Vision for the Future: Transformative Public Realm Revitalization Efforts Underway

As partner organizations across downtown tackle the challenges and embrace the opportunities of our revitalization, we are engaging experts from inside and outside our region to guide us in our work to create an inspirational and aspirational vision for Pittsburgh’s future.

The Allegheny Conference on Community Development, in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, has engaged Field Operations, a landscape architecture and urban design firm that has led the design of notable public realm and civic space projects globally, including New York City’s Highline and Chicago’s Navy Pier.

Field Operations is working with a broad collective impact forum and other downtown stakeholders to create a vision for downtown Pittsburgh with reimagined civic spaces, public realm and streetscapes as catalytic reinvestment opportunities. The plan will help to reframe and recenter the neighborhood’s position as the epicenter of the region and increase positive perception, excitement and investment.

Field Operations leaders have visited Pittsburgh multiple times, and they are taking a boots-on-the-ground approach to examine downtown and identify spaces and corridors of opportunity. They are looking at our downtown’s strengths from a different perspective and will offer recommendations to highlight the assets, remove barriers to success and create a more resilient, dynamic and inclusive downtown area.

By walking our streets, visiting our parks and talking to organizations focused on downtown’s revitalization, Field Operations is stitching together existing plans and reinforcing parallel efforts to offer a cohesive vision for the future of downtown.

By focusing on adaptive reuse, sustainable development, and community engagement, we have an opportunity to create a vision to only stabilize the real estate market but also create a more resilient, dynamic, and inclusive downtown area. This approach addresses the immediate economic challenges while laying the foundation for long-term prosperity, ensuring that downtown Pittsburgh emerges from this period of transition stronger and more vibrant than ever.

The vision will serve as a guiding tool to progressively enrich and connect downtown Pittsburgh, fostering enthusiasm and support while securing future funding. The goal is to establish a broad, consensus-driven vision rather than fully detailed designs, shaping the gradual rejuvenation of downtown with a focus on public spaces.

Implementation will be phased, targeting realistic, impactful early projects to catalyze broader change. Commitment to accessibility is integral to our equity approach, ensuring the plan reflects the needs of all community members.

We anticipate the vision in the spring and look forward to sharing it in the coming months with the downtown stakeholders and all who are interested in the future of downtown Pittsburgh.