Post-Gazette: Market Square cafe deck plan draws mixed reactions

Ron Gargani has big plans to transform his small Market Square cafe into a one-of-a-kind pit stop for the hungry, one that serves up freshly roasted meats, homemade pastries and breads, pizzas and gelato, all from an open storefront during warmer months.

But his vision for the Buon Giorno Cafe isn''t very appetizing to some of his Market Square neighbors, who are upset over plans for a second-floor deck that''s part of the transformation.

Mr. Gargani, Buon Giorno''s co-owner, said he needs the deck, which will run the width of his restaurant and extend over the sidewalk, to replace outdoor seating that will be lost in his plans for an open air eatery at street level.

He said the outdoor seating accounted for about 60 percent of his summertime business. He is hoping the deck not only will help to replace that but will attract people to a second-floor dining area he is planning as part of the restaurant''s new look.

"I was thinking how do I get people to walk up the steps? I figured once I put the balcony up, it would be a draw to get people up there. The view of Market Square [from the second floor] is wonderful," he said.

But the deck has raised the ire of some nearby property owners who say they first learned about it when work started on the structure this week. They complained about the lack of notification from the city.

Bill Jacobowitz, who owns the building that houses the Starbucks next to Buon Giorno, said the corner of the deck and a support pole will come within about two feet of his property and could detract from its value. He said he didn''t know anything about the deck until workmen arrived.

"It was a shock when I saw it. If it was approved [by the city], it was without my knowledge," he said.

Mr. Jacobowitz does not believe the deck will enhance Market Square.

"I don''t think it''s going to improve it, and it cuts in front of the corner of my building," he said.

Another not thrilled about the deck is Bob Ginsburg, the owner of Market Rug Co., a Fourth Avenue business whose back door empties into an Urban Redevelopment Authority-owned courtyard next to Buon Giorno. He said Mr. Gargani has "basically taken possession of a city sidewalk."

He''s also worried about the overall effect it will have on the square, saying it could be a "precedent-setting detriment."

"This really reeks of a bad concept, putting a deck over the sidewalk," he said.

Mr. Ginsburg also fears that Mr. Gargani will try to build a set of stairs to the deck from the courtyard, which sits behind a locked gate to prevent loitering, trash dumping and other problems.

But Mr. Gargani said he has no plans to build a stairway from the courtyard. He pointed out that he has all required city approvals, including that of the Historic Review Commission, for the deck. He said he was not surprised by Mr. Ginsburg''s opposition, saying the "guy is just out to get me. He just doesn''t like me."

Mr. Gargani believes his project will enhance Market Square. He plans to rip out his first-floor bar in favor of a "more food-friendly, more family-friendly" environment. He described the restaurant as something akin to a "high-end Primanti''s."

"I''m talking New York, Chicago quality everything, at a level Pittsburgh has not seen yet," he said.

He intends to have his own butcher at the restaurant and will roast three meats -- ham, beef and turkey -- each day. He will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and plans to stay open late enough for Cultural District crowds to grab a gelato after a show.

The deck will cost about $40,000 but the overall transformation will run about $200,000, he said.

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership has awarded Buon Giorno a $25,000 Paris to Pittsburgh matching grant to help buy awnings, signs and folding glass doors to allow for the open-air look Mr. Gargani wants.

No PDP money will be used for the deck, but Mike Edwards, president and chief executive officer, finds the concept intriguing.

"The concept of a deck and people being able to interface with Market Square from two levels, I think, is a neat idea," he said. "I think it will really activate that corner, absolutely."

He had good things to say about Buon Giorno''s overall plans.

"There''s an up-tenanting going on in Market Square. The wider the selection, the higher the quality of the food and beverage, only makes it a more dynamic destination. So we think it''s great," he said.