PDP's new retail consultant shares insights and strategies for downtown
As she continues to build on her assignment of working with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership on bolstering new shopping and dining in the Golden Triangle, Catherine Timko shared an anecdote of talking with a retail prospect who had dropped any plan of considering the city.
'We got the guy on the phone and he said they passed' on downtown Pittsburgh, said Timko of a prospecting call she made with Cate Irvin, the PDP's senior director of economic development.
She further explained, 'Interestingly enough, he said it was the bridges' that led him to decide not to consider Pittsburgh.
Timko, the founder and CEO of Washington, DC-based The Riddle Co., explained an asset of downtown that can be easy to miss: Its student population.
'The thing I like about students is nobody knows that they're there,' she said, adding they don't show up on Census data and often represent considerable spending power, often supported by access to their parents' credit cards.
It was a more nuanced understanding of the potential of downtown Pittsburgh she added that lead the retail prospect to reconsider.
Click here to read more from our partners at the Pittsburgh Business Times.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Politico
5 days ago
- Politico
When DOGE comes for the Census
TOP LINE The Department of Government Efficiency is pledging to go 'one-by-one' through the Census Bureau's 102 surveys, and groups that rely on the government data are fearful of what's to come. DOGE said it has already cut five of the 102 surveys, but there are more potential cuts on the horizon. DOGE did not specify which of the surveys it was eliminating, highlighting instead that it saved $16.5 million and listing some of the questions on the surveys that were eliminated. The bureau conducts these surveys in addition to its decennial survey of the entire nation, and they can provide other governmental agencies with crucial data that is used in developing policies and laws. Cutting the surveys means other agencies — and the public — no longer have access to the data they provide. 'There are laws governing the conduct of federal surveys, and this idea that an email from DOGE is going to impact federal data collection, superseding existing federal law, is what concerns me,' said Mary Jo H. Mitchell, co-director of the Census Project, adding that DOGE could be violating existing laws by making any cuts at all. Advocates are also calling for President Donald Trump to fully fund the bureau's 2026 test, which plays a pivotal role in determining the techniques for the full 2030 Census by surveying residents of a select few areas. The robust survey each decade determines the number of congressional seats each state gets, as well as how trillions of dollars in federal funding are distributed across the country. 'As we learned in the run up to the 2020 Census, short-changing funding for testing at this point in the planning process introduces greater risk to a successful outcome,' says a letter from the Census Project, which is a coalition of groups that advocates for an accurate Census. The Census Bureau did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. Without knowing which surveys specifically were cut, it's impossible to know the consequences of getting rid of them. But overall, surveys done by the Census Bureau for other agencies, Mitchell said, are 'really important, unique sources of data.' The hits from DOGE are not the only problems for the Census Bureau ahead of 2030. For one, the bureau's director resigned in January, and Trump will be able to appoint his successor, who will play a massive role in the 2030 survey. About 1,300 Census Bureau employees have left in recent months, according to the Associated Press, and there's an ongoing hiring freeze. The Commerce Department eliminated the bureau's advisory committees, and an Inspector General report from March sounded the alarm on the bureau's struggle to retain field representatives who collect the crucial data. 'If the bureau does not recruit and retain enough quality employees for FR positions, it will not have sufficient and capable staff to complete interviews and collect social and economic data the federal government, businesses, and other groups need,' the report said. Happy Monday, thanks for starting your week with Score. Reach me: @andrewjfhoward or ahoward@ Days until the New Jersey primary: 8 Days until the Virginia primary: 15 Days until the New York City primary: 22 Days until the 2025 election: 155 Days until the midterms: 519 Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. ICYMI: The Conversation kicked off with Dr. Oz In the premiere episode of The Conversation, Dasha Burns sat down with Dr. Mehmet Oz — now leading the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services — for a candid talk on drug prices, potential Medicaid cuts and why he's getting early morning calls from President Donald Trump. Plus, POLITICO's Jonathan Martin dished on the Ohio governor's race (featuring Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel), and Kyle Cheney unpacked Trump's legal battle over 'Liberation Day' tariffs. Watch the full episode on YouTube. And don't miss a moment — subscribe now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get new episodes when they drop. CAMPAIGN INTEL 2028 WATCH — Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore was in South Carolina over the weekend, telling Democrats at the Blue Palmetto Dinner 'We must be the party of action.' While he's continuing to play off any notion he's interested in a 2028 run, 'Moore's premium speaking slot before the state's well-connected party leaders does little to tamp down speculation he's kicking the tires on an upcoming presidential bid,' POLITICO's Brakkton Booker reported from Columbia. … In Anaheim, California, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz told the state's Democratic Party that 'We've got to find some goddamn guts to fight for working people.' Walz — who was in South Carolina before making the trek to the west coast — was also joined by New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Read more on the California Democratic Party's convention from POLITICO's Blake Jones. … Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro told The Dispatch he used to 'shrug off' chatter that he'd run for president in 2028. Now, his reaction is different, he told David M. Drucker. 'The fact that people think I have something to offer in that conversation—that is very humbling to me. I don't laugh when they say it. I don't shrug and blow it off and move on,' Shapiro said. … 'Dems rev up 2028 travel,' POLITICO's Adam Wren writes in Saturday's Playbook, recapping the festivities. PRIMARY CALENDAR — 'South Carolina's first-in-the-nation primary status looks fraught as Dems sour on Biden,' Brakkton reported Saturday. THE MIDTERMS — 'Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) is deploying his expansive political network to elevate left-leaning candidates and ideas in the midterm elections, accusing Democrats including Kamala Harris of falling short with working-class voters and raising fresh tensions in a party divided over how to rebuild,' the Washington Post's Maeve Reston reports. TEXAS SENATE — Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) would 'eagerly' debate primary challenger Ken Paxton, he told ABC 8's Michael McCardel. GOOD QUESTION — 'Is David Hogg Democrats' Nightmare, or Savior?' by the Wall Street Journal's Aaron Zitner and Eliza Collins. 'The only good politician is one that is scared of potentially losing their job,' Hogg said in an interview, discussing his plan to back primary challengers. LEGAL CORNER — 'Alabama may pause redistricting efforts until 2030 to avoid federal oversight,' Alander Rocha reports for the Alabama Reporter. CODA — QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'Well, we all are going to die,' said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), responding to an audience member who was concerned about Medicaid cuts.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
John Kennedy, Georgia's top Senate Republican, joins race for lieutenant governor
ATLANTA (AP) — John Kennedy, the top-ranking Republican in Georgia's state Senate, on Monday joined a growing field of GOP candidates seeking to become the state's next lieutenant governor in 2026. Kennedy, a Macon lawyer, is banking on the support of Georgia's business community after helping pass a law this year limiting lawsuits and civil verdicts. Burt Jones, the current Republican lieutenant governor, is expected to run for governor next year instead of seeking reelection. He's could announce his candidacy later this summer. Kennedy was first elected to the state Senate in 2014. Majority Republicans elected him president pro tem, the No. 2 position in the Senate, in 2023. Before that, Kennedy had been chair of the majority caucus and led the redrawing of legislative and congressional districts after the 2020 Census, securing Republican majorities. Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch of Dahlonega announced last month that he is running for lieutenant governor, saying he would model his candidacy on President Donald Trump. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery of Vidalia is raising money for a possible bid. Other Republicans could seek the office as well, including state Sen. Greg Dolezal, of Cumming. Kennedy didn't mention Trump in his announcement, saying his top priorities as lieutenant governor would be a strong economy, education and public safety. 'Georgians can be confident that my leadership will be focused on delivering conservative results, not empty rhetoric,' Kennedy said in a statement. 'And I know that by working together, we will keep Georgia growing, keep Georgia learning and keep Georgia safe.' This year, Kennedy sponsored a law that is meant to curb the number of student absences in schools. Like the onetime president, Kennedy's initials are JFK. But this 59-year-old Kennedy, born less than two years after the president was assassinated, is unrelated and bears the middle name of Flanders. Georgia's lieutenant governor presides over Senate sessions, but senators decide how much power the official has. When senators agree, lieutenant governors can be influential. As president pro tem, Kennedy already works with Jones to set the agenda for the Senate. On the Democratic side, the only declared candidate is state Sen. Josh McLaurin of Sandy Springs.
Axios
29-05-2025
- Axios
Utah day care costs for two children balloon
Daycare for one toddler and one infant in Utah on average costs approximately $24,000 a year, according to data from Child Care Aware, an advocacy group. By the numbers: To put it in perspective, that's roughly $5,400 more annually than you'd pay for the average one-bedroom apartment in Salt Lake City. The big picture: The cost of child care in the U.S. just keeps climbing as prices rose 29% from 2020 to 2024, outpacing overall inflation, Axios' Emily Peck reports. Why it matters: Rising costs put a huge financial strain on families, forcing some parents — typically women — to either ratchet back their working hours or leave the labor force entirely. For single parents, the calculus can be even more painful. It's also a drag on economic growth overall. By the numbers: The average annual cost of daycare tuition nationwide for one toddler and one infant rose to $28,168 last year, per the report. That's about 35% of median household annual income in the U.S., based on Census data released in 2024. Between the lines: The percentages are no less brutal in states with higher incomes. The cost of care for two children in Massachusetts is $47,012 — 44% of the median household income in that state. Zoom out: The U.S. doesn't have publicly funded universal childcare. However, the federal government does put money into the system for kids in low-income families through block grants to the states, as well as Head Start, the decades-old federal program that provides childcare, nutrition assistance and other services to the nation's poorest families There were worries that the White House would stop funding Head Start, but the administration has said that won't happen. Yes, but: President Trump's budget proposals look to keep federal funding levels for child care flat next year — that's effectively a cut given inflation, says Anne Hedgepeth, senior vice president of policy and research at Child Care Aware.
