Downtown Population increased 25% since 2000 (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: incomes, legally, wealthy)

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by pman

one way to compromise is turning parking lanes into traffic lanes for rush hour only. congestion is simply a fact of life when people live far from work (and they probably live far from work because of the city school district). it's incredibly expensive to build transportation infrastructure for a few hours each morning and evening. even highway happy houston hasn't been able to stay ahead of congestion.

During morning and evening rush hour in SF's Financial District and Downtown there is no street parking allowed on most streets. This adds two lanes for rush hour traffic. Even with that + decent public transit, it is still a nightmare. But it would be way worse without it. I haven't been here long enough to know if this is done anywhere in Pittsburgh. It sounds like the powers that be don't understand that a congested downtown is a sign of success. It means a lot of people want to be there and are willing to do what it takes transportation-wise to get there.

[pman]

Hugo Colan opened his first Pittsburgh restaurant five years ago, serving burgers and Peruvian food in Oakland, across Fifth Avenue from UPMC.
This year, he moved AJ's Inca Peruvian Restaurant to Downtown with a new menu featuring a vastly expanded variety of Peruvian dishes and dropping the burgers in favor of hot dogs and Mexican grilled food (tacos, quesadilla and burritos). ..AJ's Inca Peruvian Restaurant, 500 Liberty Ave., Downtown. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays

Read more: AJ's Inca Peruvian doesn't limit itself ethnically | TribLIVE
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

[pman]

- Andys Wine Bar has taken it to the streets. Located in Downtown’s Fairmont Hotel, the bar has added sidewalk dining and a lunch menu of international street food, including ramen, sushi, bánh mì, and more. Andys continues to feature live jazz in the hotel’s lobby, Tuesday through Saturday, every week.

Eat + Drink: open-air Sienna Mercato; Andys Wine Bar on the street; Embody Natural Health

[SteelCityRising]

Most excellent! I'm a huge proponent of businesses utilizing sidewalks more to peddle their wares and/or for outdoor dining, as this creates a "busier" atmosphere that draws more foot traffic, more patrons, and spurs additional business interest for other prospective entrepreneurs. Great news!

[Blackbeauty212]

I love outdoor dining myself....which makes me wonder why these guys dont remodel add Garage Doors where the awnings are and even overhaul the roof to have Rooftop dining/parties. IMO this prime MSQ property sticks out like a sore thumb because it has the most potential of all MSQ places, yet is such a reminder of Old the MSQ.

[greg42]

The latest grocery downtown plan: Plan is floated for grocery at Pittsburgh's Market Square - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

[Geeo]

The new owners of PPG Place were looking into the feasibility of putting a grocery store in the lower level where the food court is. That would be very cool and be kind of like the Whole Foods on the lower level of the big development in Columbus Circle in Manhattan.

[pman]

Falbo is in talks with the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation about opening a grocery in the Thompson Building at 435 Market Street in Market Square.

“One of the things that’s missing in Market Square is a place to buy groceries,” Falbo says...The tentative plan, a joint-venture with the owners of Vallozzi’s restaurant, would offer high-end produce, fresh bread, fine meats, cheeses and wines, among other basic grocery items. His plan also includes a bar, a multi-purpose area that could be used for events such as wine tastings, and a basement kitchen for cooking prepared foods.

The grocery would occupy about 4,600 square feet of real estate, and Falbo says he hopes to draw a women’s fashion boutique into one of the building’s upper floors.

New grocery store Downtown? One developer has a plan

sounds like a decent plan

[greg42]

Originally Posted by pman

New grocery store Downtown? One developer has a plan

sounds like a decent plan

The same plan as that PG story from last week. Although, in this version it almost sounds like they could be counting on the wine sales being privatized, which is not a good bet with our idiotic senate.

Indeed, I suspect being able to sell wine and beer would go a long way towards making a grocery downtown more easily succeed.

[JoeP]

I don't think wine and beer matter at all. It should be about easy access to food for residents (or workers getting lunch or stuff to take home later) and in fact the high end concept I find disconcerting.