east liberty station: realizing the potential - City of Pittsburgh

Existing Zoning and TOD
While the existing zoning is relatively
conducive to TOD in terms of allowable
use mix, it is less than ideal in terms of
allowable development intensity and
height. Currently the highest intensity
residential zoning near the station is along
Highland Avenue in the RM-H district
allowing 9 story apartment buildings.
On the parcels adjacent to the station
the maximum density is FAR 4.0 with a
maximum height of 4 stories.
Best practice development targets for
a Mixed Use Center station such as East
Liberty recommend higher intensity
residential development than is currently
permitted by zoning.
In the area immediately adjacent to the
station in the East Liberty core and along
Penn Avenue higher intensity residential
development zoning should be explored
in the future. Creating an additional TOD
zoning overlay allowing midrise residential
development typologies of 6-9 stories
(FAR 5.0-6.0) within 700’ of major fixed
guideway transit facilities would allow the
residential density in the immediate station
area to be significantly increased, creating
a critical mass of transit friendly housing
units and more appropriately capitalizing
on the value of transit. Variations of this
type are shown in the image of Portland at
right and in the Del Mar Station case study.
The implications of this for East Liberty
Station are illustrated in the visualizations
at right.
In addition areas with zoning categories
that are not conducive to TOD should
be reconsidered as future development
occurs. In particular parcels along Penn
Avenue zoned Highway Commercial
currently disallow almost all residential
uses and allows site development
standards which are automobile rather
than pedestrian oriented.
Visualization of 3-4 story mixeduse
development on the Shady
Hill Plaza adjacent to the station.
Buildings are a mix of apartments,
small retail spaces and town
houses with structured parking
Visualization of the same
development with limited
additions of 8-9 story midrise
buildings. Allowing higher
intensity residential development
would create more units close to
transit and would help support
retail uses around the station.
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