You may have noticed some new paint on some old structures in Downtown Pittsburgh. It’s part of an effort to brighten up the city ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The art or “artistic maintenance” may not be entirely noticeable until you get up close. Its purpose is to make the city look more presentable for the upcoming draft, and once the draft is gone, the art will stick around.
Rolling up behind the wheel of a trolley bus on Tuesday was none other than Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor. The mayor was taking folks for a ride to show off some new paint on some outdated infrastructure.
“This bridge was built by U.S. Steel and American Bridge back in 1954,” said Jeremy Waldrup with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, referring to the old Norfolk and Southern Railroad trestle running through the Strip District.
“Doing painting like this shows that the gateway into our major entertainment district is now being taken care of,” Mayor O’Connor said.
The historic Pennsylvania Railroad logo and the city’s seal will also be on the trestle. Mayor O’Connor and Waldrup said there will be more to see.
“We are activating a number of retail spaces in Pittsburgh,” Waldrup said.
Especially on Smithfield Street and Sixth Avenue from the Triangle Building and the Center City Tower to Mellon Square.
“We’re going to do some beautification efforts and pop-ups along the corridor,” Waldrup said.
The “redding up” effort costs roughly $400,000, with the full tab picked up by private entities and corporations.
“This is just the start of what you can expect to see. The draft is only phase one,” Waldrup said.