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Park & Parkway Systems
Highland Park - Solving Technical Issues in Construction
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Heritage Landscapes construction documents and administration directed the succeessful rehabilitation of the grand 19th century entry fountain basin as part of the Highland Park Welcome Entry Fountain & Gardens Project. The project posed interesting construction challenges.
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The Highland Reservoir supplies water to the city of Pittsburgh. Leading from the reservoir two 30" brick, 19th century feed pipes lie directly under the 19th century fountain. Intricate structural aspects of the project involved careful attention to maintaining the integrity of both water features. 2
When the project began in 2001 the fountain was failed and the entire 130 feet by 75 feet basin planted to shrubs. Oral history research in the Highland Park neighborhood determined that the last functional use of the fountain was in the 1950s. Ginkgo trees were planted in the 1960s. 3
The new design respects fountain evolution from the 1880s bedding gardens and the 1930s rose gardens. The new garden uses 1937 outer walk patterns developed under Ralph Griswold, FASLA and interprets the wide arch of the 1890s walk with a row of hollies. 4
Graceful 19th century coping on the fountain was lifted and set on an entirely new basin. The rehabilitated basin design includes a shallow pool of 12" from the lip for enhanced public safety. 5
A series of large sloped planes on the bottom of the basin lead to two drains. Careful construction administration ensured the exact positioning of steel reinforcement for shaping the slopes in the concrete basin. 6
For the basin Heritage Landscapes with the expertise of Robert Silman Associates structural engineers developed a complex epoxy-coated steel reinforcing system and used durable high strength concrete. 7
In fall 2004 14,700 square feet of gardens were planted with over 30,000 spring bulbs and 200 peonies. On 7 May 2005 the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Spring Hat Lunch celebration event welcomed the spring bloom and fountain waters. 
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