Manchester residents ask school board for community impact study of $740 million Esplanade development and urge saving neighborhood schools

Residents of Manchester urged the Pittsburgh Public Schools board Monday to seek a community impact study and to press developers for protections as the $740 million Esplanade project moves forward adjacent to the neighborhood.

Speakers representing Manchester Neighbors, neighborhood residents and educators told the board that rapid development threatens long-time residents, could reduce Black homeownership and put neighborhood schools at risk. Many requested an off‑site public meeting that would include developers, community representatives and board staff.

The issue matters because Manchester is an historic African American neighborhood that has seen rapid demographic change; residents said market pressures tied to the Esplanade could accelerate displacement and undercut the ability of neighborhood schools to serve local families. Speakers pointed out that the school district is one of the city’s three taxing bodies and that district decisions will interact with the development’s impact on students and families.

Dan Holland, postdoctoral fellow at the Center for African American Urban Studies and the Economy at Carnegie Mellon University, framed the scale of the project: “The most consequential of these is the Esplanade project, a $740,000,000 virtual new city situated adjacent to the city's largest historic district and the largest African American historic district in Western Pennsylvania.” He urged the board to hold a public hearing on the project’s impact on Manchester.

Community leaders also delivered neighborhood statistics and raised affordability concerns. Speakers cited a median home price of $22,500 in Manchester and said the neighborhood currently has about 3,110 residents. Tracy Turner asked whether money had been set aside for low‑income housing and whether any banks or funding partners are identified; she requested a third‑party impact study and a neutral venue for community meetings.

Roberta Bowera, vice president of Manchester Neighbors, thanked Director Duane Barker for attending neighborhood meetings and asked the district to convene a meeting with developers in a space where residents “are welcome and comfortable.” Stanley Love, who identified his experience on national preservation and bank boards, warned: “We're about to be hurt. You're about to be hurt if you don't ask for a community impact study.”

Speakers sought assurances that the district will prioritize Manchester and Conroy schools, requested protection for families receiving SNAP benefits and low incomes, and asked the board to require developers to present the same materials shown to city planning. Multiple speakers asked the board to schedule an off‑site meeting where residents can ask developers direct questions.

Less-critical details: speakers urged preserving music and arts programming, highlighted vacant and vandalized properties, and asked the district to direct resources to help existing homeowners remain in place.