Downtown Pittsburgh gets $600 million for revitalization projects
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pittsburgh is getting $600 million worth of investments to help revitalize Downtown.
Gov. Josh Shapiro was in Pittsburgh Friday morning to announce the 10-year plan and $600 million investment, which he says will kickstart the redevelopment of Downtown and bring the luster and energy back to the Golden Triangle.
Struggling with post-pandemic office vacancies, declining real estate values and street crime, Shapiro and a legion of local stakeholders are putting forward a vision for the future and the money to pay for it.
The plan calls for the conversion of Downtown buildings from offices to residential addresses and the creation of new public spaces. It also aims to bolster efforts to make the Golden Triangle clean and safe.
It brings together civic leaders and organizations, both private and public. The state will pony up $62 million and $40 million will come from a coalition of companies and foundations. About $22 million will come from the city's Urban Redevelopment Authority. The state says those public and nonprofit dollars will help spur another $377 million in private sector investments.
"What is happening here is unprecedented. Not just the dollars that are being invested but the way everyone has come together and everyone believes in this mission," Shapiro said.
While it's a 10-year plan, Shapiro says he wants action now with shovel-ready projects.
"We are moving quickly. The dollars the commonwealth is investing in these projects will not sit on some developer's balance sheet. They will be used to put shovels in the ground and do the construction necessary to build this housing quickly here in Pittsburgh," Shapiro said.
About $30 million will be used to improve the Market Square and the Liberty Avenue medians, with plans to better connect Point State Park to Market Square. The city is also planning another $30 million project to turn parking lots and open space in the Cultural District into a new outdoor destination with room for festivals, a family play area, a green space and public art.
"When I came into office, I promised we'd get to work, not only to restore, but to reimagine a more vibrant downtown filled with opportunity. A goal this ambitious couldn't be met without convening every stakeholder to create a plan for businesses, residents, and visitors alike," Mayor Ed Gainey said in a statement.
Gainey said he worked with the county executive and "convened" regional leadership to present the state with a plan.
"I'm thankful that Governor Shapiro believed in our vision and provided the critical investments that will position Downtown Pittsburgh to secure and deepen its role as the economic and cultural heart of Southwestern Pennsylvania," Gainey said.
Plan seeks to add 1,000 residential units to Downtown
Part of the $600 million will help convert buildings like the Gulf Tower from offices to residential and develop new public spaces. Shapiro says the efforts could add 1,000 residential units Downtown, a third of which will be affordable.
But if all these people are going to be attracted to live Downtown, they're going to need basics like groceries and parking. Right now, if you live in Downtown Pittsburgh, Target is just about the only place to buy groceries, and its food section is small.
When asked about necessities for new residents, Shapiro said "everything feeds on everything else."
"We'll get the housing, we'll get the retail built. Because we've got the private sector, the public sector all working together, we're gonna make sure that folks that live down here are able to live here, work here, play here, shop here," he said.
There's also the bold plan of mixing luxury apartments with affordable housing. It's something Lt. Gov. Austin Davis says is already working Downtown.
"Some of the most successful housing developments we've seen in Pittsburgh, whether it be East Liberty or the Hill District, are mixed-income developments," Davis said.
