Pittsburgh Mayor Announces Riverfront Revamping

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced that the city will work to redevelop a 6.2 stretch of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, selling large tracts of city-owned land to developers.

1 minute read

May 1, 2009, 11:00 AM PDT

By franny.ritchie


Historically, the rivers in Pittsburgh have not fulfilled their potential as a recreational amenity - leisure has been overshadowed first by industry and subsequently by pollution. The city has recently announced a new riverfront plan, with recommendations to be completed in about a year.

""These rivers used to be used for industrial purposes, to carry goods up and down them. Today we have the opportunity to use them as amenities, as an asset to connect them to neighborhoods and give people the recreational opportunities they're calling for," [Mayor Ravenstahl] said.

"But ultimately, he stressed, it will be for residents, business owners and other stakeholders from the Strip to Highland Park to decide the fate of the various parcels.

"Toward that end, the city Urban Redevelopment Authority has hired Perkins Eastman to conduct the $350,000 master plan. It intends to hold three community meetings over the next year to gather input.

"A 10- to 12-member steering committee that includes representatives from the city, the URA, Riverlife, companies like Buncher, and community organizations will oversee the effort. It will hold its first planning meeting today. An advisory committee also will be formed."

Thanks to Franny Ritchie

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight