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Braddock on the Mon

    3D view of proposed waterfront showing program areas (farmers’ market, local food stores, public pool, urban farms, transit system, market, art gallery etc.) rendered in drawing overlaid on an aerial photograph.

    The River is a big deal. From Braddock to downtown Pittsburgh there’s no obstruction, there aren’t any locks, we talked about water taxis (…). The river was not a desirable place, except for those who fished, but there was never really any focus on riverfront development. The river makes [Braddock] unique.” – Lisa Franklin-Robinson, NBRFOF member and Braddock resident

    The Braddock waterfront has been a working industrial waterfront for over a hundred years. Even after the decline of the steel and coke industry in the Monongahela Valley, US Steel and the Braddock riverfront remain industrialized. This proposal reimagines the riverfront in a post-industrialized future where the river is publicly accessed and a true asset for Braddock and North Braddock. We propose that the desires of the community should be a priority for rethinking the waterfront. Partnering with local groups and organizations that focus on local stewardship would be the focus, co-creating with the community, for the community has the power to create a resilient waterfront that puts the agency back in the hands of the community.

    • Development based on local lives need exiting practices
    • Optimizing residents’ benefits by promoting pride, and meaning for residents, providing skills (jobs, skills, education)
    • Local history and culture (art and video gallery, history museum)
    • Fair distribution of power and political interests (Rent and taxes will be put into regional development/helping community member in need)
    • Emphasizing sustainability based on regional context and ecological restoration


    Developed by Xinye Wang and Schuyler McAuliffe in conversation with NBRFOF and community members