Plans for Market Square detailed
Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 01:00PM | Share Article Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - February 17, 2009
By Jeremy Boren
Market Square will become a haven for pedestrians and diners by next summer, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced today at a gathering of Downtown business and foundation officials.
"Pedestrians will have the priority in the new Market Square," he said during the annual meeting of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. "We're going to create outdoor dining ... so people can sit outside and have a meal and visit the restaurants and establishments."
New computer renderings of the improved Market Square depicted diners sitting at cafe tables scattered throughout the square. Trees with bare trunks and high branches will provide shade but won't inhibit lines of sight for cars traveling around the perimeter.
In perhaps the most dramatic change, the design eliminates several raised, stone planters where homeless people and panhandlers often congregate. The ground is a mix of cobblestone and brick. New lampposts will provide more light and increase safety for visitors from the nearby Cultural District, designers said.
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