CMU – Gates Hillman Complex

Completed in 2009, the $130 million dollar Gates Hillman Complex designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc boasted one of the largest landscape budgets in the history of Pittsburgh. Eisler completed all of the landscape and site work on the 5.6 acres site in 8 months. Working on a topographically challenging site with a compressed work schedule concurrently with the construction of a new building was the ultimate challange for our team. 

The construction of multiple green roofs and rain gardens the greenspace on site was doubled  from 53,000 sf. to 121,000 sf in the heart of CMU’s urban campus. The landscape work included the new West Quad, the Kraus Winter Garden, nearly 300 trees arranged in groves, and more than 2,000 new shrubs. Eisler  used engineered soils to create naturalistic contours and elevation changes. Native plants and rare,unusual plants were used extensively throughout the site and were sourced by Eisler Landscapes.