Business owners concerned as second phase of Penn Avenue construction project gets underway

Phase two of a construction project in Pittsburgh's Garfield and Bloomfield neighborhoods is underway. The project is being done on Penn Avenue, between Evaline and Graham Streets.

The city says construction is expected to go on until fall 2027.

One business owner says it's not the construction itself that has her concerned, but the communication concerning it.

"There hasn't been consideration in tenderly approaching this," said Aerin Adams-Fuchs, owner of The Soft Spot coffee shop.

Her business has only been open for about two weeks.

Phase two of the construction project includes new sidewalks, curbs, ADA-compliant ramps, and traffic lights.

Traffic going inbound on Penn will stay the same, but outbound traffic will include detours. It will be rerouted onto Main Street, Liberty Avenue, Baum Boulevard, and Negley Avenue, then back onto Penn Avenue.

"I think in the long run, what they're doing is important," she said.

Adams-Fuchs says "No Parking" cones have been put up in front of her business, possibly weeks before construction begins on her end of the street.

She said the only thing that has taken place so far is the cutting down of trees.

"From our schedule that we have, it's not likely to start down here for another couple of weeks, even up to a month," she said.

Adams-Fuchs said local leaders told her to allow people to park there for now, something she was doing herself before the parking order, and that if construction workers tell them to move, they'll move.

Regardless, the construction comes at a pivotal time for The Soft Spot. Other businesses nearby are also relatively new, Adams-Fuchs said.

"This whole strip of businesses is a new development that's coming into this community," she said.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit says the construction will also impact its 88 Penn bus.