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For more information or questions on revitalization efforts, please email info@alleghenyconference.org.
For questions regarding the public realm projects, please reach out to:
FAQs
What type of investment is happening in downtown Pittsburgh?
On October 25, 2024, the Shapiro administration announced a historic plan to revitalize downtown Pittsburgh with investments from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, local government, private sector, and philanthropic organizations to bolster housing, revitalize public spaces, and enhance cleanliness and safety efforts.
The Commonwealth is investing more than $62 million behind these efforts in the next four years – which in turn, will encourage an additional $600 million in total investment.
What does revitalization mean in downtown Pittsburgh?
It’s not enough to focus on one element of revitalization. Together, we are tackling housing needs, clean and safe efforts, economic development, and reimagining civic spaces – all with the goal of creating a downtown neighborhood for all.
We must seek to repurpose real estate and rethink the built environment to enable entrepreneurs, diverse start-ups, and growing businesses to locate and flourish in downtown Pittsburgh. A renewed economic development strategy, coupled with office-to-residential conversion projects and catalytic public realm projects, will transform downtown Pittsburgh into a welcoming and vibrant neighborhood for which we can all be proud.
Why is revitalizing downtown Pittsburgh important to the southwestern Pennsylvania region?
The Golden Triangle, while occupying only a one square mile radius in the geographic and emotional heart of southwestern Pennsylvania, has an enormous impact economically, socially, and psychologically on the entire 10-county region.
As our largest main street, and our region’s calling card, whatever is happening downtown has ripple effects across the entire 10-county region. We must unite to rejuvenate our downtown to create public spaces and housing options that enhance the quality of life and boost economic opportunities, making downtown Pittsburgh relevant to all of southwestern Pennsylvania and drawing people from across the region and beyond to our vibrant neighborhood.
Who is tackling downtown revitalization efforts?
We are doing what Pittsburghers have done for 80 years: public and private sector leaders joining forces to overcome challenges and unlock opportunities. Business, philanthropic, nonprofit, university, and community leaders have worked diligently to develop a plan to reimagine Pittsburgh for the future.
Together we have taken immediate action – stabilizing downtown through programmatic investments in health and public safety, identifying sustainable solutions to maintain programmatic investments, and engaging experts from inside and outside the region to guide us in developing a long-term reinvestment strategy that will foster a vibrant, thriving downtown for all.
Through public-private partnerships with local, state, and federal government and our business and philanthropic leaders, we have worked to define and communicate a regional vision, build partnerships, and mobilize action to advance a shared vision for the future.
Who created the vision plan and strategy?
The vision plan is the result of a collaborative effort between the Allegheny Conference, Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, Urban Redevelopment Authority, and dozens of downtown-focused organizations. Through months of working together, this group developed a vision to reimagine and revitalize downtown’s real estate, civic spaces and public realm, economic development strategy, and clean and safe initiatives. The vision strategy is a result of collaboration between the Conference, Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, and other organizations to produce an actionable plan to implement project recommendations.
How did you decide which public realm projects to focus on and how did you land on the three proposed ones that have been announced?
After months of gathering information on current and proposed projects, visiting sites, working alongside dozens of downtown-focused organizations, and evaluating opportunities, we are moving forward on three catalytic projects to help reimagine and revitalize downtown Pittsburgh. We’ve identified these projects, the 8th Street Block, Market Square and Liberty Avenue Medians, and Point State Park, as transformational projects with the ability to create a relevant value proposition for the Pittsburgh market and reimagine some of our downtown’s most recognizable civic spaces and activate them for current and future generations.
How did downtown-adjacent organizations and entities give input on the vision planning?
Throughout the past 10 months, downtown-focused organizations have been convening to identify goals and a path forward for our downtown. Five goals were developed – focusing on the themes of economic development, housing, clean and safe, and placemaking.
Each of these goals are outlined in the vision document, along with the rationale and next steps in the short-term, mid-term, and long-term – to get us from vision now, through action, and into a 10-year plan to deliver results.
One of the goals identified was to offer an interconnected pattern of parks, public spaces, streets, and 21st-century infrastructure that are vibrant, accessible, and instill a unique sense of place and community. A working group comprised of local organizations and practitioners focused on civic spaces and the public realm worked hand-in-hand to provide current and proposed project information, historical background, and comprehensive feedback on the proposed projects.
Who will be the lead on each of these public realm projects?
We are working with downtown-focused organizations and additional partner agencies to identify the best organizations to lead each project. As currently proposed, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership has a role in leading Market Square and Liberty Avenue Median projects. The Cultural Trust owns and operates the 8th Street Block and, as such, will play a leading role in the transformation of this space. As a state-owned asset, we plan to work with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to revitalize Point State Park in tandem with its ongoing efforts and in line with the vision of downtown.
Which project or projects will move forward first and what will the timetable for completion be?
We plan to approach the civic and public realm projects, as well as real estate conversion projects, in a districtwide manner to be phased and delivered over time. As a long-term development plan with short-term components, we anticipate portions of the 8th Street Block project, Market Square, and the medians along Liberty Avenue to be among the first projects to move. We are evaluating time frames for all projects to include a more robust design and site assessment/evaluation phase, as well as a public input process, to move all proposed projects forward.
There are seven office-to-residential conversion projects that the state, and local funds, are supporting across downtown. These are outlined in the release and create or sustain nearly 1,000 residential units, with nearly a third of them being affordable to residents with low-to-moderate income.
How much is the NFL Draft driving this forward?
The reimagination and revitalization of our real estate market and civic spaces and public realm has been underway for months, and the news of Pittsburgh as the host city for the 2026 NFL Draft has only enhanced the desire to ensure downtown is a welcoming space for not only those that live and work here but also those that will travel to our city for this momentous event. With Pittsburgh on the global stage, we must continue to strengthen our public-private partnerships to continue driving revitalization efforts forward while also recognizing that we are in it for the long haul. Our downtown is the heart of our region, and we look forward to showcasing the revitalization work now and far into the future as we reimagine it as a place where we all want to live, work, and play. This vision, however, outlines a strategy far beyond the Draft. We, as Pittsburghers, will be here before, during, and long after the Draft takes place; therefore, we want to ensure our city is relevant and vibrant for generations to come.