Physical Activity

Tuesday, May 21, 2019   Noon to 2:00 p.m.     Separated by a few short blocks––but miles apart in design philosophy––Gateway Center and Market Square reveal two different approaches to urban renewal in Downtown Pittsburgh. Participants will discuss the pros and cons of each approach as they explore Gateway Center, created during Pittsburgh’s Renaissance (1945-1974), and the Market Square area which has evolved over time through the efforts of multiple developers. Gateway Center is now part of the Pittsburgh Renaissance Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and Market Square is a City-designated Historic District. Both districts […]

There is much to admire on this relatively short walk along Penn and Liberty avenues between Ninth and Tenth streets in Downtown Pittsburgh, including the August Wilson Cultural Center, David L. Lawrence Convention Center, and Pennsylvanian (formerly, Union Station). You’ll hear about the unique role of Liberty Avenue in the City’s Downtown street grid and about the importance of the railroad. You’ll see how commercial architecture evolved in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and how contemporary sculpture and public art enliven the area now. Many of the historic commercial buildings have been repurposed for new restaurants, schools, apartments, […]

Reservations appreciated: marylu@phlf.org; 412-471-5808, ext. 527 Tour the northern end of the Grant Street area on this free guided walking tour with PHLF, from Sixth Avenue to Liberty and back to the U.S. Steel Plaza (across from the Omni William Penn Hotel). You’ll see corporate skyscrapers––originally designed for Gulf Oil, Koppers, and U. S. Steel––plus a new hotel in a historic building; a sensational railroad headquarters building that now houses apartments, offices, and Amtrak; the massive Federal Courthouse; and the enduring First Lutheran Church, serving Downtown since 1888. Meeting location: Grant Street near Sixth Avenue, at the Omni William Penn Hotel […]