Golden Triangle Getting Crowded (and That's a Good Thing)
There was a time in Pittsburgh's not-too-distant past when you could fire a cannon in downtown on a Saturday night and there wouldn’t be a person there to notice.
photo by laura petrilla
Downtown Pittsburgh used to be deserted on weekends. In the days before the Cultural District overtook the seedy sides of Liberty Avenue, the golden triangle was the last place to bring your family or a date on a Saturday night. Those days are a distant memory, thankfully, and there's more evidence the city is showing no signs of turning back.
In its annual State of Downtown Pittsburgh report, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership offers plenty of evidence that “amenities and attractions necessary for a world-class metropolitan city are being realized in Pittsburgh.”
photo by laura petrilla
More people are living downtown
- Rental occupancy rates top 90 percent
- One- and two-bedroom rental rates range from $1,252 to $2,471
- Condo sales increased 17 percent in 2014 at an average price of $332,115
- Downtown’s population grew by 13 percent from 2010 to 2014
photo by dave dicello
Economic boom
- The annual economic impact of the arts on greater downtown is $252 million
- Total professional sports team attendance increased by nearly 7 percent in 2014
- Visitors to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center increased by 15.4 percent in 2014
- The supply of hotel rooms in downtown Pittsburgh make up approximately 20 percent of the entire 10-county western Pa. hotel market
- Overall occupancy rate for greater downtown hotels increased to 69.1 percent in 2014, compared to 66.8 percent in 2013
photo by laura petrilla
Foodie Hub
- There are nearly 300 dining establishments in downtown Pittsburgh, and 95 of them offer outdoor seating
- In 2014, 23 new dining establishments opened in greater downtown, marking a 67 percent increase over 2013
- More than 85 percent of the retail space currently under construction or announced has been committed for restaurant use
photo by dave dicello
New Development
- In 2014, 37 development projects valued at $526 million were announced; these projects involve 142 residential units, 356 hotel rooms and 1.25 million square feet of office space
- The overall development pipeline (projects announced prior to 2014) includes: 1,513 hotel rooms, 3,849 residential units, 3.3 million square feet of office space
The report concludes that downtown remains the center of the region’s labor market with more than 113,000 salaried jobs, but with a Class A occupancy rate of 95 percent, finding the perfect location can be challenging.
––Richard Cook
#PorchParty: Decorating contest
Summerset at Frick Park is holding its first-ever Porch Party on Sunday, May 17 from 1-4 p.m.
Local businesses, nonprofits and homeowners are decorating their porches in a wide variety of themes. One lucky winner will be awarded the Summerset Pittsburgh Porch of the Year award and receive a gift card to a luxury home-goods store. Not to mention, they’ll get veranda-stylist bragging rights, too.
If you’re not one for decorating, you can just embrace the party and grab a bite to eat. Iron Oven catering will close down one block at Overton Lane for a street party to serve Pittsburgh favorites. Snack on a cone from Dream Cream Ice Cream and enjoy the music and entertainers as you browse the beautifully decorated porches.
With your ice cream in hand, there’s a lot to see. You can grab a Summerset Mocktail from the Community Supported Alcohol-themed porch by Wigle Whiskey. Or you can test-drive an electric car on display at P&W BMW’s electric vehicle-themed porch. Farmhouse Flower Studio and Iron Oven are decorating porches, along with nonprofits including Jewelry Love and Allegheny CleanWays. One themed porch will serve as a fundraiser for survivors of last month’s earthquake in Nepal.
So embrace the weather and the community, and get out there and look at some porches!
—Elaina Zachos
