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Luxury home boom hits Pittsburgh

Wealthy buyers are driving demand while many others hold off on home purchases.

News

Luxury homes in Pittsburgh and across the nation are becoming more popular than middle-market houses — which still feel increasingly out of reach to most people.Why it matters: The rising stock market and AI boom are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="driving a lot of this" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/27/ai-luxury-homes-k-economy" data-vars-content-id="9bf445e5-2a56-41b4-91d4-10ad1d834662" data-vars-headline="Luxury home boom hits Pittsburgh" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/27/ai-luxury-homes-k-economy" target="_self">driving a lot of this</a>.

Things to do in Pittsburgh this June

Pride, Juneteenth, beer fests and street fairs fill June's calendar.

Things to Do

Pittsburgh&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="June calendar" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/01/26/pittsburghs-biggest-concert-guide-2026" data-vars-content-id="e4d6246f-6740-4f33-885b-448caa15677d" data-vars-headline="Things to do in Pittsburgh this June" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/01/26/pittsburghs-biggest-concert-guide-2026" target="_self">June calendar</a> is loaded with Pride and Juneteenth celebrations, plus beer fests, street fairs, live music and neighborhood parties across the city.Here are the top events this month.

Pittsburgh firm wants parking fees for driverless cars

A local company says driverless cars should pay for parking like everyone else.

Driverless cars could soon be paying for parking like the rest of us.Why it matters: Cities are missing out on $20 million in parking revenue — and potentially half a billion dollars in five years — because autonomous vehicles aren&#x27;t paying for parking, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Meter Feeder" data-vars-click-url="https://www.meterfeeder.com/" data-vars-content-id="82badd88-b77b-4c1c-b7f5-62947799382b" data-vars-headline="Pittsburgh firm wants parking fees for driverless cars" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.meterfeeder.com/" target="_blank">Meter Feeder</a> CEO Jim Gibbs tells Axios.

Allegheny County pushes to become a clean tech hub

The initiative seeks to attract investment and expand advanced manufacturing.

Pittsburgh manufacturing shouldn&#x27;t only be known for steel — the region should build a new industry, says Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.The big picture: Pittsburgh&#x27;s economy has mostly <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="moved out of the shadow of steel" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/02/06/new-book-pittsburgh-beyond-steel-economy" data-vars-content-id="03a403af-287a-41b7-90b2-55a509015d18" data-vars-headline="Allegheny County pushes to become a clean tech hub" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/02/06/new-book-pittsburgh-beyond-steel-economy" target="_self">moved out of the shadow of steel</a> and heavy industry and is looking to forge a new future for blue-collar work.

What May Day means in Pittsburgh

Marches and events highlight labor history and workers' rights across the region.

Labor rights are integral to Pittsburgh&#x27;s history and growth as a region, and International Workers&#x27; Day is a great opportunity to remember them.The big picture: Labor groups and local activists will be holding marches, parades and events Friday and this weekend to commemorate May Day.

We tried Pittsburgh's original french fry salad

A Beaver County spot claims it invented Pittsburgh's iconic fry-topped salad.

Food and Drink

The french fry salad is one of Pittsburgh&#x27;s most celebrated foods, but its origins are less well-known than Primanti&#x27;s famous fry-stuffed sandwich.The intrigue: I tried <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jerry&#x27;s Curb Service" data-vars-click-url="https://www.facebook.com/people/Jerrys-Curb-Service/100028410026985/#" data-vars-content-id="758086ea-a2a2-4b94-8c74-459a0fa33168" data-vars-headline="We tried Pittsburgh&#x27;s original french fry salad" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Jerrys-Curb-Service/100028410026985/#" target="_blank">Jerry&#x27;s Curb Service</a> in Bridgewater, Beaver County, a fast-food joint that <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="lays claim to the title of inventor of the french fry salad" data-vars-click-url="https://www.tastingtable.com/1234338/the-origins-of-pittsburghs-french-fry-topped-salad/" data-vars-content-id="758086ea-a2a2-4b94-8c74-459a0fa33168" data-vars-headline="We tried Pittsburgh&#x27;s original french fry salad" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.tastingtable.com/1234338/the-origins-of-pittsburghs-french-fry-topped-salad/" target="_blank">lays claim to the title of inventor of the french fry salad</a>, aka the Pittsburgh salad.

Bucco Bricks return as plaques at PNC Park

Fans can now find their messages on new plaques around the stadium.

Sports

Those <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="missing their Bucco Bricks" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/04/09/pirates-bucco-bricks-removed-recycled" data-vars-content-id="3c3177ca-4473-4d9e-9c6f-7ad9c73f7622" data-vars-headline="Bucco Bricks return as plaques at PNC Park" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/04/09/pirates-bucco-bricks-removed-recycled" target="_self">missing their Bucco Bricks</a> can now find the messages on plaques at PNC Park.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Pirates" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/26/pirates-season-preview-hope-playoff-run" data-vars-content-id="3c3177ca-4473-4d9e-9c6f-7ad9c73f7622" data-vars-headline="Bucco Bricks return as plaques at PNC Park" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/26/pirates-season-preview-hope-playoff-run" target="_self">The Pirates</a> removed fans&#x27; engraved bricks last year — which temporarily caused controversy — before announcing they would replace the commemorative messages first installed as sidewalk blocks when PNC Park was built 25 years ago.

The woman who named Swissvale

A pioneering journalist and abolitionist helped changed laws and public perception from Pittsburgh.

History

Jane Grey Swisshelm spent her life challenging the limits of 19th-century America, and much of that fight took shape in Pittsburgh.Why it matters: Women&#x27;s History Month often spotlights Pittsburgh trailblazers like <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Nellie Bly" data-vars-click-url="https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/learn/women-forging-the-way/nellie-bly-around-the-world/" data-vars-content-id="a34b280c-abbb-4e82-b6e4-74a68cebc159" data-vars-headline="The woman who named Swissvale" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/learn/women-forging-the-way/nellie-bly-around-the-world/" target="_blank">Nellie Bly</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Rachel Carson" data-vars-click-url="https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/blog/western-pennsylvania-history-rachel-carson-pursuit-better-environment/" data-vars-content-id="a34b280c-abbb-4e82-b6e4-74a68cebc159" data-vars-headline="The woman who named Swissvale" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/blog/western-pennsylvania-history-rachel-carson-pursuit-better-environment/" target="_blank">Rachel Carson</a>, but Swisshelm&#x27;s impact on law, journalism and the abolitionist movement is mostly unsung.

Pittsburgh's abolitionist history gains new spotlight

New exhibit highlights the city's role in the Underground Railroad and Black-led activism.

Pittsburgh&#x27;s deep history with the Underground Railroad and abolitionist movement is still being uncovered.Why it matters: The city&#x27;s role in abolishing slavery hasn&#x27;t been widely taught, Museum of African American History at the Heinz History Center associate curator Alonna Carter-Donaldson told Axios.

Legacy of Black Pittsburgh ambulances gets new look

Freedom House set the standard for modern EMS nationwide.

The Heinz History Center is digging deeper into the story of the country&#x27;s first ambulance service that went beyond first aid, created by Black men in Pittsburgh.Why it matters: The Freedom House Ambulance Service transformed emergency care in the U.S., but its history isn&#x27;t widely known.

Popular "The Paris of Appalachia" book returns

A popular book explores what makes Pittsburgh unlike anywhere else.

Culture

The debate about <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pittsburgh&#x27;s regional identity" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/01/28/pittsburgh-midwest-appalachia" data-vars-content-id="f3654c07-69bc-4ff6-a3e8-f8d6088137e7" data-vars-headline="Popular &quot;The Paris of Appalachia&quot; book returns" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/01/28/pittsburgh-midwest-appalachia" target="_self">Pittsburgh&#x27;s regional identity</a> is ongoing, and the reissue of former Post-Gazette columnist Brian O&#x27;Neill&#x27;s popular book &quot;The Paris of Appalachia&quot; will add some points to Pittsburgh&#x27;s Appalachian bona fides.Why it matters: Let&#x27;s face it: We&#x27;re obsessed with ourselves. We might as well delve deeper into what makes us special.

Tracing George Washington's mark on Pittsburgh

From Fort Pitt to Washington's Landing, his legacy still shapes the region.

Our first president was not only integral in founding the nation, but he also played a role in Pittsburgh getting its name and its famous H.Why it matters: George Washington spent some important moments in the greater Pittsburgh region — including events that shaped his leadership skills, his political acumen and even his famous teeth — and Presidents Day is a perfect time for a history lesson.

New book explains how Pittsburgh moved "Beyond Steel"

An economist argues Pittsburgh's economy shifted long before steel collapsed.

Pittsburgh&#x27;s no longer a steel town — and hasn&#x27;t been for a long time, argues <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pitt economist Chris Briem" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/05/16/pittsburgh-population-growth-2024?utm_term=twsocialshare" data-vars-content-id="d22c1a22-a292-40f2-8d03-583ebd4a12be" data-vars-headline="New book explains how Pittsburgh moved &quot;Beyond Steel&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/05/16/pittsburgh-population-growth-2024?utm_term=twsocialshare" target="_self">Pitt economist Chris Briem</a> in his new book.The intrigue: &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Beyond Steel: Pittsburgh and the Economics of Transformation" data-vars-click-url="https://bookshop.org/p/books/beyond-steel-pittsburgh-and-the-economics-of-transformation-briem/2e3f08619c55a97d?ean=9781606355022&amp;next=t&amp;" data-vars-content-id="d22c1a22-a292-40f2-8d03-583ebd4a12be" data-vars-headline="New book explains how Pittsburgh moved &quot;Beyond Steel&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/beyond-steel-pittsburgh-and-the-economics-of-transformation-briem/2e3f08619c55a97d?ean=9781606355022&amp;next=t&amp;" target="_blank">Beyond Steel: Pittsburgh and the Economics of Transformation</a>&quot; was released this week aiming to bust some myths about the economic history of the Steel City.

What to do in Pittsburgh in February

Celebrate Black history, love and the arts across Pittsburgh this month.

After a quiet post-holiday stretch, events in Pittsburgh are back in full swing.Find ways to celebrate Black History Month and Valentine&#x27;s Day, and tap into the arts with these February things to do.