📣 Adda Coffee & Tea House closes abruptly

Coffee Biz Closes Abruptly After Union Campaign

Shortly after brewers and baristas launched their union campaign last week, Adda Coffee and Tea House announced on Instagram that it’s closing all locations, effective immediately. The business operated cafes in Shadyside, North Side, Garfield, and Downtown; 33 employees lost their jobs.

• On Instagram, Adda attributed the closing to financial troubles, posting “we have been operating at a loss since the beginning, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic.”
• In a phone interview with Hey Pittsburgh, Shadyside barista Chris Gratsch said employees started organizing over a year ago through UFCW Local 1776 for better pay, more consistent hours, and equitable raises. The union had unanimous employee support, and alerted management at about 3 p.m. Wednesday.
• Want to support the workers who lost their jobs? Contribute to their GoFundMe.

Uptown To Get Affordable Housing – With Art!

The City Planning Commission approved the development of Phoenix on Forbes, a six-story building with 211 units and an exterior draped with art. Ten percent of the units will be reserved for people making 60 percent or less of the area median income. The ground floor will have space for offices, grocery retail, and a fitness center. [PublicSource]

• Related: A 60-unit Homewood housing developments with affordable units is moving forward. [NEXTpittsburgh]

Yinz Want A Ghost Boat?

You know those abandoned boats on Pittsburgh’s rivers? Apparently, if it has been left unclaimed for 30 days, anyone can apply for a salvage title. If the old boat owner doesn't want it, a new title could be issued. [KDKA-TV]

Pittsburgh is facing some big issues and great possibilities in 2024. City Cast Pittsburgh host Megan Harris sat down with Managing Editor at Public Source Rich Lord and Executive Director of Casa San José Monica Ruiz to talk about what Pittsburgh needs to take a hard look at this year.

Pittsburgh Public Schools Crisis

The city’s school district has a lot of bright spots, but it has a lot of problems too: funding is tight, enrollment is dropping, test scores are declining, the Pittsburgh Promise is ending, and there are racial disparities creating gaps in learning and opportunities.

Rich Lord: “[These issues] have existed for quite a long time, but they've existed in an atmosphere that has not been considered a crisis because it's kind of been papered over with federal funds for the last three years since the pandemic. Now the federal funds are running out and all of a sudden you get a crisis that could be crippling, but it could also be an opportunity to address issues if there's leadership and public input and potentially, hopefully, consensus at some point.”

Read more: Lawmakers want to invest $5.4 billion to revamp Pennsylvania’s education system and address inequalities. [90.5 WESA]

Homelessness and Affordable Housing

Pittsburgh is working to scale up its affordable units, but the immediate issues prevail: homeless shelters often overflow, people with low-incomes can't afford Pittsburgh, the land bank has been largely ineffective, and zoning hurdles can make it difficult to build new, low-cost housing.

Monica Ruiz: “Everybody wants to live in a nice neighborhood, right? But there's a big difference between revitalization and gentrification. If we're going to revitalize these communities, we have to do it in a way where we're including the people that are there and keeping them there… But more and more, we're seeing people moving outside of the city because they no longer can afford to live here. And they're living in areas where there are food deserts, no pharmacies, nowhere for them to get preventative health care.”

Rich Lord: “We're really struggling with the right balance of building new stuff, rehabilitating and preserving existing units, coming up with new models and new transitional housing options. It’s really kind of THE struggle, I think, for 2024 for this region.”

Let’s play a game! Where can you find the photo above? 👀

🌟 Shout out to Montaja S., Krystal P., and Sierra M, who correctly guessed the last “Where Is It?” challenge:

If you love coffee and thrift stores, you have to stop at Biddle’s Escape, smack dab between Regent Square and Wilkinsburg. Its shelves are lined with treasures and nicknacks to keep you busy while you wait for your order.

Editor’s tip: Go get a croissant from Madeline Bakery and Bistro down the street to pair with your coffee.

Where To Dance In Pittsburgh

Want to go out dancing, but don’t want to club? Pittsburgh has a solution for you! We’re with 412Step and Pittsburgh West Coast Swing talking about getting started, finding community, and learning the groove in safe spaces all over the city.