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Pittsburgh City Council

Planning for a Public Safety training campus.

Written by Amy Whipple

  • The bill would authorize the first step for creating a Public Safety training campus. This would be an assessment of the site—formerly a VA—to see which buildings can be reused, which need to be demolished and locations/conditions of utilities infrastructure. This assessment will cost $1.8 million over two years.
  • Currently, Public Safety training is spread out across and outside of the City. Councilmember Coghill confirmed that the first priority is firefighters. Their current burn site is on a floodplain and is unusable.
  • There is no actual plan for the training site yet. A plan cannot be made until after the assessment is completed.
  • Assistant Director of Public Works Gaul said a fully completed site is at least 10 years out.
  • Public comment and Council concerns came from the initial 2017 plan for the site, which was more akin to the controversial “Cop City” in Atlanta. It had been estimated to cost $120 million.
  • Councilmember Gross said that the changes to Pittsburgh’s concept are not reflective in the language of the bill. She requested that language be added to prohibit military-style training for police officers.
  • Use of the property is through a deal with the Federal government. If the assessment is not completed for review by the end of May 2026, the land will revert to the Federal government. Councilmembers and other City representatives expressed fear that the land would then be used for the “worst-case scenario,” implying use by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
  • The land must be used for the purpose of Public Safety training because that was the City’s original proposal. It cannot be changed now without the property reverting back to the Federal Government.
  • Council agreed to a two-week hold so that they could further investigate the plan as well as inform the public.

Connections to this story

Topics:
Public Safety & EMS
Governments:
Pittsburgh City Council
Public meetings:
City Council · July 1, 2025
Sources:
Resolution 2025-1967 — authorizing the Mayor and the Director of the Department of Public Works to enter into an Agreement or Agreements with…

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