Fun-frolic at planned PNC Park plaza

Article posted by Coliseum, July 26^th, 2023

Image: North Shore Hospitality LLC

Plans to add an entertainment plaza outside the PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (US) could come to life in less than two years.

‘CBS NEWS PITTSBURGH’ stated that the proposed development was announced back in April and now there’s a first look at the renderings of what the plaza will look like when it’s complete.

The 38,000-capacity PNC Park is a baseball stadium on the North Shore of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (US). It is the fifth home ballpark of the Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates. Opened during the 2001 MLB season, the PNC Park sits along the Allegheny River with a view of the Downtown Pittsburgh skyline.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League Central division.

New York (US)-based the Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization. One of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, the MLB comprises 30 teams, divided equally between the National League and the American League, with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada.

The new renderings show why the ‘Buccos’ fans could have another reason to head to the North Shore in 2025.

Exulted Herky Pollock, a HiLife Hospitality Partner, “It’s exciting so we are truly trying to make the North Shore the next level of transformation.”

The Pirates partnered with HiLife Hospitality for the development of a 30,000-square-foot plaza at the Mazeroski Way and West General Robinson Street across the street from the PNC Park.

Pollock said they recently shared their updated plans with the City’s stadium authority and the Planning Commission and the next step will include a hearing before a vote for approval.

Informed Pollock, “It’ll be an extension of the PNC Park. There may be days where we block off the Mazeroski Way and that spills out from the PNC Park, this is at home plate so it is literally the epicenter of the PNC Park so we’ll have Pirate activities and we have the ability to make it look like a Pirate extension with the LED board, signage and lighting and maybe the Pirate Parrot (costumed mascot of the Pittsburgh Pirates) will come by.”

The outdoor plaza will have two stages and a huge LED screen, a free-standing food stand with a beer garden attached to it and an entertainment and restaurant space on the ground level of a new apartment complex.

Construction is already underway at the site for the apartment building. Pollock said this will be the first residential development in that area. He’s excited about what they will put on the ground level of the apartment complex.

Added Pollock, “We’re going to be taking 15,300 square feet on the first floor and activating that with a really unique experimental entertainment and restaurant concept that we’re developing right now and that will spill out into the plaza when all is said and done.”

The capacity will be 1,000 outside and 660 inside.

Pollock said they want the plaza to be Pirates-centric on gameday and on other days, they hope to attract people to the North Shore for other events and activities – “On non-gamedays, it’ll feel like it’s a great plaza or park for the City of Pittsburgh to use and we can have corporate events, private parties, people can come for a cup of coffee or a donut or a sandwich or a beer.”

He said the Pirates and HiLife are ready to play ball. Now they’re hoping for approval to move forward and turn this spot into the fabric of the North Shore.

Put in Pollock, “We’ve had in our mind a certain vision with the Pirates and our team collectively, and we had a vision as to how the plaza would look and I can tell you right now our renderings and plans today exceeded our expectations of what this may look like.”

He said they are hoping to hit it out of the Park and have the plaza ready to go for opening day in Spring of 2025.

‘CBS NEWS PITTSBURGH’ further stated that earlier the Pittsburgh Stadium Authority Board had approved plans for a 30,000 square foot plaza near PNC Park that will be anchored by a giant LED screen.

The Board hopes for events like concerts, movies, watch parties, and fitness classes that could be held year-round.

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