A new entertainment destination across from PNC Park will bring drinks, food and a spacious outdoor hangout in time for the Pirates' home opener.

State of play: The highly anticipated Plaza at North Shore opens April 2 at Mazeroski Way and General Robinson Boulevard, per Legacy Hospitality Partners, the team behind concepts like Palm Palm and Shorty's.

• SugarBird, the outdoor plaza's first restaurant, will open with a fast-casual menu of fried chicken, donuts and soft-serve. It will also feature a large outdoor patio and full bar.

Zoom in: The space will have two performance stages and a 40-foot LED screen to air games, movies, and more, with live music, festivals, yoga, and daily activities in the works.

• It will host three major concerts with national headliners during NFL Draft week in late April, with the lineup coming soon, per Legacy.

What they're saying: "This is the crown jewel of the North Shore and we are unveiling it at a time when all eyes are on Pittsburgh," says Herky Pollock, owner of Legacy Hospitality.

Context: Pittsburgh development is racing ahead of the NFL Draft and a packed slate of major events.

Flashback: The 30,000-square-foot concept has been in the works since 2023, when developers announced plans to expand North Shore entertainment near the ballpark to draw away-game crowds and host year-round events.

• The plaza was slated to open last year but was delayed by permitting issues, rising construction costs and other hurdles.

What's next: The Pirates' home opener is April 3 against the Orioles.

Go deeper

Pittsburgh City Paper is relaunching under new ownership less than three months after the alt-weekly's abrupt shutdown.

Why it matters: Pittsburgh's media ecosystem is in flux after Block Communications moved to shed two of the city's most recognizable news brands in rapid succession.

• City Paper's revival comes as the region seeks a stable path for local newsrooms amid industry turmoil.

Driving the news: LocalMatters, a new nonprofit focused on sustaining local journalism, will revive City Paper online and in print, starting with free monthly print editions, per a news release.

• Most of the newsroom's editorial staff will return to cover news, politics, arts, culture and more, editor Ali Trachta said.

Inside the room: The paper plans to restart online publishing in April and printing in May.

Catch up quick: Block Communications acquired City Paper in 2023 from the Butler Eagle's owners.

• The company shuttered it in January after more than three decades, saying it "had not reached a level of financial performance that allows Block Communications to continue operating it responsibly."
• The paper cut its print schedule from weekly to quarterly months prior.
• Block Communications also plans to close the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in May unless a buyer can strike a deal to save it.

Zoom in: Shortly after City Paper's closure, Pittsburgh entrepreneur Chris Maury assembled a group of private and philanthropic backers to support its return in partnership with LocalMatters and the Philadelphia-based Lenfest Institute for Journalism.

• The nonprofit will be led by board chair Tracy Certo, founder of NEXTpittsburgh, who is active across multiple area organizations, including The Pittsburgh Foundation board.

The bottom line: City Paper will remain a for-profit publication, per the release, launching a membership program "critical to the publication's future."

What they're saying

It's Fred Rogers' 98th birthday, and, soon, the lessons he shared with us will be spread across YouTube.

Why it matters: "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" episodes, clips and archives are coming to YouTube, marking the first time they'll be on-demand for free, Fred Rogers Productions co-executive producer Kristin DiQuollo tells Axios.

Driving the news: Fred Rogers Productions is teaming up with Little Dot Studios to bring the beloved kids television show to the video-sharing platform, Deadline reported yesterday.

Context: "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," which was filmed at WQED in Pittsburgh from 1968-2001, is already available on PBS.

What they're saying: DiQuollo says she's excited for Fred Rogers' messages of affirmation and joy to reach a new generation of kids and parents.

State of play: The channel will only feature content from "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," not Fred Rogers Productions' other shows like "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood."

What's next: DiQuollo tells Axios it will launch this summer. No official date has been set.

Pro tip: The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh has free admission today to honor Fred's birthday.

Keep reading

⏩ Sen. John Fetterman broke with fellow Democrats yesterday to cast the deciding vote advancing Sen. Markwayne Mullin's (R-Okla.) nomination for Homeland Security secretary, clearing the path for Mullin's likely confirmation replacing Kristi Noem.

• Fetterman pledged to support President Trump's pick earlier this month. (WESA)

🧊 Petitions from Pittsburgh-area immigrants claiming wrongful arrest by ICE surged more than 2,200% last year amid President Trump's immigration crackdown, per data from the Free Law Project. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

🎢 Kennywood opens April 18. This season will bring Celebrate Kennywood Weekends, a new event embracing nostalgia with Potato Patch-inspired bites and retro photo ops, plus two new eateries: the Centennial Grill with cheesesteaks and the Big Dipper ice cream stand. (Press release)

The internet at the home of the Pittsburgh Penguins just got a lot faster.

🤳 Why it matters: Sharing moments on social media at Pittsburgh's biggest indoor arena will be easier than ever.

🛜 By the numbers: The arena's new 6GHz WiFi network doubled wireless capacity up to 500 access points, per Comcast Business.

🏎️ State of play: WiFi at PPG is free.

🎤 What's next: Comedian Bert Kreischer performs at PPG Paints Arena tonight.

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