'Like a ghost town,' Downtown Pittsburgh is empty

Jerry Kennedy has been selling hot dogs on Grant Street in Downtown Pittsburgh for a dozen years. He’s never seen the streets so deserted on a weekday.

Kennedy, owner of Newman & Marley’s, who parks his stand outside the Steel Plaza T Station on Grant Street, said his business has been down by at least 75% since last week when shops and offices began shutting down and commuters started working from home because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Kennedy said the city feels as desolate as the dead of winter when it is 20 degrees outside. Temperatures on Thursday, the first day of spring, topped 60 degrees.

“I’m pretty much the last one down here. I think everybody’s shutting down,” he said.

The Downtown population on weekdays typically jumps by more than 100,000 with commuters clogging streets and sidewalks during the day. The scene has been far different in recent days.

“On a busy day, it would take me five hours to complete my route,” said Roger Nelson, a FedEx Ground driver delivering packages on William Penn Place. “Yesterday, it took me 3.5 hours. Traffic is next to nothing.”

Nelson, who drives into the city from a FedEx facility in Zelienople, said office buildings Downtown are empty. He said most are operating with skeleton crews who want him to leave packages at the front door without entering. Others outright refuse to accept the stuff.

Nelson said banks seem to be the only places with people in them.

Dale Chapple of the North Side was waiting for a bus on Fifth Avenue. He called Downtown “desolate and gloomy.” He said he was the only passenger during a light rail ride from the North Side to Downtown.

“I’ve never seen it like this,” Chapple said, surveying the empty street. “It’s kind of like a ghost town. It’s really gloomy, almost like there’s no hope.”

Chapple said he had been waiting for more than an hour after missing a bus to Monroeville.

“I have to stand out here on the street,” he said. “I can’t go into a restaurant and spend time there because everything is closed.”

Most restaurants are open for take-out business. Market Square, Downtown’s most popular lunchtime spot, was nearly empty at noon except for pigeons.

“It’s completely empty, and it’s usually packed on a normal day,” said Joscelyn Towchik of Pittsburgh’s South Side, who was grabbing some takeout with several friends. “It’s really eerie.”

People are heading to city parks to escape the coronavirus blahs.

Frick Park bustled with families, dogs, bicyclists and joggers Wednesday afternoon as the sun came out and temperatures climbed.

Picnics sprouted up along with makeshift soccer games, bocce ball and Frisbee tossing. People sat in pairs on benches scattered throughout the wooded trails near the Frick Environmental Center. Passersby waved to each other, smiling as if they knew the moment was much-needed therapy.

Parents pushed young kids in strollers. Some carried children on their shoulders. Some let their kids sprint in front of them. They did what they could to stay positive.

The scene was the same in Highland Park on Wednesday evening.

The road around the reservoir was busy and trails were filled with groups walking and jogging. People were doing yoga in grassy spots.

Staff writer Teghan Simonton and Assistant News Editor Ben Schmitt contributed to this report. Bob Bauder is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bob at 412-765-2312, bbauder@tribweb.com or via Twitter @bobbauder.