Pittsburgh Zoo Entry Plaza Proposed Renovation

January 18, 2024

Here are a couple questions that were asked during the community meeting and answered in a follow up email.

  • A few years ago there was talk about having new signage down by the light by the Exxon station to indicate that you’re arriving at the Zoo. What happened to that? Is that still in the works?
    1. While it is not on the immediate project plan for the next few years, we do still hope to beautify that space and implement a welcome sign as part of our long-term upgrades to the Zoo.
  • Along some of the chain link fencing it looks like there are some tarps, what’s going on with that?
    1. We do have plastic tarps on one gate (Gate A), which were added after Zoo Lights. That gate is not able to support the weight of the green fence screening material we have on the rest of the exterior perimeter fence, but it provides a visual barrier to some behind-the-scenes spaces. Tarps at the PWSA construction area (near the bridge past the Education Center) will be removed once that construction has been completed, which I don’t have a timeline on.

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 . 

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 Morningside and 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 must be approved by the Public Art & Civic Design Commission(PACD); it is scheduled for public hearing on Wed Sept 27 at 4 pm.  For the reasons described above, and based on public feedback at the community meeting, the HPCC is opposing the plan. We submitted a written letter explaining why and requested that the Public Art & Civic Design Commission deny this and other proposals for work in Heth’s Run until such work can be considered in context with the Zoo’s Master Plan and with consideration given to the potential impacts any such projects have on the restoration of Heth’s Run. We encourage you to provide feedback and/or attend the Commission meeting to provide testimony as well.  The meeting agenda can be found here.“

  • To submit comments:
    • Email pacd@pittsburghpa.gov – Emailed testimony will be accepted Tues Sept 26 at 12 noon.
    • 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 Monday, Sept 25.
  • 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.