The Pittsburgh City Planning Commission (PCPC) approved the complete overhaul of Market Square in Downtown Pittsburgh, with hopes that construction will start in April and be finished in a year.
Market Square, which was last renovated from 2009 to 2010, has existed in some form since the 1700s according to Pittsburgh Magazine. The re-imagining of the city corner calls for a pavilion that provides coverage from the sun and precipitation, improved infrastructure and enhanced lighting.
In a statement, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP) CEO Jeremy Waldrup said that the changes to Market Square will be a benefit to everybody who visits the open public area in Downtown and are just one step in the process of revitalizing the area.
“These infrastructure improvements enable activations and programming that are part of a larger commitment to reimagining Downtown’s future, welcoming more visitors, and supporting the small businesses that are the fabric of the square,” Waldrup said in a statement.
The NFL Draft, which is headed to the city in 2026, is often used by city officials and Downtown stakeholders as the baseline for when major construction projects in the Golden Triangle should be completed by.
Originally, Market Square was known as Diamond Square – not related to the nearby Diamond Building. The public square was at one point the home of the Pittsburgh Gazette, which later became the Post-Gazette, according to the PDP.
When Market Square was last renovated in 2009. That too was a major change from the area’s previous iteration – beforehand, cars were able to drive right through what is now the main circle in the square and was split up into four different squares with grass patches on it.
Additionally, the PDP is the main organization spearheading the effort to revitalize Market Square for the second time since the 1970s.
Changes expected for the soon-to-be new Market Square include the elimination of parking zones in the area while also restricting vehicles from driving anywhere besides the road along the Original Oyster House and Noodles and Company.
During the PCPC’s meeting on the proposed changes, the Historic Review Commission (HRC) unanimously praised the project, only saying to get it done and get it done well.
Market Square’s revitalization was one of multiple efforts funded through money from Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), which the state granted $600 million to Downtown stakeholders in October 2024.
While Market Square is the PDP’s responsibility, it is not the only plot of land in Downtown expected to change right before the NFL Draft. An empty plot next to Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts Academy (CAPA) as well as what is now the Goodyear Auto Service building will soon become “Arts Landing,” spearheaded by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.
Arts Landing, which is slated to be complete in time for the NFL Draft, will provide a public outdoor space and will soon be the home of the Three Rivers Arts Festival, according to the Tribune-Review. The project is also funded by RACP money, just like the new Market Square.
This is not the first time this plot of land was eyed for revitalization – in the 2000s, the spot along Eighth Street almost became housing, retail and a performing arts space before the project was ultimately cancelled.
