Building A Legacy

1970s and 1980s

1984 1986

A section of Liberty The Pittsburgh Carol R. Brown is Avenue in downtown Cultural Trust is named the Trust’s Pittsburgh becomes a founded by H.J. fi rst President & CEO. red-light district, hosting “Jack” Heinz II to venues like burlesque create a national houses, strip bars, and model for urban peep show theaters. revitalization through the arts. LEGACY BUILDING A

1987 1990 1992 1998

The Trust faithfully restores the former 2,800-seat Stanley Theater, which is renamed The Benedum Center for the Performing Arts.

1987 The Trust launches an ambitious plan to transform the downtown Pittsburgh Cultural District into a worldclass arts and entertainment destination. The Trust purchases The Trust opens the former 1,300- Wood Street seat Gayety Theater. Galleries, its fi rst Following renovations, visual arts endeavor. the Fulton Theater reopens in 1991 1995 and is later renamed The Trust purchases the Byham Theater and refurbishes a in 1995. former XXX theater, and reopens it as the Harris Theater, screening independent and foreign fi lms. The Trust’s District Plan includes the creation of Allegheny Riverfront Park, a two-tiered linear promenade located alongside the Allegheny River. The Trust commissioned a fi rst-time collaboration between artist Ann Hamilton and landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh to create the park.

1999

The Agnes R. Katz Plaza is unveiled, featuring a 25-foot bronze fountain by sculptor, Louise Bourgouis, and the design of renowned architects, Dan Kiley and Michael Graves.

1999 Artists Robert Wilson and Richard Gluckman are selected by the Trust for a series of public art projects in the Cultural District. 1999 TREK Development Group, in cooperation with the Trust, establishes 900 Penn Avenue as one of the Cultural District’s fi rst residential loft-style developments.

In the 1970s, amid a backdrop of closing steel mills and struggling communities, a section of Liberty Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh emerged as the hub for the city’s sex industry. Quickly catching on as a red-light district, this stretch of downtown became home to strip bars, XXX theaters, and adult-themed shops. As the district grew, so too did an undercurrent of vice and crime—effectively erasing this section of downtown from the daily footprint of many Pittsburghers.

The story of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust began as a vision of what could be—held in the minds of a hopeful few. It was in 1984 that Jack Heinz and his “band of dreamers” committed to rewriting the city’s narrative. Together, they aspired to show how the arts could serve as a catalyst for economic, commercial, and residential development, all while enriching the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. Rather than abandoning the seediest part of downtown, Heinz and his “dreamers”—like-minded private citizens and public leaders—set their sights on transforming and revitalizing the district, while retaining the historically signifi cant elements already there.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust was founded in 1984, and from there, Jack Heinz set out to appoint the organization’s fi rst president and chief executive offi cer.

He sought a leader with great vision, a passion for the arts, and the fearlessness needed to help the fl edgling organization pursue its lofty aspirations. Heinz found such a leader in Carol Brown, who was named President and CEO in 1986.

The Trust opens the O’Reilly Theater as the downtown home of the Pittsburgh Public Theater. The Trust establishes Shared Services to increase effi ciency across all Cultural District organizations. 2001 Following Carol R. Brown’s tenure, J. Kevin McMahon is selected as the Trust’s new President & CEO.

2002 Pittsburgh Dance Council becomes a programming division of the Trust. 2003 The Trust opens the Theater Square complex. 2003 First Night Pittsburgh becomes a program of the Trust. 2003 The Trust presents London’s Globe Theatre for the region’s exclusive run of Twelfth Night. 2004 The Trust presents the inaugural Pittsburgh Festival of Firsts. 2004 The fi rst Gallery Crawl is held in the Cultural District. 2004 The Trust transforms a former adult bookstore into SPACE, a visual arts gallery. The Trust purchases 805-807 Liberty Avenue. The James E. Rohr Building now houses the Trust Arts Education Center. 2006 The Trust partners with Lincoln Properties to open The Encore on Seventh, an residential building in the Cultural District. 2007 Magnolias for Pittsburgh is installed at the Seventh and Penn parklet. 2008 The Children’s Theater Festival becomes a division of the Trust. The Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival is produced by the Trust for the fi rst time. 2009 The August Wilson Center for African American Culture opens and joins Shared Services. 2013 The Trust welcomes the Rubber Duck, as part of the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts. 2013 The Trust offers its fi rst Broadway sensory-friendly performance. (The Lion King). 2015 Gateway to the Arts becomes a division of the Trust.

2019 The Trust opens Trust Oasis, a new outdoor

2000

2005

BUILDING A LEGACY

In her role, Brown oversaw the signature Trust projects that spurred downtown’s transformation: the renovation of the Benedum, Byham and Harris theaters, the building of the O’Reilly

Theater, and the opening of Wood Street Galleries. In addition to these higher profi le projects, Brown’s early responsibilities included marketing, community outreach, and fundraising—all of which were especially challenging during some of Pittsburgh’s economic downturns.

But perhaps the crowning accomplishment in Brown’s illustrious career is the development of the Cultural District as a whole. In addition to leading theater restoration efforts, Brown played a key role in creating the Agnes R. Katz Plaza, Allegheny Riverfront Park, and other public art pieces that helped solidify the District as Pittsburgh’s center for arts and culture. As the Trust’s fi rst president and CEO, Brown’s accomplishments and impact laid the foundation for future success. 2009

space featuring rotating public art installations. 2018 The Trust honors longtime Trustee, George C. Greer, by renaming its cabaret theater as the Greer Cabaret Theater. 2019 The Trust opens Liberty Magic.

Kevin McMahon assumed the role of CED after Carol Brown stepped down in 2000. In the years that have followed, McMahon has built upon Brown’s success and helped to take the organization to the next level by expanding its programming and broadening its reach. During McMahon’s tenure as president, the Trust has gained several notable programming divisions, including the Pittsburgh Dance Council, the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, and Highmark First Night Pittsburgh. The Trust has engaged growing audiences, hitting milestone numbers in both members and subscribers. McMahon continues to lead efforts to diversify both programming and audiences, while continuing to cultivate an active, thriving Cultural District.

The story of the Trust is ongoing, and its legacy is in the making; but in its fi rst 35 years,

its impact has been undeniable. There is no doubt that the success of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust—and the Cultural District—has been tied to the overall renaissance that the city of Pittsburgh has enjoyed in recent years. Embracing the challenges and opportunities that come with the future, the Trust looks forward to the next 35 years.