The long-awaited transformation of Schenley Plaza from a parking lot into a park is set to begin in the spring.
Members of the Oakland Task Force, a partnership of more than 20 business owners, public agencies, organizations, university and hospital representatives, announced Tuesday at its annual meeting that funding and approval are in place for the $10.1 million project.
The park will be located along Forbes Avenue between the Carnegie and Hillman libraries.
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy received a $5 million state grant in April, with the remaining money raised by the conservancy and the Oakland Investment Committee. Construction is to be completed by November 2005.
Paul Tellers, former chairman of the task force, said Schenley Plaza will become the new town square for Oakland and will be an important part of community revitalization.
"We hope this will become the premier gathering place for all of Oakland," he said.
The mission of the task force is to make Oakland a better place to live, work and socialize.
"Our goal is to support continuing growth in Oakland," said incoming chairman G. Reynolds Clark.
The new plaza, which will be operated by the Parks Conservancy, will feature a 3-acre lawn, gardens, movable tables and chairs, food kiosks, concerts and a children's carousel.
Clark said 92 parking spaces have been added on neighboring streets to help offset the loss of 238 spaces.
In addition to the plaza, the task force outlined several other projects, including improving public transportation for the 23,000 people who take buses to school and work in Oakland daily, building a new portal bridge on the Boulevard of the Allies over Forbes Avenue, stimulating residential revitalization and fostering additional technological development.
"This neighborhood is absolutely critical to the overall success of the region," said Don Smith, director of economic development for the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, both based in Oakland.
Smith cited 25,000 jobs, 30,000 students and 40,000 hospital workers, along with 175 technology companies including Lycos, Precision Therapeutics, Cellomics and Cellumen, which all got their start in Oakland.
"It is important to continue growing and improving this 'eds and meds' center," Smith said. "We need to make the physical environment more attractive and create more amenities for families and companies to stay here."
Clark said the task force will focus on four initiatives over the next five years: creating a sense of place and improving neighborhood appearance, making it easier to get around, stimulating revitalization and fostering technology development.
"We have some very large and aggressive projects on the board. Now, the challenge will be getting the funding and support to make them a reality," he said.
