Press Release — Bridges, Buildings and Architecture of the Three Rivers Boat Tour Pre-Sale
Media Contact:
Bonnie Baxter
Founder/Executive Director
DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh
412-583-1424
bonnie@DoorsOpenPgh.org
DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh Takes to the Rivers to Showcase Pittsburgh’s Buildings and Bridges
PITTSBURGH - June 20, 2022 – For the first time ever, DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh will be heading out on the water, featuring the city’s iconic skyscrapers and legendary bridges by boat this time on an all-new tour called “Bridges, Buildings, and the Architecture of the Three Rivers”.
The tour, being offered only once this year, is scheduled for Sunday, September 11, from 2 – 3:30 pm. Ticket pre-sale begins on June 20 and continues through July 11, offering $8 off general admission.
As you cruise on the rivers, local bridge expert Todd Wilson, and local skyscraper expert Mark Houser, will share new insights about the City of Bridges.
Todd Wilson, MBA, PE, is an award-winning transportation engineer, named one of Pittsburgh Business Times’ 20 Engineers to Know in 2022. He has co-authored two books on Pittsburgh’s bridges, Images of America Pittsburgh’s Bridges and Engineering Pittsburgh a History of Roads, Rails, Canals, Bridges, and More. An engineering graduate of Carnegie Mellon, Todd has extensive knowledge on bridges, having photographed them in all 50 states and 25 countries
Alongside Todd, local author Mark Houser, known for his book, MultiStories: 55 Antique Skyscrapers and the Business Tycoons who Built Them, will highlight the histories of several buildings seen Downtown and along the South Side that hold special significance to Pittsburgh’s cultural heritage and economic development.
The boat tour will begin at the Point, then continue down the Monongahela River, as tour host and local bridge expert Todd Wilson shares intriguing facts and lesser-known stories about some of Pittsburgh’s oldest, still-standing bridges as well as once-vital bridges that no longer exist.
Guests will then head back up and around the Point to reach the Allegheny River, where they’ll glide by the Strip District and hear about how the neighborhood is changing to accommodate an increasing desire to celebrate and make use of Pittsburgh’s proximity to water.
Going past the traditional boundaries permissible for sightseeing cruises, the tour will then continue up to Herr’s Island, otherwise known as Washington’s Landing. Now a mix of business and residential, this island was once filled with large stock yards and meat packing plants. After being designated as a brownfield site in the mid-20th century, it underwent a major rehabilitation and is now regarded as a showcase project in urban redevelopment.
“Pittsburgh is currently in the midst of an expansive effort to reclaim our waterways with exciting new developments in the riverside trail systems and additional opportunities for residents to live river-adjacent, with great views and more access to water-based recreational activities,” said Bonnie Baxter, Founder and Executive Director of DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh. “As the rivers receive more attention, we’re excited to provide this rare opportunity to travel alongside the city’s shorelines with local experts as they share anecdotes from their research on the many magnificent bridges and buildings along the rivers that have been so integral to Pittsburgh’s story.”
Ticket pre-sale begins on June 20 and continues through July 11, offering $8 off general admission. Full price tickets will then be $38 for adults and $12 for children. The tour is rain or shine, with both indoor and outdoor seating offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
This tour requires pre-registration, which closes at 10 am the day of the tour. Please visit https://doorsopenpgh.org/ for more information.
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DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh, a nonprofit 501(c)3, is best known for presenting its large-scale, open-house event downtown each October that celebrates our city’s heritage and architecture by providing the opportunity to explore a diverse collection of buildings, often with behind-the-scenes access.
Since its inception in 2016, DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh has expanded to include: Neighborhood Events, Guided Walking Tours, Insider Tours, Virtual Storytelling, and Bus Tours, and has hosted over 20,000 tour-goers to date. We are supported, in part, by a generous grant from PA Department of Community and Economic Development/The Pennsylvania Tourism Office/visitPA.com
You can read the complete story at https://doorsopenpgh.org/about/
DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh, Inc. (501c3).