(PITTSBURGH) August 7, 2012   Mayor Luke Ravenstahl today announced the launch of ARTPGH and DESIGNPGH, the City’s first public art and urban design plans. ARTPGH will create a strategy for the City to engage local, regional and national artists, facilitate care for its extensive art collection, and involve artists in public space, facility and infrastructure design. DESIGNPGH will examine existing types of urban design and devise a plan with set guidelines that will inform future developers about the quality and character of design that is expected and feasible in our neighborhoods. The City’s first-ever 25-year comprehensive plan, PLANPGH, includes 12 components – some of which have been in the works since 2010 – and is anticipated to be completed in 2014.

“High-quality public art and urban design demonstrates to residents and visitors that Pittsburgh is not only ”America’s Most Livable City,” but one that plans and builds in a functional and aesthetic way, “Ravenstahl said. “By engaging residents in the planning process, we’re ensuring that Pittsburgh continues to grow as a wonderful City with a great quality of life for everyone.”

Other components of PLANPGH, such as PRESERVEPGH, OPENSPACEPGH and MOVEPGH, are currently being developed. Once completed, all components will be integrated to set investment priorities, coordinate neighborhood-scale planning efforts and guide the City’s land use and development decision-making processes for the next 25 years.

The public art and urban design plans are heavily dependent on public participation and are estimated to be completed over the next 18 months. Throughout the planning process, public meetings and workshops will engage City residents to ensure community voices are heard and integrated into the plan. Residents will be invited to public meetings, where City officials will present examples of best practices and recommendations for new policies for art and design that will target the needs and desires of our residents. Residents will also be educated on current modes of public art and urban design, best practice examples, and their input will be used to form policies that will effectively shape the City of Pittsburgh over the next 25 years. ARTPGH and DESIGNPGH collectively have a $585,000 budget, which is funded by the City of Pittsburgh, The Heinz Endowments, Richard King Mellon Foundation and Colcom Foundation.

Through a national search and interview process, the City hired Urban Design Associates (UDA), headquartered in Pittsburgh, to work with City staff to conduct the planning process and public interaction of these two plans. In addition, Barbara Goldstein will be the lead sub-consultant on the ARTPGH process and Jon Rubin will lead the public outreach process for both plans.

Visit planpgh.com to sign up for email updates related to ARTPGH, DESIGNPGH, and other components of PLANPGH. The 25-year comprehensive plan will serve as a guidebook for making policy, attracting investment and determining the most effective use of taxpayer dollars. It will guide elected officials, City staff and stakeholders in making Pittsburgh an even better place to live, work and visit.

For more information about ARTPGH, please contact Morton Brown, Public Art Manager, at 412-255-8996 or morton.brown@pittsburghpa.gov. For more information about DESIGNPGH, please contact Kate Rakus, Senior Planner, at 412-255-2470 or kate.rakus@pittsburghpa.gov.