A brownfield in Pittsburgh’s Swisshelm Park neighborhood is set to become a solar array that would power four Pittsburgh Public Schools facilities.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority plans to enter into a 25-year lease agreement with Capital Good Fund to develop a solar farm on a 15-acre site in Swisshelm Park, located in a wooded area at the end of Goodman Street.
The URA will consider approving the agreement at its meeting Thursday.
PPS spokeswoman Ebony Pugh said Capital Good Fund’s solar array will generate enough energy to offset all of the electricity demand at Allderdice, Minadeo, Greenfield and Linden schools, all located in the East End. The power generated at the site will be devoted exclusively to those school buildings.
The URA’s action does not obligate PPS to enter into any agreement, Pugh said. A separate energy purchase agreement would be required for PPS to procure electricity from Capital Good Fund.
According to the URA, PPS would save more than $2.6 million in electricity expenses over the 25-year lease for the solar farm.
The Swisshelm Park site has been in the URA’s control since 1972, when it was purchased from Duquesne Slag Products Company.
In 2000, the state Department of Environmental Protection placed the property under a consent order and agreement.
In 2024, the URA was awarded a federal brownfields cleanup grant to remediate the site. Cleanup is 95% complete.
Solar use is planned to be operational in 2028.