Part of the fun of visiting a city is wandering the bustling streets to eavesdrop on the natives.

That ambience has long been lacking in Pittsburgh's Downtown, but that won't be true much longer if the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership has its way. The organization of businesses, civic and professional organizations, foundations and residents promotes a clean, safe, accessible Downtown, and its two latest initiatives are the kinds of little ideas that can make a big difference.

The first, optimistically titled Paris to Pittsburgh, aims to encourage the sidewalk-cafe character that is among the charms of the City of Lights. Through a $1 million grant from the Colcom Foundation, the partnership is offering matching funds to Downtown restaurants and retailers that perk up their facades and sidewalks.

The partnership would like to see businesses featuring large windows or doors that, in effect, extend the inside of the businesses outside their own frames. In Mt. Lebanon, for example, Bistro 19 and Molly Brannigans have used the design to good effect. Downtown, the owner of MixStirs Cafe in Market Square is promising to similarly extend his restaurant's inside out. Owner Mike Pfeuffer said adding a 20-foot window or door and associated work will cost about $60,000, a bill he will split with the partnership.

Florists, bakeries, markets and other ventures can make similar improvements while sharing the costs.

The second new program, called the Upper Floors Project, offers loans to property owners who convert vacant upper-floor space into apartments. The Heinz Endowments and the city Urban Redevelopment Authority each have kicked in $1.75 million, which the partnership hopes will lead to creation of 50 rental units.

Interested parties can find additional information and personal contacts regarding both PDP initiatives at www.downtownpittsburgh.com.

For too long, Pittsburgh's Downtown development hopes were hitched to one, grand idea that would transform entire blocks into retail and housing in a single swoop. With these two new projects, on top of others already under way, the partnership is helping to inject the energy of city life back into Downtown. Vive la difference.