History
In 2008, Mellon Square was named one of America’s Ten Great Public Spaces by the American Planning Association, drawing attention to this landmark in Downtown Pittsburgh. Mellon Square, which opened in 1955, is the first modern garden plaza to be built atop a parking garage, and its design makes it a forerunner of today’s rooftop gardens.
Seeking a solution to downtown traffic congestion, parking studies in the late 1940s identified the block now containing Mellon Square as one of five locations in which to construct parking garages.
The Square was envisioned by Richard King Mellon as part of downtown’s Renaissance that would spur economic development and help motivate vital businesses to remain in Pittsburgh. In planning two new buildings for Alcoa and U.S. Steel, Mellon envisioned some much-needed open space to anchor a major urban commercial, historic, and retail/entertainment district. The land acquisition and construction of the 1.37 acre Square, dedicated to Richard Beatty Mellon and Andrew Mellon, was financed through gifts from the A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, the Sara Mellon Scaife Foundation, and the Richard King Mellon Foundation.
Mellon Square was designed by landscape architect John Ormsbee Simonds and his brother Phil Simonds, in collaboration along with architects James A. Mitchell and Dahlen K. Ritchey. In 1972, the Pittsburgh-based John Simonds published Landscape Architecture, an important text in the profession of landscape architecture. Both Mellon and the design team intended Mellon Square to be an oasis of beauty and serenity above the din of Downtown streets.
By 2009, a lack of resources for maintenance had allowed time, weather, use, and vandalism to dim Mellon Square's luster. Corrosion, broken systems, failed drainage infrastructure, absent or dying trees and shrubs, all contributed to the Square's deterioration. In spite of its decline, the Square continues to attract visitors. Based on historic research and restoration planning, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is leading the restoration project to return Mellon Square to its intended design, significantly increase its economic impact to the surrounding area, and restore its vibrancy as a public space.
Parking Garages: A Multilevel History
Listen to an NPR story containing an original broadcast clip about the construction of Mellon Square.
Historic Video of Downtown Pittsburgh's Traffic Evolution
Here's a short film clip from 1955 showcasing how Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle changed to accommodate the increase in motor vehicle traffic. Mellon Square and its parking garage appear near the end.
