Questions and Answers

Site work commenced in December 2025 and will continue into the first quarter of 2027. Ongoing work includes clearing and grading the land, installing green stormwater infrastructure, relocating utilities, raising the site above the 100-year flood plain, and building the road network. Vertical construction is slated to begin Spring 2026.

Updates will be posted on this site and on Esplanade's social channels throughout construction. Join the interest list on the form at the bottom of any page and choose general updates. You can see current activity here on our live construction camera.

Western Pennsylvania has a rich history of industrial operations that helped promote prosperity across the entire United States.  As a result of this activity, many sites have been impacted to some extent with compounds collectively referred to as "hazardous constituents".  Many of these compounds are naturally occurring and are present in our everyday lives, although most folks don't realize it.

The Esplanade sits along the Ohio River and the Three Rivers Heritage Trail in Chateau. It is bordered by the Ohio River, Kroll Drive, Beaver Avenue and West North Avenue, just north of the West End Bridge. Here's a map that shows in purple where Esplanade will be: Click for full map

Site work runs through 2026. Phase 1 construction runs 2026 to 2028, with the riverfront opening in 2028 and the condominium tower close behind. Phase 2 runs 2027 to 2029, and the complete district is expected by 2030. The full timeline, with what each phase includes, is on the Vision page.

The initial phase includes:

• 285 Market-Rate and Affordable Apartments
• 150,000 GSF of Retail, Dining, and Entertainment
• Dynamic Outdoor Amphitheater
• Seasonal Splash Park and Ice Skating
• 200-foot Observation Wheel honoring George Ferris
• Highly Curated Public Realm and Landscape
• Up to 1,000 Parking Spaces
• Completion of 1,600 linear feet of Activated Waterfront
• Best-In-Class Marina

Future additions to the project include:

• 100 Luxury Riverfront Condominiums
• 300+ Additional Residential Apartments
• Expanded experiential & destination entertainment
• Additional Parking
• Hotel
• Grocery

The project team has worked with regional brownfield specialists on the site since 2017.

The site has been approved to participate in Pennsylvania's Act 2 Land Recycling program which establishes standards for review and remedial action for former industrial properties. The approved plan provides for placement of a clean soil cap and restrictions on use of ground water to permanently prevent human contact with any existing contaminants present on the site. When completed, the site will go through an Act 2 closure process through the Department of Environmental Protection to ensure that the approved plan has been properly implemented.

Pittsburgh has a direct connection to the original Ferris Wheel. George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. lived on the north side of Pittsburgh in a home in the Mexican War Streets that is on the National Register of Historic Places. Ferris invented the original 250-foot wheel for the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago at his downtown Pittsburgh engineering firm, G.W.G. Ferris & Company. Esplanade's wheel honors him in his hometown. Reaching over 200 feet in height, the wheel sits atop a two-story building dedicated to Pittsburgh's history of innovation. The wheel will include 36 climate-controlled cabins that run year-round and carry riders above the Ohio River for dramatic views of the Golden Triangle, Mt. Washington and Pittsburgh's three rivers.

Almost 40% of the site is dedicated to public realm spread across the development. This includes ample green space, a vibrant amphitheater, seasonally active splash park and skating ribbon, a four-season atrium, a revamped section of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, and an activated riverfront spanning 1,600 linear feet.

The trail has been widened and shifted closer to the river's edge to improve the user experience, while providing safe separation between cyclists and pedestrians on and off the trail. Public restrooms to serve the trail, lighting, seating areas, and other trail amenities will be added to enhance the trail experience. Native species will be planted to replace invasive growth that blocks river views today.

The connection to the citywide trail network and the Great Allegheny Passage will be maintained. During construction there may be short, clearly marked detours. Final surfacing of the trail will occur closer to the end of construction.

The Esplanade is a family-friendly location that provides activities to keep everyone engaged.

Please reference other pages of our website to learn more about all of the activities and offerings at Esplanade.

A full-service marina, including annual and visitor boat slips, a public pier, floating residences and access to water-oriented activities will be featured along the 1,600 linear feet of riverfront. Due to space limitations and access, the marina will not contain a boat launch. Additional services are readily available nearby and/or can be provided at the boat slip.

Options include: market-rate and affordable rental apartments, for-sale waterfront condominiums, and live-aboard residences in the marina.

Early construction will deliver 285 rental apartments and 100 waterfront condominiums.

Pre-leasing for the first building is expected to commence in 2028, several months before occupancy in 2029. Join the interest list on the Apartments page and you will hear when applications become available.

The Residences are in pre-design and will follow soon after the apartment building. Express your interest on the Residences page and you will be among the first to hear when pre-sale outreach begins.

Twenty percent of the units in the apartment building will be reserved for households at 80 percent of area median income or below. All residents will share in the amenities to be provided in the apartment building.

A blend of local and national retail, food and beverage, office, hospitality, entertainment, and neighborhood-oriented retail. Incubator kiosks will service public realm amenities and give local entrepreneurs an affordable way to try a first storefront.

Please visit our Retail page and reach out using the form provided. Our leasing team will follow-up with your inquiry.

Please use our general inquiry form to submit your interest, along with a short description of your services. It is our priority to ensure that local, minority-owned and woman-owned businesses share in the success of the development.

The development will create local jobs on-site and throughout the region and state both during construction and permanently afterwards. The project will drive new spending that will create revenue benefiting the local community and regional and state taxing bodies.

The Pennsylvania Economy League of Greater Pittsburgh, an affiliate of the Allegheny Conference, modeled the project's impact to be 9,300 jobs supported during construction and 4,500 permanent jobs once stabilized, with $997.5 million in annual spending in the region.

A link to the full third-party study is on the Community page.

Economic Impact

During Construction

• 9,300 jobs

  Supported in Southwestern PA over the Two-Phase Construction Period
• $837.5 million

  Contribution to the Area's Gross Regional Product
• $1.5 billion

  Generation of Additional Spending Over & Above Construction Expenditures

After Completion

• 4,500 jobs

  Supported when the Esplanade Project is Complete & Stabilized
• $997.5 million

  In Annual Spending: Direct, Indirect & Induced
• $547.7 million

  Contribution to the Regional Economy

$740 Million

15-acre Mixed-Use Development

The Pennsylvania Economy League of Greater Pittsburgh, an affiliate of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, used the IMPLAN Economic Impact model to determine the impact the project will have on the Southwestern Pennsylvania Economy.

Partner4Work has been engaged to recruit local community members for potential building trades positions and other ongoing job opportunities. The program exposes interested people to various construction trade programs and apprenticeship opportunities with a high level of conversion to full-time employment. This model has been successfully used at the Pittsburgh Airport project and other large scale, regional projects. The projects and its tenants will work with Partner4Work and other local training organizations to carry this concept forward into permanent operations.

The site's real estate tax generation grows from about $80,000 to roughly $8 million a year, paid to the City of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Public Schools, Allegheny County, and the Commonwealth.

Every business entity at the Esplanade site will also pay payroll and payroll tax, sales tax, real estate transfer, amusement, and hotel taxes in full.

A portion of the new tax generated will contribute to the Transit Revitalization Investment District with the remainder distributed to the taxing bodies. In addition to the newly generated taxes, all current tax revenue will continue to be paid to the taxing bodies.

A Transit Revitalization Investment District, or TRID, is administered by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, as a tool to create and leverage investment in underdeveloped areas, to maximize positive impacts of the investment and benefit the surrounding community.

A share of the new tax revenue Esplanade generates is pledged for up to 20 years to affordable housing, infrastructure, public space, and community investments in the district and neighboring Manchester.

There are no residents on the site. The 2020 census counted 19 residents in all of Chateau.

All businesses that operated on the site have relocated with assistance from the project team. The project team looks forward to working with and engaging local businesses as the project develops.

ESS-pluh-nod. However you say it, we will see you on the river!