Revitalizing Market Square: A Pedestrian-Friendly Transformation with Enhanced Outdoor Dining and Events

Plans to revamp Market Square to improve pedestrian access while allowing vehicular traffic are advancing steadily. At a recent Development Activities Meeting, Jeremy Waldrup, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, outlined a fresh proposal from the New York-based design firm Field Operations. The revised plan aims to expand the plaza area, reduce parking spaces, and still accommodate cars and delivery trucks.

The new plan proposes enlarging both the central plaza and the sidewalks around the restaurants and shops, providing more space for outdoor seating when the weather permits.

"In some areas, the outdoor dining space will more than double," Waldrup mentioned.

The redesign also includes restricting vehicular access on the square's southern side, from City Works restaurant in the PPG Place complex to Moe's Southwest Grill.

The updated proposal permits vehicular traffic through Market Square along Forbes Avenue, with Market Street reconfigured and narrowed to enhance pedestrian safety, featuring new bollards.

A key element of the new design is a crescent-shaped market structure at the center of the square, intended to host farmers markets, concerts, and other events.

These changes to Market Square are part of a larger $600 million investment to revitalize downtown Pittsburgh, announced in October.

The proposal, developed in collaboration with the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, the PDP, and the city, is scheduled for review by the Historic Review Commission early next year. The project’s budget is around $14 million, with fundraising efforts from corporate donors ongoing. Construction is expected to begin in February or March, Waldrup stated.

He believes this new plan meets the diverse needs of the community with its hybrid design.