PITTSBURGH, PA (July 10, 2020) The City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Works has selected a design consultant for the renovation of Homewood Park.
The Department of Public Works issued a request for proposals in February of this year. After an extensive interview process, DPW accepted a proposal from Studio Zewde, a New York firm specializing in landscape architecture, urban design and community engagement.
“Homewood Community Sports & Bridging the Gap Development are excited about the selection of the firm Studio Zewde,” said Mubarik Ismaeli, president of Homewood Community Sports. “They have a positive track record for their work across the U.S. and are the right firm for this project. We’re equally excited to work with this firm in a truly collaborative manner to bring our project to fruition. We appreciate the Mayor and his staff for their honesty and consistency with this process. We look forward to bringing something great to the Homewood Community! Stay Tuned!”
The New York firm describes itself this way:
“Studio Zewde is a vibrant landscape architecture, urban design, and public art practice based in New York City. Fusing the years of experience of Sara Zewde and Ashley Ludwig, our work is lauded for its innovative design methodology that syncs site interpretation with community engagement, a design process powered by narrative, and a dedication to the craft of construction.
A Black and woman-owned firm, our employees have backgrounds in landscape architecture, architecture, city planning, urban design, sociology, statistics, community organizing, and public art. Our practice is recognized for its ability to design meaningfully for people and their stories in the context of contested narratives and development pressure. Projects like the Mander Rec Center Campus in Philadelphia, Africatown Plaza in Seattle, Volango Wharf in Rio de Janeiro, and Domino Park in New York City demonstrate the potential for our design work to illuminate the stories of people and place. Our design energy is devoted to the “aesthetics of being” and to creating enduring places where people belong.”
Proposed renovations for Homewood Park include:
- Site engineering for the development of a combined, regulation-size football and baseball field, seating and site-wide ADA accessibility
- Structural engineering for retaining walls surrounding the site
- Relocation of existing pool and bathhouse/ locker room to accommodate field renovations
- Site-wide stormwater management solutions, including cisterns or r-tanks under the athletic fields
- Connection to the Martin Luther King Jr. Busway and renovated pedestrian bridge to Westinghouse Park
- Cultural/ performance space with connections to the Afro American Music Institute
- Playground and multi-purpose courts for various youth activities
A copy of the full bid is here.
The project team is anticipating a minimum 18-month design process prior to beginning construction.
For questions about the park contact:
Andrea Ketzel
Senior Project Landscape Architect
City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Works
414 Grant Street, Room 301, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
[e] andrea.ketzel@pittsburghpa.gov.
