Market Square has been the center of Downtown Pittsburgh since the original street grid was laid out in the late 1700’s. Over the past two centuries, the 1.5 acre square was modified as the city matured around it, oscillating between an open space and a site for market buildings. Ten years ago roads fragmented Market Square into quadrants, speeding cars and buses made the square dangerous for pedestrians, and inefficient lighting and dense tree cover encouraged illicit activities.

Today, Market Square is a vibrant, cohesive, flexible, and pedestrian-oriented oasis in the dense urban fabric of Downtown Pittsburgh. Market Square promotes a wide range of programing. The square is like a gallery, where people and events are the featured exhibition. On any given day, the space might be transformed into a market, a performance space, or a festival.