Upgrades aim to unite Pittsburgh's AI Avenue
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Rendering of The District building, which will act as a gateway to Bakery Square's expansion project. Image: Courtesy of Walnut Capital
The city's Penn Avenue tech corridor is getting a major facelift, with new developments set to connect its two AI anchors: Duolingo in East Liberty and Google in Bakery Square.
Why it matters: With national eyes on Pittsburgh's growing AI sector, local leaders hope fresh infrastructure and development will turn a patchy stretch of Penn Avenue into a cohesive hub for tech companies, startups and investors.
State of play: Joanna Doven, executive director of Pittsburgh's AI Strike Team, tells Axios that the stretch along Penn Avenue in East Liberty dubbed AI Avenue has a gap in physical infrastructure between its two ends, but approved development plans and coming investment will soon fill that in.
Context: A strip mall and empty lots sit in the middle of AI Avenue, sucking some of the vibrancy away from the two ends of the corridor, says Doven.
- During an Axios event in March, Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn advocated for tech companies to cluster in one neighborhood to help the scene take off and rival bigger tech hubs.
- "All these neighborhoods, they're so spread apart. We need a central place," he said in March.
Zoom in: The Meridian mixed-use development on the corner Penn and Shady is nearing completion and will add a new grocery store, apartments and restaurants.
- Doven says grant funding has been secured to connect the new development to Larimer, and her group put in an application to the state to improve lighting along Penn Avenue in hopes of boosting investment in the storefronts west of Centre Avenue.
The latest: Local developer Walnut Capital's plans to expand Bakery Square by 14 acres into The Village of Eastside strip mall, which has seen retailers close over the years, were recently approved by the city council.
- The District (pictured above) will be the first building of Bakery Square's expansion and will take over an empty lot formerly occupied by Club One Fitness across from The Meridian, says Doven.
What they're saying: "Typically, developers don't really work together; they are in competition. But this partnership of our AI working group, this got everyone together around a shared goal," says Doven.
Between the lines: There are 20 tech companies and startups between Duolingo and Google, including Sheetz's innovation hub, she said.
- Doven says new construction is necessary to help with expansion, citing local defense contractors' need for secure information facilities for their work with the Army's AI unit.
What's next: Doven says more investment and new tenant announcements will be made at next month's AI Horizons event with Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. Dave McCormick.
- AI Horizons will take place Sept. 11-12 at Bakery Square.