City Of Pittsburgh Leaders Detail Plans For New Public Safety Campus At Former VA Hospital Site
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It's a plan that has gone through three Presidential administrations, but the City of Pittsburgh has officially taken control of the former VA hospital in the city's Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood.
The former hospital site will be developed into a Regional Public Safety Campus.
Buildings for several departments will be consolidated, including:
- Pittsburgh Police Headquarters
- Police Training Academy
- EMS Headquarters
- Vehicle repair shop
- Animal control
A new indoor firing range will also be built.
The Mayor's Office says the federal government had to sign off on all the plans for the city to acquire the property from the VA.
"Affordable housing was an effort that didn't meet the requirements. We talked about a homeless shelter. That was something that didn't meet the eligible requirements. But it had to be anything that benefitted overall public safety under the federal law," said Dan Gilman, Chief of Staff for Mayor Bill Peduto.
"We think of the financial impact of having all these centers that we have to rent and pay for. And we look at this opportunity to acquire this land for one dollar," said Mayor Bill Peduto.
Mayor Peduto says the campus will also satisfy demands for more police training.
The new training facility will be available for suburban police departments to use, as well.
