Until April 2026, Market Square is less square and more like just a few feet of brick road.
Major construction in Downtown’s Market Square, which is undergoing a complete redesign for the first time since 2009, is starting right on schedule.
Like many new redevelopments happening in the golden triangle, it is being poised as an addition to the city to make it more attractive for the 2026 NFL Draft. Additionally, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP) hopes the construction will be completed by April next year, assuming everything stays on schedule.
The $16 million renovation project hopes to keep Market Square’s vibrancy while also performing necessary infrastructure upgrades, according to PDP CEO Jeremy Waldrup.
“There’s going to be a dramatic improvement in the pedestrian experience and the way that these restaurants interact with the outdoor space,” Waldrup said. “You’re not going to sit at a restaurant and look at a parked car and a line of traffic, you’re going to have easier sightlines.”
Parking and the presence of cars has been a contentious issue with Market Square long before talks started regarding its renovation.
Originally, the revitalization plan called for banning cars entirely and eliminating the roads to give the plaza a feel closer to a “piazza” in European countries, which typically do not have any cars and are a large square with buildings surrounding it.
However, business owners were not happy with the idea. Concern arose with the issue of businesses not being able to take deliveries, especially since most buildings in Market Square do not have any accessible entrances or loading areas except for the front door. Because of this, the idea to remove cars from the square was scrapped.
Despite that, construction in Market Square has limited car traffic to only go through the side where businesses like Primanti Brothers, Pizzaiolo Primo and Moe’s stand. Traffic cannot go near City Works or Dunkin Donuts and parking in the entire square is no longer allowed until construction continues in the other side of the square.
Even when Market Square is fully rebuilt in 2026, cars may not always be part of the picture. Waldrup said the plaza could close to vehicle traffic at any moment for big events such as Oktoberfest. It is unknown what specific events would cause the square to close to vehicular traffic.
For many businesses in the square, this is not the first time construction has acted as a potential challenge. When Market Square was last renovated from 2009-2010, several business owners had concerns about a potential loss of business because of the construction and what some called a lack of support from the city.
During those renovations, two businesses – Lubin and Smalley Flowers and Costanzo’s, an Italian restaurant, closed. It’s unclear whether the 2009-2010 renovations directly caused the two businesses to close, but a decrease in foot traffic may have been a contributing factor.
However, the PDP said it is keeping business owners “in the loop” about the changes and did so before anything major was approved.
Additionally, Arts Landing is also set to begin construction soon, along with upgrades to Point State Park – all in the hopes to be finished before the NFL Draft in 2026.
