Possible City Episode 10: Cate Irvin from Pittsburgh, PA

The Possible City

Media outlets from coast to coast have been sounding the alarm about how downtowns are dying since the beginning of the pandemic, most infamously in the New York Times' essay about the coming "urban doom loop." Luckily, nobody's told Cate Irvin that downtowns are dying. As the director of economic development for the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, Cate is fervent in her belief that your city's downtown not only isn't dying, but is poised for a terrific and sustainable comeback. Specifically, Cate is drawing on her background as a public health specialist and sociologist to lead their efforts to convert some office towers into residential use, while also making sure downtown stays vibrant through a series of placemaking projects, market analyses, unique live events, and lots and lots of pickles. "Downtown is a neighborhood," Cate insists, "and it's a neighborhood that needs to be alive 24 hours a day." In this episode, she tells us how she's making that happen in Pittsburgh's famed golden triangle. Referenced in this episode: The Pitt News, August 25, 2022: “‘The power of art in everyday spaces’: Local poets celebrate Oakland’s past, present and future in new OBID sidewalk poetry project - The Pitt News”

Planetizen, December 4, 2022: "From ‘Urban Exodus’ to ‘Urban Doom Loop’" Smart Cities Dive, February 8, 2023: “Pittsburgh office-to-residential conversion fund begins to accept bids | Smart Cities Dive”