PITTSBURGH
- Market Square, downtown Pittsburgh's revitalized European-like piazza, will undergo another new development. Slated for completion in 2014, the mixed-use Gardens at Market Square (412.566.4190; www.downtownpittsburgh.com) project will include office and retail space, a 175-room Hilton Garden Hotel and a 325-space parking garage.
- The event-ready Mattress Factory Art Museum (412.231.3169; www.mattress.org), Pittsburgh's art installation museum and North Side revitalization anchor, broke ground on 2,500 square feet of new exhibitions and programming space.
- Dedicated to cartoon and comics art, ToonSeum (412.232.0199; www.toonseum.org) tripled its space to more than 6,000 square feet. The expanded museum, located in downtown's Cultural District, includes an outdoor courtyard and indoor reading and research space.
- The Pittsburgh Riverhounds (412.539.1191; www.riverhounds.com) professional soccer team broke ground on a new 3,500-seat stadium in the Station Square entertainment complex. A completion date has not been determined.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
- The Meadows Racetrack & Casino (724.503.1200; www.meadowsgaming.com) continues to finalize plans for a 200-room hotel and spa connected to the casino and racetrack property. Part of a $25 million expansion project that began in late 2011, discussions also include options for a multi-event center on-site to accommodate banquets, meeting space and other large venues. Specific plans and details on both projects will be announced in the near future.
LAUREL HIGHLANDS
- Partially owned by golf legend Arnold Palmer and filled with his memorabilia, the new SpringHill Suites Pittsburgh Latrobe (724.537.7800; www.springhillsuiteslatrobe.com) opened in June with 109 suites, two meeting rooms accommodating up to 40 people and a boardroom seating up to 10. Offering free Wi-Fi throughout, the property also partners with nearby Latrobe Country Club, Palmer's home course, for golf outings and banquets for guests booking a golf, leisure or corporate meetings package.