Greater Downtown Pittsburgh Public Realm Activation Study through Light and Art

Location:	Pennsylvania
Posted:	Mar 17, 2026
Due:	Apr 27, 2026
Agency:	Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	62 - Lighting Fixtures and Lamps
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

RFPGreater Downtown Pittsburgh Public Realm Activation Study through Light and Art

Issue Date

March 6th, 2026

Due Date

April 27th, 2026

The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) is seeking qualified multidisciplinary consultant teams (the “Consultant” or “Respondent”) to conduct a comprehensive analysis focused on improving safety, visibility, and experiential quality on all streets in Pittsburgh’s Golden Triangle and adjacent Greater Downtown Pittsburgh neighborhoods (including the Strip District, North Shore, South Shore, Uptown, and Hill District). The analysis will include alleyways, underpasses, and other low-visibility public realm corridors.

Contact Information

Nazin Bagherynejad

Assistant Director of Architecture and Engineering

P: 412-255-6664

NBagherynejad@ura.org

Resources & Addendums

Attachment Preview

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

GREATER DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH PUBLIC REALM

ACTIVATION STUDY THROUGH LIGHT AND ART

Issue Date:

March 6, 2026, 1:00 PM EST

Q&A Session:

March 27, 2026, 1:00 PM EST

Proposal Due Date:

April 27, 2026 - 5:00 PM EST

1. OBJECTIVE

The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) is seeking qualified

multidisciplinary consultant teams (the “Consultant” or “Respondent”) to conduct a

comprehensive analysis focused on improving safety, visibility, and experiential quality

on all streets in Pittsburgh’s Golden Triangle and adjacent Greater Downtown Pittsburgh

neighborhoods (including the Strip District, North Shore, South Shore, Uptown, and Hill

District). The analysis will include alleyways, underpasses, and other low-visibility public

realm corridors.

The goal of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to select a consultant team capable of

conducting a rigorous, data-informed assessment of existing lighting and environmental

conditions across varying times of day, comprehensively identifying all locations with

diminished visibility and perceived safety concerns where the use of light and art will

create a sense of place, safety, wonder and beauty. The URA seeks responses

demonstrating a strong understanding of public realm safety, human-scale lighting

design, creative placemaking, and interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as the ability to

translate analysis into clear recommendations that can inform future pilot projects and

phased implementation by the URA, the City of Pittsburgh, and partner organizations.

Sustainable and context-sensitive practices are encouraged throughout the study and

shall include consideration of energy-efficient lighting strategies, reduction of light

pollution, durable and low-maintenance materials, accessibility, and approaches that

enhance pedestrian comfort, orientation, and quality of life. Examples of best practices

worldwide for the use of lighting and art to activate spaces with an emphasis on the

achievable, the practical, the cost-effective, as well as more ambitious and costly efforts,

should be provided.

The URA reserves the right to reject any or all submissions, to waive informalities, and to

award the contract in the best interest of the Authority. There is no commitment by the

URA to fund implementation or pilot projects as part of this RFP.

2. URA INFORMATION

Established and existing under the Pennsylvania Urban Redevelopment Law, 35 P.S. §§

1701, et seq., and incorporated in 1946 as one of the first redevelopment authorities in

the United States, the URA is the City of Pittsburgh’s economic development enterprise.

The URA is committed to building a prosperous and equitable economy for all of

Pittsburgh. It helps to bridge public and private interests to invest in meaningful equitable

developments that promote housing affordability, economic mobility, entrepreneurship,

and neighborhood revitalization. The URA’s work creates and sustains quality jobs,

thriving neighborhoods, healthy communities and sustainable businesses for the benefit

of all Pittsburghers. Additional information regarding the URA may be found on the URA’s

website at www.ura.org.

3. URA INTENT

The intent of this RFP is to select a consultant to conduct a comprehensive site

assessment and make design recommendations with the goal of transforming

underutilized, poorly lit, or negatively perceived Downtown spaces into safe, welcoming,

and educational environments, while advancing the URA’s goals related to placemaking,

equity, sustainability, economic vitality, and civic engagement.

For purposes of this RFP, these goals are defined as follows:

A. Placemaking: Strengthening Downtown’s identity and sense of place through high-

quality design that enhances public spaces, supports activation, and reinforces

cultural and architectural character.

B. Equity: Ensuring improvements are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the needs

of diverse users.

C. Sustainability: Promoting energy-efficient, durable, and environmentally responsible

lighting strategies that reduce long-term environmental impact.

D. Economic Vitality: Supporting increased foot traffic, extended evening activity,

business retention and attraction, and overall Downtown competitiveness through

strategic public realm investment.

E. Civic Engagement: Encouraging public interaction, community participation, and

educational opportunities through thoughtful design, stakeholder collaboration, and

transparent implementation processes.

The URA seeks proposals that move beyond designs for conventional lighting upgrades

and instead employ multi-sensory, technology-enabled experiences that combine light,

sound, arts and AR (Augmented Reality) storytelling to: Improve perceived and actual

safety; Encourage pedestrian activity; and Celebrate Pittsburgh’s history, culture, rivers,

and natural resources.

4. PUBLIC REALM OBJECTIVES

Proposals should clearly address the following objectives: Enhance nighttime safety and

comfort in Greater Downtown public spaces; Activate dark or underutilized locations

through creative placemaking; Educate the public on Pittsburgh’s historical, cultural, and

environmental narratives; Engage local artists, students, academic institutions, and

community groups; Generate data and feedback to inform long-term public realm

strategies.

5. SCOPE OF SERVICES

A. Site Identification and Analysis

• Identify all site-specific locations within the Greater Downtown Pittsburgh

neighborhoods and other connecting locations between the Golden Triangle

and adjacent Greater Downtown Pittsburgh neighborhoods through field

observations conducted at multiple times of day and night.

• Assess existing lighting conditions, pedestrian volumes, and perceived safety.

B. Community Engagement

• Conduct on-street surveys and interviews as well as interviews with Greater

Downtown stakeholders.

• Engage students and local institutions in fieldwork and data collection.

C. Evaluation and Reporting

• Measure usage of illuminated corridors, perception of safety, and public

response to lighting improvements and art installations.

• Provide recommendations for scaling and implementation.

• Provide examples of best practices worldwide for the use of lighting and art to

activate spaces with an emphasis on the achievable, the practical, the cost-

effective, as well as more ambitious and costly efforts.

D. Deliverables

The selected consultant will produce clear and actionable deliverables that document the

study findings and provide a framework for future implementation of lighting and public

art improvements in Greater Downtown Pittsburgh.

• Conceptual Lighting and Public Art Recommendations

• Site Inventory and Existing Conditions Analysis

• Priority Opportunity Map and Project List

• Stakeholder and Community Engagement Summary

• Implementation Framework and Strategy Recommendation

• Best Practices Report

6. STAKEHOLDER OVERVIEW

The URA strongly encourages engagement with local organizations, including but not

limited to the following:

• BOMA Pittsburgh – Mobilize building owners/managers; coordinate access to

façades/power/easements; facilitate maintenance commitments and after-hours

operations; and help recruit corporate sponsors.

• Point Park University – Provide access to field surveys, site analysis, public

engagement, and student research.

• Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership – Provide information around coordination

and maintenance alignment.

• Pittsburgh Cultural Trust – Provide data around programming and cultural

integration.

• Downtown Pittsburgh employers and property owners – Provide site access

and operational coordination.

• NAIOP – Engage commercial real estate developers and investors.

7. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Proposals shall include:

A. RFP Summary Page

B. All responses should include the RFP Summary Page, which can be found at the

end of this document (Exhibit ‘H’), as the cover page of the proposal package

C. Project understanding and approach

D. Team qualifications and relevant experience

E. Description of local partnerships

F. Preliminary schedule and budget

G. Examples of similar work

H. Fee proposal and budget detail

At a minimum, the final study shall provide:

A. Comprehensive site analysis report

B. Community engagement summary

C. Best practice report

D. Design recommendations

E. Recommended next steps

8. RESPONSE SUBMISSIONS

Respondents should submit their proposal package using Ion Wave Technologies, the

URA’s online procurement platform, at https://ura.ionwave.net/Login.aspx.

The proposal should be combined into one file in bookmarked PDF format. Do not send

hard copies to the URA.

The proposal submission and questions concerning the content of this RFP must be

submitted via Ion Wave Technologies only. For assistance with Ion Wave, please contact

Ivy Coleman, URA Program Assistant, at 412-255-6691 or icoleman@ura.org.

9. SELECTION CRITERIA

A. Process: The selection of any firm(s) will be made by the URA Board of Directors after

receiving recommendations from URA staff and/or any applicable review committee.

Such selection will be based on the nature and quality of the responding firm’s

responses to the Scope of Services and Submission Requirements described above.

Proposals will be evaluated based on: Quality and creativity of approach; Technical

feasibility; Strength of community engagement; Inclusion of local partners; Cost

effectiveness and scalability; and Alignment with URA goals.

The URA reserves the right to request that any respondent meet with URA staff and/or

a review committee in a formal interview. The URA reserves the right to select or reject

any proposal at its sole discretion. The URA is not obligated to select any proposal as

a result of this RFP.

B. Preferences: The URA, in recommending proposals to the URA Board of Directors,

shall show preference toward proposals that include local development partners, local

MWBE partners, and partners with demonstrated expertise in art, lighting design, and

public realm activation.

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

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Greater Downtown Pittsburgh Public Realm Activation Study through Light and Art

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