Downtown Dialogues Debuts With A Lively Discussion
Written by Grace Regan
The Downtown Neighbors Alliance hosted its first in its series, Downtown Dialogues, on June 11th. The event featured notable Downtown figures discussing retail recruitment and addressing the concerns that shape the trajectory of downtown’s success.
Kendra Ingram, President and CEO of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Dan Adamski, Executive Managing Director of JLL, and Herky Pollock, President and CEO of Legacy Realty, were the featured panelists giving their insight on downtown’s concerns and future successes.
The Downtown Dialogues started with a discussion between panelists and a moderator, diving into commercial retail, the changing restaurant scene, and developmental trends realigning Downtown Pittsburgh.
One of Kendra Ingram's key discussion points was the development of Arts Landing. She described it as a “civic space” that will be elevated 8 feet above ground level to showcase the beautiful view of the North Shore. Arts Landing will also debut the very first playground downtown. These additions hope to make downtown more family-friendly and active. Kendra states that she hopes Arts Landing will keep people downtown when visitors are there for timed events.
Dan Adamski discussed concerns in the commercial real estate space. Since COVID-19, many office spaces have reduced capacity or are completely vacant. Adamski continues to work to keep companies and workers downtown and stimulate the downtown economy.
Herky Pollock spoke of the exciting and growing restaurant industry and conveyed a positive attitude about the future of downtown. He described Pittsburgh as a resilient city that has seen the effects of a recession and a pandemic. Many smaller cities like Pittsburgh wouldn't survive those obstacles, but Pittsburgh has the spirit to overcome them.
The discussion was followed by a Q&A session where attendees could participate in an open dialogue. It was important for attendees to share their concerns and opinions with panelists who had the insight to answer these questions. Following the Q&A, it was evident that Pittsburghers are invested. They care about their city and its future, and remain optimistic about its success.
