Revitalizing Downtown, Shelter Fire & Eat’n Park Turns 75

It’s the Friday news roundup! City leaders are really stoked about landing the 2026 NFL Draft, and they want to spruce up the place before an estimated 750,000 people come to visit. We’re talking about plans to revitalize Downtown — again — plus, Eat’n Park’s 75th anniversary and the AC fire that displaced nearly 200 unhoused people from the Second Avenue Commons shelter.

We always cite our sources:

• Eat’n Park turned 75 this week! The local chain started on Saw Mill Run Blvd in 1949. Check out the ad from when the chain first opened in 1949. Fun fact: The Smiley cookie came way later in 1986.
• Local leaders have some big ideas for revitalizing Downtown — hopefully ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft — including making Market Square more pedestrian-friendly and adding a lot more green space. Right now, we have really pretty plans, but not a lot of details about the price tag or funding sources.
• This week’s fire at Second Avenue Commons probably started from an AC unit on the roof, and there may be water and smoke damage. There’s still no timeline for cleanup or reopening. 
• People staying there say they weren’t able to grab things like family photos, medical devices, or medication. 
• Pittsburgh Mercy is taking donations on their website and in-person, and the Our Streets Collective is connecting folks to mutual aid groups in our area, as well as helping with services and supplies on the ground.
• The county just unveiled its new “500 in 500” plan, which they’re defining as creating or identifying 500 units of subsidized, affordable housing in the next 500 days. The county says it’s been in the works for awhile, but the fire gave it more urgency.
• The pro-Palestine protest on the Cathedral of Learning lawn ended Tuesday morning. City leaders seemed to take credit for a “peaceful” resolution following a lengthy statement from Pitt’s chancellor. Student organizers held a press conference about why the encampment disbanded, and they’ve refuted many of her claims.

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