🐘 Fetterman courts Republicans

What Pittsburgh’s Building Right Now

Development is a major focus of Mayor Corey O’Connor, who pledged this year to speed up the city’s complicated permitting process. Data from OneStopPGH, an online portal launched under former Mayor Ed Gainey, suggests it’s working. [Public Source / 🔒 Business Times]

Here’s a roundup of a few projects we’re following:

• Uptown: A new 34-unit affordable housing development just opened, with all residents paying no more than 30% of their income towards rent. Utilities are also covered. [TribLive]
• Strip District: The $100 million Brickworks luxury housing development — with 228 apartments and 60 townhomes — just broke ground. Brickworks’ website doesn’t mention any units at below-market rates. [🔒 Post-Gazette / McCaffery]
• South Side: Greystar — a multinational developer with projects as far afield as Dublin and Berlin — will move forward with a scaled-back version of the 365-unit Wharton apartments, sandwiched between South Side Works and Giant Eagle. No mention of affordable units. [Greystar / 🔒 Business Times]
• Oakland: Will the notorious food desert finally get a supermarket — a place to find fresh produce other than the ludicrously expensive, Pitt-owned Forbes Street Market? Zulema is expected to break ground next year and provide a grocery store along with 265 apartments — 10% of units are set aside as affordable. [Pitt News / Radnor Property Group]

Fetterman Uses GOP Donor Lists

Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat, sent fundraising emails via Republican donor email lists using GOP messaging, renewing rumors of a possible party switch. Once seen as a progressive Democrat, he’s now facing backlash from former staffers for aligning with conservatives “to prop up his dismal fundraising numbers.” [The Intercept]

• We discussed Fetterman’s job performance after The Wall Street Journal dropped some eyebrow-raising stories from staffers. [City Cast Pittsburgh]

New Housing Head Under Investigation

The city’s new housing authority chief is under investigation for misusing public funds at her last job. Ivory Matthews is accused of spending more than $100,000 in taxpayer money on personal travel expenses while serving as CEO of Portland’s housing authority. [🔒 Post-Gazette]

Sarris Gets A Scoop Shop

The beloved Canonsburg-based candy company opened an ice cream parlor inside Market District on Penn Avenue, serving its scoops alongside the Sarris chocolate and candy we already know. It’s open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with cones, sundaes, milkshakes, and more. [WTAE]