Overview

Known locally as “Mon City”, Monongahela is a city in Washington County with a population of 4,300. The community has an active riverfront area with an invaluable asset: the Monongahela Aquatorium, a unique outdoor amphitheater seating 3,700 that hosts dozens of events and attracts thousands of visitors each year along the Monongahela riverfront. Recognizing the important asset of this venue, the city has already made significant renovations to the Aquatorium’s storm water systems, new bleacher seating, a kayak launch, and an improved stage.

These improvements have increased the usability of the Aquatorium, but the connection between the Main Street and the riverfront remains difficult. Current connections do not encourage event attendees to walk into the Main Street because there is no signage or lighting that entices visitors to leave the venue and explore other places in the community. To address these challenges, Klavon worked with city leadership and the Mon River Towns Program to develop innovative design solutions to improve the community’s connection to their riverfront and to identify priority design and planning projects that focus on the river as an asset. In addition, Klavon developed a streestscape design for the Main Street to include street trees, lighting, site furnishings, and wayfinding signage.

This project is part of an overall strategy to recognize the river as a potential asset for revitalizing distressed neighborhoods in the Mon Valley. The plans for a new boat launch and the increased popularity of the Aquatorium’s concert series, “Rocking on the Mon,” highlight the importance of improving the Aquatorium’s connection and capitalize on that to support other ongoing initiatives in Monongahela’s main street.

Year: 2017

Status: Completed