Editorial: Mayor Gainey needs new team to turn things around (Pittsburgh: sales, camps)

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by burghophilia-21

Technically, I'm probably on number 99 or higher, as I didn't start the Burghophilia handle until last October!

So, interestingly, the thread on the other site is from two months ago, and it was from someone who claims to live in an apartment building near the new homeless shelter, and they were just commenting on how there were "spill over" effects from that shelter on the nearby streets, and including the apartment building where the poster lived (which the poster didn't identify, but which several speculated was, "Terminal 21"). So, there was some minor criticism of the poster for raising the issue, but most were supportive of the fact that the concerns had been raised, and further, the topic was discussed with more nuance and compassion than you would see on this site.

I work at the Municipal Courts Building, which is across the street from Second Avenue Commons. So far there have been minor quality-of-life issues related to the "overflow" from the facility, but there has been nothing major that I am aware of.

This morning there is someone sleeping in the lobby of our building. Additionally I passed two homeless-looking people smoking marijuana in the stairwell of my parking garage (First Avenue Garage) this morning. Neither bothered me.

The latter upset me a bit because the last time that happened some yuppie at Terminal 21 complained to the Pittsburgh Parking Authority (PPA), and then PPA's idiotic solution was to tape a "STAIRWELL CLOSED" sign on the door, which meant I had to walk three or four minutes out of my way to the stairwell down by the "T" station and then all the way back to my car near the stairwell---sometimes a major inconvenience after a long day at work just because yuppies don't want Black people experiencing homelessness smoking weed in the stairwell of their parking garage as they leave for work in the mornings.

erieguy will now mock me for tolerating quality-of-life issues like this but will, as usual, fail to offer solutions. I can either mind my own business while people are doing drugs in the stairwell of the parking garage as I go into work, or I can narc like the Terminal 21 yuppies and get punished by the high school dropouts at PPA for something I had no part in. Oh, and I didn't vote for Gainey, so erieguy can't tell me "elections have consequences" either. I think Gainey has been utterly incompetent so far in curtailing violence and quality-of-life issues that have pervaded the North Side, South Side, Downtown, and parts of the East End despite wpipkins apparently disagreeing and thinking Gainey has been an incredible mayor.

[Reggiezz]

I can't remember the last time I went downtown. It was before the pandemic hit. Whenever out of town relatives came by, we would always go downtown because they have fond memories of it. I advise them against it now.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Reggiezz

I can't remember the last time I went downtown. It was before the pandemic hit. Whenever out of town relatives came by, we would always go downtown because they have fond memories of it. I advise them against it now.

You aren't alone. A lot of people aren't going downtown, BUT there are some restaurants that are very busy at night, so it isn't totally dead. Just not lively for a city. More like a big town. No shopping, no groceries, no nightlife much for a city. The East End is busy and people are indeed having fun, but let's face it, that is a very suburban feel. People with big homes and large yards equals suburbs.

[norcider]

Town will be packed with tens of thousands of people this weekend. Anybody here changing their plans and avoiding the parade? That's never been my thing, I don't like big crowds.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by norcider

Town will be packed with tens of thousands of people this weekend. Anybody here changing their plans and avoiding the parade? That's never been my thing, I don't like big crowds.

I doubt it. The parade will go on. There will be a massive celebration complete with vomit glazed streets. I like crowds but can’t deal with drunk crowds.

The festival lineup this year will bring in hundreds of thousands of urban dwellers similar to last year. I enjoyed most of the festivities in and around the city.

[Reggiezz]

Until they start locking criminals up again, it will only get worse. If it goes on long enough, the city will die, like Portland is doing right now.

[svband76]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

I doubt it. The parade will go on. There will be a massive celebration complete with vomit glazed streets. I like crowds but can’t deal with drunk crowds.

The festival lineup this year will bring in hundreds of thousands of urban dwellers similar to last year. I enjoyed most of the festivities in and around the city.

Should be interesting to see how the influx of people for the parade will deal with the homeless druggies. Maybe they can band together and tear down the camps.

[Reggiezz]

Let me know when the crime downtown goes back to pre pandemic levels. Until then, it will get worse until only criminals go there. Whatever retail is still there will close up. It's not hard to foresee, and only criminals themselves support these policies.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by svband76

Should be interesting to see how the influx of people for the parade will deal with the homeless druggies. Maybe they can band together and tear down the camps.

I’ve been off work since December. During my downtime I’ve been in and around downtown, the Southside, Northside and the East End. I was unbothered by the homeless and druggies. I really can’t see them. There has always been a “druggie” and homeless element to downtown. Where have you been? I vividly remember the opioid explosion in downtown Pittsburgh in the 2010s. The Drug sales were in and around the McDonald’s locations. Market Square was a downtown hotspot prior to redevelopment.

There are homeless and drug addicts but you paint the ugliest picture. Downtown is still popular outside of the office worker. There are fine establishments and the retail options continue to expand. Most of the newer boutiques are locally owned and operated. Wood Street, Liberty Avenue and Market Square added new retail in the last few years. The quarterly Gallery Crawls are well attended. Last year I attended most downtown festivals. The weather last year was spectacular and so were the crowds.

If you’re not into large crowds the farmers market and Market Square night markets are popular as well.