A $600 million proposal to transform a "derelict" industrial site on Pittsburgh’s North Side into a riverfront destination featuring a massive Ferris wheel has taken a significant step forward.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pittsburgh Planning Commission unanimously approved the master plan for the Esplanade following a recent 75-minute hearing. This approval, which allows Piatt Companies to proceed with the 15-acre redevelopment along the Ohio River, comes after strong support from Manchester community groups and residents, who praised the project as a potential catalyst for revitalizing the neighborhood and advancing affordable housing initiatives.
Lucas Piatt, CEO of Piatt Companies, emphasized the inclusive vision for the Esplanade in his remarks, calling it “a project for everyone” and highlighting the eight years of effort his team has dedicated to its development.
“We want to create a wonderful destination for the region,” he said.
According to the Post-Gazette, the Esplanade presents a transformative opportunity to revitalize the Manchester neighborhood and unlock significant growth in the Chateau riverfront area, potentially paving the way for hundreds of acres of economic development, according to Piatt.
On the same day the Pittsburgh Planning Commission approved the master plan for the $600 million project, the city’s Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) unveiled plans to establish a Manchester-Chateau Transit Revitalization Investment District (TRID). This district would help fund nearly $54 million in infrastructure and other improvements tied to the development.
The project’s highlight is a massive Ferris wheel, reminiscent of similar attractions in London, Paris, Chicago, and Seattle, standing up to 200 feet tall. The proposed Manchester wheel pays homage to George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., the inventor of the Ferris wheel, who once lived on Pittsburgh’s North Side.
The first phase of the redevelopment includes a 19-story, 408-unit apartment tower with 308 parking spaces, alongside “The Current,” a three-story, 64,256-square-foot feature building housing a food emporium, a four-seasons garden, restaurants, and an amphitheater. Other features include a relocated riverside trail, a 112-slip marina, and 17 floating homes on barge-like bases. A 651-space parking garage with additional retail will complete this phase, with potential for residential or office expansion above it in the future.
Phase two plans include a “destination aquarium” anchoring the west end, a 14-story condominium tower with 126 units, and a 19-story, 409-unit apartment building. Across all phases, 20% of the apartments will be designated as affordable housing for households earning 80% of the area median income, according to the Post-Gazette.
The URA’s proposed TRID would redirect 75% of new tax revenue generated by the development toward infrastructure improvements, while the remaining 25% would benefit the city, Allegheny County, and the Pittsburgh school district. Of the projected $53.9 million in funds, $40.4 million would support on-site development, including affordable housing, parking, and transit accessibility, with $13.4 million earmarked for off-site enhancements like pedestrian and bike connections, street conversions, and gap financing for affordable housing projects.
The Esplanade, slated for completion by 2027 or 2028, is expected to create over 9,300 construction jobs and 4,500 permanent jobs, generating significant economic benefits for the region. The redevelopment will also transform a former industrial brownfield west of the West End Bridge into a vibrant riverfront community featuring apartments, retail, an aquarium, a marina, and floating homes.
The project’s centerpiece, the Ferris wheel with LED lighting, will be positioned on the east end, offering views of Downtown Pittsburgh’s skyline. Community members have expressed optimism about the project’s impact, according to the Post-Gazette, envisioning it as a symbol of Pittsburgh’s revitalization and a potential new backdrop for high-profile events like Monday Night Football.
GPRS Services Support Safe & Successful Construction Projects
Whether you’re revitalizing a long-neglected neighborhood in one of America’s most historic cities, or transforming a single office building into modern apartments, ensuring the success of your project begins with knowing what’s buried on your job site.
Damaging a buried utility can decimate your schedule and budget, and endanger your workers. GPRS offers 99.8%+ accurate utility locating and concrete scanning services to ensure you know where it is and isn’t safe to dig.
Our 3D laser scanning and Mapping & Modeling services can capture our utility markings to create accurate existing conditions documentation of your buried infrastructure. And this data is available to you and your team 24/7 from any computer, tablet, or smartphone thanks to SiteMap® (patent pending), our facility & project management application designed to help you plan, design, manage, dig, and ultimately build better.
What can we help you visualize?
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Benefits of Underground Utility Mapping?
Having an updated and accurate map of your subsurface infrastructure reduces accidents, budget overruns, change orders, and project downtime caused by dangerous and costly subsurface damage.
How does SiteMap® assist with Utility Mapping?
SiteMap®, powered by GPRS, is the industry-leading infrastructure management program. It is a single source of truth, housing the 99.8%+ accurate utility locating, concrete scanning, video pipe inspection, leak detection, and 3D laser scanning data our Project Managers collect on your job site. And the best part is you get a complimentary SiteMap® Personal Subscription when GPRS performs a utility locate for you.
Does SiteMap® Work with my Existing GIS Platform?
SiteMap® allows for exporting of data to SHP, GeoJSON, GeoPackage, and DXF directly from any user’s account that either owns or has a job shared to their account. All these file formats can be imported and utilized by other GIS packages if manually imported by the user.
More information can be found at SiteMap.com.
Can GPRS locate PVC piping and other non-conductive utilities?
Yes, ground penetrating radar (GPR) scanning is exceptionally effective at locating all types of subsurface materials. There are times, however, when PVC pipes do not provide an adequate signal to ground penetrating radar equipment and can’t be properly located by traditional methods. GPRS Project Managers are expertly trained at multiple methods of utility locating, including electromagnetic (EM) locating, to compensate for GPR’s limitations.
Can GPR be used to verify known measurements?
We can use GPR to cross-check the measured depth and location of a located utility with existing as-built plans to verify the accuracy of plans.
Can GPRS Project Managers distinguish between the different types of underground utilities they locate?
In most situations, we can identify the utility in question without any problems, although it is not always possible to determine what type of utility is present. When this happens, we attempt to trace the utility to a valve, meter, control box, or other signifying markers to determine the type of utility buried.
