PITTSBURGH — Each city neighborhood has its own set of issues and concerns, and the South Side is no different. If you’ve been to East Carson Street recently, you may have noticed empty buildings, graffiti, and litter.
Pittsburgh City Councilperson Bob Charland wants to change that.
“We can make the South Side the vibrant, quirky, exciting place it needs to be,” Pittsburgh city councilperson Bob Charland told Channel 11.
On Monday, Charland introduced his plan for an “Improvement District” that provides funding and management to focus on maintenance, public safety, marketing and community events on East Carson.
The organization would have an estimated $500,000 budget, and it’s totally funded by businesses on the South Side. Organizers also plan to apply for grants.
“We have an awesome business district that sometimes gets overshadowed by the public safety issues it has. This is not to say those issues are taken care of, but this is really the next step,” Charland said.
In fact, Charland got input from the South Side entertainment patrol when coming up with the proposal.
“What they’ve told me is there’s only so much they can do. At some point, we need to work on the business problem of East Carson Street. How do we attract the right businesses that attract the right customers?” He said.
John DeMauro is the owner of Urban Tap and is on the South Side Steering Committee. He told Channel 11, this proposal is a “win” for business owners.
“What’s great about this is. ”It’s money that’s going right back into the business district, and it’s determined by the people that are business owners and building owners who determine what use its for,” DeMauro said.
The proposal is in the beginning stages, and there is a plan for a public hearing this summer.
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