Thank You Pittsburgh for Contributing to Our Successful Sweater Drive! The boxes were placed by the front desk with care, in hopes that sweater donations soon would be there. On Friday, March 20, the Pittsburgh community responded overwhelmingly to our first annual “Won’t You Help Your Downtown Neighbor?” sweater drive, as sweaters came pouring into the PDP office by the bag-full (and truck load)! As part of "Won't You Be My Neighbor"? Days, the PDP organized a sweater drive collecting men's, women's and children's sweaters for distribution to local social service agencies who work with the homeless population in Pittsburgh. "Won't You Be My Neighbor?” Day is an annual national event, celebrating Fred Rogers' birthday and his deep appreciation for what it means to be a caring neighbor. We were pleasantly surprised by the enormous success of the sweater drive with 514 sweaters collected in one day! Such generosity would have Fred Rogers smiling because neighbors are still helping neighbors despite the tough economic climate. A special thank you to the following organizations for their generous donations: Duquesne University, Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, Central Blood Bank and The Institute for Transfusion Medicine. We also received donations from many individuals and staff members. PDP staff and Safety Ambassadors were on-hand to assist with the deliveries and carefully sorted and bagged the sweaters for distribution to Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Downtown, First Presbyterian Church Downtown, Saint Mary of Mercy Downtown, Wellsprings and the Salvation Army on the North Side. In the photo to the right, Safety Ambassador LeKesha Austin stands beside the Clean and Safe Services truck filled to the brim with sweaters ready to be donated. It was a pleasure working with Family Communications, Inc., the producers of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, to make the event such a success and we plan to continue the tradition by making the sweater drive an annual PDP event. |
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|  Cool Machinery to Beautify Downtown Spring has finally arrived and that means the PDP's Clean Team will be out and about working with the new equipment purchased this winter. The Clean Team works hard to ensure Downtown is gleaming for everyone who lives, works and plays here. The new equipment includes an ATLV 4300 riding sidewalk vacuum, a new pick-up truck and power washer. They'll also continue to use the Billy Goats, Green Machines and a Columbia Golf Cart. A new strategy the Clean Team is implementing is to use a Blower/Vacuum to attack cigarette butts and small paper items that litter the sidewalk, alleys and streets on a daily basis. A mechanized work force is needed to keep up with the ever-increasing litter problem in our city which unfortunately, only gets worse as the weather improves. Using such equipment gives the Clean Team a measurable advantage in productivity and cleaning performance. Be on the lookout for our Team operating the new machinery with a smile! |  City-Wide Campaign Promotes Eco-Friendly Actions
We all know Pittsburgh is a cool city and with the new city-wide campaign launched to cut global warming—it's even cooler! This is the first-ever attempt by any city in the nation to run such a campaign. A new Website, www.theblackandgoldcitygoesgreen.comallows participants to keep track of the environmental improvements they are making, and see how the rest of the city is doing. Each month a new action will be listed on the Website. For April, think about setting your water heater to 120 degrees, or install a programmable thermostat. Get more green ideas at The Black and Gold City Goes Green Website. We'll also keep you updated on each month's green actions in the Downtown Investor. |
|  Outdoor Dining, Anyone?
Listen to ‘The Downtown View’ to find out how Pittsburgh is gearing up for the season
Bulbs are blooming, buds are forming on the trees and the once-frozen ground has thawed to reveal pockets of green (imagine that!) grass. Spring is officially upon us and if you’re like any of us at the PDP, you’re itching to get outside and enjoy some of Downtown’s sidewalk cafes. Thanks to the unique Paris to Pittsburgh Program, funded by the Colcom Foundation, there are now more than 15 places where you can enjoy your meal outside in the fresh air amongst cascading plant baskets and flowering window boxes. The outdoor dining season officially begins Downtown on April 6 with restaurants in Market Square and throughout Downtown, bringing out their tables and chairs for patrons. Joining us on this month’s “The Downtown View” on KQV 1410 AM will be John Rohe, Vice President of Philanthropy for Colcom Foundation, Lou Astorino, CEO and Chairman of Astorino, an architecture, engineering, interior design and construction services firm, and Sean Luther, Economic Development Specialist for the PDP. Be sure to tune in on Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m. to get the scoop on where you can enjoy the best outdoor dining around. |
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|  Dollar Bank presents the Sixth Annual Walk and Dine:
a downtown living tourSave the date for one of the most anticipated Downtown events of the year. Walk and Dine: downtown living tour, takes place on Wednesday, May 20, 2009. This year, attendees are in for a real treat—we have an exciting line-up of six new tour stops with a sampling of delicious fare from neighborhood restaurants at each stop. Visit www.DowntownPittsburgh.com for a list of properties and participating restaurants. Tickets for this one-of-a-kind Downtown tour go on sale May 1 at www.DowntownPittsburgh.com.Don't miss your chance to experience city living in a true urban oasis. Walk and Dine: a downtown living tour offers potential city dwellers a sampling of Downtown's urban lifestyle with a guided tour of Downtown residences. Tickets will also be availble for a VIP Tour where attendees can experience the Downtown lifestyle with panache. Details will be available in the coming weeks. The evening begins with a cocktail reception at the Hilton Downtown. Then, participants will board a bus and tour six residences while learning some interesting facts about Downtown from knowledgeable tour guides. After the tour, attendees will head back to the Hilton for a closing dessert reception and raffle prizes. Be sure to check our Website for updates or call (412) 566-4190 with questions. Hope to see you on May 20! | 
Downtown Organizations Work Hard to Combat Graffiti Graffiti is a problem in every urban center. In Pittsburgh, we’re lucky to have a dedicated Graffiti Unit within the Pittsburgh Police Department to catch the graffiti vandals who tag in our city. In February, PDP President and CEO Mike Edwards and the PDP's Clean & Safe Committee were visited by the Graffiti Taskforce to discuss the scope of the problem here in the Golden Triangle. Mike Edwards and the Clean & Safe Committee asked the Graffiti Taskforce members how the PDP could assist with their efforts and the detectives stated that having a 35mm digital camera would help to photo document the evidence as they pursue cases in the courts. The PDP has since purchased a camera and accessories to help the City's Graffiti Unit fight graffiti here in Pittsburgh. In a related story, Patty Chavez of the DPW Graffiti Busters program visited the PDP in March to speak to the Clean & Safe Committee about her graffiti removal program open to Pittsburgh property owners. Patty has two trucks and crews to remove or paint over graffiti. A release is needed from the property owner or manager. For questions, contact Patty Chavez at Patty.Chavez@city.pittsburgh.pa.us. The PDP's Clean Team can also remove graffiti on properties located in the Downtown area. Simply visit our Website and click on the Clean & Safe logo. You will find contact information and a release form to be signed by the property owner or manager. As soon as we receive the release we’ll schedule a visit to identify the best method to get rid of the graffiti. We all know graffiti is unsightly and detracts from the beauty of our neighborhood. The sooner you contact the PDP and take advantage of our graffiti removal services, the faster we'll have your property looking like new. For more details, contact Paul Hochendoner, PDP Safety and Clean Team Manager, at (412) 325-0152, or send an e-mail. | Downtown WiFi Network Enhancements on the Horizon Spring is upon us and so is the urge to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. Downtown Pittsburgh is one of few cities in the U.S. that has free outdoor wireless, so you can enjoy the warmer weather and still stay connected. Launched in 2007 by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP), the outdoor WiFi system covers the Golden Triangle of Downtown Pittsburgh and the immediate North Shore. Next month, aspStation, the PDP’s WiFi provider, will enhance WiFi coverage with new radios in Point State Park and Market Square—two popular Downtown hot spots. Later, Riverlife (in partnership with DCNR with generous support from PNC Bank) plans to install a small café and sitting area in Point State Park so users can enjoy connectivity in a cool urban park setting. Other permanent changes to the system include the requirement to input credit card information as part of the initial log-on process to curb network abuse, and higher performance. And, there will be a new sign-on page that features images of Pittsburgh, a coverage map, links to helpful Downtown resources and a news feed sponsored by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The PDP plans to re-launch free WiFi in May with some public relations and advertising, encouraging the public to try out the enhanced system. Stay tuned for details in the coming weeks. |
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Panhandling Downtown: A Refresher on the Rules In 2005, the PDP worked closely with city officials to revise city code regarding panhandling. While everyone is entitled to their right to exercise free speech, rules were developed to impose specific time, place and manner restrictions on solicitation and associated conduct in certain limited circumstances. Since those rules were established, PDP Safety Ambassadors and police officers have enforced them in an effort to make visitors, workers and residents feel safe in our Downtown. Here is an overview of those rules. The following places of panhandling are prohibited at any time and in any manner: inside or within 25-ft. of a sidewalk café or any outside eating or dining establishment; at or within 25-ft. of a line of people waiting to gain admission to a place or vehicle or waiting to purchase an item or admission ticket; at or within 10-ft. of a food dispensing vendor; at or within 10-ft. of a bus stop; within 25-ft. of the entrance to a place of religious assembly; within 25-ft. in any direction of an entrance or exit to a building containing an automated teller machine that is visible from the street. Additionally, certain manners of panhandling are prohibited: intentionally blocking, obstructing, or interfering with the orderly flow of vehicles or pedestrians; aggressive panhandling, touching or causing physical contact with another person without their consent or directing threatening gestures toward someone. If you witness or experience such panhandling behavior, notify a nearby Police Officer, Safety Ambassador or call 9-1-1. For more information about the panhandling city code, go to www.municode.com. |  "My Macy's" Program Emphasizes Localization
Macy’s announced a new initiative last year to strengthen local market focus and enhance the customer shopping experience through a program called “My Macy’s.” The localization effort was developed to give store managers, associates and merchandisers more input on matching clothing, accessories and other merchandise with the local tastes and needs of customers. The result is an assortment of merchandise custom-tailored to the needs surrounding each Macy’s store. For Downtown Macy’s shoppers, that meant the addition of some notable brands recently: · FAO Schwarz – best known for its multi-story Fifth Avenue location in Manhattan- is now available at the Downtown Macy’s store with a unique assortment of toys that spark imaginative play. · LUSH - an up-beat British brand of fresh handmade cosmetics opened a deli-style counter on the first level of the Macy’s Downtown store late last year. The collection is known for its ethical and innovative approach to bath, body, hair care and skin care. The colorful selection of products can be seen from passersby in the Smithfield Street-level window front. · Betsy Ann Chocolates - longtime West View candymaker – made a sweet debut at Macy’s in November. The chocolate clusters, truffles and meltaways, which are a Pittsburgh favorite can found on the arcade and mezzanine level of the Downtown Macy’s store. As spring fashion begins to bloom, look for the addition in the Downtown Macy’s store of the Marc Ecko Cut & Sewn collection, premium denim in young mens from Ed Hardy, Affliction, MEK and X-Ray, junior collection of Apple Bottoms, Baby Phat and collegiate active wear representing Penn State and the University of Pittsburgh. |
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 Heritage Elementary School: Hearts for the Homeless Mrs. Cubellis’ 4th grade students at Heritage Elementary School in Murrysville, PA collected travel size toiletries for the homeless, which will be distributed by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnerships' Safety Ambassador program. The students also included a message of hope and love in each of the toiletry kits. The Safety Ambassadors work closely with a number of social service agencies that assist the homeless population. The kits are much appreciated and will be put to good use. This is the second year that the Heritage Elementary School students have made this generous donation. Thank you! |  2009 Downtown Made Easy Guides Coming Soon
It's easy to get around Downtown, especially with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership's Downtown Pittsburgh Made Easy Guide. The handy, pocket-sized guide, gives visitors, residents and workers pertinent information for getting around in one of America's great urban centers. Open up the glossy pamphlet and you'll find driving directions, transit and ridesharing information, biking & walking trails, Downtown construction projects and parking information. There's even a detailed map packed full with Downtown attractions, bus zones, subway stops and more—all in one easy, convenient guide. The PDP creates new Downtown Made Easy Guides once a year, so people have the latest Downtown information right at their fingertips. Consider making this useful tool available to your co-workers and visitors to your office or business. You can also give the guides to family and friends to help make their travel into Downtown a breeze! Call the PDP office to order your guides or send an e-mail to PDP@DowntownPittsburgh.com with your name, address, phone number and number of guides you wish to receive. Visit the Publications page on our Website to view the 2009 Downtown Made Easy Guide. |
 Clean and Safe Program Adds New StaffIn an effort to help strengthen Downtown's Clean and Safe initiatives, two new team members were recently hired for the PDP's Clean and Safe Program. Mr. James Mitchell (pictured in far left image), was hired as the Team Leader for the Safety Ambassador Program. James oversees the daily scheduling and development for the various functions of the program including event coverage, security escorts, homeless outreach and street level crime intervention. James brings a wealth of management experience to the Team Leader position as well as 20 years of security enforcement training. Mr. Aaron Barr brings a wide range of military experience to his position of Clean and Safe Operations Manager. Aaron is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Clean and Safe teams, including quality control, scheduling, equipment training and maintenance and customer satisfaction. Please join us in welcoming James and Aaron to the PDP team! |
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925 Liberty Avenue, 1st Floor