When you ask Ed about his title, he balks at the term “concierge.” He prefers doorman. This might be because Ed has worked as a doorman for over 40 years, but it’s probably because he’s a straight shooter who just likes to connect with his residents.
“I like meeting people. I call everybody by their first name the majority of the time,” he notes.
Ed’s familiarity with residents is rooted in his passion for making The Encore on 7th as welcoming a place as possible. “This is where I work, but for the residents, this is their home. I want them to feel at home every time they walk through the door.”
Ed continues, “You know, everybody has problems and I just want people to be glad when they walk through that door that there’s somebody there to greet them. I enjoy that. I’ve met a lot of people that way. I just enjoy people. I enjoy talking to them, making them laugh if I can make them laugh. Just greeting them when they come walking through the door.”
Ed takes his duties very seriously and has become a staple of hospitality at The Encore on 7th. Whether it’s holding the door open for returning residents, giving tours to folks who are new to the building, or simply going the extra mile to ensure every single resident feels at home, Ed is the man.
“I’d do anything for anyone in here. Monday and Tuesday are my normal days off, but once, one of our residents said, ‘hey can you do me a favor? I have an affair going on up in the lounge. Could you come in between 5:30 and 7:30?’ I said I don’t mind. I’m 77 years old, what do I have to worry about? I enjoy the people here. I really do. We have a great staff and it’s a great building in Downtown Pittsburgh.”
Although he’s modest, Ed stands behind his work. It’s this devotion that makes him one of The Encore on 7th’s best attributes, and we know it!
In addition to all of his formal responsibilities, Ed serves another, equally important role. He is an ambassador for Downtown Pittsburgh. Ed has lived in Pittsburgh his entire life, growing up in the North Hills. Before coming to the Encore on 7th, he worked at iconic buildings like the US Steel Tower. Over the past seven decades, Ed has witnessed firsthand the myriad changes Pittsburgh has undergone.
“When I was a lot younger, Downtown was a lot different. There were more stores. Sometimes I used to go shopping around Christmastime, but I got away from that because you couldn’t move Downtown! You had to walk out in the streets to get around because people would stop right in front of you to look in store windows. I’d like to see Downtown revitalize itself with more shopping.”
Ed maintains a positive outlook. Although these shopping “glory days” of Downtown Pittsburgh have passed, Ed knows the city is on a major upswing. He’s excited to see people moving back Downtown and all of the new restaurants opening. He hopes this trend continues with more shops returning to the area. Ed knows just how special Downtown Pittsburgh is, and he’s rooting for it.
Speaking of rooting, Ed’s favorite thing to do (besides manning the door at The Encore on 7th) is to cheer on his beloved Pittsburgh sports teams—Steelers, Pirates, or Penguins, it doesn’t matter. Ed is proud of his city. In his lifetime, he’s seen, 6 Super Bowl victories, 3 World Series championships, and 4 Stanley Cups. He’s even had the pleasure of meeting a number of Pittsburgh athletes who have called The Encore on 7th home, adding he knows the Pirates are going the achieve greatness because they’re such “good young men.”
Ed’s unconditional devotion to The Encore’s residents is not without its rewards. He explains that one his greatest joys is when he’s walking down the street and one of his residents says hello, maybe introducing him to their friends. “That’s how you know they’re a good person,” he muses, adding that everyone at The Encore on 7th is a good person. It’s a job he enjoys and wants to continue doing as long as possible.
As Downtown Pittsburgh continues to evolve, changing for the better, Ed Dillard remains a constant reminder of the city’s past and the right way to do things. Just like one of our city’s countless bridges, Ed ushers his residents back home. His devotion to The Encore on 7th and Pittsburgh in general is manifested every time he opens that door, every time he greets a resident, or whenever he goes that extra mile to ensure they have the best home in the city.
Ed concludes with this thought: “When I first started here, they asked me what my goal was. I said, to make The Encore on 7th the best highrise in the city of Pittsburgh. We won four awards last year. Every year they evaluate highrise and garden-style apartment and we won four awards—every category we could win. The staff are nice, we get along. That’s the main thing. We’re all here for one goal: to make the residents want to stay here.”
