Work to begin on Pitt’s ‘Panther Overlook’ hillside landscaping project

PITTSBURGH — Pitt students, both past and present, know the journey through Oakland well: walking up Cardiac Hill and never-ending sets of outdoor stairs to get to and from class. Now, the university is hoping to make the trek a little easier.

Two acres of steep hillside between Utterback Drive and O’Hara Street will soon be transformed into Panther Overlook, a unifying pathway between areas of the University of Pittsburgh campus.

The university provided Channel 11 renderings of what the space will look like when the hillside landscaping project is complete, offering social spaces, a beautiful view, and even a brief rest area for students and faculty as they’re walking up and down the hilly campus.

“I live on Forbes Avenue at the bottom of campus, and it’s a straight walk up Cardiac Hill to the Fieldhouse,” said Merideth Oister, a Pitt freshman. “I have sat down and taken a break halfway through because it is a horrible walk.”

Many students said they plan to take advantage of the pedestrian pathways and are looking forward to seeing the finished product.

“I think it’s nice that new things will be here, it’s just…it seems the construction is never over,” said Beau Cochrane, a Pitt freshman

“It will be a nice place to hang out, just more green space on campus,” Oister said.

Work is scheduled to begin this fall and be completed by spring 2026.

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