Bruce Kraus ruins South Side a little more...tries to BAN NEW RESTAURANTS (Pittsburgh: apartment, condo)

[Urban_HillBilly]

I bet the people asking how many more bars or restaurants does the Southside need also are the full blown pro-American "Keep the government out of the market and my business" type....................

Things like unregulated markets on energy and Wall Street to form huge greedy corporate monopolies that doom the American economy are ok.(Rush and Glenn said so) But when some local man wants to open a new place to sling some falafels then, "whooohhh there! We don't need newer restaurants that can offer better ideas, better food, and create more options and better competition. That isn't American"

[JohnZ963]

Ahh, a self-righteous baby boomer in Pennsylvania municipal government, that's a new one...lol

[Tiger Beer]

I'm surprised of the 'how many bars do they need?' responses.

It's a free economy, as many as there is a demand for...if people are making money, spending money, opening businesses, starting businesses, creating businesses, than economically everyone is better off. The more businesses the BETTER...better economically, better socially, better for the neighborhood, etc. If there is a demand for them and money going into them, then by all means, SUPPORT them.

If you create a law to STOP businesses...then, oh man, I don't even know what to say to that. I can think of A LOT to say, but I wouldn't want to write a book on a city-data thread about it

[user_id]

Originally Posted by Copanut

OK, how many more restaurants does the SouthSide need?

As many as the local market allows.

A politician should not be deciding how many restaurants exist in a particular area, local residents should decide with their $$.

[fleetiebelle]

Rather than trying to cut down on bars and restaurants, council should encourage other types of business that would make the neighborhood an all-day destination, rather than just a place to drink on weekends.

[WILWRadio]

The free market should decide which eating and drinking establishments will make it. This kind of ban will lead to the decline and ultimately the closure of some businesses. And it is unlikely a new or different kind of business will open up in a place where a drinking establishment or restaurant failed because it probably is not the right location for that kind of business. There is a valid reason why some business districts are dominated by eating and drinking establishments...

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

I'm surprised of the 'how many bars do they need?' responses.

It's a free economy, as many as there is a demand for...if people are making money, spending money, opening businesses, starting businesses, creating businesses, than economically everyone is better off. The more businesses the BETTER...better economically, better socially, better for the neighborhood, etc. If there is a demand for them and money going into them, then by all means, SUPPORT them.

If you create a law to STOP businesses...then, oh man, I don't even know what to say to that. I can think of A LOT to say, but I wouldn't want to write a book on a city-data thread about it

Right on. A decade ago I met with the mayor of a town of 6,500 people in western NY to discuss an idea I had for a small business that I wanted to start in his community. At that time I found out this very same mayor, whose family had owned a clothier in the downtown district since 1878, had used the power of his office to keep at least one new business from opening up in his town because it would have meant competition for his family business. Well, he was successful in keeping out that business and I noted that soon after more and more businesses wound up shutting their doors because of the hostile, anti business environment that existed in that community. Justice was served though because a few years after the mayor killed the competition from coming into town, his family business also closed.

If he had half a brain he would have figured out that when it comes to business districts, "use it or lose it" is the key to the district living or dying. Keep the door open to new businesses and it will likely survive. But shut the door and it becomes a shambles. That community now has a new mayor with a little more pro business attitude and now the empty store fronts that once dominated the downtown area are slowly disappearing.

[Schultzz]

Southside needs several new parking garages, portable toilets, enforcement of laws to prevent of over serving alcohol, more police near bars with chronic fights, more sidewalk available food to absorb alcohol, better street lighting on secondary streets, less "window dressing" to solve problems, revocation of liquor tax, programs for bar owners to monitor intoxicated patrons so they will not be served again, alcohol free events with entertainment, more ethnic street fairs to encourage younger generation to celebrate their heritage and take pride in their neighborhood. With more parking garages eliminate all on street parking on E. Carson Street opening up a lane for public transportation vehicles only and the third lane for emergency vehicles only. Have buses available just for E. Carson Street with inexpensive transportation available to all who buy a monthly pass and get a wristband for quick ID. Have small city parks available with toilet facilities and areas for classical and ethnic music celebrations.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by Schultzz

Southside needs several new parking garages, portable toilets, enforcement of laws to prevent of over serving alcohol, more police near bars with chronic fights, more sidewalk available food to absorb alcohol, better street lighting on secondary streets, less "window dressing" to solve problems, revocation of liquor tax, programs for bar owners to monitor intoxicated patrons so they will not be served again, alcohol free events with entertainment, more ethnic street fairs to encourage younger generation to celebrate their heritage and take pride in their neighborhood. With more parking garages eliminate all on street parking on E. Carson Street opening up a lane for public transportation vehicles only and the third lane for emergency vehicles only. Have buses available just for E. Carson Street with inexpensive transportation available to all who buy a monthly pass and get a wristband for quick ID. Have small city parks available with toilet facilities and areas for classical and ethnic music celebrations.

Well said. Redevelopment agencies were eliminated here in CA due to budget cuts. The one we had in Redwood City was excellent and made huge strides in revitalizing the downtown. I belong to a local business group and we are thinking of creating an assessment that we will charge to cover additional street cleaning, lighting, and security above and beyond what the city provides to ensure that revitalization continues. That could be an option for the South Side if the local businesses wanted to be pro-active. It seems that neighbors probably wouldn't complain about new restaurants if they didn't have people peeing on their property, etc. The city could also zone in a way that requires a certain mix of businesses, but this would limit the number of restaurants. How do places like the French Quarter in New Orleans, the Gaslight District on San Diego, etc. deal with these issues?

[sskink]

What if anything does Kraus propose to bring in non-restaurants? Or does he just want the remaining buildings to remain vacant?

Unless he's proposing some incentives for entrepreneurs to start "other" businesses, seems he's kinda clueless in regards to market economics.