Dozens of manufacturing leaders gathered Wednesday near Pittsburgh International Airport to break ground on a second industrial complex, advancing plans for a 195-acre manufacturing hub known as Neighborhood 91 that is designed to capitalize on the site’s proximity to an international airport.
“This campus is the first of its kind in the entire world,” Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said. “It is unique and an intentionally designed space to bring the entire additive manufacturing supply chain together in one location.”
Additive manufacturing typically refers to 3D printing, a computer-assisted process that creates an object by building it one layer at a time.
An existing building on the campus opened in 2021 and is rented out to research and development and metalworking companies.
“The proof of concept that there is demand for this site is real,” Innamorato said, emphasizing the county’s $1 million investment in RIDC’s expansion.
Donald F. Smith Jr., president of the Regional Industrial Development Corporation that is developing the site, told TribLive construction is expected to be completed by next year.
Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO Christina Cassotis said the campus location just blocks from the airport will allow finished projects to be loaded directly onto flights.
“This whole idea is a big bet for us. This isn’t what airports usually do,” Cassotis said. “We know that if you bring together all the parts of this industry, they can co-locate, save money, save time and we can actually accelerate the adoption of this exciting industry.”
Cassotis said the project leaders are looking for greater interest from military, defense and aviation industries.
John Barnes, founder and president of Barnes Global Advisors, the consulting firm leading the project, said Pittsburgh is among the few cities with the geography, logistics and workforce needed to support an effort of this scale.
“What we are building here is the modern-day manufacturing Silicon Valley,” Barnes said. “Our work is not done with this building; we’ve got 200 acres left to build.”