This morning’s run was meticulously planned to be in Brookline. Unfortunately, I was day-dreaming on the Boulevard of the Allies and ended up on the Crosstown Boulevard instead of the Liberty Bridge. Oh well, sometimes its better just to start where you are. So I ran in Uptown and the Lower Hill. I must say, it was still a rewarding run, with a number of grand views and murals.
Uptown and the Bluff are dominated by Duquesne University and other large facilities, such as PPG Paints Arena. With the amount of pollution generally in Allegheny County, I’m not sure why there’s a continual flame above the People’s Natural Gas Gate, but it is cool to see.
Duquense University Along Forbes 
PPG Paints Arena – Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins
Further east of Duquesne is Mercy Hospital with its helicopter pad and construction. Given the depth of the digging, it looks like something big is being built next to Mercy. I had to stretch out to get a pic over the fence. For a bit there, my GPS became wonky – claiming that I had run a four minute mile. That worried me for the rest of the run, but it turns out the route was recorded properly, regardless of that mile.
Mercy’s Helipad 
Something BIG this way comes
Eventually, the area settles down to small streets and alleys with row houses and small businesses intermixed. While there’s a lot of chain-linked fencing enclosing parking areas, there’s also bold murals along the houses and walls.
Stevie Wonder Wall 
Keep Swimming 
Bold Mural 
Sax in the City
Crossing over the Lower Hill, I ran among the residential streets and alley ways in Crawford-Roberts and Bedford Avenue. Much of the area has been rejuvenated, with townhouses, condos and tree-lined streets. However, there are some older structures; dark-brick row-houses, standard Pittsburgh brick four-squares and tall narrow houses which are still in poor shape. Beyond Bedford Avenue, there are a number of places with views across the Allegheny River.
Lot with a view 
Eight Bridge View
This is a very urban area, but is more green space than I expected, such as this parklet overlooking the Allegheny. The ‘featured image’ of the tire-swing surrounded by a grassy field is something I attribute to more suburban and rural settings.
Parklet Along Bedford Avenue
This area is also pretty big. These seven or eight miles didn’t cover nearly the streets I had hoped. It looks like I’ll have at least two more runs in the Hill District before I can cross it off my list.