Pittsburgh’s Strip District

Everyone LOVES Pittsburgh's Strip District. I know that all too well, I served as the President of the Board of Directors for the neighborhood's community development group, Strip District Neighbors (SDN) for 4 years. Last Sunday I had the distinct pleasure of returning to the Strip to sell prints at part of the Strip District Terminal's Terminal Art Market. It was such an incredible day to be in the Strip! The weather was warm, the sun was shining, and the people were out in force.

I finished my tenure as president of SDN (formerly Neighbors in the Strip when I served on the board) in 2016. At that time the Strip District was going through a ton of changes but seeing what has gone on in the last year up-close on Sunday was really something special. McCaffery Interests are doing such a wonderful job. The rehab of the old PA Railroad Produce Terminal into a bustling addition to the already legendary Penn Ave. Shopping District swells my heart.

I love that they are doing really fun and engaging projects such as the Terminal Art Market. It was so much fun to be in the Strip District on a weekend selling prints and interacting with my fellow Pittsburghers and the folks from the Strip District Terminal were incredible.

If you've not been to the Strip District Terminal since it's opened to the public I strongly encourage you to visit. It's home to an incredible plant shop that I absolutely love called City Grows and a bunch of other shops. Plus there is still a lot of vacancy that is understandable given how recently it's opened and the pandemic. I can't wait to see what they add to the old Produce Terminal. So far everything that has opened really does compliment the shops on Penn Ave. which is really something given the variety and uniqueness of the Penn Ave. shopping district which is what makes the Strip one of Pittsburgh's most iconic neighborhoods.

The city has really done a great job with calming traffic on Smallman Street as well which, as a former Pittsburgh Public Market shopper I can tell you is very helpful. It used to be like playing frogger trying to cross from the Terminal over to Penn Ave.

I guess I'm really showing my age there referencing an old Atari video and arcade game but so be it. It was such a beautiful day and because of how calm Smallman Street is, how fun and active the Terminal is, and how many people have moved into the neighborhood over the past decade the Strip District was full of families, people walking dogs, and people creating a real communal, neighborhood vibe which was so wonderful to feel. At times I really miss the buzz and hectic adventure that running one of the city's business neighborhood groups and living in the heart of Pittsburgh's Strip District but I am incredibly happy with the work that folks there are doing right now, the connections that are being built, the wonderful events, and happenings that create a sense of community, and the work of all of the amazing people that are helping the Strip District continue to grow, improve, and continue to be such a dynamic and amazing place.

I printed, mated, and framed over 30 prints, many of them large prints. I didn't sell as many as I would have liked but with the encouragement of my incredible wife Zhanna I decided to open up an Etsy store to try to sell some of my work there. Of course you can still find most of my fine art and nature photography for sale on Zenfolio as well and can order it directly from me. I'm also working on some exhibitions where you'll be able to see my work in person around Pittsburgh. Stay tuned to the blog for more on that as the details get ironed out. If you're a gallery owner who would like to exhibit my work or want to contact me about a print you'd like to purchase please do so via my contact page.

Read my announcement about the Terminal Art Market.