The future is exciting and full of possibilities in Pittsburg. Yes, that is Pittsburg without the ‘h’ at the end. Just like Pittsburgh over in the east, this East Bay community has been long known for its industrial heritage of steel making with the USS/POSCO site and chemical production of the Dow Chemical Company, now Corteva. Times have changed though, and Pittsburg is in a state of industry transition. The city is committed to meeting the moment of this change with a number of plans and developments that are occurring in this growing community.
A Growing City
Pittsburg is in a state of constant, steady growth in a state and region that is beginning to experience strains in growth. Its population has grown from 56,769 in 2000 to 76,416 in 2020, and there is no stopping there. The city has over 8,000 units of housing in the pipeline for development, which will grow its population to over 100,000 residents in the next two decades. The mix of new and diverse housing options, plus the relative affordability of its housing market compared to the Bay Area, makes Pittsburg a desirable location to move to and live. The City is taking a proactive approach to planning and guiding its growth by updating its 2040 General Plan as well as various specific plans, including the Railroad Avenue Specific Plan, Pittsburg Moves Active Transportation Plan, Downtown/Marina Visioning, and more. The city is not only growing, but actively determining how it wants to grow.
Innovation in Energy
If there is one industry that is seeing a lot of attention and innovation here in Pittsburg, it is happening in the energy sector. The state of California has set climate goals for clean, carbon neutral energy to power our homes and businesses, all while meeting the demand for energy our modern world needs. Pittsburg’s historical industrial areas are seeing new life by attracting and accommodating companies in the energy sector. One such company is the Calpine Corporation, which runs two natural gas power plants which provide a combined net interest baseload of 1.35 gigawatts of energy to the Bay Area region. At one of its sites, the Los Medanos Energy Center is piloting Carbon Capture technology in partnership with ION Clean Energy and the US Department of Energy. Pittsburg is also seeing a growing interest in the development of hydrogen fuel in its industrial areas, with H Cycle currenting proposing to develop a renewable hydrogen facility on 20 acres of Corteva property. Pittsburg is also home to the Trans Bay Cable, a 53 mile high-voltage direct current underwater cable interconnection to San Francisco that provides up to 40% of San Francisco’s peak power needs. To top it off, Generon and Linde provide industrial gas all across the region. In a city defined by its steel and chemical production heritage, the energy sector is strong and innovative in the Pittsburg community.
2024: A Year of Possibilities
This year will continue a number of major initiatives and developments that are occurring across the city. The City of Pittsburg plans to adopt its 2040 General Plan, implement an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) to fund our future infrastructure, welcome the opening of a new Courtyard by Marriott hotel, continue to see development of the San Marco Neighborhood and its new commercial center anchored by Sprouts. So much is happening here, and we invite you to come be a part of it. Contact the City of Pittsburg’s Economic Development Manager, Robert Carrera, at rcarrera@pittsburgca.gov or call 925-252-4279 to learn more about the opportunities in Pittsburg, California.
