A $3.4 million upgrade to Downtown Pittsburgh’s Point State Park is done ahead of schedule, months in advance of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The 36-acre park, which sits at the confluence of Pittsburgh’s three rivers, will be the site of some of the draft activities in April, as well as events commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary in July.
Recent upgrades to prepare the park for the upcoming events included repairing leaks and improving lighting at the iconic, 50-year-old fountain.
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources also fixed walkways and utilities, improved lighting throughout the lawn, flag bastion and parking lot and spruced up landscaping.
Department officials said work wrapped up this week — ahead of the spring 2026 goal.
“Point State Park is ready for next year’s major events, including the NFL Draft and celebrations for our nation’s 250th birthday,” Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said in a news release.
While work was being done, the iconic fountain was turned off this summer. Some events — like the city’s Independence Day celebration — were moved to other spots while crews upgraded the park.
The park improvements are among several projects undertaken to prepare the city for the draft, which is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of fans to Downtown and the North Shore.
Market Square also is getting a facelift, a four-acre outdoor civic space dubbed Arts Landing is set to be finished by early April and Acrisure Stadium has seen a slew of upgrades.
As part of a broader $600 million effort to revitalize Downtown, Gov. Josh Shapiro has promised an additional $25 million investment in longer-term projects at Point State Park. That includes further updates to the fountain and new recreational activities on the cityside lawn.
“Point State Park is an anchor of our city’s identity and a place that enriches daily life for residents and visitors alike,” Mayor Ed Gainey said in a statement. “With the NFL Draft and the America 250 PA celebrations set to take place here in 2026, Point State Park will stand at the center of our city’s story, showcasing Pittsburgh’s energy, history, and pride to the rest of the country.”