Pittsburgh-based developer Walnut Capital looking to build in Oakland

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh-based developer Walnut Capital has its eyes set on Central and South Oakland.

“Immediate response is it’s awesome!” said Robbie Ferreira, a University of Pittsburgh senior.

They’re looking to transform the area into the “The Oakland Crossings.”

The project would take up 18 acres of property and offer walk-to-work housing.

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The master plan includes 1,000 apartments, more green space, an elevated pedestrian bridge over the Boulevard of the Allies and a neighborhood grocery store, which would set up shop by Panera, keeping residents’ shopping commutes short.

“I can’t get down there because I don’t have a car, and then I’m lugging it back and bags are always breaking. People are looking at me like I’m a moron with cheese all over the ground,” said Ferreira.

In addition, developers are working on a smoother traffic pattern along Bates Street.

But the biggest concern for many is traffic, parking and affordability in the long term.

“That sounds like a really large project and like adding that many apartment units and doing all those things sounds like it’s gonna take a while and probably be pretty disruptive,” said Daniel Nichols, a Pitt senior.

The Oakland Planning and Development Corporation has spoken out over the project, specifically the zoning and how realistic it is to complete a project of this scale with this impact.

“What we were faced with is a piece of legislation that was written and delivered in its entirety to city council without any planning process whatsoever,” said Andrea Boykowycz,

assistant director of Oakland Planning and Development Corporation.

Pittsburgh City Council voted 8-0 to send the updated zoning to the planning commission.

Current residents say overall the upgrades could create long-term sustainability if done right.

“This would make it feel a bit more like a place you could live after college,” said Nichols.

At this point there is no timetable as to when this project would move forward, but we will track its progress.

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