Tishman Speyer to Transform 178-Acre Pittsburgh Site

Aerial View of Hazelwood Green. Image courtesy of E3 Aerial

Tishman Speyer now holds in its hands the responsibility of the final metamorphosis of Hazelwood Green, a historic steel-mill district in Pittsburgh, into a global innovation hub.

The Almono LP—a joint venture of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Heinz Endowments and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation—and Carnegie Mellon University have selected the company to serve as master developer for the 178-acre property, which will be converted into a sustainable innovation hub.

“Hazelwood Green is a perfect fit for Tishman Speyer. It presents an opportunity to leverage our unique competency in large and complex developments,” Jeffrey Mandel, senior managing director with Tishman Speyer, told Commercial Property Executive.

“In addition, the site’s characteristics, along with the involvement of Pittsburgh’s leading foundations and universities, make it ripe for repositioning in a way that will inspire innovation while also improving the planet and bringing new investment to historically under-served communities.”

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Almono has owned Hazelwood Green since 2002 and has long intended to make the riverfront property a new economic driver for Pittsburgh. Tishman Speyer will help expedite the process. Two structures from the former Jones & Laughlin steel mill have been rescued through adaptive reuse. Mill 19 houses Carnegie Mellon University’s Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing and Manufacturing Futures Initiative, and also boasts the largest rooftop solar array in the U.S., while Roadhouse counts Silicon Valley-based entrepreneurship platform OneValley as its tenant.

With Tishman Speyer aboard, Hazelwood Green will blossom with the development of an ecosystem centered on technology, robotics, AI, life sciences and advanced manufacturing.

While the project is in the early stages, it’s clear that the University of Pittsburgh will certainly have space in the new development, as in November 2021 the Richard King Mellon Foundation awarded the University a $100 million grant to build its approximately 250,000-square-foot Pitt BioForge biomanufacturing facility at Hazelwood Green. Carnegie Mellon will be a neighbor, as it plans to open its 150,000-square-foot Robotics Innovation Center in the historic Mill District in a project that Tishman Speyer has agreed to assist the university with by providing siting, design, construction and programming services.

Bigger picture

Although Hazelwood Green will be known as an innovation hub, it will be a live-work-play destination. The sprawling site will feature affordable and market-rate apartments, retail and other community amenities as dictated by an approved preliminary land development plan. Additionally, the property will feature a bevy of parks and open spaces. As master developer, Tishman Speyer will work with U3 Advisors, the managing agent for Hazelwood Green.

“We love Pittsburgh’s spark for technological genius, its culture of creativity and its character. With thoughtful planning, attention to detail and partnership with Pittsburgh’s elected officials and the surrounding communities, Hazelwood Green will become a model for smart, cutting edge and equitable development,” Mandel added.