Spring is here, reminding us of one our favorite downtown Pittsburgh riverfront park openings from a few years ago!
David L. Lawrence Convention Center Riverfront Plaza opened to the public back in the spring of 2011, creating a much-needed trail connection between Allegheny Riverfront Park and the lower Strip District.
The plaza, owned and managed by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and designed by LaQuatra Bonci Associates, provided a new Downtown pedestrian gateway to the Allegheny.
When the Rafael Vinoly-designed convention center opened in 2003 it was the largest LEED-certified green building in the world, but lacked a pedestrian riverfront connection under Fort Duquesne Boulevard. The ramp that runs between the waterfall features in the center of the building previously dead-ended at the water.
With the addition of the riverfront plaza in 2011 after additional fundraising and engineering, riverfront users can now access a boat dock, native plantings, public open space, and connections to go up or downriver on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail.
Find out more about other Pittsburgh riverfront parks, trails and improvement projects in our Riverfront Guide.
Top image by Maranie Staab for Riverlife.
