why does the downtown close so early? (Pittsburgh, York: appointed, apartments)

[Drover]

Originally Posted by sibyl_vain

why does the downtown close so early?

Because traditionally it's a work zone and not a play zone, though apparently that's changing on the upper fringes in the theater district. Other than that, people do their nightlife-ing in various other neighborhoods in the city closer to where they live.

To echo what others have said, this is not uncommon perhaps in older cities. I can vouch for Chicago being much the same way. While there's some nightlife in the downtown area, it's north of the river (which is to say, just across the river from the major government/business district) and not nearly as lively as many of the neighborhood nightlife areas.

[sibyl_vain]

I've been to a lot of cities. Even lived in Buffalo, which is not much of a happening place. And I lived abroad for several years. Granted most of my time was spent in major cities, but I just never saw a situation where everything seemed closed. Not the whole downtown, because we did find some places open in the cultural district (though the place where we ate was basically empty at 7pm...) but anyway there was a general sleepy impression in a great part of the downtown. I get that it's a work area, not a play area, but don't people eat/get drinks after work, etc? And it also seems that people walking through might want to stop to eat/get coffee/etc... and if places were open longer, wouldn't that just attract more people to the area in the evening?

[Scruff McGruff]

Originally Posted by sibyl_vain

I get that it's a work area, not a play area, but don't people eat/get drinks after work, etc?

Yes, they do, in the locations that have already been touched on: Southside, Station Square, North Shore, or the various city neighborhoods.

Originally Posted by sibyl_vain

And it also seems that people walking through might want to stop to eat/get coffee/etc... and if places were open longer, wouldn't that just attract more people to the area in the evening?

Why would people be walking through though? It is a business district and businesses close at typical business hours. Afterwards, people go elsewhere to the aforementioned areas.

There are some bars and restaurants around Duquesne and the CEC that people frequent but there's so few permanent residencies that people just don't go downtown unless they have work or school.

Mind you, I'm not saying this is positive or negative but it should satisfy your question as to why.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by sibyl_vain

I've been to a lot of cities. Even lived in Buffalo, which is not much of a happening place. And I lived abroad for several years. Granted most of my time was spent in major cities, but I just never saw a situation where everything seemed closed.

I had the same shock in Harrisburg looking for a place to eat at 3pm but everything closed after lunch.

Wall Street on a the weekend is a ghost town. Little Italy is busling nearby but Wall Street is dead. It's NYC, the city that never sleeps, but no different from Pittsburgh in that regard if you think of Wall Street as the downtown business district that shuts down after everyone goes to their little neighborhoods.

Downtown hotels aren't really the appropriate place to stay if you're coming to Pittsburgh for leisure because downtown isn't where things are happening unless there is a special event.

[BrianTH]

Downtown is what is sometimes called a "financial district", "central business district", or something like that in other cities. Most such places feel relatively empty once the daytime office surge leaves.

But as others have pointed out, there is in fact an evening scene in the Cultural District/Market Square area, and the South Side and Shadyside are both close with a lot of evening activity, and there are many other areas as well that people head after work.

[XRiteMA98]

Well, after a show in Cultural district we end up regularly at Bosanova which is downtown and is open until 1am. If we're hungry this little known place Efesus Pizza which is also Downtown is open until 1am and they make a fANTASTIC pizza. If u want bustling go to South Side. Basically it is like the M street in DC, bar next to bar next to bar, shops, crows etc. AT 2am when everything closes you will be stuck in traffic I'm telling u.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Wall Street on a the weekend is a ghost town. Little Italy is busling nearby but Wall Street is dead. It's NYC, the city that never sleeps, but no different from Pittsburgh in that regard if you think of Wall Street as the downtown business district that shuts down after everyone goes to their little neighborhoods.

That's actually funny - I guess I (briefly) thought the same thing as the OP the first time I visited NYC; got a cheap deal on a hotel on a weekend in the heart of wall street, woke up early sat morning & went to find breakfast to which everywhere was closed and I kept thinking what the h*ll, this is New York City!

[eschaton]

DC is also famous for this. K street is like a ghost town after work. You can't even find a happy hour.

[Blackbeauty212]

Pittsburgh has an exception many other cities with the same issue do not.....What Downtown loses the Neighborhood make up for in a big way...I've been to cities where they have the same 9-5 type downtown and the neighborhoods are mostly sleeper residentials, Now that's BAD!

I mean you do have the area bound by the Cultural District and Market Square that are lively....Now keep in mine not all of Downtown will ever live outside of 5pm....I see the area East of Smithfield and West of Ross St (Grant Street area) as always being purely 9-5 zone and nothing more.

[Pitt Chick]

Originally Posted by sibyl_vain

I visited Pittsburgh for the second time, because my family is considering moving there, and we were quite stunned by how quiet the downtown is. I have never seen such a situation *anywhere*, where everything basically closes at 6pm.

Yet my husband and I manage to have dinner at 6 pm before every symphony performance that we come into town for... and drinks afterwards (gotta avoid traffic somehow!).
I have no idea where you were looking!