Outdoor Green Space
At the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, three programmable outdoor spaces rich in native plants allow visitors and wildlife to connect to southwestern Pennsylvania’s beautiful natural environment.
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North Terrace
Vegetable and Herb Gardens
The abundant sunlight that reaches the North Terrace makes it an excellent spot for growing food, even in the middle of downtown Pittsburgh. Levy Restaurants, the convention center’s exclusive food provider, maintains 1,200 square feet of planters right on our own roof. In the summer, these planters overflow with organically-grown heirloom vegetables and herbs such as squash, peppers, and tomatoes, which are enjoyed by visitors during catered events. With no transportation required, these are the freshest vegetables around.
Monarch Waystation
The migration of the monarch butterfly is one of the miracles of nature. Each fall, hundreds of millions of monarchs migrate from the United States and Canada to spend the winter in Central Mexico. In March, they begin their return journey north.
Over the last decade, the monarch population has declined as a result of urban sprawl and herbicide-resistant crops, which have caused habitat loss. To help the monarchs on their journey, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center has established a Monarch Waystation on the North Terrace’s rooftop gardens.
Developed by the University of Kansas’ Monarch Watch program, Monarch Waystations are a way for individuals to create a habitat with key sources of food for the monarch butterflies. Named after the stops used by steam engines and the Pony Express in the 19th century, waystations are gardens planted with milkweeds and nectar-providing plants.
Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed plants. From when they hatch until they reach adulthood, the larvae only eat from the milkweed plant on which they were born. Then, as they prepare for their migration, the adult butterflies feed on nectar from flowers in the gardens. By hosting a Monarch Waystation, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center is helping to restore and protect the monarch population.
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South Terrace
Living Roof
Newly installed in 2011, the South Terrace’s living roof is an oasis in the city, the perfect combination of nature and urban ambiance for any outdoor event. However, like all of the convention center’s sustainable features, the function of our living roof is more than aesthetic.
In the summer, the surface temperature of dry, impermeable materials such as concrete and asphalt can exceed air temperatures by up to ninety degrees, causing urban areas to be significantly warmer than neighboring rural areas—a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. The urban heat island effect results in higher demand for energy-intensive air conditioning. By absorbing sunlight and re-humidifying the air, our living roof limits surface heating and reduces the urban heat island effect. Studies by the Penn State Center show that even during the hottest Pittsburgh days, living roofs such as ours remain fifty degrees cooler than conventional roofs.
Our living roof is also a natural filtration system. The perennial and Sedum species on the South Terrace remove the equivalent of 255 passenger cars’ worth of carbon dioxide and air pollutants from the atmosphere each year. The growing medium which supports the plants acts as a natural rainwater filter, restoring pH and removing hard metals like zinc and copper. By storing and re-evaporating up to 80% of the rainfall during storms, our living roof also lessens the burden on municipal drainage systems and helps to protect water quality.
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Riverfront Plaza
In 1803, Lewis and Clark started their historic expedition from the riverfront directly adjacent to the site where the David L. Lawrence Convention Center now stands. Today, travelers on that same riverfront are more likely to be going by bicycle than by barge.
The new Convention Center Riverfront Plaza forms an integral part of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, a 22 mile recreational greenway along the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers. Visitors can relax and enjoy the fresh air and the view, or go for a stroll towards the Point or the Strip District. The water feature underneath the convention center provides a safe, inviting, and unforgettable pedestrian connection from the city to the riverfront.
The landscaping alongside the Riverfront Plaza, as well as along the convention center’s eastern side, is exclusively composed of plants indigenous to southwestern Pennsylvania. These species are already adapted to thrive in Pittsburgh’s normal environmental conditions, so there is no need for any pesticides, fertilizers, or excess irrigation. Additionally, planting these species restores riverfront habitat, providing food and shelter for the pollinating insects, birds, and migrating monarch butterflies which are vital parts of the natural ecosystem.