Four design teams, from as far as Southern California and London, presented their proposals last night for reinvigorating the North Side and connecting its cultural institutions into a "charm bracelet" that will attract families to the area.

The plans included subtly introducing Steelers tailgaters to the neighborhood's art museums, reconstituting the public square in the middle of the former Allegheny City, projecting photos, films and illuminated messages on buildings, and fancifully lighting the North Side's dreary railroad underpasses.

The design project, overseen by the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, was funded by a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Children's Museum officials hoped to use its 2004 expansion, which combined old and new elements of the North Side, as an example for revitalizing the area, while linking the many museums in the area into a "family district" destination point.

Doug Suisman of Suisman Urban Design in Santa Monica, Calif., gave a spellbinding address on the history of Allegheny City -- centered in what is now Allegheny Commons park in the middle of the North Side -- saying "I've looked at city plans my whole life and I've never seen anything quite like this."

Showing photographs of the once-thriving city -- annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907 -- teeming with people, Mr. Suisman said the neighborhood is already "a family district -- it's here and it doesn't have to be invented."

To recapture that, he suggested renaming the area Allegheny (just as the annexed Brooklyn has kept its name); reconnecting Ohio and Federal streets through what is now a pedestrian mall; using the vacant library as a community center; and reintroducing families to the neighborhood through an old-fashioned treasure hunt and other materials.

Paula Sher of Pentagram Design in New York, who specializes in branding, told the audience at the Children's Museum not to affix the project with any titles -- even "Charm Bracelet" -- but instead celebrate what the neighborhood already has, including the lousy, dark underpasses. She called for the 14 underpasses in the area to be lit up with bright, energetic art projects commissioned by The Andy Warhol Museum and the Mattress Factory, to remind visitors of all the art in the area.

The lighting could include beaded lights, chandeliers and cubes. A giant "N" for the North Shore could be placed at the front of the Allegheny Mall, she said.

The Colab Architecture team of Ithaca, N.Y., worked with two local design firms, including one led by graphic designer Brett Yasko. He said vacant, imposing structures, including a North Avenue homeless shelter, could be illuminated with photos and films, and that windows in an Allegheny Commons office building could contain illuminated messages written by North Side residents on the history of the neighborhood.

Muf Architecture Art of London said the neighborhood should take advantage of the influx of Steelers tailgaters by doing things such as fall and winter farmer's markets near the stadiums and protected by highway overpasses, having fans print personalized Steelers posters at the Artists Image Resource gallery in East Allegheny, and building a "wilderness trail" to introduce visitors to new parts of the neighborhood and its parks.

The proposals will be on view for four weeks at the Children's Museum, before being packaged in written form. Organizers hope to use them to help guide many existing development proposals for the area and work on cooperative marketing efforts for its cultural institutions.

Last night's presentations were regarded as a first step for the art-driven redevelopment, which as of now is just conceptual and has no funding.

"It's a win already because we've seen all these great ideas -- it will be a greater win if we can see one of these projects completed," said Pittsburgh architect Paul Rosenblatt, who helped organize the project.

The presentations are scheduled to be repeated at the Children's Museum at noon today.