Downtown Pittsburgh category, Page 9
Dozens of Pittsburgh residents speak out about controversial zoning proposals
A public hearing before Pittsburgh City Council on Wednesday at times grew raucous, with dozens of residents sharing conflicting opinions about dueling zoning bills that have divided Pittsburghers and city leaders. Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration has pitched a comprehensive zoning reform bill. Among many other things, it includes a...
Severe storms knock out power to thousands; possible tornado being investigated
Did a tornado move through east-central Allegheny County on Wednesday? That’s what the National Weather Service in Moon Township will look to find out as they conduct a survey Thursday, according to a post from the agency on social media. Heavy rain and wind blew through the region Wednesday, knocking...
Free Thanksgiving food available at Pittsburgh convention center
Are you in need of Thanksgiving dinner this holiday season? Free Thanksgiving food items are available Saturday at Pittsburgh’s David L. Lawrence Convention Center. As part of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh’s annual Thanksgiving Distribution and Health and Human Service Fair, people can receive meal items on Saturday. The...
‘MJ The Musical’ is a groovy tribute to the King of Pop at the Benedum Center
Michael Jackson was an innovator, an icon, a musical prodigy, a multitalented superstar and a controversial figure in the world of pop culture. It was only a matter of time until a Broadway musical about his life hit the stage. After a delay due to the covid-19 pandemic, “MJ The...
Pittsburgh council members pitch new proposal to build tiny houses for city’s homeless
Frustrated by a year of delays, two Pittsburgh City Council members on Tuesday renewed their efforts to enact legislation that would permit tiny houses and other temporary managed communities for the city’s homeless. Councilman Anthony Coghill, D-Beechview, said he initially hoped those communities would be available last winter. But the...
Pittsburgh resumes in-person permitting Downtown for first time since pandemic
For the first time since March 2020, Pittsburgh is providing in-person services for people seeking various types of permits. City officials on Monday unveiled the new One Stop PGH permitting counter at 412 Boulevard of the Allies in Downtown. Residents and developers will be able to seek help in person...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 15-17
Does music rule your free time? Do you love a good beer on a cool night? How about checking out some new flicks? Pittsburgh is bursting with opportunities for every hobby this weekend. Check out a few here. Beers of the ‘Burgh Winter Warmer Get into a fancy holiday mood...
Gainey’s 2025 austerity plan plays well with Pittsburgh council budget director
Pittsburgh City Council’s budget director indicated Wednesday that Mayor Ed Gainey’s austerity plan for 2025 makes sense given the fiscal pressure facing the city. Presenting an overview of Gainey’s budget and financial forecast to City Council, Peter McDevitt acknowledged that several city departments will likely ask for additional resources during...
Pittsburgh eyes extending controversial purple curb parking program
Pittsburgh may indefinitely extend a controversial program that aims to discourage drivers from monopolizing much-needed parking spots in certain busy areas. Marked by purple curbs and matching signage, smart loading zones are areas where a graduated payment system encourages drivers to get in and out of parking spots quickly, freeing...
Pittsburgh officials want to resume free spay, neuter services for cats, dogs
Pittsburgh City Council will consider resuming a program offering free spay and neuter services for pet cats and dogs as well as stray cats. Proposals introduced Tuesday would expand contracts for Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh to perform the work from 2025 through 2027. Contracts for spay and neuter services...
‘Mission remains the same’: Gainey focuses 2025 budget on boosting core services
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey on Tuesday used his annual budget address to applaud his administration’s efforts to improve core city services, make bridges safer, respond faster to snowstorms and revitalize a Downtown that has seen increasing vacancies since the covid-19 pandemic. The mayor told City Council his proposed budget for...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 8-10
Enjoy being in the thick of the Halloween-Thanksgiving-Christmas pipeline this weekend! Whether you’re getting ready to Jingle Bell Rock — or still trying to avoid carols and ornaments for just a little while longer — here are a few things to do around town this weekend. Holiday Market and Tree...
Harris and Trump make final pushes in Pittsburgh stops
The next American president rallied Pittsburgh-area voters Monday as a contentious campaign comes to a close. Both candidates — Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic heir to President Joe Biden, and former President Donald Trump, who has transformed the Republican Party with his bombastic, populist rhetoric — visited the region...
Why are Pittsburgh buildings lit in teal?
Forget red — Pittsburgh is painting the town teal. Several local buildings were illuminated in the color teal Friday and joined more than 1,300 sites in all 50 states and 16 additional countries “going teal” for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s Light the World in Teal Program. It was the...
Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh offers dental, vision and hearing care at free clinic
Michael Kirk of McKeesport got his teeth cleaned; James Pearson of Mount Washington had an eye exam; and Rev. Marshall Richbourg of Pittsburgh’s Hill District received two new hearing aids — all at no cost. They were three of the hundreds of patients to receive free dental, vision and hearing...
Western Pennsylvania’s importance in presidential election evident in both Harris, Trump coming Monday
Pittsburgh will be the center of the American political universe the night before Election Day, when both candidates for president hold Downtown rallies less than 2 miles from one another. And you thought Steelers traffic was bad. Former President Donald Trump will be at PPG Paints Arena. But just a...
Stabbing in Downtown Pittsburgh leaves man in critical condition
A man was hospitalized in criticial condition late Thursday after being stabbed in Downtown Pittsburgh. The man, who police did not name, was stabbed in the abdomen about 11:30 p.m. in the 700 block of Liberty Avenue after being involved “in some sort of altercation,” Pittsburgh police said. Paramedics rushed...
Downtown Pittsburgh’s Carl W. Herrmann Furs to close
The final week of October, despite temperatures in the mid to high 70s, customers were waiting outside of Carl W. Herrmann Furs. They wanted to say goodbye to a long-standing business in Downtown Pittsburgh. “The store wasn’t even open yet but they were here,” said Carl “Guy” W. Herrmann IV,...
Pittsburgh Public Theater transports audience into fantastical world of ‘The Hobbit’
For anyone who loves adventure, Pittsburgh Public Theater breathes new life into a classic journey with their production of “The Hobbit,” running at the O’Reilly Theatre in downtown Pittsburgh through Nov. 10. And yeah, this one’s kind of for the nerds. Many know the tale of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,”...
Acting Pittsburgh police Chief Ragland wants to be a steady hand, not a ‘superhero’
After working in the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for more than three decades, Christopher Ragland this week said he’s hoping to provide steady leadership and bolster recruitment as he steps into the role of acting chief during a turbulent time for the force. Ragland takes the helm of an understaffed...
‘& Juliet’ is a sparkly, poppy phenom at the Benedum Center
Jukebox musicals — musicals that use existing music to tell a new story — have become a little stale since “Mamma Mia!” shot the genre into prominence 25 years ago. So it’s especially impressive that “& Juliet” managed to bring a fresh take to two things: jukebox musicals and Shakespeare’s...
‘In the dark’: Pittsburgh council rips Gainey cabinet over secret deal with Scirotto
Pittsburgh City Council members were livid Tuesday after learning that three top aides to Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey knew about a secret deal to allow police Chief Larry Scirotto to return to refereeing college basketball after a year on the job but said nothing. The chief last week announced his...
Pittsburgh puts early end to $1.8M annual tax break for Squirrel Hill property
A blighted piece of land in the city’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood will return to the tax rolls nearly a decade earlier than expected. The property, an old slag heap that overlooks the Parkway East near the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, had a 20-year tax break to spur development. But that will...
Pittsburgh to spend $600K on 11 public restrooms throughout city
Mobile bathrooms will be popping up throughout Downtown Pittsburgh and other parts of the city over the next two years. City Council on Tuesday unanimously agreed to allocate $600,000 in federal covid-19 relief money to bring 11 public restrooms to areas where bathrooms are hard to find. The city will...
Pittsburgh council wants answers about Scirotto’s referee deal with Gainey
Pittsburgh City Council will try today to uncover details about how lame-duck police Chief Larry Scirotto struck a secretive deal with Mayor Ed Gainey to return to part-time college basketball refereeing while also running the city’s police force. Council is expected to question Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt and Acting...
