The stadiums have been open for seven years, the new convention center is in business and now all the focus on major city construction is on the new arena in the lower Hill District and the slots casino on the North Shore.

But there's more. Residential high-rises are a growth industry in the Golden Triangle, Point Park University is remaking its neighborhood, PNC Financial will open its new office/hotel/condo tower next year and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership just issued a new retail market study.

One thing is clear: Pittsburgh needs a plan -- a comprehensive, long-range plan for how to develop Downtown. It hasn't had one since 1997, when the latest round of bricks and mortar was just a gleam in contractors' eyes. The PDP has asked Mayor Luke Ravenstahl to launch the effort toward a plan, and the mayor is supportive.

That's good news, but the effort, including public hearings and forums, will take time and money -- maybe 18 months and $1 million. The city is in no position to write the check, but a combination of public and private sources could cover the tab.

The dust and digging are a sight to behold Downtown, but it's time Pittsburgh thought about and planned for where to put its next big ideas.