Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Certification Level: Parksmart Gold
Project Owner: Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
Project Operator: Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
Property Manager: Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
Project Overview:

The Gold 1 garage is located adjacent to PNC Park, (home of the Pittsburgh Pirates), Heinz Field (home of the Pittsburgh Steelers) and other entertainment and dining establishments. The parking facility is owned and operated by Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. This new construction project sits on 5.6 acres and can accommodate 1,000 vehicles. It was designed to align with the City of Pittsburgh’s sustainability goals and provide a convenient point of access to the popular area for daily, weekend and event patrons.

Plans for the Gold 1 focused on improving siting, design and operation. Key features and strategies incorporated into the project include:

  • Transportation Hub: The garage designed to help shape and connect diverse and sustainable modes of transportation. It is located adjacent to bus stops, Bike-share kiosks, LRT stations, and HOV access; provides protective bike parking and offers Ride Share stations.
  • Bike Parking: The garage’s design also supports the city’s growing number of bike lanes and infrastructure, providing 100 bike parking spaces, a maintenance station and racks for convenient storage of bike locks.
  • Biophilic Design: Living walls were incorporated below the vertical aluminum fins on the east, south and west elevations. The surrounding landscape is not irrigated and as rainfall occurs the living walls harvest rainwater, direct it to the green screens and surrounding plant beds, mimicking the way plants capture water and direct nourishment to the roots. The living walls include native, drought tolerant plants, as well as perennial vines. The concept not only works to harvest rainwater but also provides additional cooling, shading, and visual elements for visitors.
  • Electric Vehicles: The parking garage accommodates fast DC charging stations and includes two stations and 10 additional outputs, preparing the garage for increased demand as electric vehicle usage increases.
  • Commuter Shuttle Program: The garage includes a commuter shuttle program that services a local hospital. Employees can park and ride the shuttle to hospital, helping to reduce congestion during peak traffic periods and freeing up parking at the hospital for patient parking.
  • Management: During construction, the team was able to divert over 85 percent of waste from landfills. The project also supported the local economy and reduced energy consumption by specifying regional materials. Regional labor (within 75 miles) and a RideShare program for workers was used as well.

During the AIA Pittsburgh 2018 Design Awards, WTW Architects won a Certificate of Merit in the Sustainability and Resiliency category for the design of the North Shore’s Gold 1 Parking Facility, the world’s first Parksmart Gold-certified facility.

 

Click here to download the one-pager.