From Pittsburgh Business Times:
Rugby Realty Co., Inc. is ready to push forward with a new two-building office development on a four-acre site near the heart of the Strip District after receiving court approval following a zoning challenge.
In what may be one of the last development projects approved in the Strip District under the previous zoning code before the new Riverfront Zoning Overlay, the New Jersey-based firm now expects to build two eight-story buildings for a combined total of more than 400,000 square feet, replacing plans for a single, taller tower Rugby opted against after meeting with community organizations.
Working with Lawrenceville-based Desmone Architects and Cincinnati-based Al. Neyer as the builder, Rugby hopes to take a design through the planning approval process and begin construction on its first phase building next year. The expectation is it will be completed within a 24-month construction schedule, according to Aaron Stauber, president of Rugby.
“We know what we can build on our site in terms of height, density and lot coverage,” said Stauber, whose company has long invested in real estate in the region but has yet to build a new project here.
He added, ”We’ve had meetings with city planning and at least the overall impression is they’re very supportive of our project.”
Read the full story by Tim Schooley at the Pittsburgh Business Times here.
