Pittsburgh City Council
Three Sisters Bridges, Schenley Park and Pump Stations are on the verge of historic designations.
Written by Amy Whipple
Pittsburgh has a long history and now more of it is about to be designated as “historic.”
Five structures and one park are on track to be designated historic by city council at next week’s legislative meeting. The Three Sisters — the Roberto Clemente Bridge (Sixth Street), the Andy Warhol Bridge (Seventh Street), and the Rachel Carson Bridge (Ninth Street) connecting Downtown to the North Side— the Ross and Aspinwall Pump Stations in Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, and Schenley Park in Squirrel Hill all received preliminary approval. Historic designation conveys a level of protection to the structures.
Preservation Pittsburgh has also nominated the former Office of Municipal Investigations building in the Strip District for historic designation, which means it cannot be altered without the approval of the Historic Review Commission.
The pending nomination was filed May 28 and conveys the same protection as if the designation was approved. In June council approved selling the OMI building to the Urban Redevelopment Authority.
According to Council President R. Daniel Lavelle of the Upper Hill District at the Oct. 15 committee meeting, the URA had not been notified of the nomination. He said if they had “they probably wouldn’t have agreed to engage in the transaction.”
According to Council Member Bobby Wilson of Spring Hill, one party interested in purchasing the property from the URA would convert the site to a parking lot. Historic preservation standards would require the Historic Review Commission’s approval before demolition.
Council plans to hold a public hearing on the building’s designation, but a date has not yet been set.
Connections to this story
- Elected officials:
- R. Daniel LavelleBobby Wilson
- Governments:
- Pittsburgh City Council
- Public meetings:
- City Council · October 14, 2025
- Sources:
- Resolution 2025-2154 — providing for the designation as a Historic Structure under Title 11 of the Code of Ordinances that certain structure…Resolution 2025-2155 — providing for the designation as a Historic Structure under Title 11 of the Code of Ordinances that certain structure…Resolution 2025-2153 — providing for the designation as a Historic Structure under Title 11 of the Code of Ordinances that certain structure…Resolution 2025-2156 — providing for the designation as a Historic Site under Title 11 of the Code of Ordinances that certain site known as…Resolution 2025-2152 — providing for the designation as Historic Structures under Title 11 of the Code of Ordinances that certain structures…Resolution 2025-2333 — providing for the designation as a Historic Site under Title 11 of the Code of Ordinances that certain structure known…
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