What Was Once a Parking Lot...

A former parking lot in Pittsburgh becomes a popular park and outdoor living area and a place worth caring about.  From the city's web site:

Used as a parking lot for decades, the five-acre Schenley Plaza was restored to its intended use by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and its community partners in 2006. A second phase of the Plaza's revitalization, the restoration of the Mary Schenley Memorial Fountain, was completed in 2008. Future plans for the site include the restoration of the Magee Memorial Fountain in front of the Carnegie Library.  A full-service restaurant, The Porch at Schenley, opened in the Plaza's northwest corner in the fall of 2011.

Scroll down the bottom of this link to see incredible the parking lot "before" picture.

When I visited it was a very hot day. Most people were competing for the shady spots with the exception of some sunbathers. In hindsight, I should have gone back in the evening to see if the unshaded tables were being used.