Smallman Street work curtailing weekday business

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

With parking eliminated on both sides of Smallman Street in the Strip District because of a Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority project, some business people say they are seeing a sales downturn.

“The number of people that have come by picking up a dozen doughnuts for the office has definitely dwindled,” said Veronica James, manager at Peace, Love & Little Donuts at Smallman and 21st Street.

Construction cuts into convenience, she said, but for now it’s mostly a weekday problem. Business picks up on weekends as people have more time to stroll through the Strip.

At the end of May, PWSA broke ground on a $13 million project to install 7,000 feet of water, storm and sanitary sewer lines on Smallman between 16th and 21st streets. Once that work is done, a street redesign will follow in 2019, as well as the possible redevelopment of the historic produce terminal on Smallman.

“I think there’s an impact. How could there not be?” said Matt Marietti, co-owner of the Der Fer Atelier, a coffee roaster and retail shop on Smallman. He cited the absence of parking as a deterrent to people stopping by for a quick purchase; PWSA provides a shuttle, but only on Saturdays and Sundays, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m..

He said the city is “doing what it can” to help by joining with PWSA to meet with merchants and residents in the Strip and provide support during the work.

Representatives from the city and PWSA will continue to hold meetings on the first and third Tuesdays of the month to address concerns and challenges, according to mayoral spokesman Timothy McNulty.

The construction is “more of a problem for daytime businesses,” said Bill Fuller, president of the Big Burrito restaurant group. His restaurant Kaya on Smallman isn’t suffering from a downturn yet: Sales are on par with this time last year, in part, he said, because the weather has been better this year and more people sit outside.

In the meantime, sandwich boards remind people that businesses are open and signs direct drivers toward places to park.