Post-Gazette: Downtown shops offered help to spruce up facades

With the help of a $1 million grant from the Colcom Foundation, the partnership will provide matching funds to restaurants, retailers and offices to improve their facades and to create a more inviting sidewalk environment under the Paris to Pittsburgh program.

Funds can be used for a number of improvements, including awnings and umbrellas, flower boxes, outdoor tables and chairs, heating lanterns for cooler weather, new doors to open up facades and to create more transparency between indoor and outdoor space, lighting, signage and outdoor music.

During a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial board meeting today, Mike Edwards, the partnership''s president and chief executive officer, said the goal is to create more vibrancy Downtown.

The partnership also is starting a loan program to help business owners convert vacant or underutilized upper floor space into residences. The program is being funded through a $1.7 million grant from the Heinz Endowments and $1.7 million from the city Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Mr. Edwards said the partnership hopes to award five to eight loans this year and create 50 units of rental housing Downtown. He said the goal is to create more-affordable market rate housing than some of the upper-end residential projects that have been completed or are under development in the city.

"We think it''s going to create a much more vibrant Downtown," he said.

The partnership will discuss the initiatives at its annual meeting next week.