There have been many delays in the Garden Theater Block, but we all have been looking forward to having one of the city’s best restaurants become an anchor of the Garden Theater Block redevelopment. Dominic Branduzzi’s Piccolo Forno did that for Butler Street’s revitalization, and we had hoped his second restaurant, ARDE, would do the same for our business district. Since this is not to be, what’s next?

• Allegheny City Development Group, owner of the Garden Theater, will need to find a new tenant for the space. ACCA is making it clear to Wayne Zukin (managing member of Allegheny City Development Group) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority, that any new tenant must be consistent with the Neighborhood Plan and of similar caliber to Mr. Branduzzi and ARDE.

• In the coming weeks, there will be news of URA’s selection of a developer(s) for the other buildings on the Block – everything except the Garden Theater and Masonic Temple. The Masonic Temple will be developed by City of Asylum/Pittsburgh as their Alphabet City™ Project.