Lower Hill District Housing
| Location: | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Posted: | Apr 13, 2026 |
| Due: | Jun 9, 2026 |
| Agency: | Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh |
| Type of Government: | State & Local |
| Category: |
|
| Publication URL: | To access bid details, please log in. |
RFPLower Hill District Housing
Release Date
April 13, 2026
Due Date
June 9, 2026 at 11:59 PM
The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (the “URA”) owns approximately 8.57 acres of sloped land in the Melody Tent section of the Lower Hill neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh (the “Site”). The Site is currently being used as surface parking and is comprised of a portion of Block A (Parcel Nos. 2-C-303, 2-C-298, and 2-C-301) and the URA-owned portion of Block C (Parcel Nos. 2-C-305, 2-C-300), and as further depicted in Exhibit A.
Approximately 1.75 acres of Block A is reserved for the development of mixed-income housing by the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (“HACP”), in partnership with TREK Development Group (“TREK”), as part of the CHOICE Neighborhood Implementation.
The URA is requesting proposals from one or more developers (the “Developer” or “Developers”) for the purchase and redevelopment of a portion of or all of the remaining 6.82 acres of the Site for the primary purpose of constructing affordable and/or market-rate multi-unit housing. The URA will additionally consider proposals that include mixed-use and commercial development on the Site. The selected Developer(s) will be encouraged to coordinate with HACP and TREK when developing the Site.
Contact Information
Attachment Preview
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
LOWER HILL DISTRICT HOUSING
Lower Hill District, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Issue Date:
Monday, April 13, 2026
Proposal Due Date:
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Request for Proposals – Lower Hill District Housing
April 2026
Page 1 of 16
1. OBJECTIVE
The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (the “URA”) owns approximately 8.57
acres of sloped land in the Melody Tent section of the Lower Hill neighborhood of the City of
Pittsburgh (the “Site”). The Site is currently being used as surface parking and is comprised of a
portion of Block A (Parcel Nos. 2-C-303, 2-C-298, and 2-C-301) and the URA-owned portion of
Block C (Parcel Nos. 2-C-305, 2-C-300), and as further depicted in Exhibit A.
Approximately 1.75 acres of Block A is reserved for the development of mixed-income
housing by the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (“HACP”), in partnership with TREK
Development Group (“TREK”), as part of the CHOICE Neighborhood Implementation.
The URA is requesting proposals from one or more developers (the “Developer” or
“Developers”) for the purchase and redevelopment of a portion of or all of the remaining 6.82
acres of the Site for the primary purpose of constructing affordable and/or market-rate multi-
unit housing. The URA will additionally consider proposals that include mixed-use and
commercial development on the Site. The selected Developer(s) will be encouraged to
coordinate with HACP and TREK when developing the Site.
2. BACKGROUND
Until the 1950s, the Lower Hill was a vibrant neighborhood of diverse residents, places of
worship, and local businesses. In the early 1950s, the site was identified as an area of
urban renewal to create a Crosstown Boulevard highway connection (I-579) and the former Civic
Arena. The URA, in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny Conference, and local
foundations who funded these urban renewal activities, used its power of eminent domain to
demolish the Lower Hill, which resulted in the displacement of residents and businesses. The
impacts of that decision are still relevant today.
The Site is part of a larger 28-acre redevelopment area that will have a significant impact
on the Greater Hill District and entire Pittsburgh region. Until 2025, the Pittsburgh Penguins held
development and option rights over the Lower Hill redevelopment area. The Penguins completed
construction of the FNB Financial Center and are currently engaged in ongoing construction of
Citizens Live at the Wylie, a new music venue. The continued development of the overall
redevelopment area involves transitioning land currently used as surface parking into a mix of
office, retail, housing, and urban open space. The remaining acreage of the development area is
owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, and includes
potential development plans for a public parking facility.
Guiding the Pittsburgh Penguins’ development of the Lower Hill is the Community
Collaboration and Implementation Plan (the “CCIP”), a community benefits agreement between
the Pittsburgh Penguins, the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and the Lower Hill District
Request for Proposals – Lower Hill District Housing
April 2026
Page 2 of 16
Working Group (the Lower Hill District’s negotiating body). The CCIP addresses community
concerns articulated by the residents and stakeholders of the Hill District in the redevelopment
of the Lower Hill, including minority and women-owned business enterprise participation, local
inclusion practices, and affordable housing goals, some of which exceed the URA’s existing
requirements for the disposition of its properties. The CCIP established the Executive
Management Committee (“EMC”) to oversee the redevelopment of the Lower Hill and ensure
the objectives of the CCIP were met by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The URA continues to meet
regularly with and engage the EMC as part of its efforts to redevelop the Lower Hill. A copy of the
CCIP is attached to this RFP as Exhibit B.
3. DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS
The Site is designated as the SP-11 Lower Hill Planned Development District 11 (“SP-11”)
in the City of Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title 9, Article IV, § 909.01R, which establishes use
and dimensional regulations for development on the Site, including a requirement that 10% of
the SP-11 is used as publicly accessible open space. Further use regulations are described in the
Lower Hill Redevelopment Preliminary Land Development Plan, as amended (the “PLDP”). The
PLDP may be accessed here, and the SP-11 District zoning requirements may be accessed here.
Developers should note that, on Block A, the PLDP currently contemplates the
construction of Curtain Call, a public art installation comprised of a pedestrian connection and
garden passage, featuring rain gardens, landscaped areas, and vertical metal frames displaying
images of the Hill District community. However, to allow for flexibility to support development
plans, the URA may consider proposals that do not address Curtain Call, provided that the urban
open space requirements under SP-11 are met. The URA and SEA may consider alternative
locations for Curtain Call if the URA accepts a proposal that does not address Curtain Call.
Prior to the commencement of any construction, the selected Developer shall submit a
Final Land Development Plan (“FLDP”) to the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of City Planning for
approval in accordance with the City of Pittsburgh Zoning Code. The FLDP shall be consistent with
the PLDP and the applicable requirements of the SP-11. The selected Developer is responsible for
gaining all necessary approvals and entitlements for their development.
The Site is located within a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act district
encompassing the Lower Hill (“Lower Hill LERTA”), which reallocates a 10-year abatement of
property tax increases attributable to the value of the improvements for any redevelopment. The
Lower Hill LERTA is a pilot financial mechanism, where the reallocated property taxes are used to
assist projects in the Greater Hill District by capitalizing the Greater Hill District Neighborhood
Reinvestment Fund (“GHDNRF”), a funding source discussed by the CCIP to support development
and address community needs throughout the Greater Hill District, as well as the Lower Hill Public
Infrastructure Fund, a fund for public infrastructure improvements in the Lower Hill. As a
condition for the transfer of each parcel, the selected Developer will be required to provide
Request for Proposals – Lower Hill District Housing
April 2026
Page 3 of 16
upfront monetization of 100% of the LERTA benefit, to be paid to the URA at property closing.
The LERTA District Legislation is attached to this RFP as Exhibit C.
All Developers are strongly encouraged to review the CCIP, as it was intended to guide
the development of the Site and established community expectations for the overall
redevelopment of the Lower Hill. Developers are encouraged to incorporate appropriate aspects
of the CCIP into their proposal. Additionally, the URA expects that the selected Developer will
engage with the EMC with respect to their proposal.
4. EXHIBITS
• Exhibit A - Development Parcel and Block Map
• Exhibit B – Community Collaboration and Implementation Plan
• Exhibit C - LERTA District Legislation
• Exhibit D – Submission Attachments
• Attachment A – RFP Summary Sheet
• Attachment B – Sources & Uses/Budget
• Attachment C – MWBE Narrative Requirements
• Attachment D – MWI Narrative Requirements
• Exhibit E – Disposition Process Overview
5. URA INFORMATION
Incorporated in 1946 as one of the first redevelopment authorities in the United States,
the URA is the City’s economic development enterprise, committed to building a prosperous and
equitable economy for all of Pittsburgh. The URA helps bridge public and private interests to
invest in meaningful equitable developments that promote housing affordability, economic
mobility, entrepreneurship and neighborhood revitalization. The URA’s work creates and sustains
quality jobs, thriving neighborhoods, healthy communities and sustainable businesses for the
benefit of all Pittsburghers.
Additional information regarding the URA may be found on the URA’s website at
www.ura.org. Questions about the RFP should be directed to Julia McMahon, Senior Project
Manager, at (412) 255-6592 or jmcmahon@ura.org.
6. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
A tentative schedule for the selection process is below. This schedule is subject to change.
If there is a schedule change, it will be posted as an addendum on IonWave Technologies, the
URA’s online bidding platform.
Request for Proposals – Lower Hill District Housing
April 2026
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Developers must be able to meet the deadlines in the schedule below:
URA Board meeting to provide 30-day public notice
regarding the upcoming release of the RFP
RFP issue date
Proposal Due Date
URA to review proposals
URA to conduct interviews w/ finalists
URA Board authorization to select Developer and award
exclusive negotiations
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Monday, April 13, 2026
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Friday, June 26, 2026
Thursday, July 9, 2026
7. PROPOSAL SCOPE
Each proposal must include the following:
A. Description of the proposed development. If proposing affordable housing, proposals
including the provision of an affordable housing component should clearly state such
intention along with the number/percentage of affordable units and proposed
Pittsburgh Area Median Income levels to enable the URA to fully evaluate and
consider.
B. Schematic drawings including site plan with elevations.
C. Preliminary development pro forma, including acquisition of the Site at market value.
Based on an appraisal obtained by the URA with a date of valuation of February 26,
2026, the market value for the available portion of Block A is $6,170,000 and the
market value for Block C is $7,000,000.
D. Financing plan and statement on ability to obtain loans, e.g., bank letter of interest,
along with a statement representing availability of equity.
E. Public subsidy requested, if any. There is no commitment from the URA to provide
subsidy for this project and proposals must take this into consideration. The URA
acknowledges that the provision of affordable housing may require public subsidy.
8. STAKEHOLDER OVERVIEW
The Site is located in City of Pittsburgh Council District 6. Please see the City of Pittsburgh
Council District map here to determine current council representatives.
Request for Proposals – Lower Hill District Housing
April 2026
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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.
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