Today's PG has a good follow-up on the mayor's tax abatement proposal, which was originally aimed at downtown and about 20 other city neighborhoods. Here's an interesting bit:
The abatement would ideally spur investment where little or none has happened, but a lot more than 21 neighborhoods are in that camp. To those left out, the plan is a bit like a disaster relief truck without enough food.
Wait. "Little or no investment" is currently happening downtown? After 60 years of Renaissance? The PNC skyscraper? Piatt Place? A hockey arena? The Cultural District's housing plan? The Carlyle? All the other condos? At least a few of these are officially "downtown," no?
But even better: Someone let a number slip. Finally, finally, finally:
David Bishoff, president of E.V. Bishoff Co. of Columbus, Ohio, told council, "We'll look back on this as a pivotal time in Pittsburgh." His firm owns a half-dozen high-rises Downtown, including the Carlyle -- the Union National Bank that was refitted into high-end condos.
"Abatement is about repopulating a city. Don't get too bogged down in boundaries. Pittsburgh wins when Pittsburgh has 10,000 to 20,000 new residents Downtown," he said.
Who said 10,000? Who said 20,000? I have been trying to figure out what the goal is for a long time. Is this it? Really? Are were really talking 10,000 to 20,000 new residents downtown? I assume that means in the official "Downtown." It is capitalized in the original. So we are basically talking about quadrupling the downtown population, right? Or something close to that? Wow. That's bold. At least someone has set a benchmark.
And I wonder what Bishoff--owner of a half dozen condos [I mean high-rise projects] downtown--would make of the idea that there is little or no investment going on there.
This all seems, er, pretty muddled.
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