Civil Municipal Magazine - Dec 2023

161 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 12 PI T TSBURG , CAL I FORNIA especially during the pandemic, which just accelerated its decline,” he states. “We’re seeing the shift in what people desire in terms of a retail product. They want more retail locations that are destination- based, where they can spend hours and have a lot more variety and amenities.” “We’re working closely with our partners here to help envision what desirable retail spaces we would like. We just hired a consultant called Retail Strategies to help us with marketing our city and to attract those future retailers. We feel it’s important, as our population grows, that we are able to provide the retail and amenities that they desire.” Community is key Davis wants people to know that Pittsburg is still a diverse, welcoming, and close-knit community. “As we’ve continued to grow, the folks that have been here for generations have maintained that feel. When you come to our wonderful events, our car shows, our holiday parades, our Seafood and Music festival located in John Buckley Square in Historic Old Town Pittsburg; when you go to some of the businesses here in town, it’s readily apparent. “While we’re pro-development, and we’re proud of our growth, we’ve got a lot of people who continue to preach community – that’s everybody from our city council, to our county supervisor, to folks who have grown up here. They want to bring people in. Pittsburg is about bringing people together. The Pittsburg way is to lift each other up, and support each other to the greatest extent possible. We’ve kept that motto and used it as one of our guiding principles for a long time.” History and heritage – over the years, it’s been the lifeblood of Pittsburg, California, the city without an “h” at the end of its name.