Pittsburgh Cultural District

As you may recall, Bob and I were in Pittsburgh this past weekend for a wedding. While we were there, we spent a little time touring around, revisiting favorite spots and places with special meaning to us. One of the places we went was the Cultural District in downtown Pittsburgh.

My very first job out of college was working for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, an organization whose mission was to revitalize a former red-light district downtown near the convention center and turn it into a cultural destination. At the time I worked there, the Trust was one of those organizations that had an inspiring mission but a dysfunctional organizational culture. So it has taken me a while, but after twenty intervening years I can finally visit the Cultural District and just feel happy feelings about the fabulous things that have been accomplished there, and my teeny tiny part in that.

Here are a few of the pictures I snapped with my phone while we were strolling through the District...

A mural by Richard Haas on the side of what was formerly the Fulton Theater (now the Byham). When I worked at the Cultural Trust, I did research about public art in other cities and collected photos and information from various artists that the Trust was considering for projects in the Cultural District. I also was in charge of the grand reopening party for the Byham Theater after the Trust renovated it.

More public art. Although frankly this one looks to me more like a Transformer than art. But I think it's intended to be an homage to Pittsburgh's many bridges.

New theaters, very clearly designed by Michael Graves. We were just beginning to talk about these when I worked at the Trust in the early 1990s.

Mister Rogers holds a special place in the heart of every Pittsburgher, even those of us who only lived there for a few years. I sat through a bunch of other announcements and ads (for some very cool theatrical and musical events coming soon to Pittsburgh) in order to see Mister Rogers come up again on this kiosk and to hear about the "sweater day" being held in his honor.

This little park used to be a parking lot when I lived in Pittsburgh.

A handsome new restaurant in the District.