Be careful

Here's a story that comes from a tenant in the Clark Building.

There was an early evening not too long ago when a fight broke out among some of the kids who congregate in front of the Wood Street T station. Nothing huge, just usual teenage stuff. A security guard from the building stepped outside to see if he could do anything to help.

One of the kids lifted his shirt far enough to show the guard he had a gun. That's the degree of the problem the city has there, and it isn't being addressed by anyone.

Someone wake up Mayor Luke's puppeteers and tell them that quality of life issues matter. People don't go where they don't feel safe. Clean it up.

What we're doing here

We're talking about Downtown Pittsburgh -- what happened to make it the pathetic hellhole it is today and what can be done to change it.

We welcome your input on good spots, bad spots and the overall state of what was once one of the most vibrant downtown areas in any mid-sized city in the USA.

Let's start with one trouble spot -- the area around the Wood Street T station at the corner of Liberty and Wood. Used to be a problem in the late afternoon because of kids congregating around the bus stop after school. Now it's pretty much trouble around the clock. Wendy's closed its location there, and Dunkin Donuts followed. McDonald's posts anti-loitering signs in its windows, but they don't seem to help. Some high-priced condos are going in around the corner, so perhaps a clean-up will become a priority. For now, though, one of the busiest intersections in the city is also one of the worst.