Renderings revealed for Arts Landing, a $31M outdoor civic space in Pittsburgh's Cultural District
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — New renderings for Arts Landing, an outdoor civic space in Pittsburgh's Cultural District, were released on Thursday.
The $31 million project is part of a push to revitalize Downtown Pittsburgh, especially before the city hosts the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust on Thursday revealed the name Arts Landing and released renderings for the civic space, which will be built on the Eighth Street Block's vacant surface lots between Penn Avenue and Fort Duquesne Boulevard.
Construction is expected to start in April of this year. A "soft opening" is expected in April 2026, right before the draft, with a grand opening at the 2026 Three Rivers Arts Festival, the Cultural Trust says.
A total of four acres, Arts Landing will include a one-acre great lawn, garden walk, playroom and "flex zone" with pickleball courts and a small running track. The civic space is described as a "cornerstone" of a 10-year, $600-million plan to revitalize Downtown Pittsburgh.
"Arts Landing will welcome residents and visitors, host festivals and performances, exhibit public art, and provide opportunities for everyday recreation and relaxation," Kendra Whitlock Ingram, the president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, said in a news release. "We are grateful to our civic leaders and project partners whose generosity and collaborative spirit continue to push the downtown revitalization vision forward."
Highmark Health president and CEO David Holmberg, who also chairs the Cultural Trust's board of trustees and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development's board of directors, said Arts Landing is "truly transformative."
"It is not a short-term fix or incremental improvement to an existing space. This is reimagining and building an entirely new destination that will delight and benefit our community," Holmberg said.
