I was shocked and dismayed to discover that the "new" Pittsburgh Public Market still looks and feels like a flea market in a run-down discount department store. Little atmosphere to speak of. No real charm or character. The floor is dirty and scarred from the days when the building was used as a warehouse. I recommend it be stripped down to the bare concrete. What vibe there is exists mainly in and around the areas of certain merchants. Other merchants look severely bored and depressed.
The Strip District could benefit from a true first-class indoor Public Market in close proximity, one like the North Market in Columbus, Ohio, the West Side Market in Cleveland, the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, or dozens of similar markets. But to have one like those will take serious cooperation and commitment from a lot of different people and organizations in this city, and right now I don't see evidence that it will happen any time soon, which is puzzling when you consider the size of Pittsburgh.
It would be an insult to say this market is a joke, even though that word bounces around my head whenever I'm there. They've struggled to stay afloat and find a suitable space and worked hard to get it into some kind of shape. But it needs a lot more work. There are plenty of creative minds in this town who could turn it into a more aesthetically pleasing space that bustles with activity. Let's hope they do it.