Local leaders working toward bringing businesses back to downtown Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — City and county leaders hope that projects like redevelopment efforts in the lower Hill District and the Bus Rapid Transit system would help eventually spur foot traffic in Downtown Pittsburgh. But with 50 empty storefronts and a growing number of vacancies, current business owners said they need a more immediate resolution.

“I think the PPP money and the action of creditors over the last couple of years has saved a lot of businesses,” said Matthew Herron, a bankruptcy lawyer and founder of the Herron Business Law.

PPP monies made a pathway for many struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now with that lifeline dried up, many have been hit hard with skyrocketing rents and a slow economy.

“It’s like this weird cyclical thing where you can’t keep customers downtown, and you can’t keep businesses because there aren’t customers,” said Khamil Bailey, director of Emerald City PGH, a coworking space located in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Just last month, a recent poll revealed that nearly half of the businesses in Pennsylvania could not pay their rent, and in Downtown Pittsburgh, the outlook is even bleaker.

“Downstairs, there used to be a coffee shop on the corner, but they had to leave because of the pandemic, and the other tenants in the building are not sure if they can stay,” Bailey said.

Downtown has 50 empty storefronts.

Emerald City pays almost $30,000 in rent so that other smaller businesses can have affordable leases within their space.

“In addition to rent, you generally have to pay for other expenses: utilities, high-speed internet, printing services,” Bailey said.

At Emerald City, all of that is included in the membership cost, yet Bailey said more needs to be done to help.

“They’re being priced out of being able to afford to be here, so if you would like for them to be here, you do have to make accommodations,” Bailey said.

At this time, there are no plans to provide any subsidy to help lure businesses to Downtown Pittsburgh, once a key strategy by previous mayor administrations.

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