Upgrades Coming To South Side Works

PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - Pittsburgh's South Side Works is less than 20 years old.

But the new owners of the office retail and entertainment complex at the site of a former J and L Steel plant say it's ready for a makeover.

Somera Road partner Ian Ross intends to follow the example set by Bakery Square in the East End.

"And we think the success of Bakery Square can be replicated here. We think this can be a really amazing, modern, tech-forward, creative office space for the future tenants that are coming to Pittsburgh," said Ross.

That means less retail space, more office and entertainment space.

The biggest change: converting the existing South Side Works Cinema  into  steel and glass office space to be called Big Box.

"This place is going to be awesome," said Ross. "It's an adaptive reuse, a modern, 3-story space, 77,000 square feet,

 outdoor space, amenity space, its got fitness here already."

Somera Road plans an investment of well over $100 million. It will include a new multi-family residential and office riverfront complex; an entertainment center called Container Park to include food and beverage;  and a redesigned town square.

Major retailers and restaurants like REI, Cheesecake Factory, and Hofbrauhaus will remain. But Ross wants new and local retailers and chefs to move in.

"Retail is not failing. Retail and changing. You need pop-ups and experiential ideas."

Also planned is a dog park, playground, and green space.

Construction on the movie theater make-over will start this summer.

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