PBT Advances School Expansion Plan this Spring

Since launching the PBT School Expansion Plan in 2009, PBT has marked major milestones from the opening of PBT’s first student dormitory to the addition of new sprung studio floors and an expanded reception area at the PBT Studios. This spring, PBT will advance the next phase of the plan with a project to improve safety and increase campus parking for students, dancers and visitors.

Following the recent purchase of PBT’s neighboring property on Liberty Avenue in the Strip District, PBT has scheduled demolition in late May of the former Liberty Mart building located next to the studios. The lot will be repurposed to create more than 35 new parking spaces on the same side of the street as the studios, reducing the need for families to students to cross busy Liberty Avenue from PBT’s overflow parking lot.

“With an annual PBT School enrollment of 900 students, combined with visits from company members, staff and our extended PBT family, we are host to a total of 2,000 people coming and going from the PBT Studios each week,” said PBT Executive Director Harris Ferris. “By investing in the growth of our campus, we can continue to increase the training, education and audience engagement programs that distinguish PBT’s impact in the Pittsburgh community.”

PBT purchased the property as part of the School Expansion Plan to support growing enrollment in PBT School’s Children’s, Student, Pre-Professional and Adult Open Divisions and attendance at community engagement events hosted at the PBT Studios. The property expansion increased PBT’s campus footprint to more than 60,000 square feet.

In addition to parking expansion, the property also lays the foundation for the final phase of the expansion plan: the construction of an annex building with three new studio spaces to accommodate a projected 60 percent increase in PBT School enrollment and overall organizational growth.