Program areas at PDP
Economic development and programming - as we transition from pandemic recovery to building resilience for the future, we want to ensure Downtown evolves as a leading destination to live, work, and thrive. The organization's district development team fosters initiatives that improve quality of life, advance economic growth, and enhance the public realm. In 2022, they delivered enhanced data tracking and reporting to keep stakeholders up to date on the latest activity and executed several placemaking initiatives, such as public art activations and expanded outdoor dining corridors. The events department implemented programs that create community and increase street-level activity, while reflecting the diversity and vibrancy of Downtown. 2022 saw the complete return of beloved signature events such as picklesburgh, light up night, the holidays in Downtown, and market square programmingalong with new or expanded activations. As office workers returned to Downtown at an exponential rate, the pdp responded with new programming to re-engage employees and residents through partnering with mayor ed gainey to launch pgh opens, a monthly series of 'welcome back' block parties.
Transportation - whether you come by car, bus, bike or on foot, transportation remains a critical issue for those who work, live, and visit here. Downtown is the transportation hub for our region, and its evolution will impact how people get around the county. The Downtown mobility plan, launched in 2021, identified ways to improve experiences for pedestrians, public transit users, bikers, and vehicles. In 2022, we initiated efforts to rethink our bus route network and place-focused designs to high-traffic corridors while advancing the pedestrian wayfinding project, a first-of-its-kind system that will simplify navigation in and between neighborhoods and indicate key destinations and landmarks.
Operations - the core mission of the organization continues to be to foster a clean and safe Downtown. As the number of people who live, work, commute, and visit Downtown continues to grow, the clean and outreach teams have expanded their efforts to foster a Downtown environment that is vibrant, safe, and welcoming to all. They played an instrumental role in facilitating the return of major events and cultural programming in Downtown, while scaling up their services in response to increasing foot traffic and changing community needs. Even in the most challenging conditions, our clean and outreach teams worked tirelessly each day to help enhance quality of life in the golden triangle. The outreach team has done phenomenal work this past year to build relationships with the unhoused population by acquiring resources and providing assistance to individuals experiencing homelessness. Additionally, our team has increased its efforts to build relationships and support Downtown businesses through regular communication and collaboration.