KENDRA WHITLOCK INGRAM, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST, IS ONE OF SEVERAL DIGNITARIES WHO SIGNED A BEAM FOR THE MARKET SQUARE PAVILION TO MARK THE HALFWAY POINT OF CONSTRUCTION. ALLEGHENY COUNTY EXECUTIVE SARA INNAMORATO LOOKS ON. | PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LINN

Pittsburgh dignitaries on Wednesday marked the halfway point in a $15 million refresh of Downtown’s Market Square with a ceremonial signing of one of the beams holding up the new pavilion structure that will be the centerpiece in the renovation.

Construction is nearly finished on the north half of Market Square. On Monday, Nov. 3, work will begin shifting vehicle traffic patterns from the south part of the square to the north, so construction can begin on the southern half (the side closest to PPG Place). The new traffic patterns should be in place by Nov. 10.

The whole project is on schedule to be completed before an estimated 700,000 fans are expected to descend upon Pittsburgh for the NFL draft April 23-25, 2026, according to Jeremy Waldrup, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, the nonprofit leading the project.

“For Market Square, we’re halfway there and right on track,” he said. “When Market Square is complete, in April, it will be a world-class public space, home to bustling markets and performing arts and serve as the go-to destination for the tens of thousands of workers and residents that call the Golden Triangle home.”

RENDERING COURTESY PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP

Once the fencing on the north side is removed, people will be able to see the finished shared streetscape, which blends the sidewalks and roadways into a single, curb-less surface that is designed to provide greater accessibility for pedestrians and to slow vehicle traffic.

Passersby can see the framing of the half-moon-shaped anchor pavilion — a steel-and-glass structure inspired by the historic market stalls that were once part of the square — poking above the construction fencing. The new concept was designed by Field Operations, the same architectural firm that designed New York City’s popular High Line as well as the $31 million Arts Landing development now underway in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. In addition to the anchor pavilion, Market Square will have improved lighting, more landscaping and more flexible space to host performances and other activities.

Wednesday’s ceremony comes a year after Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro stood at the Arts Landing spot to announce a 10-year, $600 million Downtown renovation plan to create more housing, enhance public spaces and strengthen safety and other aspects of urban living.

“Market Square is just one part of a much bigger vision,” Waldup said, “from Arts Landing in the Cultural District to upgrades in Point State Park to new housing throughout Downtown, [these are] all connected and part of a reimagined core that works for everyone.”

THE BEAMS OF THE NEW PAVILION RISE ABOVE THE CONSTRUCTION FENCING AT MARKET SQUARE. | PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LINN

Development of Arts Landing — which includes a great lawn, amphitheater, play area, visitor center and public bathrooms in the Eighth Street area — also is on schedule, said Kendra Whitlock Ingram, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural District. “We are on time and under budget,” she said. The Trust is aiming for a soft opening in time for the NFL Draft and grand opening in June as the permanent home for the Three Rivers Arts Festival.

“Starting in April, we’re really going to have these destinations for many, many years to come,” she said. “We’re excited to host hundreds of thousands of people for the draft, but this is really for the future of Pittsburgh.”