Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey walks Downtown with KDKA-TV
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Since the pandemic, Downtown Pittsburgh has been in a state of crisis, with emptied-out buildings, a growing population of people experiencing homelessness, open drug dealing and instances of violent crime. Critics have accused Mayor Ed Gainey of being slow to respond.
But now, the mayor says Downtown is bouncing back, becoming cleaner, safer and poised for the future. He agreed to walk the streets with KDKA-TV lead investigator Andy Sheehan and face tough questions about his efforts to turn things around.
Flanked by his mayoral staff, his police chief and a Public Works crew, Mayor Gainey took KDKA-TV on a walk to answer his critics. Nearly two years into his term, he wanted to showcase his administration's progress in bringing Downtown out of the dark days of the pandemic.
Sheehan: "I think the criticism was that you were sort of slow to act. You were kind of in denial about the state of Downtown and it took you a while to get going."
Gainey: "Yeah, I'm not so sure about that. I think our work proves otherwise."
Through marshaling city workers and joining forces with civic partners, the mayor says despite notions that Downtown is dirty and crime-ridden, the Golden Triangle is shining again, becoming both safer and cleaner. Workers and visitors are coming back, he says, to experience what he calls "the new vibe" of Downtown.
"If it was unsafe, people wouldn't be coming Downtown at night," Gainey said. "People wouldn't be coming to the arts and Cultural District. People wouldn't be coming to eat at the restaurants, which are sold out. You know what I mean? There's a new vibe going on Downtown and it's been wonderful."
To that end, the mayor was eager to show KDKA-TV Smithfield Street, where over the past year, KDKA-TV has shown you scenes of people experiencing homelessness lining the sidewalk, drug dealing, overdoses and altercations with police. But in recent months, the Clean Team from the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership has been washing the street and sidewalk and police, under new chief Larry Scirotto, have made dozens of arrests, mostly for dealing drugs.
"We're focusing on those that are participating or have participated in an open-air drug market as if there were no consequences, as if there were no rules," Scirotto said. "In that, we've made upward of 60 arrests in two and half months. It's a strategy that will work, a strategy that we will continue. A strategy that makes this street and those that surround it look much different than it did in May, much different than it did in June and much different than it will be in December."
Gainey: "As you can see, it looks much better now than it did when we took over. Those are the improvements that we've made and we continue to make improvements."
Sheehan: "Well you had the Clean Team here this morning."
Gainey: "We got them here three times a week."
But that's not happening several blocks away. The mayor's staff would not permit KDKA-TV to take him to the end of Grant Street where there are close to two dozen tents in a sprawling encampment that office workers say is also drug-ridden. The city is declining to move them despite new rules saying tents can't be within 10 feet of a right-of-way.
"There's not as many encampments, but people are frustrated that this is the third year in a row that we do have encampments and although they're in violation of the city's guidelines, you haven't removed them," Sheehan said.
The mayor says he won't take the tents down until each person has a credible offer of housing.
"I want to be able to move them to a place where they're OK. I want that. You should want that so that we're not just moving them from one spot to the other. We're trying to make sure that we're doing the best we can to ensure their safety," Gainey said.
And going forward, the city must deal with the bigger issue of Downtown's economy. Since the pandemic, buildings have hollowed out. There is a 20 percent vacancy rate and there are many that are near-empty shells. And while there's been a recent return of some workers, more than 30 percent haven't come back and most of those who have work from home at least two days a week. On most days, Downtown remains half empty.
"We have to reimagine what Downtown looks like. There are no questions about that," Gainey said.
That means making Downtown a neighborhood -- converting many of the office towers into apartment buildings and condos. But through the first two years of his administration, the mayor has knocked heads with developers who complain that instead of offering incentives, he's put up roadblocks, demanding all projects include significant affordable housing.
"I was clear with everybody and I meant what I said when I said we want to build affordable housing, and we're going to build affordable housing," Gainey said.
But it remains to be seen if he can achieve those larger goals, stay true to his progressive ideals while redeveloping Downtown at the same time.
Sheehan: "You say don't judge me on what I say. Judge me on what I've done."
Gainey: "Right, so let's do that. Violent crime is down. We're doing things that make the city more welcoming. It's thriving in a way that it hasn't thrived. Nightlife is back in the city. Restaurants are doing well. Coffee shop sales are doing well. Judge us on that."
Sheehan: "Other people say homeless are still camping out on city streets, buildings are virtually empty and people are still afraid to come Downtown."
Gainey: "So those are the criticisms? So you're asking me, right? I'm not sure that people are scared to come Downtown. I mean, take a look."
Walking with the mayor, it's almost as if he's trying to bring Downtown back by the sheer force of his will, part salesman, part ambassador, using his charm and larger-than-life personality to sing the praises of a new Downtown.
"Even if you look now, people aren't scared to walk Downtown. Look at them, they're having a great time, smiling and everything," Gainey said.
"It's a great vibe. It's a vibe, man. You can feel it. You can feel it. And I'm enjoying it, I'm enjoying that we're improving things. We're not where we want to be but we're getting there."
And the mayor can rightfully claim progress Downtown in past several months. The streets are cleaner, they appear to be safer and workers have been drifting back. But Downtown's struggles have not gone away. These are challenges facing every city in America, and there are no easy fixes. Downtown is no exception.
