Pittsburgh site chosen for Urban Land Institute design competition - tech briefs

Black Issues in Higher Education, Feb 26, 2004 by Ronald Roach

PITTSBURGH

An underutilized parcel of commercial property in Pittsburgh's Strip District has been chosen as the site for the second annual ULI (Urban Land Institute) Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition. The competition for graduate students was created to honor the legacy of urban development pioneer Gerald D. Hines, chairman of the Hines real estate organization.

The competition, which is under way, was made available to graduate students who are pursuing real estate-related studies at a North American university, including programs in real estate development, city planning, urban design, architecture and landscape architecture. Through the competition, interdisciplinary teams of students are being challenged to offer practical, workable solutions for the revitalization of the Strip District site.

A $50,000 prize will be awarded to the winning team; and an additional $30,000 will be split among the three remaining finalist teams. The competition site covers more than 57 acres adjacent to the Allegheny River, extending from 11th Street at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center to 21st Street; its southern border is Smallman Street. It is the last undeveloped parcel in the Strip District, a former warehouse district transformed into a thriving commercial district of wholesale and retail food markets, restaurants and nightclubs.

"This competition aims to give the next generation a better understanding of the challenges involved in urban design and development, and how all the different elements--various land uses, public areas, traffic patterns--interact to influence how urban areas grow," says ULI president Richard M. Rosan. "This is a real site, with real potential, and we'll be looking for practicable, innovative solutions that reflect responsible land use," he said.

Sixty-two teams from 25 universities across the United States are participating in the urban design competition. Teams have received project-briefing materials, including a comprehensive problem statement; background information on the site; market information; relevant existing design proposals; and other details, along with a list of materials required for team presentations. On March 26, four teams that will have been named finalists will present their programs to the competition jury members during a public forum in Pittsburgh.