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             Refreshed upgrades will create a more welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant hub for park visitors

PITTSBURGH – JANUARY 30, 2025 – The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy today announced a nearly $80,000 upgrade to the historic Schenley Park Visitors Center. The Visitors Center, located at 101 Panther Hollow Road, will be closed during construction from February 3 until March 10. Visitors are encouraged to stop by before work begins.

Upgrades will include a brighter interior with new flooring throughout the first floor. New contemporary furniture, lounge chairs, and redesigned counter space, including a new refrigerated display for food and drinks, will create a more inviting atmosphere. Additionally, the single-person ground-floor restrooms will be converted into gender-neutral spaces, providing more accessibility on busy days.

Other notable changes include the addition of a Visitors Center gift corner consisting of custom-designed postcards, magnets, puzzles, and other souvenirs featuring new and historic images of Schenley Park. Unique books and gifts for park lovers and outdoor enthusiasts will also be available when the Visitors Center reopens in the spring.

"This much-needed refresh gives us a unique opportunity to not only make the space more inviting but more accessible to new generations of visitors," said Matthew D. Hileman, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Director of Operations and Visitor Engagement. "Spring is the season of renewal, and we can't think of a more fitting time to unveil these exciting new changes that will bring with them expanding programs and educational opportunities."

The Visitors Center was originally constructed as a park shelter in 1911. In 2002, the building was restored and repurposed as a visitors’ center. It marked the Park Conservancy's second major restoration project. The once long-neglected structure was reimagined as a community space with a café, modern restroom facilities, and the inclusion of educational programming while preserving its original medieval cottage design. This latest renovation builds on that legacy and will ensure that the Visitors Center will continue to meet the community's evolving needs for many years to come.

“It’s a joy and an honor to be supporting the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy as they advance their mission of improving the lives of Pittsburghers through restoring our public parks,” State Senator Jay Costa said. “As we go forward, I am excited to see the work come to fruition and invite more visitors to this new and improved space.”

This transformative project is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority through the Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund (GEDTF) program and private funders.

"By helping to fund the creation of a welcoming, inclusive space for neighbors to gather indoors and out, these grants strengthen our communities," Dan Frankel, Pennsylvania, District 23 Representative said. "I look forward to watching this project come together, knowing that it will allow future generations to enjoy some of the same Pittsburgh treasures that I remember from my own childhood."

Construction is expected to be completed by March 10, with a grand reopening date to be announced after the renovations have started. The Visitors Center will remain open daily through 5 p.m., February 2. For updates and more information, visit pittsburghparks.org.

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About Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy:  
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy was founded in December 1996 by a group of citizens concerned with the deteriorating conditions of Pittsburgh’s historic city parks. A non-profit organization, the Parks Conservancy works closely with the City of Pittsburgh under an official public-private partnership agreement to restore and improve the city’s park system to its full potential. To date, the Parks Conservancy has raised more than $150 million and completed 23 major park improvement projects. The Parks Conservancy works with thousands of volunteers, hosts hundreds of events, and provides programming for more than 7,500 children annually. 

Alana Wenk                                                                
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy                                
412.527.0020                                                             
awenk@pittsburghparks.org