Downtown evolves with Arts Landing

[Josh imhof | news editor] Arts Landing opened in April and has attracted many visitors with its themed events and festivals.

Mireya Maymi | staff writer

Brianna Binion remembers being a City Charter High School student and passing by what used to be a dilapidated parking garage on Penn Avenue. Back then, she said, there were not many places for students to spend their free time.

“We were divided in a sense because our Downtown was not somewhere where we could hang out and still feel safe,” Binion said.

Today, she sits in the same location with her daughter. But it is no longer a parking garage. It is a park.

Since its opening in April, Arts Landing has introduced new ways for people to experience Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, local residents and businesses told The Duke.

The space was designed to “welcome residents and visitors, host festivals and performances, exhibit public art, and provide opportunities for everyday recreation and relaxation,” according to the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust website.

Some of these events have included movie nights, opera performances, jazz festivals and more.

“It definitely changes the atmosphere of downtown,” said Peyton Martin, a student at Point Park University. “It gives the city a more welcoming presence than it did before.”

As a student living on a college campus Downtown, Martin said outdoor recreation spaces can be hard to come by. She said she appreciated the convenience of the space since she often prefers studying outdoors.

“Prior to this opening, a lot of [Point Park students] would go to the Point to study,” she said. “But the walk here is not nearly as far.”

While Martin highlighted Arts Landing as an amenity for students, other visitors noted opportunities for recreation and socializing.

“I feel like people will start to gather and connect more within the city,” Binion said.

Pittsburgh natives Tierra Johnson and Tiara Dinkins said they felt similarly to Binion when they would come through the area before Arts Landing was there.

“It was always just to get there, go home or somewhere else. I would never stay downtown because there was nothing to do,” Johnson said.

Now, they described the area as a relaxing environment that offers opportunities to spend leisure time Downtown.

“It has a calming effect on people,” Dinkins said. “As you see people walk by, they don’t seem as stressed. They take time to decompress.”

Arts Landing is not only impacting local residents. The businesses around the Cultural District have seen changes, too.

James Marina, manager of Proper Brick Oven & Tap Room, said his restaurant is typically busier when there are things happening in the area, such as the events happening at Arts Landing.

“When there’s events, we see more action,” Marina said. “We get most of our business from the Cultural District and things happening Downtown.”

Although Marina has yet to see a significant difference since Arts Landing’s opening, he is hopeful that future events at the park will bring in additional customers.

“It’s definitely helping even if we’re not seeing it right now,” Marina said.

Aimee Marshall, an owner of Con Alma Jazz Bar located on Penn Avenue and Sixth Street, emphasized the value of additional performances in the area for nearby businesses.

“Any place that has performances Downtown only helps the other businesses,” Marshall said.

She said that she has heard from some of her customers that they don’t like traveling Downtown often because of security concerns. She said she hopes that green spaces like Arts Landing change their perception of the area.

“That’s like the worst part is people not feeling safe,” Marshall said. “[The city is] trying to make an effort.”

Other businesses, such as De Fer Coffee and Tea, have directly benefited from the new park, said manager Joel Wilshire.

“Lunch rushes have turned into lots more consistent things for us because I think people knowing that there is a place outside of their office just encourages them to get out,” Wilshire said. “It can get really insane.”

De Fer opened its Downtown location in January 2025. and Wilshire said they were planning for the opening of Arts Landing for most of this time. This gave its staff time to prepare for the impending increase in foot traffic.

“Every event that has been taking place has just completely blown up,” Wilshire said.

For Marshall, the addition of Arts Landing to Pittsburgh’s Cultural District is a valuable step toward creating the public spaces found in other cities.

“All great cities have these creative, wonderful, outdoor spaces, so why shouldn’t we?” she said. “I think it is a win-win situation.”

While Martin highlighted Arts Landing as an amenity for students, other visitors noted opportunities for recreation and socializing. other visitors noted opportunities for recreation and socializing.