Major project valued at $600 million to bring new life to North Side
By Briana Smith
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PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — The major project to revamp the Ohio Riverfront on the North Side has received more support.
Millcraft Investments has been awarded a $10 million state grant from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
Millcraft spokesperson Molly Onufer said the grant will go towards the first phase of the esplanade, which includes the Ferris wheel, a 300-unit apartment complex, restaurants, a marina and more.
The goal is to turn the industrialized, quiet area into a more welcoming community.
“There are all these gates and stop signs, check-in with the guard and doesn’t feel like you really belong back here,” said Brian Howe, a manager at Get Hip Records. “But you can come back here.”
Howe has worked at the shop in Chateau for 10 years. He wishes more people would pass through the neighborhood. He believes the esplanade project will be the right attraction.
“It will definitely bring a lot of people over to this area of town in general,” Howe said. “Even the North Shore doesn’t have the foot traffic it should have in my opinion, and there’s a lot of great stuff over there.”
Onufer said the developer is still designing the layout, but the project is expected to cost $600 million. It includes 480 apartment units with affordable housing, 105 condos, a pavilion and a parking garage.
“it’s really hard to come across quality affordable housing as far as I understand it to be,” Howe said. “So, that would be really awesome to see more of that in the area.”
Onufer hopes it also reconnects neighborhoods on the North Side, like Chateau and Manchester. She also said it will boost the economy and sales for stores.
Onufer said the project will create 7,100 construction jobs and 4,500 jobs after it’s complete. She added it will generate $880 million in annual spending.
Onufer said Millcraft Investments hopes to break ground by 2024 and have the first phase open to the public by 2026.
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