Pittsburgh resumes in-person permitting Downtown for first time since pandemic

For the first time since March 2020, Pittsburgh is providing in-person services for people seeking various types of permits.

City officials on Monday unveiled the new One Stop PGH permitting counter at 412 Boulevard of the Allies in Downtown.

Residents and developers will be able to seek help in person to apply for business and trade licenses, planning applications and development, right-of-way or fire code permits. People also can make payments in person.

“We know this is long overdue,” Mayor Ed Gainey said.

People still can do business online. But now, customers can drop into the 412 Boulevard of the Allies building or schedule an appointment online to receive in-person help.

Pittsburgh pivoted to an online-only permitting process when the covid-19 pandemic struck. Gainey acknowledged that since then, developers and residents seeking permits have pushed for in-person options.

City Councilman Bob Charland, D-South Side, over the summer urged officials to move more quickly toward restoring in-person permitting.

Jamil Bey, who leads the Department of City Planning, said the online process was frustrating for some users who wanted human help. Sometimes it was unclear to people where they were in the process or whether their applications had been submitted.

“This can help reduce a whole lot of that,” Bey said.

The Department of City Planning, Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, and Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections will be operating out of the location.

The 412 Boulevard of the Allies site also houses the city’s Urban Redevelopment Authority and Housing Authority.

Pittsburgh’s portion of renovations to the building has been delayed because of the pandemic. It also came in more than $3 million over budget.

The Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections alone issued about 10,000 permits over the last year, said Director David Green. Officials could not immediately provide estimates for how many permits other departments had issued.