Riverlife | Buhl Foundation
Joint Press Release
The Buhl Foundation donates $1M to Riverlife’s transformation of Allegheny Landing on Pittsburgh’s North Shore
Funds will support increased accessibility, innovative play structures, and spaces for programming and activation
Tuesday, October 1, 2024 (Pittsburgh, PA) — The Buhl Foundation has awarded $1 million to Riverlife to support the completion of a full-scale redesign of Allegheny Landing on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. Established in 1984, Allegheny Landing was one of Pittsburgh’s first modern riverfront parks and among the nation’s first urban riverfront sculpture parks.
“Pittsburgh’s three rivers and riverfronts are natural assets that every resident and visitor should have the pleasure of accessing and enjoying,” said Diana Bucco, President of the Buhl Foundation. “Our $1 million contribution reflects our commitment to Riverlife and its extraordinary efforts to transform Pittsburgh’s 15 miles of interconnected riverfront park systems and reactivate Allegheny Landing, a Northside asset.”
The Buhl Foundation, a multi-purpose regional foundation established in 1927, has supported Riverlife consistently with twelve grants since 2009. In addition to a series of operating grants, supporting a new executive search, and funding the Allegheny Landing public boat dock restoration completed in 2023, the Buhl Foundation’s recent grant of $1M will bring Riverlife one step closer to advancing their “Completing the Loop” vision plan, aimed at creating a connected and enhanced system of trails, parks, and green spaces along Pittsburgh’s riverfronts.
“We are incredibly grateful for the Buhl Foundation’s steadfast partnership,” said Matt Galluzzo, President and CEO of Riverlife. “From the very beginning, their support has been instrumental in our efforts to transform Pittsburgh’s riverfronts. This generous investment in Allegheny Landing on the North Shore underscores our shared dedication to honoring the history of this iconic public space while creating a vibrant, accessible, and playful destination for everyone at the heart of Pittsburgh’s Sister Bridges.”
Riverlife, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, works to create, activate, and celebrate Pittsburgh’s riverfronts. The “Completing the Loop” plan, published in July 2021, envisions a seamless network of trails and parks connecting Pittsburgh’s 15 riverfront neighborhoods, offering over 15 miles of continuous public space. The plan is a culmination of a yearlong design collaboration with community members, organizations, and constituents who share a love for Pittsburgh’s rivers.
The Buhl Foundation’s $1 million award will support Riverlife in repositioning Allegheny Landing on Pittsburgh’s North Shore between the Roberto Clemente and Andy Warhol Bridges next to PNC Park. Over the past several decades, Allegheny Landing has deteriorated due to continuous use and deferred maintenance and is in dire need of improvements. Since 2010, Riverlife has completed multiple phases of work at Allegheny Landing, including boat dock replacement, landscape upgrades, trail improvements, and sculpture restoration. This current phase promises to bring dramatic transformation, including improved connections to surrounding neighborhoods, sustainable stormwater infrastructure, and innovative play spaces designed to inspire joy, wonder, and exploration for all ages.
“As board chair, I am delighted that our award of $1 million will advance Riverlife’s mission of improving the city’s riverfronts,” said Kim Tillotson Fleming, Board Chair, Buhl Foundation and Vice Chair, Baird. “The Buhl Foundation Board of Directors is committed to strategically investing in organizations that advance quality of life improvements for the residents of the Northside and across the region and this award does both.”
Community-driven planning and pre-development efforts for this important landscape will continue into 2025. To learn more about Riverlife’s initiatives and explore the future plans, the public is invited to join us for “Completing the Loop Conversation: Artful Play: The Power of Play in Urban Landscapes” on Friday, October 4, at 11am at Allegheny Landing. This free event is open to the public. More information is available at riverlifepgh.org.
ABOUT THE BUHL FOUNDATION
The Buhl Foundation, the first multi-purpose foundation in Pittsburgh is dedicated to creating community legacies by leveraging its resources to encourage people and organizations to dream, to innovate and to take action. Since its founding in 1927, the Buhl Foundation has focused its resources on quality of life improvements, thought leadership and innovation, and systems change with scalable solutions. Deepening its work in 2014, the Buhl Foundation established One Northside, a strategic, long-term initiative to invest substantially in the reinvigoration of Henry Buhl, Jr.’s beloved Northside, where he lived and worked. For more information, visit buhlfoundation.org.
ABOUT RIVERLIFE
Since 1999, Riverlife has worked to create, activate, and celebrate Pittsburgh’s riverfronts. A nonprofit leader in building a community vision for Pittsburgh’s riverfronts, Riverlife has overseen a $150 million investment in the city’s waterfront transformation, catalyzing $4.2 billion in related economic development, arts and culture spending, and ecological sustainability on or adjacent to the city’s riverbanks. We center our work on the belief that the riverfronts belong to everyone, and world-class riverfront experiences can be created for all using community-driven, equitable development and high-quality, regenerative design. For more information, visit riverlifepgh.org.
For media inquiries, contact:
The Buhl Foundation
Susan Chersky
Director, Operations & Communications
412-566-2711 x205
chersky@buhlfoundation.org
Riverlife
Emily Balawejder
Director of Communications
412-258-6636 x109
emily.balawejder@riverlifepgh.org
