Market Square Named a "Top Public Space" in US and Canada

Planetizen.com recently compiled a list of the top 100 public spaces in the US and Canada and revealed "a handful of communities passionate about their own local public spaces." Planetizen and its partner for the search, Project for Public Spaces (PPS), "found that successful [public spaces] have four key qualities: they are accessible; people are engaged in activities there; the space is comfortable and has a good image; and finally, it is a sociable place: one where people meet each other and take people when they come to visit."

Pittsburgh's own Market Square was included in the top 10:

7. Pittsburgh Market Square, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Market Square is a unique space in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh with a storied past. It’s been the central square in Pittsburgh’s downtown since the 18th century, and was the site of a public space known as the Diamond, or Diamond Square, that was demolished in 1962. To keep the historic scale and style of the downtown intact, Market Square was designated as Pittsburgh’s first historic district in 1972. Several redesign projects followed suit. Given its history and central location, the place should have been an active, sociable destination, but even after several redesigns, the square floundered as the central area in downtown. In more recent decades, the square was characterized by drug use, heavy bus traffic and loitering, and especially after 5 p.m., dreary emptiness.


The refurbished 68,000 square foot plaza combines the four quadrants of the old square into one large pedestrian-only center island. Raised curbs and planters were eliminated and the square re-graded to one, consistent plane. The red brick paving and withering plants were replaced by modern paving material and a lighter-colored large circular ring that draws visitors to the center of the square. The new trees were planted in four organized clusters, nodding to the historical street patterns and the previous four quadrants. Temporary seating and bistro tables are also spread out through the plaza. In addition to seating in the square itself, new brick sidewalks were extended on the streets around the square, allowing for expanded café seating.

See the rest of the list at http://www.planetizen.com/toppublicspaces and read more about the search at http://www.planetizen.com/node/51345