The Mt. Lebanon Commission, on May 11, 2021, approved the contract for Phase 1, including sidewalks, lighting, planters, seating and placemaking.
The Vibrant Uptown project is a multi-year project which will transform Uptown into a community-serving destination for dining, shopping, arts, entertainment and services. Vibrant Uptown is one project with several components, including Washington Road streetscape, Parse Way renovations, accessibility and public space activation and placemaking enhancements.
The genesis of the project can be traced back to the 2013 Mt. Lebanon Comprehensive Plan which prioritized the vitality of our business districts by creating a strategic plan for Uptown.
In 2016, the Uptown Strategic Plan was completed by Environmental Planning & Design.
In 2017, EvolveEA completed a Public Space Improvement Plan for the Uptown Business District.
The Mt. Lebanon Partnership also proposed the “Partnership Placemaking Plan” (P3) for Mt. Lebanon.
After project funding was secured, a hierarchy was created to facilitate involvement of key stakeholders and the public in the design process for the Vibrant Uptown Project.
The five Mt. Lebanon Commissioners have final approval for allocations of funding and of the awarding of bids for the project.
The Leadership Committee is charged with project oversight and implementation. The members of the Leadership Committee are:
- Two Commission Project Champions
- Municipal Manager, Assistant Manager, and Commercial Districts Manager
- Professional consultants Gateway Engineers and LaQuatra Bonci Architects
- Representatives from the Economic Development Council and Mt. Lebanon Partnership Design Committee
The Steering Committee developed project principles and seeks to engage a broad range of stakeholders in the Uptown District. The Steering Committee includes all of the Leadership Committee along with representatives from the following groups:
- Municipal Public Works Department and Police Department
- Municipal Boards and Authorities, including: Environmental Sustainability Board, Equal Opportunity Board, Historic Preservation Board, and Parking Advisory Board
- Port Authority of Allegheny County
- Mt. Lebanon School District, including representatives from Washington Elementary and Mellon Middle Schools
- Property and Business Owners
- At-Large Community Members
- Other subject experts, including an ADA Consultant
The Vibrant Uptown Steering Committee’s vision is to actualize a community-serving public space improvement project that incorporates the best practices in urban design. Our vision incorporates a long-view to ensure that leading edge design principles are employed to achieve the goal of a vibrant Uptown and adheres to the Project Principles of Accessibility, Connectivity, Sustainability, Innovation, and Inclusivity.
Click the image to view the Vibrant Uptown Overview Presentation.
Click Here to watch the video of the Commission Discussion Session where the project history was discussed.
As the project moves through the Schematic Design Phase, a number of public design charrettes will be held to generate feedback and interest on the proposed Plan. LaQuatra Bonci Associates has been contracted to lead the public design process.
To get involved, subscribe to the Vibrant Uptown Newsletter . If you have questions or comments, email vibrantuptown@mtlebanon.org or call 412-343-3412.
Planning for Phase 2, which could include additional placemaking and improvements to Parse Way, is ongoing.