Pittsburgh looks to spend $600K on Downtown ambassador program

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership is looking to team up with the city to launch an ambassador program that would bring community service representatives to Downtown Pittsburgh seven days a week.

Pittsburgh would dedicate $600,000 to the Golden Triangle Ambassador program under City Council legislation introduced this week. The program would employ 11 full-time staff members.

“Downtown is Pittsburgh’s heart and soul, and these ambassadors will play an integral part in helping everyone feel safe and welcome in the heart of our great city,” Mayor Ed Gainey said. “We have seen this type of program work in other cities, and we believe that this initiative will be a critical piece of our efforts to help more people be able to enjoy all that Downtown has to offer.”

The Downtown Partnership said the ambassadors would be easily identifiable through branded uniforms and equipment.

They would offer hospitality and public assistance, conduct walking and bicycle patrols and expand outreach with local businesses.

Eight full-time ambassadors, two supervisors and a dispatch officer would work in shifts from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, according to the partnership.

“Our ambassadors will greatly enhance our efforts to make Downtown a more welcoming place by adding more trained personnel and key resources to our streets and public spaces,” Downtown Partnership CEO Jeremy Waldrup said.

The Downtown Partnership said the Downtown area is in a period of “rapid change in growth.” Visitor traffic has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with about 60,000 people visiting Market Square every week, the group said. PDP said some commuters have returned to Downtown offices and an estimated 4,400 new residential units are in the pipeline.