The Allegheny Center Mall

the Allegheny Center Mall The Children's Museum is $2.2 million away from raising the funds it needs to transform the uiouio sunken concrete square outside its doors into the Allegheny Public Square Park and make upgrades inside the museum.

Officials Thursday announced they had raised $6.3 million of the $8.5 million needed and that the remainder would be solicited as public donations.The bulk of the money to date has come from foundations. A $250,000 challenge grant from the Buhl Foundation will match $1 for every $2 contributed by the public.

The existing square was created in the 1960s as part of the Allegheny Center Mall. A sunken area housed a fountain encircled by amphitheater-like seating. The area now is a walk-through zone, sometimes used by skateboarders but otherwise ghostly.