New riverfront parks on both sides of the Allegheny River will connect development to one of. Pittsburgh’s greatest amenities. Lazarus Department Store. O’Reilly
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ContentsOverview This Plan is a ßexible, mar- ket-based framework for Downtown development over the next ten years. Why Now? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Project Scope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Development StrategyÑ Establishing the 24-Hour City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Phase One (Present to 2001). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5The North ShoreÕs Second Act. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6The Planning Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Focus Areas Each Focus Area section out- lines general strategies and speciÞc district proposals. DistrictsAppendixThe following studies and reports contribute to the Þnal Plan and are available in the Adobe Acrobat ¨format onthe accompanying CD- ROM. An Action Plan and Its ImplicationsRetail Market Analysis ofDowntown PittsburghSummary of Findings:Entertainment and AttractionsSummary of Findings:Business ClimateDowntown Housing Action Planand Companion TablesUrbanDesign GuidelinesStreetscape Standards CatalogAdaptive Reuse Building Code StudyTransportation AbstractDowntown Transit and RetailRelationshipThe Relationship between Transitand Major Downtown AttractionsIntercept Study of Shopping andEntertainment PatternsPhone Study of Shopping andEntertainment PatternsRetail & Attractions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Business Climate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Housing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Institutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Transportation . . . . . . . 35UrbanDesign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Fifth & Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65Gateway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Sixth Street Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73North Shore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Cultural District. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84Convention Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Strip District. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91South Shore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95First Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Grant Street Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101Civic Arena / Lower Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104The Pittsburgh Downtown Plan A blueprint for the 21st century
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Page 3cOverviewTHE PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWNPLANWhy Now?ItÕs been more than 35 yearssince Pittsburgh last undertooka comprehensive Downtownplanning process. Since then,the city and region haveundergone major economicand social changes, including the diversiÞcation of itsemployment base, from manufacturing to one driven by tech-nologies and knowledge-based enterprise.Through it all, Downtown has remained the center of businessand employment for the region. When the Plan process began,stress points in the Downtown fabric were beginning to show:a resolute but vulnerable retail corridor, an underachievingentertainment sector, a negligible residential population, wors-ening trafÞc and parking shortages and limited riverfront accessand amenities. To address these and other issues, a comprehen-sive development strategy and a series of strategic projects wasneeded. That strategy, discussed in great detail in the sectionsthat follow, will steer and coordinate public and private invest-ments, and guide the location and types of future improve-ments.Project ScopeThe Golden Triangle, the area bounded by the Monongahela,Ohio and Allegheny Rivers and the Crosstown Expressway hastraditionally deÞned ÒDowntown.Ó Early on, participants inthis study recognized the North Shore of the Allegheny River,the South Shore of the Monongahela River and the adjacentareas of the Strip, Hill and Bluff as integral parts of the centercity, now and in the future. The group also agreed thatDowntown serves a regional role, as transportation hub, sym-bol of national and international recognition and identity, anda main stage for business, sports and cultural achievement.Current conditions and future demand were measured in threemain areas: economic vitality and growth; DowntownÕs trans-portation requirements, now and in the future; and how bestto complement PittsburghÕs natural features and physical form,using design guidelines and other available tools.View of Pittsburgh from MountWashington in 1942Study area
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Page 4cOverviewTHE PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWNPLANshould serve as the central features, uniting rather than divid-ing a greater Downtown. This document outlines an aggressive10-year program to invest in the development of all of theseactivities as well in the public infrastructure of transit, parkingand public spaces to unite it all within the city and the region. Development StrategyÑEstablishingthe 24-Hour CityThe 10-year development strategy for Downtown Pittsburgh isbuilt from a series of interlocking pieces, each adding strengthand vitality to the whole. The development objectives and pro-jects are broken into two phases. Phase One (1-4 years) seeksto bolster the retail, ofÞce, dining, residential and entertain-ment choices within the Golden Triangle, while at the sametime introducing new and improved sports and entertainmentopportunities on the North Shore. A strong pedestrian andvisual link connecting the North Shore and the heart of theGolden Triangle via Sixth Street and the Sixth Street Bridgewill be established. The desired result is a 24-hour city fueledby signiÞcant numbers of new employees, residents and visi-tors, both day-trip and overnight guests.Key centers of activity include Fifth & Forbes Avenues, GrantStreet, the Cultural District and the area comprising the NearStrip and the Convention Center. These areas all feature concen-trations of retail, entertainment and business. Targeted sectionsof First Side, Cultural District and the Strip will accommodate afar greater number and variety of adaptive reuse housing.The development strategy builds from the straightforwardobservation that people attract people. A multiplicity of activi-tiesÑworking, residing, shopping, and recreatingÑreinforcethat notion, creating a whole greater than the parts. Anotherfundamental principle is that PittsburghÕs rivers and riverfrontsDowntown Pittsburgh
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Page 5cOverviewTHE PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWNPLANPhase One (Present to 2001)Among the Þrst major projects underway will be an expansionof the Convention Center that will nearly triple its currentexhibit space, add a spacious and elegant ballroom andimprove its relationship to the riverfront and other surround-ing resources. Across the Allegheny River, a new 38,000-seatbaseball park will greet pedestrians at the end of the SixthStreet Bridge, conjuring up memories of small, intimate urbanball parks while lavishing both fans and players with moderncomforts like club seating, a Þeld-view restaurant, and state-of-the-art clubhouse facilities. Further west and pulled backslightly from the riverfront will rise the proposed new home ofthe Pittsburgh Steelers.Staring back from the Golden Triangle will be several newdevelopments and open space improvements along FortDuquesne Boulevard. Plans call for a new mid-priced high-risehotel at Seventh Street, and a six-story loft apartment set abovea new jazz nightclub at Ninth Street. One block off the river,the Cultural District is getting set to welcome the OÕReillyTheater, DowntownÕs fourth major arts venue. Theater patronsand game-day crowds will enjoy the view along the newAllegheny Riverfront Park, now under construction. The Parkwill connect the Convention Center to Point State Park. Onelevel up, the Sixth Street Bridge and its connecting streets willfunnel pedestrians to and from the heart of Downtown in alldirections, and provide the only visual gateway connecting theNorth Shore, Market Square, and the Monongahela River. Market Square would regain its former polish and shine as theentertainment anchor, with a proposed new multiplex cinemaand several destination restaurants. From Sixth Street, it is ashort walk to the Fifth & Forbes retail corridor where majorPhase One (1-4 years):1.Convention Center expansion2.New Ballpark3.New Stadium4.Fifth & Forbes Retail 5.Adaptive Reuse Loft Housing6.Sixth Street Connection7.Corporate Centers 8.Allegheny Riverfront Park 9.OÕReilly Theater10.Hotels11.New Construction Housing 10101112345567789
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Page 6cOverviewTHE PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWNPLANPhase Two (5-10 years):12.ÒFirst-DayÓAttraction13.OfÞces14.Hotels15.ÒScience & ArtÓPark16.Fort Pitt Park17.Station Square Master Plan18.New Construction Housing street and sidewalk reconstruction is underway. Plans call for acomprehensive makeover of street-level retail, part of a pro-posed urban entertainment district meant to attract and show-case national retailers, destination clubs and restaurants. Across the Boulevard of the Allies, the narrow, tree-lined streetsof First Side have started to welcome a new wave of urbanhomesteaders, drawn by creative loft designs, and by the conve-nience and amenities offered by Downtown living. Such mar-ket advantages have prompted similar adaptive reuse develop-ment in the Cultural District and the Strip. The developmentpicture comes full circle with transit and pedestrian improve-ments to better connect all the disparate parts of this develop-ment program.The North ShoreÕs Second ActTwo issuesÑland and accessÑwill guide the remaking of theNorth Shore into a new mixed-use district during Phase Two.The demolition of Three Rivers Stadium will create a signiÞ-cant parcel of land. A new street grid will ensure the urbancharacter of the areaÑthe connecting piece between the twonew sports facilities and the Carnegie Science Center. Thisarea could contain a major ÒÞrst-dayÓ entertainment destina-tion, new large ßoorplate ofÞce buildings, housing, hotels andretail. A new Science and Art Park could provide a year-roundattraction, while an outdoor amphitheater would offer threeseasons of programming.The proposed extension of the light rail and other transit sys-tems to the North Shore will alleviate vehicle congestion andparking shortages, and give both residents and visitors a quick,safe, convenient ride between major destinations. Other transitimprovements would include new parking facilities, a compre-hensive reorganization of the bus system, and the creation of aDowntown shuttle bus system. Pedestrians will always be givenÞrst consideration, and the linking of DowntownÕs riverfrontparks and trails will continue with the redevelopment ofRoberto Clemente Park and the construction of the Fort PittPark along the Monongahela River.12131814161718181815
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Page 8cOverviewTHE PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWNPLANThe Planning Group, comprised of key Market Strategy, UrbanDesign, Transportation and Project Support professionals sup-ported both staff and volunteer participants by applying a rigor-ous standard of analysis to all phases of the Plan process. Theyalso helped to identify and articulate the underlying principlesthrough proposed development scenarios. The contributions ofthe Planning Group are best expressed in the rich and detailedstudy of current conditions and the highly targeted strategiesprovided by the Plan.Project Supportmembers helped to ensure that the Þnal prod-ucts of this process would be clear, concise and accessible by abroad cross-section of interested citizens, business owners andother stakeholders. Finally, the Core Team provided directionand day-to-day support for this undertaking. The ProcessIn order to squeeze the most beneÞt from every contribution tothe Plan and to remain on schedule, it was necessary to chart atimeline. Early on, the City Planning ofÞce and the Core Teamdeveloped a conceptual framework and began the arduous taskof collecting and analyzing existing information. Key membersreviewed the most recent comprehensive plan for Downtown,completed in 1961, and outlined steps for taking a fresh lookat the situation.Next came assembling the various working groups, and estab-lishing speciÞc assignments and techniques for Þeld researchand data gathering. Staff from the City Planning ofÞce andmembers of the Core Team kept the process moving. The plan-ning team invited public participation, and conducted detailedJUNE 1996FALL 1996JUNE 1996 Ð MARCH 1997ONGOINGNOVEMBER 1996 Ð DECEMBER 19971 Develop conceptualframework¥City Planning¥Core Team2Collect and analyzeexisting information¥City Planning¥Core Team3 Assemble work groups:Planning Group,Task Forces,Advisory Committee¥Management Committee¥City Planning¥Core Team4 Field research,datagathering and analysis¥Task Forces¥City Planning¥Core Team¥Consultants5 Conduct task forceworkshops¥Task Forces¥City Planning¥Core Team¥ConsultantsThe Planning Process:A Chronology
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Page 9cOverviewTHE PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWNPLANJULY 1997 Ð OCTOBER 1997JULY 1997SEPTEMBER 1998ONGOINGNOVEMBER 1997The Planning Process:A Chronology Continuedresearch and analysis to inform the PlanÕs proposals. Marketstudies for retail, attractions, business climate and housing;analysis of various transportation and parking needs; and urbandesign studies were undertaken in support of this study. Atevery step, from research and analysis to interim Þndings andÞnal proposals, information was checked against the speciÞclocal knowledge of participants and stakeholders who led thetask forces.The resulting data began to reveal DowntownÕs major assets,needs and opportunities. The City Planning ofÞce and CoreTeam began convening the task forces and consultants inÒworkshopÓ settings to see which development ideas wouldprove to be both achievable and most in keeping with the largerobjectives established for Downtown. A series of workshop taskforces and design charrettes analyzed various development sce-narios, moving the Plan a step closer to its conclusions.From those workshops emerged a series of draft design and pol-icy guidelines and implementation strategies. The planningteam once again called upon DowntownÕs major stakeholdersÑemployers, institutions, cultural groups, sports teams, etc.Ñtoshoulder speciÞc action steps and follow-up. All of these actionsteps Þrst went before the Management and AdvisoryCommittees for comment and Þnal approval.Concurrent with implementation was the effort to summarizeand publish the PlanÕs Þndings, culminating with the publica-tion of an Executive Summary, an InvestorÕs Prospectus, and afull, Þnal Plan. The Core Team and various Project Supportmembers joined to create these public documents.7 Draft design and policyguidelines and imple-mentation strategies¥Core Team¥Consultants6 Conduct design charrettes to analyze development scenarios¥Task Forces¥City Planning¥Core Team¥Consultants8 Review and reÞneguidelines and strate-gies¥Advisory Committee¥Management Committee¥Task Forces9 Publish plan documents¥Core Team¥Consultants10 Periodic assessmentreviews¥Management Committee¥Task Forces¥City Planning
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Page 10cOverviewTHE PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWNPLANRETAIL & ATTRACTIONSWe measure market demand for a majorinfusion of new Downtown retail,diningand entertainment activities.BUSINESS CLIMATEWe chart a plan for meeting the chang-ing ofÞce space and support needs forDowntown companies,large and small.TRANSPORTATIONWe suggest innovative ways to balancethe growing demands of riders and theneed to keep Downtown attractive forbusiness.INSTITUTIONSWe honor the longstanding contributionof our Downtown institutions,and lookat ways to meet their evolving needs.HOUSINGWe identify opportunities for developingarchitecturally distinct housing,with aneye for showcasing the waterfront,andother amenities.URBAN DESIGNWe examine critical design issues andhow attention to streets,parks and open space helps to deÞne the Òpublic realm.ÓThe PlanÕs Focus AreasLike the precision workings of a time-piece,DowntownÕs major sectors onlywork well when they work in coopera-tion with one other,and for the sakeof the whole.Each Focus Area sec-tion outlines general strategies andspeciÞc district proposals.
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Page 11cOverviewTHE PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWNPLAN114519108763211 CIVIC ARENA / LOWER HILLReinvigorate the Arena and connect toneighborhoods and employment centers.6 CONVENTION CENTERExploit the riverfront setting and makeconnections to the surrounding areas.5 CULTURAL DISTRICTDevelop new residences while growthcontinues in the regionÕs cultural center.1 FIFTH & FORBESCreate a focused district to revitalize thetraditional retail heart of Downtown.10 GRANT STREET CORRIDORContinue to expand DowntownÕs corpo-rate address.7 STRIP DISTRICTPreserve the existing character while sup-porting new development near Downtown.4NORTH SHORECapitalize on investments in major pro-jects to establish a new,urban district.8 SOUTH SHOREImprove the transportation nexus withmixed-use development.9 FIRST SIDEEstablish a new residential neighborhoodthrough adaptive reuse and inÞll housing.3 SIXTH STREET CONNECTIONConnect the North and South Shoreswith commerce and entertainment.2 GATEWAYAdd recreational uses and connections tothis,the cityÕs ceremonial center.The PlanÕs DistrictsThe planning process identiÞed elevencoherent districts that call for individ-ualized design and developmentapproaches.Transportation and urbandesign improvements enhance thephysical connection and synergybetween districts.The complete Plandocument provides detailed descrip-tions of each district,and clearlydelineates what an investor couldexpect to be supported in that dis-trict.
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