Chris Briem (www.briem.com)
@chrisbriem.bsky.social
Moriae Encomium
Tiny house before tiny houses were cool.
November 11, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Tiny house before tiny houses were cool.
Factoid of the day - workforce edition.
Workers Age 65 and Over in the Pittsburgh MSA, 1998 to 2024
Workers Age 65 and Over in the Pittsburgh MSA, 1998 to 2024
November 5, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Factoid of the day - workforce edition.
Workers Age 65 and Over in the Pittsburgh MSA, 1998 to 2024
Workers Age 65 and Over in the Pittsburgh MSA, 1998 to 2024
Here is your factoid of the day. Who knows that in recent years Allegheny County has become the youngest county in SW Pennsylvania?
November 4, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Here is your factoid of the day. Who knows that in recent years Allegheny County has become the youngest county in SW Pennsylvania?
Seems almost open?
November 4, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Seems almost open?
The *City* of Pittsburgh has indeed gotten younger significantly over the last couple decades.
November 3, 2025 at 3:37 PM
The *City* of Pittsburgh has indeed gotten younger significantly over the last couple decades.
So here is an updated factoid. For many years in this benchmarking, Pittsburgh was just behind Tampa in the percentage of Population age 65 and over. But we moved decisively past Tampa a few years ago*, and now so has Cleveland. So it's Cleveburgh on the right.
November 3, 2025 at 3:27 PM
So here is an updated factoid. For many years in this benchmarking, Pittsburgh was just behind Tampa in the percentage of Population age 65 and over. But we moved decisively past Tampa a few years ago*, and now so has Cleveland. So it's Cleveburgh on the right.
Obligatory Halloween mention of the strangest post-political life of an Allegheny County politician. Former county commissioner Bob Cranmer became an author writing about his real life need for an exorcist to clear his Brentwood home of… well, just of….
October 31, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Obligatory Halloween mention of the strangest post-political life of an Allegheny County politician. Former county commissioner Bob Cranmer became an author writing about his real life need for an exorcist to clear his Brentwood home of… well, just of….
Who has been inside?
October 28, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Who has been inside?
Some books become deprecated quickly, others become ever more relevant long after they were first published. Today I’m reminded of this one.
October 23, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Some books become deprecated quickly, others become ever more relevant long after they were first published. Today I’m reminded of this one.
Here is a rarely noticed piece of Bloomfield (Bridge) zen.
October 23, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Here is a rarely noticed piece of Bloomfield (Bridge) zen.
Tessitor lawn sign in the wild.
So few lawn signs in the city this cycle?
So few lawn signs in the city this cycle?
October 22, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Tessitor lawn sign in the wild.
So few lawn signs in the city this cycle?
So few lawn signs in the city this cycle?
A quick snapshot of employment change in the Pittsburgh MSA from just before Covid set in to now.
At extremes note: priv. education services is capturing institutions of higher education locally & construction reflects dropoff following completion of the cracker plant.
At extremes note: priv. education services is capturing institutions of higher education locally & construction reflects dropoff following completion of the cracker plant.
October 21, 2025 at 6:11 PM
A quick snapshot of employment change in the Pittsburgh MSA from just before Covid set in to now.
At extremes note: priv. education services is capturing institutions of higher education locally & construction reflects dropoff following completion of the cracker plant.
At extremes note: priv. education services is capturing institutions of higher education locally & construction reflects dropoff following completion of the cracker plant.
Addendum:
October 21, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Addendum:
Better shot, Bloomfield zen.
October 20, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Better shot, Bloomfield zen.
Just something I've been thinking about. Yes, this is mostly an artifact of being an older region, but still this has an impact in local real estate markets, and an even more concentrated impact in some communities.
October 15, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Just something I've been thinking about. Yes, this is mostly an artifact of being an older region, but still this has an impact in local real estate markets, and an even more concentrated impact in some communities.
Looks (finally) open
October 13, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Looks (finally) open
Thomas Mellon erasure complete:
October 13, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Thomas Mellon erasure complete:
Ok. I have to point this one out because the sales pitch says you get to live in “the *epic* neighborhood of ‘Lower Lawrenceville’” (emphasis added). Far be it from me to add that it is actually in Central Lawrenceville. But we’re now ‘epic’!
October 10, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Ok. I have to point this one out because the sales pitch says you get to live in “the *epic* neighborhood of ‘Lower Lawrenceville’” (emphasis added). Far be it from me to add that it is actually in Central Lawrenceville. But we’re now ‘epic’!
Is this native to Bloomfield?
October 8, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Is this native to Bloomfield?
With news of Monroeville Mall's possible demise, and ongoing travails at Pittsburgh Mills, interesting to look back at this article from 1989. (PG: April 10, 1989). At the time there was this 'fear' in economic development world that we were 'under-retailed'... Like, really? (PG: April 10, 1989)
October 7, 2025 at 5:54 PM
With news of Monroeville Mall's possible demise, and ongoing travails at Pittsburgh Mills, interesting to look back at this article from 1989. (PG: April 10, 1989). At the time there was this 'fear' in economic development world that we were 'under-retailed'... Like, really? (PG: April 10, 1989)
Monroeville Mall soon to be the Isalys of eastern Allegheny County.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/b...
October 7, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Monroeville Mall soon to be the Isalys of eastern Allegheny County.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/b...
Is the Turners crate account on this site?
October 6, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Is the Turners crate account on this site?
Boom goes the dynamite!
October 5, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Boom goes the dynamite!
And again, for the city boo birds, by far the lowest unemployment rate across southwestern Pennsylvania remains that for the City of Pittsburgh. This has become normal of late, but certainly wasn't for decades.
September 30, 2025 at 3:49 PM
And again, for the city boo birds, by far the lowest unemployment rate across southwestern Pennsylvania remains that for the City of Pittsburgh. This has become normal of late, but certainly wasn't for decades.