Ongoing Growth Touted for Downtown from the Pittsburgh Business Times 
"A completed Point State Park and riverfront trail. More than 2,000 apartments now in development. And a time frame for construction to begin at the 28-acre site of the former Civic Arena in the Lower Hill. Those were just a few of the new developments to look forward to in Pittsburgh’s growing downtown as presented by a host of panelists at Tuesday morning’s annual meeting of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership."

Can Shale Boom Really Boost Manufacturing? from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"Earlier this week, we wrote about an article in The Wall Street Journal looking at the shale boom and its impact on manufacturing. One of our sibling newspapers, the Houston Business Journal, explores the Journal article's contentions and how it's playing out in Houston and elsewhere."

Ellsworth: Pittsburgh's People Make Impact from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"Laura Ellsworth, chair of the Pennsylvania Economy League of Greater Pittsburgh and partner-in-charge of the Pittsburgh office of Jones Day, said while most of the focus of the Pittsburgh region's future has been placed on energy, it is really the people that will have the greatest impact. "There is something unique about Pittsburgh," she said. "Part of what I think makes it unique is that we are a people, all of us, who roll up our sleeves and accomplish things that have never been done before.""

Laura Ellsworth of the Pennsylvania Economy League

NEW STUDY!!

IBM Report: Transit Key to Future of Pittsburgh from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"A good transportation network is vital to Pittsburgh's economic health, and several low-cost improvements are within the city's reach, according to a report prepared by IBM's Smarter Cities Challenge. "Pittsburgh's successful renaissance into a technology-based, green community should not be stalled by a lack of transportation," said the report, which was made public by the office of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl last week. "Active transportation options, such as biking or walking, high-quality transportation infrastructure, availability of parking and efficient public transit will empower citizens and visitors to contribute to the vibrancy of the economy," it said."
The full report can be found HERE.

REPORT!!

Pittsburgh Today Report Finds Population Shift as Young People Move to City from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
""Lawrenceville has changed drastically over the last 10 years," Ms. Byrne said. "Not all of the development has been as welcomed, but everybody seemed to be excited about the dry cleaner. That's the kind of business they want to see." The annual Pittsburgh Today report released last month, "Pittsburgh Today & Tomorrow 2013," highlighted Lawrenceville as a growing area experiencing a substantial shift in population as younger people move into the area. The study (available at pittsburghtoday.org) ranks Pittsburgh against 15 cities of similar size across the country."
The Pittsburgh Today report can be found HERE.

PERSPECTIVE!!

Health Care to Stay Crucial to Pittsburgh Economy from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"Medicine will continue to drive the western Pennsylvania economy, despite intense pressure to curb health care spending, PNC Economist Mekael Teshome said Friday. Pittsburgh’s population has been increasing, albeit slowly, and the city will continue to be a hub for sophisticated medical care, attracting patients from outside the region, Teshome said. Studies have shown that Pittsburgh’s health care utilization rates are higher than other areas with comparable demographics, which Medicare is trying to curb through innovative pilot programs and cost-cutting. In addition, hospitals and other health care providers are facing cuts in Medicare reimbursement."

Mekael Teshome

Pittsburgh Region Population Slightly Up from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"The Pittsburgh region's population rose by 4,448 in the past two years, according to a new estimate released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau. The region's population was 2.36 million in July, ranking it as the 22nd most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. and the second-biggest in Pennsylvania behind Philadelphia. The population was 2.356 million in July 2010, the last time the data was collected."

Rust Belt Renaissance: The Future American City (Josef Goodman) from The Politic: The Yale Undergraduate Journal of Politics
"Faced with deindustrialization and demographic decline, Rust Belt cities looking to reverse their fortunes need look no further than Pittsburgh."

Beaver Water Woes Tied to Ohio Drilling from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"A Beaver County drinking water supplier says liquid drilling wastes dumped illegally in Ohio are linked to water problems in his county, where local and state officials claim Ohio investigators failed to tell them about pollution headed their way. "

¡Hola, Pittsburgh!/¡Pittsburgh Te Invita! Campaign Introduces Pittsburghers to Latinos, Vice Versa from Imagine Pittsburgh Now
"The Latino population in the Pittsburgh region may be small, but it is growing steadily and many of its professionals are making a positive mark here. A few of them are highlighted in a series of videos as part of the new Latino outreach initiative by Vibrant Pittsburgh, an organization working to grow the regional economy by attracting diverse people to the workforce. The “¡Hola, Pittsburgh!” (Hello Pittsburgh!) portion of the campaign began last month, introducing the region to four Latinos who have opted to build their careers and lives here."

PNC to Shut 200 Branches as Part of $700 Million in Cuts from the
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"PNC Financial Services Group disclosed plans on Tuesday to close about 200 retail branches this year as part of a plan to reduce expenses by $700 million in a tough operating environment for banks. PNC spokeswoman Amy Vargo said it is too early to say how many Pittsburgh-area branches and jobs will be eliminated."

EDITORIAL!!

Want Choice? from the Editorial Board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 
"The fight is over whether people and businesses will be able to keep choice on medical care and health insurance, or be doomed to a high-priced UPMC monopoly that eventually controls both. It's just that simple."

Gas is Good for Allegheny County, Vision Team eports from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"Natural gas stole the show for the Energy & Environment Vision Team, which is a group of industry and county stakeholders assembled by County Executive Rich Fitzerald to make recommendations to Allegheny County. The Marcellus Shale leads the list of recommendations put out by the team, and its findings conclude that: “since natural gas is a low-cost, cleaner burning fuel that is being extracted locally, we should encourage the use of natural gas within the county at current and future industrial sites and in vehicles.”"

Washington County Touts Economic Development, Tourism Successes from Imagine Pittsburgh Now
"Energy continues to be significant economic driver, with Washington County being ranked first the greater Pittsburgh region and fourth in the state in both natural gas wells drilled and drilling permits issued in 2012. The county’s booming energy sector’s reach extends far beyond drilling rigs, with the Southpointe mixed-use business park in Canonsburg as an example. It has become the epicenter of corporate activity that supports the industry – everything from regional headquarters to law firms."

Manufacturers, Educators Brace for Budget Cuts from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"...she is wary about the future based on the uncertainty surrounding the looming across-the-board federal spending cuts. “If people lose their jobs they can’t afford to go shopping and the stores are in trouble,” and if the stores don’t have customers who are building or remodeling, that means air curtain and air door orders could drop, she cautioned. “It is a crazy thing to allow to go through,” she said of the possible cuts. “(It’s) just irresponsible.”"

Consolidation of Transit Systems in Southwestern Pa. Gains Momentum from the Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"Western Pennsylvania would be better served by one transit agency than 10, says Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. Thirty percent of Downtown workers live outside of Allegheny County, while many Allegheny County residents work and shop in Cranberry, Butler County, or Washington County's North and South Strabane, he testified last week before state lawmakers meeting at Station Square. “It's frustrating when you watch buses come across the (Allegheny) county line and they don't pick up another person as they drive into Downtown using the same route as a Port Authority bus,” he said."

Western Pa. Inches Closer to Goal of Energy Independence from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"The once-distant concept of energy independence, given a national spotlight in the 2012 presidential race, is closer to becoming a reality on a regional level, energy analysts say. Pennsylvanians rely on in-state sources for at least 64 percent of their energy, a relatively high figure among states, according to the Washington & Jefferson College Energy Index. Its most recent numbers show a one-year surge of nearly 10 percentage points from 2009 to 2010, driven by the popularity of domestic natural gas in manufacturing, transportation and power generation."

Pittsburgh Invited to Consider Playing Host to 2024 Olympics from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"The region's leaders say they will consider mounting a bid for that year's Summer Olympics. Being the host could cost $3 billion.  Here's what it would take for Pittsburgh to be the host of the 2024 Summer Olympics: thinking big and building bigger. And $3 billion. Consider goal one accomplished."

EDITORIAL!!

Go for It: Pittsburgh Should Explore a Summer Olympics Bid from the Editorial Board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Dream big, Pittsburgh. As in Olympic gold. The invitation from the U.S. Olympic Committee for this city to be among 35 in the country to bid for the 2024 Summer Games is a privilege. More than that, it's an opportunity and Pittsburgh should go for it."

Farmers Making Their Plans for Spring from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Last year, Pennsylvania farmers said they wound up having a pretty good year and most are sticking to what worked. Carolyn Beinlich, one of the owners of Triple B Farms in Forward, where they grow both fruits and vegetables, said last year was dry early in the season, but they got through with irrigation, even having to fill one of their irrigation ponds with municipal water. She said the farm was less profitable because they kept their prices steady from 2011, but costs rose because they had to pay for the water to irrigate the crops."