Aug 17, 2023
Representatives of the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium presented plans for renovating the entry plaza at the August HPCC Community Meeting. View their presentation here: https://youtu.be/nOi8usuKgcU .
- See the Architectural Plans here.
- See the Landscaping Plans here:
The HPCC provided background about Heth’s Run (Slides are here) and expressed concern that the Zoo is moving forward with this project and parking lot repaving without consideration of the impacts on Heth’s Run. The Zoo’s entry plaza, along with its parking lots and overflow parking, are located in Heth’s Run. At one time, Heth’s Run was a verdant valley with a stream that ran between Morningsideand Highland Park before joining the Allegheny River. For over twenty years, the adjacent community organizations and the broader community have been working toward the goal of restoring Heth’s Run.
Between the city and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, several hundreds of thousands of design dollars have been spent to develop plans to replace much of the asphalt with green space and trails, connecting the East End to more green space and planned water front trails that will connect to downtown, the north side, and Aspinwall. Similarly, people in those locations would have easier access to the Zoo and the adjacent neighborhoods and business districts. The zoo’s parking needs would be met by building a new parking structure.
This proposal has not yet been submitted to the Civic Design Committee of the Public Art & Civic Design Commission (PACD). However, the HPCC was advised by the City Planning Department that it will likely be added to the agenda for the Sept 27 meeting at 4 pm.
- To submit comments:
- Email pacd@pittsburghpa.gov – Email testimony will be accepted until the business day before the meeting at 12 p.m.
- Mail a letter to the Department of City Planning, attn PACD Commission, 100 Ross St., Suite 202, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 – Mailed testimony must be received by two business days before the meeting
- To attend the meeting:
- The Civic Design Committee meets at 4:00 PM on the fourth Wednesday of each month, virtually. These meetings are hosted on Zoom and streamed on YouTube Live.
- To join the Zoom Meeting, use this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85414433221
- To join by phone call +1 301 715 8592 with Webinar ID: 854 1443 3221
- If you are not planning to testify, please watch the YouTube Live stream to allow more space for those testifying to join the Zoom meeting.
- To stream the meeting live please visit our YouTube Channel at the time the meeting is scheduled to begin.
- To testify at the meeting
- Join the Zoom Meeting – Use the raise hand function to request to speak during the relevant agenda item.
- Call into the Zoom Meeting on your phone – Press *9 to use the raise hand function, and be called on to speak during the relevant agenda item.