Axios Pittsburgh

June 30, 2026
🌶️ Tuesday is here and so is the heat wave.
🌤️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny, high near 94.
🎧 Sounds like: "Ten Thousand Words," by The Avett Brothers.
Today's newsletter is 890 words, a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: Smithfield building poised for upgrade
A prominent Downtown property could become the latest addition to the neighborhood's residential revival following Legacy Development Partners' purchase of 610 Smithfield St.
Why it matters: Legacy, led by Pittsburgh developer and restaurateur Herky Pollock, added the four-story retail and office building across from Mellon Square to its growing real estate portfolio this month.
The big picture: The purchase comes as momentum builds behind efforts to remake Smithfield Street into a more pedestrian-friendly corridor, alongside a $600 million state plan to bring new life to Downtown through residential conversions.
- Pittsburgh-based McKnight Realty previously owned the 85,000-square-foot building. Financial details were not disclosed.
Zoom in: The new owners are exploring plans to convert the building's upper floors into residential units and, potentially, a rooftop hospitality venue overlooking Mellon Square — as part of a larger mixed-use redevelopment strategy, developers said in a news release.
- Brooks Brothers and the Downtown branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh are among the building's existing lower-level tenants. Legacy said its redevelopment plans will preserve its tenant base.
What they're saying: "The future of Downtown belongs to those willing to adapt," Pollock said. "We're excited to study how 610 Smithfield can become part of that future — not just as a historic building, but as a catalyst for bringing more life, more residents, and more momentum back to the center of the city."
State of play: Mayor Corey O'Connor told Axios in March that the city is looking to attract a "destination restaurant" for the vacant space under Mellon Square on Smithfield Street.
The bottom line: Pollock said the firm's strategy aligns with the city and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership's plans to make Smithfield Street a more residential, walkable destination.
2. 🔥 Heat wave will push toward 100 degrees
Temperatures will soar well past the 90s for the next few days in Southwest Pennsylvania.
Why it matters: Allegheny County issued a Code Red heat advisory on Monday, meaning people without air conditioning, health systems, industries and infrastructure will be endangered by high heat, according to the National Weather Service.
The big picture: A "heat dome" is hovering over much of the eastern half of the U.S., trapping warm air over the area for an extended period.
Zoom in: Local highs climb into the 90s starting Tuesday and could rise to near 100 degrees by Thursday or Friday, according to the weather service.
- It will feel even hotter than that due to the high humidity.
- Thunderstorm chances arrive Friday and will linger through the weekend and could impact Fourth of July celebrations.
State of play: The city of Pittsburgh activated its five cooling centers to provide public access to air conditioning for those who need it.
- Search for other cooling centers outside the city here.
What's next: Temperatures above 90 degrees are forecast through Sunday. It's too soon to tell when exactly the heat dome will end.
3. The Bridge: Pens draft Ruck twins
🐧 The Penguins drafted brothers Liam and Markus Ruck in last weekend's NHL Draft. The Vancouver natives are the first set of twins selected by the same team since Henrik and Daniel Sedin in 1999. (NHL)
🚧 PennDOT says Commercial Street will be restored to its original position once the Parkway East bridge replacement wraps up, which will impact road access near Frick Park. (WTAE)
🍪 Oakmont Bakery is offering Taylor Swift-themed portrait cookies in anticipation of the pop star's suspected upcoming wedding. (TribLive)
4. Pa. cancer patients find healing through app
Even after losing one of his eyes to uveal cancer, Jeff Abramowitz says he sees more clearly these days.
Why it matters: The retired lawyer from rural Southwest Pennsylvania figured his chances of finding someone else with his rare eye cancer were slim — until CancerBuddy connected him with a man in Oregon.
The big picture: Abramowitz is one of about 8,000 people nationwide using the app, which pairs people who know firsthand what it's like to live with cancer.
- "We both lost our eyes within weeks of each other," he tells Axios of his match.
The app gives people at every stage of their cancer hope and a safe place to connect with others who simply "get it," several Pennsylvania users told Axios.
- Many friendships continue long after treatment ends, while others are cut short by the disease.
- But through it all, it's a community where no question is off-limits — from chemotherapy side effects to conversations that can be hard to have with family and friends, 25-year-old Sammy Wilson tells Axios.
How it works: CancerBuddy works much like a dating app. Users make a profile with information about themselves, their cancer and where they live.
- Then they swipe through potential matches.
- The app is available for free in the App Store and on Google Play.
Founder Christina Merrill has hopes to expand the app, which she spent the last two years testing and promoting ahead of its official launch.
- Merrill tells Axios she hopes it finds its way into the hands of millions of Americans affected by cancer.
🧊 Chrissy is stocking up on ice for her backyard birds (and deer).
🐦⬛ Ryan finally saw the house wren that has been calling on the steps up to Fort Pitt School in Garfield.
Thanks to Chloe Gonzales for editing this newsletter.
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