Pittsburgh International Airport debuted the first of its four new outdoor terraces on Wednesday, featuring an appearance from Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.
The 36,000-square-foot terrace, sponsored by UPMC, is located on the landside terminal’s arrivals level, just before the baggage claim. Another terrace is located on the other side of the arrivals level, and the final two are on the departures level.
Allegheny County Airport Authority Chief Operations Officer Travis McNichols said the terraces’ designs evoke Western Pennsylvania’s natural landscapes, complete with more than 40 native plant species, like American witch hazel, river birch, and Appalachian sedge.
The terraces are free and open to the public, who can congregate on the many rocking chairs and tables spread around the walking paths.
“[The terrace] transforms the traditional airport waiting experience into a welcoming outdoor destination, where passengers, visitors and team members can come out here and enjoy the outside,” McNichols said.
Pittsburgh International spokesman Bob Kerlik said the UPMC Terrace’s turf field and electrical outlets near its entrance made it a candidate for pop-up events or food stands. The airport will spend several months evaluating how the public uses the terrace, he said.
Innamorato said the airport’s outdoor access was a rarity among its peers, and reflected Pittsburgh International’s commitment to putting its customers first.
“You don’t have to have club access or be flying business class to be able to experience this beautiful space,” she said.
Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO Christina Cassotis said the terraces can provide peace for stressed-out customers amid the hustle and bustle of the airport.
She and Innamorato then had a stressful experience of their own, attempting to ceremonially release a group of Painted Lady butterflies, many of which either refused to leave their container or landed on the sidewalk next to attendees’ feet.
The terraces’ nature-inspired designs align with the $1.7 billion terminal itself, which features tree-shaped support columns, aluminum leaves pressed into the floor and a faux-wood roof.
The terminal opened in November, and the terraces are one of the final new additions, along with the “Green Spine” of pedestrian walkways and vegetation that connect the terminal to the parking facilities.
The remaining terraces will open sometime during the late summer or fall, while the Green Spine will open next summer, Kerlik said.