Point Park University academic park - Fountains on Waymarking.com

[from a newspaper article that appeared on the Post-Gazette on Sept 14, 2011]:

Downtown's newest park is part land reclamation project.

Not that long ago, the 12,000-square-foot space that Point Park University will unveil today at the Boulevard of the Allies and Wood Street was a dusty old gasoline station, secured by a snarly chained dog. Later, it became yet another ubiquitous slab of urban asphalt dedicated to parking.

But the land that once hosted gasoline pumps and fuel tanks has been transformed into a midtown oasis that features a waterfall that spills down the side of an illuminated frosted-glass stair tower; a one-story-high Roman-like colonnade designed to complement the turn-of-the-century architecture of nearby buildings; and trees, flowers, vines and other plants.

The space is no bigger than the infield at PNC Park, but Point Park President Paul Hennigan envisions it as an "outdoor hub" for the college and the neighborhood.

"We just thought that being able to be outdoors, enjoy the fresh air, trees, flowers -- we think it contributes to the outdoor ambience of an urban setting," he said.

The $6.6 million project, nearly half of which was funded by a state redevelopment assistance capital grant, is the latest initiative by the university to transform its Downtown campus into an "academic village" bordered by Fort Pitt Boulevard, Forbes Avenue and Smithfield Street.

Point Park purchased the real estate about a decade ago, launching a buying spree that has turned the university into one of the largest property owners Downtown.

In conjunction with the new park, the university also is completing $4 million in improvements to Wood, including new sidewalks, street lamps and trees. Wood also will be repaved from Fort Pitt Boulevard to Third Avenue. All work should be done within the next year.

"The whole academic village initiative is about creating a dynamic, urban university campus," Mr. Hennigan said. "These two projects are very visible signs of that urban university campus."

Aided by a $1.5 million anonymous grant and foundation gifts, the Urban Park at the Academic Village will be home to a yet-unidentified restaurant that will occupy the first floor of the university-owned 100 Wood Street building.

That structure served as the impetus for the glass stair tower that anchors one end of the park.

Because the university renovated the inside of the building, it needed to add a second stairway to bring the property up to code. The only place to add a stairwell was to the outside of the building, Mr. Hennigan said. "We decided to make that a form of art flowing into the waterfall," he said.

Four shades of tinted glass, arranged to mimic the waterfall, were used on the stair tower, which will be illuminated at night.

The one-story colonnade rims the east and south sides of the park. It was developed to minimize the impact of the nine-story walls that loom over the park from buildings on the boulevard and Wood. It also was designed to be compatible with the buildings that surround it.

The water feature will hold 3,263 gallons of treated and recirculated water. Short walls on the north and west sides of the park will double as seating. The college also will provide tables and cafe and lounge chairs.

With the park completed, the university plans to turn its attention to its next big project: construction of a $32 million student and convocation center, including a 1,000-seat gym, to be built next to the school-owned former YMCA on Boulevard of the Allies.

The college has received a grant from the Heinz Endowments for the design of the building and is in the quiet phase of a fundraising campaign to raise the money for the project. No timetable has been set for construction.

"We're finishing up these projects so we're just now transitioning over to the quiet phase of that project. So I'd say it's just a very early stage of the project," Mr. Hennigan said.

Through the campaign, the university also hopes to raise enough money to hire an architect to start work on a project to move the Pittsburgh Playhouse from Oakland to the former Honus Wagner sporting goods store Downtown on Forbes Avenue.

The college paid nearly $1.1 million for that property in July but is still in the very early stages of planning for the move. The new complex would feature three theaters ranging from 150 to 500 seats each, production and teaching areas, a residence hall and retail space.

In all, Point Park owns about 15 properties Downtown and leases parts of at least four others. It now owns or controls all but one property on Wood from Boulevard of the Allies to Fort Pitt Boulevard. But Mr. Hennigan said Tuesday the school's real estate spending is over for now.

"We don't anticipate buying any more property in the foreseeable future," he said.

Nonetheless, with the park and other improvements, Mr. Hennigan sees Point Park one day anchoring one end of a revitalized Wood Street and the cultural district the other end. The new 40-story skyscraper to be built by PNC Financial Services Group should help to rejuvenate the middle of the corridor, he said.

"This is going to be kind of the fun, cultural, social place to hang out in Downtown Pittsburgh," he said.

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