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Local Real Estate Developer Mark Schneider Dies In Biking Accident

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- He wasn't a household name, but he had a big impact on the way people live in Pittsburgh.

Real estate developer Mark Schneider played a huge role in developing PNC Park, Heinz Field, the city's Summerset neighborhood and much more.

Schneider died this weekend following a bike accident in Maryland.

Schneider helped turn a slag heap into the beautiful community known as the Summerset at Frick Park. It won national recognition.

His friend David Caliguiri proudly pointed to that accomplishment.

"Mark was a risk taker," said Caliguiri. "And it took a huge risk to decide to develop a residential community on the side of a slag dump."

He developed Washington's Landing on the Allegheny. And one of his greatest achievements may have been developing the North Shore, PNC Park, Heinz Field and everything in between.

"He was a visionary," said Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto. "When he was looking at areas on the North Side back early in his career, he had a vision with then-state representative Tom Murphy."

Another of Schneider's achievements included his push to build the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald sent deep sympathies and condolences to Schneider's family.

Fitzgerald's statement reads in part:
"Mark was a visionary in Allegheny County. He led the efforts to develop Washington's Landing and Summerset at Frick Park, two undertakings that many others could not see as the opportunities Mark knew them to be. He saw a brighter Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and was intimately involved in the leadership for the region as an Allegheny County appointee to the Southwestern PA Commission and a board member of the PA Economic Development Finance Agency. He shared that vision and passion with the community as well through his involvement with 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania and through his participation on my Vision Teams."

Schneider was 55.

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