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Which I don't think is all that different than most places. Retail is in flux still in the US. Many cities have pivoted to converting old office space to new residential development, this was happening before COVID, but the pandemic has really accelerated the process:
I get it, but for Pittsburgh the consistently strong residential demand Downtown despite the shift to WFH is significant because we have a lot of "gloom and doom" types who can't fathom why anyone would ever want to live Downtown if they don't work Downtown. Obviously with lots of people moving into Downtown Pittsburgh whilst FAR fewer people are working Downtown today vs. early-2020, those gloom and doomers can be quieted.
I get it, but for Pittsburgh the consistently strong residential demand Downtown despite the shift to WFH is significant because we have a lot of "gloom and doom" types who can't fathom why anyone would ever want to live Downtown if they don't work Downtown. Obviously with lots of people moving into Downtown Pittsburgh whilst FAR fewer people are working Downtown today vs. early-2020, those gloom and doomers can be quieted.
Yea, the Pittsburgh forum on CD is pretty representative of gloom and doom types.
Seattle seems recovering more this month. The tech layoffs are having the side effect of people showing back up to work for more face time. Uniqlo also opened up a store in the sketchy part of downtown where the old Macy's had closed years ago.
I agree with the other poster that the most recovered areas of downtown tend to be places with more residential apartments and less office buildings. Which makes sense.
Cincinnati has not fully recovered. Many businesses closed and there are still many vacancies downtown. I do not notice as many businesspeople at the offices. Very empty.
Cincinnati has not fully recovered. Many businesses closed and there are still many vacancies downtown. I do not notice as many businesspeople at the offices. Very empty.
Ugh, that is disappointing, and truly sucks, for lack of a better word.
But, these downtowns in mid-sized cities got hit just about the hardest in terms of business closures, restaurant closures, remote working, and lack of pedestrian activity.
Even the very largest cities in the US are still suffering in their downtowns with lots of vacancies and weak pedestrian activity.
I think many city downtowns will take a good 3-5 years to recover, or more.
Ugh, that is disappointing, and truly sucks, for lack of a better word.
But, these downtowns in mid-sized cities got hit just about the hardest in terms of business closures, restaurant closures, remote working, and lack of pedestrian activity.
Even the very largest cities in the US are still suffering in their downtowns with lots of vacancies and weak pedestrian activity.
I think many city downtowns will take a good 3-5 years to recover, or more.
ISTR reading stories to the effect that a lot of the vacant storefronts in New York result from landlords keeping the rents too high.
The retail corridors here do have more vacancies than they did pre-pandemic, but they hardly resemble ghost towns. And pedestrian activity is above pre-pandemic levels, according to Center City District figures. New York being one of only two US cities with a larger "downtown" resident population than Philadelphia, I can't imagine that pedestrian activity there remains depressed.
# of businesses is down 18% from Feb 2020. 125 businesses closed but 71 new businesses opened.
Visitors are historically the largest audience of pedestrians and are up to 95% of pre-pandemic levels.
Employment-related visits to business are at 62% of pre-pandemic levels. (That closely matches the three days "hybrid" workweek that is common).
45 fewer retail businesses (-18%)
Since Feb 2022, # of businesses has increased by 63. (That means that 21% of the pre-pandemic number has recovered in the last 8-9 months)
Overall, I suppose that's about what I'd expect. Tourism and nightlife doesn't seem any less than pre-pandemic. But obviously office workers and business travelers are down significantly and will be for many years. Residents are up, but that increase is slow as each new building only adds a few hundred people.
ISTR reading stories to the effect that a lot of the vacant storefronts in New York result from landlords keeping the rents too high.
The retail corridors here do have more vacancies than they did pre-pandemic, but they hardly resemble ghost towns. And pedestrian activity is above pre-pandemic levels, according to Center City District figures. New York being one of only two US cities with a larger "downtown" resident population than Philadelphia, I can't imagine that pedestrian activity there remains depressed.
The pedestrian activity in Manhattan seems very strong and similar to what it was pre-pandemic.
The only sign that there was a downturn are the vacant storefronts in many neighborhoods, in many bustling, busy neighborhoods like the West Village, Chelsea, Tribeca, parts of midtown, etc. But this is mainly due to outrageously high rents that need to be adjusted somewhat.
Just came back from Boston It was loaded with tourists, really really packed. Certainly more vacancies downtown though. Many stores I remember are not there.
Most of my downtime time was during the weekend so I saw virtually no "businessmen"
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