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Get the most interesting and important stories from the University of Pittsburgh.Progress is always in progress at Pitt — and that’s not just true in scientific research.
In 2023, Pitt’s annual construction expenditures passed $247 million, supporting more than 1,650 construction jobs and paving the way to new and improved facilities across Pitt’s campuses for learning, studying, staying healthy and more.
Read on to learn about and see snapshots of the most recent changes at Pitt.
Watch construction while you work
Construction on Pitt’s new state-of-the-art Campus Recreation and Wellness Center is well underway, and you can keep tabs on progress yourself now that Business and Operations has installed a 24/7 webcam pointed at the site. It’ll be up for 20 months and is also taking still images every 15 minutes for a construction time-lapse of the build.That’s not the only campus construction livestream: Save a trip up the hill to check out the Victory Heights Arena and Sports Performance Center site, which when completed in fall 2025 will feature a 3,000-seat arena and cutting-edge athletics facilities. Keep up with progress via the Pitt Athletics website.
The Hillman Library Reinvention
Renovations to the Hillman Library continued over the summer as the project enters its final phases, targeted for completion in late 2024. Work is now focusing on the ground floor, entry, welcome desk and specialized instruction rooms. These efforts will affect sidewalk access along Forbes Avenue and Schenley Drive, with a temporary entrance ramp along Forbes Avenue.
This last phase of construction will bring expanded and updated bathrooms and elevators, a new light-filled atrium entrance, a suite of audio and video production spaces, a new information desk and a computer lab.
Sleep soundly
Pitt has added 212 beds to the Pittsburgh campus this year through a combination of acquiring new spaces and repurposing old ones.
Reconfiguring space in Forbes Hall added housing for 27 more first-year students, and converting the top four floors of the University Club will net 81 beds for upper-class students, including an Honors Living Learning Community.
A partnership with the apartment complex The Bridge on Forbes added housing for 51 upper-class students, and acquisition of the five-story Strand Building added another 20 residential apartments.
A kosher deli in The Eatery
Renovation of Pitt’s largest dining facility is underway: Piece by piece, The Eatery’s stations will close and reopen as new dining concepts even as the larger space remains open. This summer’s work focused on the kitchen, and August brought the first of the new spaces: The Delicatessen, a dedicated Kosher space for lox bagels, pastrami sandwiches and more.
The facility’s transformation is scheduled to wrap up by fall 2024 — for a timeline, updates and information on the new dining spaces, visit The Eatery website.
Tips for pedestrians near construction zones
If you’re walking near areas undergoing renovations, the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management has this advice for pedestrians:
- Stay vigilant whenever you are around construction areas.
- Heed all warning signs and instructions from construction workers.
- Never cut through construction zones or cross safety barriers.
- Follow designated navigation, pavement markings and barriers that temporarily redirect traffic.
- Watch for construction, police or other vehicles that may be entering and exiting the area.
To report a construction safety concern or issue, call facilities management at 412-624-9500, available 24 hours a day.
— Patrick Monahan, lead photograph by Pitt Planning, Design and Construction