Pirates Finalize Plan To Preserve ‘Bucco Brick’ Messages

Months after the abrupt removal of the original Bucco Bricks, the Pittsburgh Pirates have finalized a plan to bring those fan tributes back to PNC Park — this time in bronze.

The club will install 60 large plaques along the stadium’s outer perimeter, stretching across West General Robinson Street and Mazeroski Way. Each bronze panel will carry roughly 170 inscriptions, preserving the same layout and font used in the original brick designs. Installation is expected to be completed before Opening Day 2026.

The decision follows criticism over how the brick program was dismantled. The original tributes — purchased by fans as memorials, milestones and family keepsakes — were taken out during sidewalk repairs and discarded with no warning. The team quickly pledged to offer a more permanent solution.

During Thursday’s press conference, team president Travis Williams said the new installation was designed in collaboration with longtime MLB architect Janet Marie Smith and modeled to reflect the spirit of the original brickwork.

“We understand how important these messages and the memories associated with them are to our fans,” Williams said, as transcribed by Adam Babetski of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “We believe we have developed a display for these messages that will stand the test of time.”

The plaques, built to endure weather and wear, aim to give fans a stable, long-term place to revisit their messages. A digital locator tool will also be introduced to help visitors find individual inscriptions.

The team has already shipped more than 3,000 free replica bricks to original participants and plans to continue honoring all outstanding requests. No end date has been set.

While the rollout of this project follows a wave of fan frustration, the Pirates are betting the new bronze display will serve as a more fitting tribute for the long haul.

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