a higher income and educational level demographic.  Those people form the basis for economic growth.  ESPN and “Sports Illustrated” magazine tout Pittsburgh’s reputation as a “sports town” but that comes with too many pictures [both mental and actual] of clearly overweight fans with their butts firmly placed in seats cheering on the local heroes.  Fun stuff as far as it goes but not always an attraction for 20-something creative types looking to migrate into, or simply stay [after CMU or Pitt degrees are attained] an exciting lifestyle.  More emphasis on serious participant sports and recreation, please.