The $5.1 million
Market Square construction project hit a major milestone this week: After being closed for nearly nine months, a portion of the square reopened on Monday to vehicular traffic.
Sure, another portion of being closed off, but still... Think progress. The road along the interior of the square between Moe's Southwest Grill and GNC (in PPG Place) reopened; and the roadway between Market Square Place and Dunkin' Donuts closed. Traffic patterns have been altered to accommodate the construction.
Pedestrians will continue to be able to access all businesses in the square, as they have since the construction project began in August 2009.
The public space makeover was spearheaded by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, and designed by South Side-based Klavon Design Associates, Inc. The square, which was last renovated in the 1980s, is being given a pedestrian-friendly, European piazza-like makeover, with traffic moved to the edges, and sidewalks widened to 21 feet to encourage outdoor dining. Construction is being done by A. Merante Contracting.
Construction, until recently, was been focused on less visible work, such as leveling the land and adding new water and electrical lines, says Patty Burk with Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. More recently, the crews began working on surface projects, such as sidewalks, roadways and tree plantings.
The interior of the square will open by June 1, and a soft opening -- celebrating the first farmers market and concert of the season -- is scheduled for June 3. The portion of the square still under construction at that time will reopen later in the summer.
"I want to thank the people of Pittsburgh for their patience with this strategic and significant renovation project," said Mayor Ravenstahl in a prepared statement. "There is a lot of synergy happening in and around historic Market Square, and I'm confident that when we experience its grand reopening that we will attract even more residents, visitors and businesses to our Downtown."
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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Patty Burk, VP of housing and economic development, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership
Image courtesy Carlos Peterson, Klavon Design