What do you think Uptown should become!!! (Pittsburgh, Duquesne: living, professionals)

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Businesses close down in areas with high crime. New businesses won't open until crime goes down.

Sure, but why would businesses serving the market I identified have to be located in high crime areas?

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by raubre

You are correct. I'm just not sure if anyone from the Hill would take the initiative to open a high end restaurant or someone from outside the community. Do any wealthy people live there?

According to Census data from 2000, there are in fact some higher-income households on the Hill. But I am thinking establishments in a revitalized Uptown wouldn't be limited just to that market: given the location it could draw from quite a bit of the City, and there may well be new middle-to-higher income residents in the area down the road.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Sure, but why would businesses serving the market I identified have to be located in high crime areas?

The thread is about Uptown. Crime is relevant to this Uptown development discussion. Crime is a reason businesses closed and haven't opened up there through the years. Uptown isn't the only area with this problem. In the past, grocery stores have closed in North Side due to robberies.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

According to Census data from 2000, there are in fact some higher-income households on the Hill. But I am thinking establishments in a revitalized Uptown wouldn't be limited just to that market: given the location it could draw from quite a bit of the City, and there may well be new middle-to-higher income residents in the area down the road.

Here's an idea. Perhaps successful African American business owners in other cities might be interested in starting/opening a franchise. For the idea to appeal to them, the city woud have to commit itself to the proper development of the area. Maybe some out of town business investors might spearhead African American Pittsburghers to open businesses too.

[Little Mizz Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Here's an idea. Perhaps successful African American business owners in other cities might be interested in starting/opening a franchise. For the idea to appeal to them, the city woud have to commit itself to the proper development of the area. Maybe some out of town business investors might spearhead African American Pittsburghers to open businesses too.

Yes, that would be nice, because unfortunately, the native black people, in Pittsburgh, are surely not as progressive as blacks from other cities (I'll keep my reasons as to why to myself ), and those who are progressive, usually wind up leaving and moving elsewhere. Its beginning to change, though, but at a snails pace.

[Agbor]

What Latino crowd?...This is Pittsburgh...
I think with the new Arena..uptown is going to evolve into something, don't know what yet...Western Penna. suffers from socialized factionalism so nothing gets done or moves at a snails pace..it is a shame
that outside people would have to come in and spearhead something because people here aren't as
progressive..

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Hopes

The thread is about Uptown. Crime is relevant to this Uptown development discussion. Crime is a reason businesses closed and haven't opened up there through the years.

From the statistics I have available it doesn't seem like Uptown is actually a particularly high crime area (e.g., it seems to fall in the same range as say Friendship or Lower Lawrenceville), but in any event I would think that if Uptown redevelops whatever existing crime patterns currently exist will be changed. I certainly don't see any inherent reason why it should have more crime than, say, The Strip, Bloomfield, Oakland, or so on, all of which have lots of commercial activity.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Here's an idea. Perhaps successful African American business owners in other cities might be interested in starting/opening a franchise. For the idea to appeal to them, the city woud have to commit itself to the proper development of the area. Maybe some out of town business investors might spearhead African American Pittsburghers to open businesses too.

That seems like a pretty good idea, and I could actually see that happening if Uptown took off in the direction we are sketching. I'm no expert, but again it really seems to me like this is undersupplied market in Pittsburgh, so you would think that under the right circumstances it could attract some entrepreneurs from outside the area (at least if local entrepreneurs don't step up quickly themselves).

[nuwaver88]

I like the fact that the new arena will be built right on Fifth Avenue. Remember, this venue will have more than eighty plus hockey games a year. It will also have many concerts, truck pulls and so on. We can expect to see an event there 200 days of the year or more. I am hoping that both Duquesne and the natural demand for more pubs etc. will make Fifth Avenue a vibrant place. Mellon Arena is an island in a sea of parking. Having Consol Energy Center in the street grid is a great idea. It will also add be an addition to Downtown. The Downtown/Uptown area needs an entertainment district not called the Cultural District or Station Square. I would go for a mini East Carson vibe, but a bit classier. I know that there will be individuals down there determined to do things that they are not supposed to. This can happen anywhere. Still, I like the potential of this area for many reasons.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Little Mizz Pittsburgh

Yes, that would be nice, because unfortunately, the native black people, in Pittsburgh, are surely not as progressive as blacks from other cities (I'll keep my reasons as to why to myself ), and those who are progressive, usually wind up leaving and moving elsewhere. Its beginning to change, though, but at a snails pace.

You're basically saying there's limited progressive black entrepreneurs in Pittsburgh.

If that's true, you've answered the question you raised from a comment in your previous post.

Originally Posted by Little Mizz Pittsburgh

[How about some bars and lounges that cater to the ADULT African-American and Latino crowd for a change, which Pittsburgh business owners seem to all but forget about.

The types of businesses you mention most likely need to be opened by black or Latino entrepreneurs.

For instance, what kind of authentic Latino lounge is opened by someone of european discent?

Seems to me that Latinos would laugh at what I think Latinos like.

And no matter how perfect the details, they'd never consider my business authentic.