Project Pop-Up
Project Pop-Up was launched in the summer of 2023 to combat the growing issue of retail vacancy in Downtown Pittsburgh.
The initiative employs a dual strategy to revitalize vacant spaces: public art installations and pop-up retail. Public art acts as a catalyst for positive transformation, elevating the community's quality of life, fostering a sense of pride, and contributing to both economic and cultural vitality. Under the leadership of Cate Irvin, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership collaborated with Silver Eye Center for Photography to bring forth the "Emerging Visions" installation. This creative exhibition showcases the artworks of three Pittsburgh artists exhibited on the windows of currently unused storefronts, establishing a public-facing, multi-site gallery at the heart of Downtown.
The program currently features works by emerging artists Evangeline Mensah-Agyekum, Anqwenique Kinsel, and Sobia Ahmad on three street-level retail spaces in Downtown Pittsburgh.
The secondary approach of Project Pop-Up centers on introducing pop-up retail establishments in Downtown Pittsburgh.
In partnership with downtown property owners and with generous backing from the Hillman Foundation, Project Pop-Up is actively facilitating the setup of pop-up retail tenants in a maximum of six storefronts within Downtown Pittsburgh.
Project Pop-Up provides participants with two significant incentives: a grant of up to $15,000 each to support initial expenses and rent-free accommodation for up to a year. This initiative aims to stimulate creative opportunities, promote innovative utilization of downtown real estate, nurture local entrepreneurship, enhance the street-level environment, and bolster existing merchants by increasing foot traffic and patronage.
The first two storefronts are anticipated to open in January 2024, with additional openings expected in the spring. An additional rent abatement program is currently in the planning stages, with the aim of launching in early Q1 2024.