By SUSAN JONES
The Office of Planning, Design and Construction is trying to increase awareness about projects around campus and how they will intermittently impact vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
The office will offer regular updates on map.pitt.edu, which can be accessed by choosing the construction filter on the site. Those interested also will be able to subscribe to a free newsletter in the next few weeks and text and email updates through NotifyU.
Pitt has several large, ongoing projects that faculty, staff and students need to be aware of when moving through the Oakland campus. Crane staging and other activities can lead to street and sidewalk closures.
For instance, one lane and the sidewalk on the upper side of O’Hara Street continue to be closed between Thaw Hall and DeSoto Street. And the entire street will close from North Bouquet Street to Thackery Avenue, except the sidewalk in front of Benedum Hall, from Sept. 2 to 6 for Mascaro Construction to conduct a series of crane lifts. The plan is for the building to open in spring 2025.
And don’t forget, Schenley Drive will be closed from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Aug. 24 for the Welcome Back Bash.
More Pitt projects
Hillman Library: Sidewalks remain closed on the Forbes Avenue and Schenley Drive sides of Hillman Library. The final phase of the multi-year renovation project is set to finish up in January 2025.
Fifth & Halket building: Work at this site, which will become the home base for the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, has reduced Halket Street to one lane, northbound only, between Forbes and Fifth avenues. The building is scheduled to be completed in winter 2025.
Hillside work: Utterback Drive and Dammond Drive (formerly Upper University Drive A and University Drive B) continue to be closed because of work on the hillside and on the new recreation center.
Arena and Sports Performance Center: This project is fairly self-contained next to the Petersen Events Center. A topping off ceremony will be held soon, with a scheduled completion in winter 2026.
More work: Renovation projects also continue on the Heinz Memorial Chapel spire; the Alumni Hall auditorium; the Posvar Hall Chiller Plant; the roof of Thaw Hall; and at Crawford Hall.
Other lane restrictions
And if those projects aren’t enough to keep you on your toes while walking and driving in Oakland, there’s also the massive new UPMC Presbyterian bed tower being built at the corner of Fifth Avenue and DeSoto Street. The 17-story, $1.5 billion project, which will have 636 private rooms, is slated to finish in fall 2026. The far right lane of Fifth is closed between DeSoto Street and the Atwood bus shelter, and DeSoto is one lane only going uphill.
Carnegie Mellon’s Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences: This new building going up at the corner of Forbes Avenue and South Craig Street, next to the Carnegie Museums’ parking garage entrance, has caused lane restrictions on Forbes to the east of Craig Street.
Forbes Avenue overnight work: Due to a People's Gas construction project on Forbes Avenue in Oakland, two of three lanes of Forbes Avenue between McKee Place and Meyran Avenue will be closed between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. through mid-October. All three travel lanes will be open during normal business hours.
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
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