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Letters: Readers respond with new ideas for Downtown
Sunday, December 31, 2000
Shopping, events, fun
I don't pretend to know how Downtown Pittsburgh shall revive itself, but the things that so far have seemed to work best are entertainment, in the five theaters coordinated under the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust; large-scale shopping in big lively stores such as Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, and the way Kaufmann's was half a century ago; small-scale shopping in the "infill" shops along Fifth and its cross-streets, where there is an obvious customer loyalty; occasional big events such as fireworks at the Point or parades; and water-based summer sports (but there has been so little public encouragement in the latter that it is hard to judge).
The future, then, should be built on the past. Protect and encourage what has already worked, and help it flourish. That would mean free parking after 5 p.m. and all weekends and holidays; financial help to the small-scale stores; water buses, marinas and rental facilities on the rivers; and strong encouragement to any enterprises that propose getting people Downtown in off hours, especially housing and entertainment.
Market Square, PPG Place and the Wintergarden are pathetically underused. Turning one or all of those locales into public dance halls -- catering on different nights to all age and community groups in town, not just one -- might create a powerful incentive to return Downtown again.
FRANKLIN K.
'Main Street' the way
I agree with Harry Finnigan (of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership). People care passionately about the Downtown area, and I love Bernie Lynch's idea about the "Main Street" approach to Downtown renewal. I think it would have to cost the city a lot less to fill the vacant second and third floors on Fifth and Forbes with small, young, high-tech and venture capital firms, bringing in further revenue from rental fees, rather than altering the charm and character of the city.
To bring the people back into the city, we need to do something exciting and fresh and offer a proven draw like Maryland's "ESPN Zone." With our new stadiums, it's a perfect to time to cash in on the sports town that Pittsburgh is.
Closing Fifth Avenue to all traffic (it's working in Las Vegas on Freemont Street) would offer people the opportunity to freely cross back and forth (no jaywalking tickets, please) while shopping at the various retail stores and restaurants along the way. After all, we can't make the road wider, so let's close it off and put it to full use in another way. New restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory and The Melting Pot would be sure successes. Think of the opportunity for outside dining during the summer months without exhaust fumes.
By expanding the T and shuttle service from Station Square and the North Shore, it would encourage people to leave their cars on the outskirts and eliminate the need for extra parking spaces.
We already have great shopping Downtown with Kaufmann's, Lazarus, Saks and Lord & Taylor. I think it is time to focus on our history with its great sports teams and fans, specialty retail stores, signature restaurants and tech companies.
Does it have to be Plan C, for compromise? Compromise sends a negative message of the feeling of loss. Let's choose Plan C for -- creative and committed to turning our city into "Pittsburgh Central," the center for certain enjoyment, new opportunities for employment and with something special for everyone!
LOIS KEATING
Old stuff has character
Thank you for soliciting the humble opinions of city dwellers who have already been attracted to the Pittsburgh area. Although I grew up in State College, I spent the '90s in Alaska. My husband hails from West Virginia. He's in the hospitality business; I'm working on a master's degree in library/information science at Pitt. With so much talk about getting young people to come here, here are suggestions on what we would like to see happen Downtown and in the general area.
1) Alaska is beautiful beyond compare, but it definitely lacks neat old architecture. Alaskans, however, value what they have. Pittsburghers ought to value the rich legacy of interesting buildings here. I've traveled all over the U.S. and Europe and would have to say that my favorite cities have been the ones with age and character. Preserve Downtown as a treasured cultural trust! Encourage restoration, reuse, rehabilitation of the old architecture. (We bought an old home in Lawrenceville.)
2) Get some decent public transportation going here! I don't mean subways or light rail systems -- just some taxis that actually show up when you call and bus service that actually deserves a "golden" moniker. Have some hubs downtown so that you don't have to get off one bus and walk two blocks to make a transfer. Have benches at the stops. Have routes and schedules posted so out-of-towners can make use of the system easily. Have "loop" buses that just keep circling around and around the Downtown area, including the Strip District. (You know, I was recently in the Strip on a Saturday morning. It was hopping! I hit Downtown; it was dead. Nothing was open. A loop or shuttle-type bus service could bring that Strip life to Downtown.) A bus should be available every five to 10 minutes.
3) Forget about department stores! Don't we have enough already? I've been in Kauffman's about two times in the three years I've lived here. And we cut through Lazarus once on our way to the Benedum. I do most shopping at small, unique stores -- like the ones in Oakland, Squirrel Hill and Shadyside. What would I shop at Downtown? Specialty book and music stores, a game store, quality outdoor equipment retailer, quality toy store, nature/conservation-oriented businesses. Also, the first year I was here, I wanted to send "Pittsburghy" items for Christmas gifts, but couldn't find much Downtown. There was no special store with Heinz, Iron City, Penguins, Steelers, Pirates, etc. merchandise. And no one I asked could tell me where to look for such things. In Alaska I worked in the hospitality industry. My co-workers and I made it a point to know where to direct tourists or newcomers for shopping, entertainment, recreation, etc.
4) Speaking of entertainment, I'd love to see a new movie theater or two. They need not be 24-plex capacity. In fact, I'd rather see smaller ones, especially "retro" in the grand old movie theater style with lovely lobbies and balcony seating. My husband would probably visit a high-tech virtual reality gaming arcade. Most of all, how about some street entertainers? Are there laws against it here? Downtown is soooo boring! Where are the artists, musicians, jugglers, mimes and so forth? I've seen one balloon vendor during a parade, but other than that, nada. Never even a hot dog vendor!
SONYA SMITH
Maps, directions, signs!
I am new to the Pittsburgh area (Cranberry) and would very much like to take more advantage of Downtown shopping and entertainment. One obstacle I encounter is the lack of directions regarding parking, store locations, etc.
Advertisements in the paper rarely contain an address, preventing me from using maps. Telephoning the stores rarely results in accurate directions.
I have found that most of the people I have met shop very close to home because Downtown is unfamiliar.
For driving Downtown, I would appreciate more signs pointing to parking lots. Pamphlets which indicate store locations and street names would be very helpful. Frequently, I hear, "Oh, that is in the old Horne's building."(Being a newcomer how would I know where Horne's was?)Parking discounts would be an incentive, also.
If Downtown merchants want to attract more patrons from the suburbs, they will need to give them better information. A Downtown map, or recordings "for directions from I-279, press 1" instead of a store employee who says, "I have no idea how to tell you how to get here." Also, print the store location in ads.
My suggestion to boost business is to make Downtown more accessible. Don't assume everyone knows what stores are there or locations of businesses. I have found my way to the department stores and definitely prefer shopping in a Downtown atmosphere to a mall. I find the commute to Downtown easier and faster than the nearby malls. I would love to hear more about the restaurants and shops Downtown so I can visit them.
Good luck to Pittsburgh in its Downtown promotion.
MARY ANN WILSON
Not just Fifth/Forbes
Instead of trying to lure people Downtown to an arbitrary location like Fifth/Forbes, why not try to nudge them further into town from the areas in which they are already?
Why not try to have a movie theater/entertainment complex much nearer the new convention center and the Strip District? The triangular block bounded by Liberty Avenue, William Penn Way and the Chamber of Commerce Building would seem to fit this need admirably. This area now consists almost exclusively of surface parking and abandoned storefronts, surely not the first thing you want visitors to the shiny new convention center to see.
People coming to the convention center and staying in current or still to be built hotels do not necessarily want to walk five or six blocks at night in a strange city to catch a movie, but they might very well do so if the theater is across the street. Equally important, people are demonstrating their willingness to come to the Strip; and a cinema, more restaurants, etc. near the convention center can bring them right into the Downtown area proper.
LARRY KREGER
A pedestrian place
A recent business trip took me to the town of Reading in the United Kingdom. Reading is an old railroad town that, like many other nondescript "red brick" towns, is struggling to maintain an identity in the 21st century and become more than just a somewhat distant suburb of London.
On my day of arrival, a Sunday afternoon, I ventured out on foot in an attempt to see what life was like in this quaint old place. Walking a few blocks up from the hotel, which was right downtown, I reached an area where the street was suddenly no longer a track where a paranoid American needed to glance both ways twice to ensure a car was not about to run him over. They had simply blockaded the main venue so that the entire area was a spacious pedestrian village.
To my surprise, the atmosphere was rather vibrant for a sleepy Sunday afternoon. It was apparent that the locals truly enjoyed walking here, and stopping in the local pub (of which there were quite a few to choose from) to grab a pint and chat with friends. There was a small downtown mall that seemed to do a fair amount of business, but even the local street level retailers appeared to benefit from the substantial foot traffic.
As I stopped in a local pub myself to grab an espresso and read the London Times (ironically containing an article by Boy George who wrote about being flattered by a recent trip to Pittsburgh where a "Boy George Day" had been proposed), it dawned on me that this unassuming little town in England had something that Pittsburgh desperately needs -- a place where people just want to hang out.
It could be argued that the failed East Liberty and Allegheny Center attempts in the '60s prove that cordoning off an area for pedestrian traffic simply limits access to the area. However, it makes a difference when the area offers something other than shoe stores and discount shops to attract people.
Consider Shadyside for a moment. On a recent Saturday afternoon, I was struck by the number of various and (seemingly) disparate types of people who were attracted to the area because it offers some semblance of a social gathering place. Could it be that the urban population actually likes exposure to a wide variety of retail shops, from art galleries to crafts shops, while still able to grab a cappuccino or a beer while talking to acquaintances?
As I and my family attempted to sidestep the oncomers on a narrow sidewalk, I had to think how much more comfortable it would have been were the street available for additional space. So, my suggestion is this -- stop trying to duplicate the suburban notion that the only thing that attracts people to an area is how easily they can drive there and how much shopping they can get done; that's what malls are for. Rather, develop a plan that makes Downtown a place where people want to go because there are significant opportunities to meet friends and feel like part of a community. Make it a pedestrian place, with numerous gathering places, sidewalk cafes and interesting cultural events; this is what the heart of an urban area is meant to represent.
TOM SLACK
Examples are there
We've lived here for 10 years, and have lived near other major cities (New York; Boston; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles). In my opinion Pittsburgh needs exciting development that is consistent with Pittsburgh's character. I do not think that it should be turned into a smaller version of New York, L.A. or Chicago. The place that comes the closest is perhaps Boston.
In any case, I'd like to build on what's here, rather than tearing down and starting over. Think about the Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston and the Riverwalk in San Antonio. These are vibrant areas that attract thousands of tourists. The Riverwalk links big stores and smaller stores and restaurants. The Faneuil Hall area started out relatively small and became a location of choice as it grew.
Other places that come to mind are Grafton Street in Dublin and the pedestrian mall in Copenhagen. I'd love to see a pedestrian mall that links existing major stores (no, I don't think we need Nordstrom in order to do this), and allows other shops and restaurants to be part of the picture.
Yes, more parking is needed, and I'm not sure how you get a pedestrian mall out of the Pittsburgh streets. On the other hand, if it can be done in Boston it can be done anywhere. I'd also like to see more use of the riverfront area, which is a unique Pittsburgh asset. Station Square has been successful in part because it blends the old with the new. I think this blend is what is needed for Downtown.
I also think we offer the assets of much larger cities (symphony, theatre, sports) without the congestion that is usually associated with them. We can drive home from Downtown in the amount of time needed to get out of the parking garage at the Kennedy Center in D.C.
NANCY R. MEAD
Move quickly
Perhaps we should be sending our suggestions regarding Fifth and Forbes to the mayor's office, and perhaps you could give us an e-mail address that would accomplish that.
I was not aware that the Post-Gazette was going to be the clearinghouse for what should happen, nor would I think you would want to get in the middle of this situation, but rather just print the news.
What sort of a plan do you believe will come out of a committee? An elephant, perhaps!
Obviously, Fifth and Forbes needs to be a combination of retail, housing and restaurants/clubs/entertainment. But I certainly wouldn't want to set myself up as an expert in determining the ratio. I would hazard a guess, however, that Downtown cannot wait 10 years for Main Street to happen or for owners to take the actions that need to be taken.
I suspect many of them will leave their buildings as they are, and rented out to nail and wig shops. But, who knows? Better we leave the process to people who know what they are doing than fill the pages of the PG with thoughts of others as inadequate as I am.
CHARLEY TRIMBLE
Michigan Avenue it ain't
First let me say I am a "city person" and love to be where the action is -- sadly in our great city of Pittsburgh there is very little action.
My wife and I enjoy shopping in the Downtown area (as opposed to the suburban malls ) and welcome the new Lord & Taylor store along with the nearly new Lazarus -- we like Lazarus the best.
I am very disappointed that the Fifth and Forbes project, as laid out by Mayor Murphy was canceled -- we feel this would have been a catalyst to a rebirth of our Downtown and would bring a new life and excitement to our drab city. When we visit our daughter in Chicago and shop on the "magnificent mile" (Michigan Avenue), it is beautiful and full of happy people spending money and enjoying the great shops and restaurants. But hope springs eternal. Let's go forward from here and try to salvage something that will give people the reason to come to the city and enjoy!
BILL and BARB DOERFLER
Help stores, add housing
1. Help the existing business there become more attractive and successful. These are entrepreneurs committed to making a living in our city and hiring our residents. Instead of being spurned and insulted, they should get help (if they need it) to fix up their facades and the insides of their stores and to develop their inventories. Tom Murphy should apply the old "Tom Sawyer" vision -- grab a paintbrush and help!
2. Mixed income housing is a must for Downtown. It doesn't need to be new -- buildings have empty upper floors and we know the lofts are popular, too. Please note, most of our business districts in Pittsburgh have apartments over stores. It's a not a new idea. Let's do it! Mixed-income housing will keep downtown vital at all hours and will encourage businesses to consider downtown if their employees can live there. Many people prefer apartments to houses.
3. A grocery store. A place where people can buy frozen lima beans or bread and eggs, as well as fresh vegetables all year. Keep the farmers markets, of course. Many people don't even know that Market Square was actually a thriving market not too many years ago. And it was wonderful for people who worked in town, for those who lived there, and for people who came Downtown by bus to buy groceries.
4. Implement some of the suggestions by the Main Street group. I attended their presentation at city council and was very impressed. Their commitment to maintaining the unique character of local downtowns was exciting.
5. Recreation: a small movie theatre (like six screens), a bowling alley (as suggested by Brian O'Neill) a skating rink (ice or roller or both), a public swimming pool, others?
6. We don't need any more big department stores. We need small specialty stores and affordable consumer items for people who need to shop downtown because they don't have cars. People who ride the bus have the same needs as people who drive. Let's make it convenient for them to come downtown and shop.
7. We need to do something about parking, but I'm not sure what. Shuttles from the Strip parking lots into town would definitely help, for starters.
These are some of the things I've been thinking about for the last six months or so.
JONI RABINOWITZ
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