Robin Zoufalik, Associate, Business Development, POH+W Architects

In an interview with Invest:, POH+W Associate Robin Zoufalik highlighted how political uncertainty, rising material costs, and delayed federal funding have impacted development in Pittsburgh. Despite these headwinds, Zoufalik expressed optimism, pointing to the city’s momentum in AI, infrastructure advantages, and strong civic engagement as key drivers of long-term success. “Pittsburgh is as well positioned as it’s ever been. Now it’s time to execute,” Zoufalik said.

What major trends or changes have impacted your firm over the past year?

The biggest impact has been political uncertainty — things like tariffs and state legislation that our governor says negatively affect Pennsylvania. Developers tell us tariffs are increasing material costs, especially for multifamily projects that use a lot of lumber. On top of that, we haven’t seen the relief on interest rates many expected in 2025. Prices haven’t dropped, and in some cases, they’ve gone up, which creates hesitation among clients.

We’ve also seen delays or cancellations of federal funding for nonprofit projects in Pittsburgh. Some of that funding has come back, but the initial disruptions caused project delays. There’s a general feeling of uncertainty. Even though job growth and development were strong in recent years despite rising interest rates, today feels more cautious.

What are some of the challenges affecting development in the region? 

The lack of a state budget has real consequences. As of September, we’re still waiting on what should have been finalized in July. Allegheny County has already implemented a spending and hiring freeze in schools, and that trickle-down effect is being felt across the region.

For our firm and others, some projects are still moving forward, but more are being delayed or put on hold. When that happens, we shift gears — we talk to more people and focus on keeping the pipeline strong.

Immigration is another concern. We’ve seen ICE activity in Pittsburgh, but a more pressing issue is student visas. Both CMU and Pitt rely heavily on international students, who typically pay full tuition. When those students can’t get visas, it directly impacts university funding.

How has Pittsburgh maintained momentum despite these challenges?

Fortunately, we’ve had some large projects in Pittsburgh — the airport being a major one — and that’s wrapping up now. We’re also seeing an explosion in AI and a growing need for Pittsburgh to maintain its leadership in that space. Data center development is part of that, and Pittsburgh’s power infrastructure gives us a competitive edge.

On the permitting side, the state is making progress, but local municipalities are still a challenge. And topography plays a role — we’re not flat like Ohio — but we do have a lot of repurposed industrial land, which helps.

The governor is working on permitting at the state level, which is helping, but local counties and municipalities are still a challenge.

What makes Pittsburgh a valuable market for your firm, and how are you building your pipeline here?

We focus a lot on developer relationships. Pittsburgh is still very much a relationship-driven town. We stay visible by attending events and being active in industry associations. I’ve developed a bit of a reputation — people say, “We see Robin everywhere,” and I think that’s important.

Our research is hands-on. We pay attention to what companies are doing and what challenges they’re facing. We’re active members of the Allegheny Conference and fully support their initiatives. We also work closely with the Downtown Partnership and Downtown Neighbors Alliance, both of which focus on revitalization.

Our company structure also helps. POH+W is headquartered in Atlanta, with an office in Pittsburgh. We operate as one company, without profit centers, which means we share resources seamlessly. Much of our administrative work is centralized in Atlanta, and we often collaborate between offices.

We rarely lose clients — only if someone retires or closes shop. We’re known for fair pricing, hitting deadlines, and overdelivering. This year, we’ve held steady on revenue, and I’ve increased my outreach to regional and national clients to supplement our local portfolio.

What trends are shaping development, lifestyle, and population growth across the region?

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has plans to connect downtown to the river using a currently underutilized space with the arts landing 31 million project. That’s going to create vibrant, new activity. Another major milestone is the 2026 NFL Draft, which has generated a lot of excitement and is driving improvements to welcome the influx of visitors.

Retail remains strong, especially among businesses focused on experiences — restaurants, entertainment, and other places that bring people together. There’s also healthy competition among grocery stores, which shows continued demand.

Demographically, the region overall hasn’t seen significant population growth, but Allegheny County and the city are attracting more young professionals, especially those working in robotics, AI, and tech. Surrounding counties like Butler and Washington are experiencing more growth, driven by lower cost of living, job creation, and quality of life.

What is your strategy for attracting and retaining skilled professionals?

Right now, we have a workforce that matches our needs, and our team is highly productive. When we do need to hire, we look for younger professionals who are eager to take on responsibility and grow with us. We provide clear pathways for leadership, and our team has a strong tenure. I’ve been with the firm for over 12 years. We rarely see people jumping from firm to firm because we reward performance and offer flexibility. 

Our culture is also very collaborative. Today’s technology allows us to build teams across locations. We might have a project manager in Pittsburgh, a project architect in Atlanta, and designers in both cities. It’s seamless, and because we don’t have separate profit centers, there’s no hoarding of staff. One key factor is scheduling. Before taking on new projects, we always ask whether we can meet the client’s timeline. If we can’t, we’re upfront about it. 

Our team is productive, and morale is strong. We even host small events just to celebrate team spirit.

In Pittsburgh, staffing is a bigger issue for startups and service industries. My daughter is helping open a lounge and restaurant, and finding staff has been tough. So, attracting more people to the area remains critical for the region’s success.

What is your firm doing to make Pittsburgh more attractive to newcomers, and how are you engaging civically?

In Pittsburgh, civic engagement is a big part of my role. I’m fortunate — with my kids grown, and my wife retired I have the flexibility to be fully involved.

Our firm supports my participation in multiple organizations. I’m on the programs committee for the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS). We recently hosted a successful panel on affordable housing, and I’m helping organize another on mixed-use and hospitality.

I’m also involved with NAIOP, the developer-focused group, and we’re corporate partners with the Allegheny Conference. I attend their events regularly and contribute to business community discussions.

Another organization I support is the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute of Entrepreneurial Excellence. I’m also active in Rotary — I’ve served as president a couple of times over my 25 years with the club — where we focus on supporting nonprofits.

We’re also bringing in ULI Pittsburgh’s Product Council, which includes members from neighboring states. We’ll tour local developments and share best practices from other cities.

All of this builds awareness and reinforces our commitment to the community. We’re doing similar engagement in Atlanta as well, so it’s a firm-wide value.

What makes you optimistic about the future of the region?

Pittsburgh is as well positioned as it’s ever been. Now it’s time to execute.

One frustration is that projects can take too long to materialize. For example, the rapid bus line between downtown and Oakland was discussed for a decade — it’s only now becoming reality.

Still, there’s a lot of great leadership and innovation happening. Small groups are brainstorming new ideas and connecting investors with growing companies. One initiative I’m involved in connects international investors with local startups. Take Duolingo — it’s a global success story that started here. Gecko Robotics is another strong example. We also have strengths in autonomous vehicles and AI.

Energy is another bright spot. Westinghouse is doing groundbreaking work in nuclear energy, and natural gas is still a major asset through Marcellus and Utica Shale. Pittsburgh’s innovation mindset is alive and well.

Finally, I think Gov. Josh Shapiro is doing a great job of staying focused on business and working across the aisle. That kind of balanced leadership is critical as we compete with other states like Ohio, which uses state money aggressively to attract jobs.

I’m very optimistic. Technology will continue to be our growth engine, whether it’s energy, robotics, aviation or AI , and I believe Pittsburgh is ready to lead.