Council, business leaders say Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership's work is needed amid pandemic recovery
The shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic proved the importance of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership to the city’s business district, its members and administrators told city council members Tuesday.
“Everything came crashing down,” said Casey Henderlong, describing how it hurt businesses like the Richard Deshantz Restaurant Group, where Henderlong is director of events and catering.
Henderlong was among those who provided comment to city council as it considers renewing the Downtown Business Improvement District legislation that created the partnership in 1996.
The Business Improvement District law allows a tax to be levied on Downtown businesses based on their property assessments. That, in turn, funds the partnership and allows it to pay for the its programming, which is aimed to promote the area and attract development to the Golden Triangle.
“We need the (Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership) and (Business Improvement District) more than ever,” said Richard Beynon, president of Beynon & Co., a Downtown real estate firm. He also chairs the Business Improvement District.
The legislation authorizing the Business Improvement District to exist requires council approval every five years.
No one spoke against it and council members Bruce Kraus, R. Daniel Lavelle and Erika Strassburger, who took part in Tuesday public hearing, all lauded the work the partnership does.
“The services are invaluable to the health and well-being of the city,” Kraus said.
Partnership President and CEO Jeremy Waldrup said he appreciated the city’s support.
“We do feel that the work that we have undertaken is critical to Downtown’s success.
The partnership will work to help entice people Downtown as more businesses return to normal operations.
“We are up for the challenge,” Waldrup said.
Council will consider the legislation and will likely approve it next week, Kraus said.
“I’m sure you have the full support of council,” he said.
Tom Davidson is a TribLive news editor. He has been a journalist in Western Pennsylvania for more than 25 years. He can be reached at tdavidson@triblive.com.
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