Graciano Corporation completed a two-year restoration of the Highland Park Pedestrian Tunnel in Pittsburgh, working with the City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. The tunnel had been closed due to deterioration and safety concerns: erosion, weather, and tree roots were pushing stone blocks out of place, putting the arched structure at risk of collapse, according to Casimir J. Pellegrini, engineer for the City of Pittsburgh.
The History of the Tunnel
Highland Park, the 500-acre city park overlooking the Allegheny River, is home to the pedestrian tunnel, built around 1895 from stone quarried on-site. It originally provided safe passage to the historic Highland Park Zoo and served as a monument to Alexander Negley, one of Pittsburgh's earliest settlers, according to Susan M. Rademacher, curator for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. It is one of three stone arch pedestrian tunnels in the city's parks, built on the "separation of ways" principle introduced by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The tunnel was a popular scenic attraction during the Victorian era, when its landscaped slopes appeared on postcards of the period.
Scope of Work
Services Performed
- Removal of stone blocks and abutments on both sides and atop the tunnel along Reservoir Drive
- Numbering and cataloging of each stone for exact repositioning
- On-site stone storage secured with fencing throughout the two-year project
- Engineering evaluation confirming the arch had not moved since its original construction
- Resetting of the numbered stone in its original position
Working with the City and the Parks Conservancy
The City of Pittsburgh hired Graciano to stabilize the tunnel and coordinated closely with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy throughout the project. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the reopened tunnel, Glenn Foglio, President of Graciano, said the company was pleased to have been selected to restore a historic structure that Pittsburgh residents use every day. Monica Watt, a Highland Park resident and former president of the Highland Park Community Council, called the tunnel "one of the unique, original features in the park."
About Graciano Corporation
Founded in 1916, Graciano Corporation is one of the oldest and most experienced masonry and concrete restoration firms in the United States. With offices in Pittsburgh, PA, New York, NY, and Florida, Graciano performs approximately 90% of all work in-house with its own skilled journeymen. The company is a WBENC-certified Woman Business Enterprise with particular depth in historic preservation and the landmark structures that define Pittsburgh's civic and architectural heritage.
