New Pittsburgh police substation opens Downtown on Wood Street

A new, bigger Pittsburgh police substation opened Downtown on Wednesday, as police and city officials touted the two-story building as key to controlling crime in Pittsburgh’s central business district.

A total of 17 Pittsburgh police officers, two sergeants and one lieutenant will operate out of the Wood Street location, police Chief Larry Scirotto said.

Cmdr. Tim Novosel, who runs the Zone 2 station in the Hill District, will oversee the Downtown operation at 439 Wood St.

He was promoted to commander Feb. 9.

The city initially was considering a $590,150, five-year agreement to lease the space.

The final five-year deal caps the city’s lease costs at $214,575, or $42,915 a year, Gainey spokeswoman Olga George said.

“Downtown is not perfect, nor will it ever be,” Mayor Ed Gainey told a crowd assembled for Wednesday’s ribbon cutting. “I’m not into perfection. I’m into progression.”

Homicides were down citywide in 2023, a figure both Gainey and Scirotto cited Wednesday.

Pittsburgh police investigated 52 homicides — only one Downtown — last year, a nearly 27% drop from 2022’s total of 71 cases.

No homicides have been reported Downtown this year.

In November, Pittsburgh City Council unanimously approved a deal to lease office space from PNC in what Gainey called a public/private partnership. The new center replaces the old Zone 2 substation on Liberty Avenue.

The new station offers space for community meetings, bicycle storage and e-bike charging for police.

Officials also stressed the site will create a more visible police presence in the Golden Triangle.

“When you talk about excellence in policing, it’s a mindset,” Scirotto said. “And it starts sometimes with facilities.”