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.

Update: September 14, 2020

See the updated results of the work done to date by consultants at LaQuatra Bonci Associates.  

Update: August 13, 2020

The Vibrant Uptown project has moved into the second of three workshop phases (July/August 2020). These workshops are being held virtually due to the COVID crisis.  

Phase one focused on defining the space throughout the Uptown District. Phase Two is beginning to drill down into specific design elements such as sidewalk scoring pattern, material palette and light standards. In addition, we are looking at how to improve important streetscape elements such as improving the planters along Washington Road, and improving mobility for all. The third and final phase of conceptual planning will focus on Placemaking efforts.  

See the results of the work done to date by consultants at LaQuatra Bonci Associates.  

Next steps: 

If you have visited the Mt. Lebanon Uptown Business District on Washington Road and have at least some basic familiarity with it, you are invited to share your perspective on design and accessibility as well as get an early look at design ideas through your participation in a virtual discussion session. 

The session is scheduled for August 26 from 6:30-7:30 pm utilizing Zoom (or a similar platform) and moderated by accessibility consultant Penny Reddy of ADA Consults, LLC. Please RSVP to preddy@adaconsults.com by August 24. Once your participation is confirmed, you will receive an invitation and a link to the virtual session. 

During the session, we will share design ideas, renderings, and schematics provided by project engineers and design consultants and ask for your feedback. We are focusing on the business district as a centralized commercial district that includes a variety of retail sales and service establishments, including restaurants and shops grouped together in a defined area. Questions for you to consider in advance include: 

General: 

·       What key issues do you face in accessing and utilizing a business district in general? 

·       What are your top three challenges, if any, when utilizing public sidewalks in a business district? 

·       What surface textures/types do you find problematic, if any, as you move through a business district? 

·       What are your thoughts on pop-up or movable gathering spaces in business districts, for example a parklet? 

·       Do you have a favorite city that you like to visit or maybe one that you would like to visit because of its accessibility reputation?  Why? 

Specific to the Mt. Lebanon Uptown Business District (Washington Rd.):  

·       What is the leading reason you typically visit the Washington Road business district? 

·       How do you typically commute to the business district (mass transit, parking, walking, etc.)? 

·       What issues, if any, might you encounter in commuting? 

·       What would make your experience in the business district more enjoyable? 

o   Outdoor spaces to congregate 

o   Outdoor spaces to play 

o   Improved wayfinding 

o   Improved lighting 

o   Improved traffic signal devices 

o   Other? 

·       If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the Washington Road business district, what would it be? 

As background, the scope of this project includes replacing sidewalks and lighting within the business district, with opportunities to add placemaking/public art elements, connect the light rail station to the district, and enhance accessibility for all guests to the business district. Guiding principles for this public space improvement project include: 

·       Accessibility - Strive to go beyond standard ADA requirements to create an Uptown District that is truly accessible to all members of our community 

·       Connectivity - Strive to develop and strengthen the linkages between pedestrians, mass transit, automobiles and our commercial stakeholders, including technological linkages where appropriate 

·       Sustainability - Strive to create an Uptown District that values sustainable practices in design, materials and environmental considerations 

·       Inclusivity - Strive to welcome all voices throughout the Inclusivity duration of the project 

·       Innovation - Strive to employ innovative design, planning and implementation principles 

The listening session will provide you with an early look at design ideas and an opportunity to discuss your thoughts not just related to the questions above, but also related specifically to the designs. 

If you are available for the August 26 session, please RSVP to Penny Reddy at preddy@adaconsults.com by August 24 and you will receive the session link. 

If you are unable to participate in the listening session but would like to provide feedback, please email Penny and she will share a survey link.  

If you have any questions about this initiative, please feel free to contact us. We welcome your perspective, and look forward to developing an accessible, connected, sustainable, inclusive, innovative community-serving business district! 

Eric Milliron, Commercial Districts Manager, Municipality of Mt. Lebanon 

emilliron@mtlebanon.org 

Dorene Ciletti, Board Member, Mt. Lebanon Partnership 

dciletti@hotmail.com 

Penny Reddy, Consultant, ADA Consults, LLC 

preddy@adaconsults.com 

To get involved, subscribe to the Vibrant Uptown Newsletter . If you have questions or comments, email vibrantuptown@mtlebanon.org or call 412-343-3412.

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