Riverlife is one step closer to bringing its ongoing developments to Allegheny Riverfront Park to fruition with the receipt of $1.5 million in state grant funding.

This investment will support the restoration of the upper promenade at Allegheny Riverfront Park, which sits between Stanwix and Ninth Streets, on the edge of the Cultural District Downtown, according to a Riverlife press release.

“This project is part of Riverlife’s vision for a ‘Sister Bridges Experience,’ which will connect The Andy Warhol Museum’s Pop District on the North Shore with the Cultural District Downtown. This connective experience will support thriving business districts, vibrant cultural hubs, and signature recreation opportunities,” Matt Galluzzo, president and CEO of Riverlife, said in the release.

Riverlife will lead restoration and planning efforts with the City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in partnership with Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the original designers of the park, and local landscape architecture firm LaQuatra Bonci Associates. Additional partners include the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and the Office of Public Art.

The partnering organizations are looking for community input on the park’s design at a public workshop from 9 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022, at the Byham Theater (101 Sixth St., Downtown). The workshop is open to the public.
Community members may register in advance online, but registration is not required. 

The re-envisioning of the park is part of Riverlife’s Completing the Loop vision, a plan to connect, enhance and expand Pittsburgh’s 15-mile, 1,055-acre riverfront “loop” of parks, trails and green spaces. After two decades of heavy use, the park is in dire need of restoration to improve accessibility and provide a world-class experience for park users while honoring the history of the prominent riverfront landscape. 

Measures will include replacement of existing pavement, site preparation and grading, installation of new amenities, refurbishment of existing light posts and railings, tree pruning, planting soil amendments and perennial planting.

“Allegheny Riverfront Park is a prime example of what organizations in Pittsburgh can accomplish when they work together,” J. Kevin McMahon, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, said in the release. “The trust was able to build the park in collaboration with numerous partners under the leadership of its first president, Carol Brown. We look forward to guests fully experiencing this artistic achievement and vital link between the Cultural District and Pittsburgh’s historic riverfront.”

The restoration of the Park’s upper promenade is the renovation’s first phase, which is slated to commence in 2023.

“This investment sends a strong message about Riverlife’s commitment to the health of our region and cultivating broad-based support to address significant challenges,” Galluzzo said.