3/30/2010

Last Chance for Prizes!

Tomorrow is the last day for our March Contests!

Week 3's raffle winner was Linda Campbell.  She put her ticket in at Bruegger's Bagels and that's where she's requested her gift card from.  Thanks for supporting the businesses Linda!  And remember, tomorrow is the last day you can fill out a raffle form.

We didn't have ANY photo entries last week.  Shame on you folks!  But you can redeem yourselves...

Tomorrow is your last chance to enter the photo contest.  You can take the picture on your camera and share it with PDP@DowntownPittsburgh.com.  Just ask the business for the sticker, take your picture and send it.  Then don't forget to vote!  There's free money on the line here.  Let's make the last week the best week.  Show us the money shot!  See previous entries and sample pictures on our Facebook page.

We're looking forward to seeing what you send in tomorrow!

3/25/2010

New Sidewalks

If you've been down to the Square this week you've noticed some changes.

The sidewalk work has moved to the area between Lubin & Smalley Flowers and Primanti Brothers.



























You get to walk in the street, but the construction crew left plenty of access to all the businesses so have no fear of that!


The guys are hard at work making way for the brick layers...




























And as of yesterday afternoon, they are almost finished with the brick-laying by PPG...



3/22/2010

Winner, Daffodils, Construction

CONTEST NEWS FLASH
As we approach the end of the competition ANYONE WHO SUBMITS A PHOTO gets a free bag of Market Square Blend coffee roasted fresh in Market Square by Nicholas Coffee.

This week's photo winner:

















Joe, a Downtown resident, enjoyed a beer at the Original Oyster House to celebrate St. Patty's Day.  Congrats to Joe!  He chose a $25 gift certificate to MixStirs - and he also gets a free bag of Market Square Blend Coffee!

Our raffle winner this week is Ann.  Thanks for supporting your Market Square shops!


GET YOUR FREE DAFFODIL IN MARKET SQUARE!

















Happy first day of spring!  Okay, it was this weekend, but after the winter we've had we deserve to celebrate spring.  A lot!

Every year on the first day of spring, Lubin and Smalley Flowers gives out a FREE daffodil to passers-by to celebrate.  Today's spring showers have put a damper on the outdoor activity, but if you stop inside you can get a free daffodil to brighten your desk!  They are also offering a special on bunches of daffodils, on tulips and pussy willow branches.


CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

The spring showers are causing the crew to make some smart decisions to make sure the project is not delayed.  You can't lay concrete or work with the mortar for the bricks in the rain.  If it rains on the fresh product it could wash away and need to be redone which backs up the project timeline.  So they are being smart and doing the prep-work for several of the next steps. 

With the threat of rain, they can't continue laying the subbase of road they prepped last week on the interior.  So they have begun prepping the street in front of GNC where the road connects to Forbes Avenue.   This way, they can pour concrete on both sections on the next sunny day. 

They can't lay brick in front of PPG in the rain, so they will begin prepping the brick area between Primanti Brothers and Lubin & Smalley.  If the weather holds for the rest of the week, they expect to finish bricking the sidewalk between Crazy Mocha and PPG and put pedestrian traffic back on the brick walkway.

Once this half of roadway & sidewalk are finished (including trees and lightpoles) they will be able to flip and begin working on the opposite roadway that runs past the Oyster House.

3/15/2010

Week 2 Winners!


















Congratulations to Dawn who inspired the most conversation on Facebook with her photo incorporating a question.  Dawn asked and the public answered.  Who gets the first sip?  The pig, of course!  With her winning picture inspired by her trip to the Market Square Dunkin Donuts.

This week's raffle winner is Meghan.  She filled out her winning raffle ticket on one of her daily runs to Starbucks and will be treating her friend to a glass of wine with her $25 gift certificate to Bella Sera Urban Trattoria.

Something new to sweeten the deal...
Winners now get a free bag of Market Square Blend coffee, roasted at Nicholas Coffee in Market Square.  The Market Square Blend is an exotic blend of Columbian Sumatra, Ethiopian (mocha), Old Vienna (European Dark Roast) and Hawaiian Kauai.

Congratulations to Week 2 Winners Dawn & Meghan.  Thanks for participating and supporting the Market Square merchants!

If YOU are jonesing for a $25 gift certificate and a free bag of Market Square Blend coffee, get out there and shop and send us your photos!

3/11/2010

Gorgeous Day for Photographs!

It's a gorgeous day Pittsburgh!


On a day like this how can you stay inside?

Benefits to trotting through Market Square today:

1. Feel like you're inside!
The way construction fencing is in the work area by PPG, you actually get to walk INSIDE the construction area.  You get to walk on the newly laid belgian block that will be the driving surface soon! It's really neat to see the space without the chainlink fence between you and the plaza.





2.  Today is your last chance to submit photos this week! 
This is your chance to win $25 to the Market Square merchant of your choice!
Ask cashier for sticker
Take photo on your phone or camera (including you, product & sticker)
Email to PDP@DowntownPittsburgh.com
Tomorrow: vote on your favorite at Facebook.com/DowntownPittsburgh
















So... grab a coffee, a sandwich, or whatever you fancy, don't forget your sticker, and take a picture outside in the sunshine in Market Square!  We can't wait to see it!

3/08/2010

Week One Contest Winners!















Ben Kuhl took his photo in Las Velas Mexican Restaurant while enjoying some Dos XX on draft.  Ben  requested a gift certificate to A&J Ribs.

The winning raffle ticket was won in Moe's Southwest Grill by Joe Schenk.  He has not decided yet what gift certificate he would like - there are so many businesses to choose from! 

For everyone who is not Ben or Joe...
Here is a list of all the Market Square businesses so you can go fill out your own raffle tickets.
And we can't wait to see what creative pictures come in this week! 

Reminder on how to play:
RAFFLE
     fill out the form
     drop it in the box at the register

PHOTO CONTEST
     ask cashier for bumper sticker
     take photo (include: product, sticker, you)
     email photo to PDP@DowntownPittsburgh.com
     vote for your favorite picture on Facebook.com/DowntownPittsburgh
     See who won! every Monday in March, here on this blog
    
Bring It On Week Two!

3/04/2010

St. Patty's Day! & March Specials











Specials in Market Square on Saturday 3/13...

Primanti Brothers
Serving half-yards of Green Coors Light Drafts

The Original Oyster House
Opening at 7:00 am and close when the crowd goes home!!
$3 16 oz. green beer while supplies last
Market Square yard glasses will also be available

Moe's Southwest Grill
$3 16 oz green coors light draft.

Las Velas Mexican Restaurant 
Opening 8 a.m., with $5 breakfast burritos
$6 Irish tacos or burritos (corned beef, rice, potato, sauerkraut, onion, cilantro, green pepper)
$2 lite beer, $4 green Irish Margaritas, $2 shot specials
Irish decorations

Bruegger's Bagels
Green Bagels Saturday March 13
Green bagels available Tues. March 16 and Wed. March 17 pre-order

Dunkin Donuts
Shamrock Special on Pounds of Coffee March 13th - $5 per pound



Specials Throughout the month of March...

Dunkin Donuts
Free Donut with any Large or greater beverage purchase during March

The Original Oyster House
Baked Scrod Platter - Healthy, plump cod topped with flavored crumbs and baked in a light garlic olive oil sauce. Served with choice of two platter sides. Only $6.75

Bruegger's Bagels
$5.99 for a dozen bagels on Wednesdays in March

Prantl's Bakery
Free Delivery on Fridays in March for any order placed a day in advance; no dollar minimum required

Primanti Brothers
$2.00 bottles of Coors Light every Friday in March
March Madness games played on big screen TVs

3/01/2010

Market Square Campaign Starts Today!

Brooke enjoys a "Cupid's Delight," MixStirs' featured flavor for February with chocolate and cherry.  I wonder what they'll have this month?...


THE CAMPAIGN
March 1 - 31

To say "Thanks for shopping!" and encourage more people to venture out of doors to the Square.

Two winners every Monday - $25 gift certificate to the Market Square merchant of your choice.


TWO WAYS TO WIN

    RAFFLE

    Drop form in box (at register)

    Winner picked Monday mornings

    PHOTO CONTEST

    Take photo
          include: product, bumper sticker, you!

    Email photo
          PDP@DowntownPittsburgh.com
          Monday - Thursday

    Vote
          a new album each week on Facebook.com/DowntownPittsburgh
          use the "like" feature to cast your vote
          Friday - Sunday

    See who won
          the winning photo will be posted on this blog
          Monday mornings
















    Katie eats bbq sandwich as big as her head at A&J Ribs.















    Getting a new look at Denham & Company (they pitched in and had fun helping with the shots!)















    Prantl's-induced cookie coma. (and bellies :-)


    How creative will your shots be?  The fan favorite wins!

    Just remember: sticker, product, you!

    PPG sidewalk work

    The red brick sidewalk surrounding PPG Place at Market Square will begin to undergo a cosmetic retrofit. This is part of the Phase I of the Market Square Reconstruction and is necessary to bring the sidewalk into ADA compliance.


    Part I of the retrofit: the sidewalk will be closed between Buildings Two and Three where it meets Market Square to the revolving door entrance near Crazy Mocha.  You can access the building from Forbes Avenue or Fourth Avenue

    NOTE:  During daylight hours, access to PNC Bank and ATM is available inside PPG Building Two.  When the building is closed, there will be a bridge over the sidewalk work to allow access to the outdoor PNC ATM and night drop box in that area only from 4 pm to 8 am.

    This sidewalk reconstruction is scheduled to begin on Monday, March 1, 2010 – weather permitting. This phase is estimated to take several weeks to complete.