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Pittsburgh: America's Renaissance City
(July 2001)
Once cocooned in soot, this former
"rustbelt" town is blossoming into a scenic river city with green
parks and a skyline to die for. Yes, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood
has never looked better. Pittsburgh is undergoing the final phase of
a two billion dollar downtown development, adding two sports
stadiums, a convention center, theaters, hotels, and shopping areas.
These new arenas, along with the rebuilding of the old, are turning
this old steel town into an attractive destination.
Around
the Golden Triangle
The heart of downtown Pittsburgh, a
vibrant ten-block district, is known as the "Golden Triangle." At
the tip of the triangle sits Point
State Park, a popular gathering place that offers stunning views
of the city and rivers. By far, the highlight of the park is the
dramatic 150-foot tall water fountain symbolizing the meeting of
three major rivers, the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela. The
36-acre park is designated as a National Historic Landmark for the
strategic role it played during the French and Indian War, when the
French and British armies were fighting for control of the Ohio
Valley.
Across from the park is the Gateway Center, a
business and shopping center, and Stanwix Street, where all of the
city's main streets lead. There are numerous boutique and specialty
shops to browse, and at every turn, you'll see an interesting blend
of old and new architecture. Of the newer buildings, PPG Place is
the coolest looking building in town. Designed after England's
Parliament building, PPG (Pittsburgh Plate Glass) is literally all
about glass—built with one million square feet of reflective
glass!
On some of the city's older buildings, there are
reminders of the past. For example, at Penn Avenue Place, look up
and see a plaque with a watermark to commemorate Pittsburgh's
devastating 1936 flood—waters crested at 46.4 feet above flood
stage, the highest in the city’s history. A few blocks away, the
Trinity Cathedral offers a good example of what the soot from
industry has done to the city's older buildings. On the church, one
stone block was sandblasted to show what the air must have been like
during the industrial age.
After Venice, Pittsburgh boasts
the largest number of bridges in a city—720 within city limits. Both
cities also have a "Bridge of Sighs," leading from the city's
courthouse to a jail. If the Allegheny County Courthouse's gothic
exterior looks "chillingly" familiar, it is because jail scenes for
the movie Silence of the Lambs were filmed
there.
Cultural District and Museums
When
considering the great artistic centers of the world, Pittsburgh
probably doesn't spring to mind. However, the philanthropy of the
city's present and former business barons has created numerous
cultural assets. For the performing arts, Pittsburgh's Cultural
Arts District anchors the city's world-class symphony, opera,
ballet, dance, and theater. Here is where many Pittsburghers and
visitors gather. In fact, Pittsburgh's theaters sell more tickets
than the Penguins, Pirates, and Steelers combined!
 This part of town also boasts one of
the best examples of Pittsburgh's commitment to historic building
preservation and restoration. The historic Fulton Building underwent
a $45 million transformation from office spaces and a nightclub to
become one of the most stunning hotels anywhere, the new four-star
Renaissance
Pittsburgh Hotel. Just to give you an idea how much restoration
was done; the hotel was the largest copper restoration project in
the eastern U.S. since the Statue of Liberty, and over 300 pounds of
coal dust were removed from the building's domed rotunda.
 Directly across the street from the
hotel is the Roberto Clemente Bridge, which you can use to get to
the new PNC
Park to watch a Pittsburgh Pirate game, or to visit the
world-renowned Andy Warhol Museum. Pittsburgh was
Warhol's hometown, and the renovated warehouse built to commemorate
his work holds more than 500 pieces of the artist's pop art. The
Warhol Museum is one of the four Carnegie Museums
of Pittsburgh, which also include the Carnegie Museum of Art,
Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and Carnegie Science Center.
Other museums of note are the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh
Regional History Center, Frick Art and Historical
Center, Mattress Factory (A
Museum of Contemporary Art), and Pittsburgh
Children's Museum.
Station Square & Mount
Washington
For another great example of Pittsburgh's
renovating spirit, stroll through the restored 19th century railroad
station and warehouses now called Station
Square. Browse around the eclectic mix of shops, restaurants,
and nightclubs that offer a great view of the city. From here, you
can also take a boat ride on the Gateway Clipper
Fleet of riverboats, which provide dining, dancing, and
sightseeing.
No trip to Pittsburgh would be complete without
taking an incline ride up to Mt. Washington. Across the street from
Station Square, you can hop on the Duquesne Incline for the trip to
the top. Inclines (part train, part elevator) are a unique answer to
Pittsburgh's hilly topography and are as iconic as San Francisco's
cable cars. The incline's cars are the oldest mass-transit vehicles
with daily operation in America. At one time, Pittsburgh had about
15 inclines; today, only two remain.
Other
Areas
Strip District
The Strip
District is one area of the city that attracts young and old alike.
This warehouse area houses an eclectic mix of ethnic food vendors
and is where many Pittsburghers like to shop for fresh produce and
other sundries. Many of the old warehouses have been renovated to
accommodate bars, clubs, and restaurants, making it the hippest
nightspot in town.
North Side
The North
Side is host to many of the city's popular attractions, including
the PNC Park, the Andy Warhol Museum, and some of the other museums
mentioned before. Other attractions include Heinz Field, the new
home of the Steelers, and the National Aviary, host to more than
500 exotic birds representing over 200 different
species.
Oakland
Oakland is home to
three of Pittsburgh's thirty-three colleges, the University of
Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and Carlow College. You'll
also find the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History along with
Phipps Conservatory's
two-acre collection of different types of flora.
Pittsburgh
is 90 minutes or less from 20 major U.S. cities by air, and is
within easy reach of more than 70 percent of the nation's
population. If you are looking for an authentic American city that's
easy to reach, free of pretense, and full of world-class amenities,
Pittsburgh is your place.
Related Site:
Visit Pittsburgh.com
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