'Cleaner, safer streets': Shapiro visits Pittsburgh to praise Downtown upgrades

Standing on the North Shore Friday morning, Gov. Josh Shapiro heralded “meaningful progress” in ongoing efforts to make the city’s Golden Triangle safer, cleaner and more vibrant.

About a year ago, Shapiro unveiled the $600 million Downtown revitalization plan, which will include about 1,000 new housing units, increased public safety efforts and improvements to public spaces Downtown.

State, county and local officials joined the governor in painting a rosy picture of the progress made so far.

That work includes a drastic reduction in homeless camps Downtown and advances in converting unused office spaces to housing, much of which will be affordable for low-income residents.

“The opportunity for a new Pittsburgh renaissance is knocking on our door,” Pennsylvania Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, said.

Several projects are already underway Downtown, including a new four-acre outdoor civic space dubbed Arts Landing, a facelift for Market Square and a $3.4 million upgrade for Point State Park.

Officials highlighted efforts to move homeless people off of the streets and into shelters — and eventually, into more stable housing.

Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said there has been a 93% drop in the number of tents Downtown and along the city’s rivers.

Erin Dalton, who heads the county’s Department of Human Services, said there had at one point been about 150 tents Downtown and along the rivers.

Innamorato credited her 500 in 500 initiative, which set a goal of creating 500 new affordable housing units in 500 days, for helping to move people through a housing pipeline — from living on the streets to shelters to long-term affordable housing options.

“We’re not even at day 500 and we’ve housed more than 500 people through that program,” Innamorato said. “At the end of the day, it’s about stabilizing people. It’s about freeing up space in our shelter system.”

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said the efforts to move people out of homeless camps and into stable shelters reflects an approach that is “safe and compassionate.”

The work, Dalton said, is not done yet.

The county is planning additional investments in a crisis team that supports homeless people. Later this fall, the county intends to launch a team dedicated to helping homeless people suffering from serious mental illness.

Public safety priorities

The Downtown revitalization plan officials have pitched includes converting to housing: Gulf Tower; City Club Apartments at the former YWCA headquarters; The Porter on Grant Street; the office complex at 933 Penn Ave.; Smithfield Lots Building; and a former office complex at First and Market Streets.

Eighty-six existing apartments will be preserved at the May Building.

Work on a residential conversion project at the First and Market site is already underway, Shapiro said, and three of the other projects are set to begin construction in the next few months.

When asked about delays in some conversion projects, Shapiro told reporters that officials are “moving full steam ahead on the construction projects.”

“We’re moving quickly, and we’re getting these projects built,” the governor said.

Shapiro did not provide more details about when those projects may move forward.

The upgrades come after Downtown property values have plunged since the covid-19 pandemic spurred a widespread shift to remote work.

Officials have touted a decrease in homicides in the city and the police bureau’s efforts to bolster their presence Downtown, where a police substation opened last year.

Commander Tim Novosel said a nine-man team staffed the substation when he took the helm of Zone 2 about two years ago. That number has more than doubled since then.

“We believe every Pennsylvanian — especially every yinzer — deserves to be safe and feel safe in their community,” Shapiro said.

Lieutenant Gov. Austin Davis said the state also has provided grants to violence intervention programs, plus a $300,000 grant for the city to fund police officers.

NFL Draft prep

Several improvements — including those at Market Square, Point State Park and Arts Landing — are expected to be completed in time for the NFL Draft, which will come to Pittsburgh in April.

Shapiro, standing near a massive countdown clock tracking the time until next year’s draft begins, said people traveling to Pittsburgh for the massive event — which starts in 202 days — will see a number of projects already completed and more in the pipeline.

“They’re going to see cleaner, safer streets,” said Shapiro, who was surrounded for much of Friday’s press conference by members of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s Clean Team. “They’re not going to see encampments.”

Shapiro said officials want the improvements to Downtown to be long-term — not just quick fixes to polish the city for a single event.

“We don’t want it to be just in tip-top shape for a few days,” the governor said.

Shapiro promised to provide additional updates as projects move ahead, acknowledging “there is a lot more work to do” in revitalizing Downtown.

“This is just the beginning,” he said. “The future of Pittsburgh is bright.”