{"id":4171,"date":"2025-03-27T15:03:18","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T19:03:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/riverlifepgh.org\/?p=4171"},"modified":"2025-03-27T15:03:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T19:03:18","slug":"construction-to-begin-at-allegheny-riverfront-parks-upper-promenade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lucid-heisenberg.31-170-165-113.plesk.page\/index.php\/2025\/03\/27\/construction-to-begin-at-allegheny-riverfront-parks-upper-promenade\/","title":{"rendered":"Construction to begin at Allegheny Riverfront Park\u2019s Upper Promenade"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Updated park will honor original design while increasing resilience for future generations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PITTSBURGH, PA \u2013 March 27, 2025. Riverlife announced that construction will begin at Allegheny Riverfront Park\u2019s Upper Promenade. This $5.4 million rehabilitation effort is led by Riverlife, in collaboration with the City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This marks a significant step toward the realization of the Sister Bridges Experience<\/em>, a series of projects designed to connect Allegheny Riverfront Park and Allegheny Landing into a vibrant cross-river destination. The Sister Bridges Experience <\/em>will enhance public access, celebrate the region\u2019s cultural and historical assets, and create a world-class riverfront where all are welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sister Bridges Experience<\/em> is part of Riverlife\u2019s larger efforts to Complete the Loop<\/em>, 15 miles of riverfronts extending from the 31st Street Bridge, to the West End Bridge, and to the Hot Metal Bridge. As part of this work, Riverlife has keyed in on critical projects that will enhance public riverfront spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRiverlife has been honored to lead the rehabilitation of Allegheny Riverfront Park,\u201d said Matthew Galluzzo, Riverlife\u2019s President and CEO. \u201cIn collaboration with the original design team, we\u2019ve made intentional choices to celebrate the park\u2019s history while ensuring this park is celebrated as a welcoming space for all. This is one of the first in a series of investments in open spaces downtown, and strengthens the connection between Pittsburgh\u2019s people, its rivers, and its evolving urban landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The City of Pittsburgh owns and manages Allegheny Riverfront Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe rehabilitation of Allegheny Riverfront Park is a powerful investment in Pittsburgh\u2019s connection to its rivers, creating a lasting space for residents and visitors to enjoy for generations,\u201d said Mayor Ed Gainey. \u201cThis revitalized park will play a key role in showcasing our city when Pittsburgh takes center stage for the NFL Draft next spring. We are deeply grateful to Riverlife for their leadership and to all the partners making this vision a reality. This project reflects our commitment to building a vibrant, welcoming downtown\u2014not just for global events, but for every Pittsburgher, every day. The City of Pittsburgh is also dedicated to working alongside Riverlife to ensure the long-term care and maintenance of this iconic urban space, preserving it as a source of pride for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allegheny Riverfront Park was originally planned in 1994. At that time, the land was defined by multilevel high-speed roadways and a desolate riverfront parking lot between the three Sister Bridges at the edge of Pittsburgh\u2019s Cultural District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAllegheny Riverfront Park is a great example of what we can accomplish together as a community,\u201d said Kendra Whitlock Ingram, President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. \u201cWe\u2019re proud to support Riverlife in this exciting rehabilitation project, which, along with the nearby construction of Arts Landing, will create a strong link between our beautiful riverfront and vibrant Cultural District for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original work at Allegheny Riverfront Park was led by Brown, then-president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust first began to build what we know today as the Cultural District, we knew that good design in open space had to be a priority,\u201d said Carol Brown. \u201cThere was an incredible spot overlooking the Allegheny River, but at that time, there was no access to the river. We decided that this needed to be a major project for the Cultural Trust to undertake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original park was designed by the now-acclaimed landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA) and artists Ann Hamilton and Michael Mercil. Riverlife has re-engaged MVVA to consult with the design lead, LBA, a local landscape architecture firm with decades of experience creating resilient public places. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s easy to take for granted now, but there was nothing inevitable about Allegheny Riverfront Park,\u201d said Michael Van Valkenburgh, founder and creative director of MVVA. \u201cIt was a piece of land no one would think twice about. From the beginning, the site\u2019s limitations\u2014which a lot of people would have been throttled by\u2014were taken by us as strange gifts to be reckoned with. It is uncommon to realize an opportunity to come back and revisit a park after seeing what time and the pressures of city traffic can cause. Being able to re-engage the public and make more resilient choices over twenty-five years later allows us to learn from what\u2019s occurred, and build something that will last for generations.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Among the key enhancements to the original park\u2019s design:<\/p>\n\n\n\n