Plan C presentation moved to Jan. 31

By The Tribune-Review
Friday, January 18, 2002

A consultant will make his closing report to the Plan C Task Force during a two-day meeting beginning Jan. 31.

Don Hunter, an urban economist from Annapolis, Md., was originally expected to make the presentation Thursday. But task force spokesman Harry Finnigan said the planning committee asked Hunter to perform additional work on the report after receiving a $50,000 grant from the Heinz Endowments.

The task force was formed after Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy’s controversial, $522 million plan for redeveloping the Fifth and Forbes retail corridor Downtown imploded. Since then, the task force has been looking at ways to enhance the existing retail business district without completely leveling the neighborhood, as Murphy had proposed.

“We’re very much looking at a multiuse development,” Finnigan said. “We’re looking at five or six sites where we could build new development, including underground parking, as well as entire blocks in the area where we could take an incremental approach.”

Finnigan said that, in addition to retail and restaurant development, the task force is looking at office and housing components for the area.