Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Portfolio

Located in Pittsburgh’s downtown Cultural District—a 14-block, arts-centered neighborhood, this project was part of the Heinz family’s Pittsburgh Cultural Trust (PCT) portfolio. The PCT is a non-profit formed in the 1980s to transform a tired red-light district into a destination area for the arts. The organization has a diverse portfolio of real estate assets that encompasses 35 facilities within one million square feet, including theatrical venues, visual art galleries, public art spaces, offices, and mixed-use commercial buildings.

PCT has revitalized the cultural district by renovating, reopening, and repurposing various assets situated within the neighborhood. Stretching from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on Tenth Street down Liberty Avenue and Penn Avenue to Sixth Street, the district draws upwards of two million annual visitors who come to experience the arts, public parks, restaurants, and a burgeoning retail sector.

Marx|Okubo performed comprehensive facility condition assessments of PCT’s portfolio including Benedum Center, a 2,800-seat theater, and Byham Theater (originally constructed in 1903), galleries, public spaces, offices, and other real estate assets. The intent of the project was to review and identify deferred and future maintenance needs for each of the assets in the portfolio, prioritizing the capital improvement work and providing PCT with a comprehensive assessment and documentation that they could ultimately use for future fundraising efforts.