Wal-Fart Tries again for New York

[33girl]

Originally Posted by agzg

That certainly is interesting. Do you usually go to the Target in Homestead? I used to work there.

Either there or Monroeville. The Waterfront isn't as handy as it used to be since I moved, not to mention the construction from hell that has been going on for the last year or so.

But yeah, it is bizarre to see this gigunda Target going up right on Penn Ave. I forget if I mentioned there's now an Anthropologie and a fancy bike shop in EL too...the neighborhood is changing so much and I just hope it ends up being a positive thing.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Either there or Monroeville. The Waterfront isn't as handy as it used to be since I moved, not to mention the construction from hell that has been going on for the last year or so.

But yeah, it is bizarre to see this gigunda Target going up right on Penn Ave. I forget if I mentioned there's now an Anthropologie and a fancy bike shop in EL too...the neighborhood is changing so much and I just hope it ends up being a positive thing.

I hope so, too. For such a blighted neighborhood they could really use some positive businesses going in. It probably won't be a Super Target, though - is a Giant Eagle moving in next door?

ETA: Is this part of a gentrification initiative for that area? If so, where will the people that live in Sliberty go?

ETA2: I didn't know there was construction going on around the Waterfront. When I was there (I lived right over the Homestead Grey's bridge in Squirrel Hill/Greenfield) they were just working on the bridge.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by agzg

I hope so, too. For such a blighted neighborhood they could really use some positive businesses going in. It probably won't be a Super Target, though - is a Giant Eagle moving in next door?

ETA: Is this part of a gentrification initiative for that area? If so, where will the people that live in Sliberty go?

It's right across the street from the GE there. There's also a Trader Joe's in the old Phar Mor plaza but it's a really tiny one and IMO impossible to do your full food shopping there - for example, I went there and then had to go to the Bird & get basic things like tomato juice because TJ's didn't have it. The big deal is Whole Foods, which is over in the Circle and actually has to have parking lot attendants because it gets so insanely packed.

In answer to your ETA, I would say yes, and well, that's part of my concern. They're trying to rebrand the area as "Eastside" and trying to appeal to what is referred to as the creative class (or hipsters, YMMV). This explains it better than I can.

http://www.eastofliberty.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoODGpf4ing

The thing is, the Target should have been the FIRST thing to go into the neighborhood (as I said, to replace the Sears and to give the area a general merchandise store other than Family Dollar) but I guess they wanted to wait and see how things would shake out. I can't blame them as a business, but as a person it kind of irks me that they lacked the balls to step up.

ETA: The Rankin bridge is the construction I refer to. It's a pain in the ass.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by 33girl

It's right across the street from the GE there. There's also a Trader Joe's in the old Phar Mor plaza but it's a really tiny one and IMO impossible to do your full food shopping there - for example, I went there and then had to go to the Bird & get basic things like tomato juice because TJ's didn't have it. The big deal is Whole Foods, which is over in the Circle and actually has to have parking lot attendants because it gets so insanely packed.

In answer to your ETA, I would say yes, and well, that's part of my concern. They're trying to rebrand the area as "Eastside" and trying to appeal to what is referred to as the creative class (or hipsters, YMMV). This explains it better than I can.

http://www.eastofliberty.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoODGpf4ing

The thing is, the Target should have been the FIRST thing to go into the neighborhood (as I said, to replace the Sears and to give the area a general merchandise store other than Family Dollar) but I guess they wanted to wait and see how things would shake out. I can't blame them as a business, but as a person it kind of irks me that they lacked the balls to step up.

ETA: The Rankin bridge is the construction I refer to. It's a pain in the ass.

I'll watch those when I get home from work - thanks so much.

Also, I did know about the Rankin bridge but totally forgot - I have a few friends that live in Pgh still and they complain about it pretty consistently. One friend mentioned he sat on the bridge for over 2 hours one day.

ETA: Also, I wouldn't call hipsters a trade up from the current/recent population.