Frankie Mae Pace Park Tour

The Office for Public Art relaunches their walking tour series with a guided tour of Frankie Mae Pace Park in the Lower Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh. This hour and a half event will take participants on an in-depth tour focused on the history, art, and design of this highway cap park.

Guest speakers on the tour include: Fred Bonci, founder of LaQuatra Bonci Associates, the landscape architecture firm that was commissioned to design the park, and Dr. Kimberly Ellis, the consulting artist and historian who wrote the texts on Frankie Mae Pace and Martin Delany for the story walls, and was integral to the park’s public art features.

About Frankie Mae Pace Park

Frankie Mae Pace Park opened to the public in November 2021 and was designed to bridge the I-579 highway, reconnecting the Hill District to Downtown Pittsburgh. During the 1960s, the Lower Hill District was destroyed and disconnected from downtown to make way for the construction of Crosstown Boulevard and the Civic Arena. The three-acre park now provides Hill District residents direct access to Downtown along with pedestrian pathways, bike routes, recreational and educational areas, and a rain garden. Frankie Mae Pace Park also includes artist-designed elements, and features story walls honoring community activist Frankie Mae Pace (1905 – 1989) and abolitionist, educator, and journalist Martin Delany (1812 – 1885).

Location and Address

Frankie Mae Pace Park is located between Centre Avenue and Bigelow Boulevard, Downtown Pittsburgh, adjacent to the former site of the Civic Arena. The physical address is 901 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Please plan to arrive 5 – 10 minutes ahead of the start of the tour to check in with the OPA staff person on-site.

Directions and Parking

For Public Transit: The Steel Plaza Station of the light rail system in the BNY Mellon Center, is located at Grant Street and Fifth Avenue. There are several bus stops nearby: Chatham St. + Centre Ave. (77), Sixth Ave. + Bigelow Blvd. (61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, 71A, 71B, 71C, 71D), Centre Ave. + Logan FS (81, 82, 83),   For more information on public transportation and to plan your trip, please visit the Pittsburgh Regional Transit website.

Public Parking: Public parking is available throughout Downtown Pittsburgh, the closest garages being the Mellon Square garage and the Smithfield Liberty garage. For more parking information, please visit www.parkpgh.org.

Accessibility

Please contact the Office for Public Art directly at info@opapgh.org with requests for additional accommodations.