PITTSBURGH — Mayor Corey O’Connor is promising to help rebuild business districts in Pittsburgh with a new initiative.
It is called “Main and Main,” and he’s hoping it will promote investment across the city.
Prospective business owners are liking the idea.
“We were supposed to be open in September, and it’s January, and it’s still looking like an empty canvas,” Shauntel Green said.
Shauntell Green was hoping to bring Dirty Birds Chicken to Homewood months ago, but she says she hasn’t been able to open because of permitting issues in the city of Pittsburgh.
“It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance, obviously,” said Green
On Tuesday, Mayor Corey O’Connor walked around Homewood with the goal of breaking down some of those barriers and working on “Main and Main.”
It’s an initiative to promote revitalization and investment in neighborhood business districts.
“I think there’s a lot of momentum, and we have to build on that momentum. and build on the energy that’s going on and the projects that are underway but ones that maybe need a little more push from government to make that happen,” O’Connor said.
Besides helping small businesses with things such as loans and facade renovations, the mayor also addressed the slow permitting process.
“It’s those little things that push people away from investing in neighborhoods like this, and i think if we speed that up and she can be open by the draft, think about what that does for her and the neighborhood,” O’Connor said.
Which Shauntel Green says is amazing to hear.
“We’re going to make it happen because I’m not missing out on the draft,” Green said.
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