(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Zoo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is exploring the development of a new stand-alone cultural destination on the North Shore known as the Pennsylvania Aquarium. The project is currently in a conceptual phase to determine if the facility is both viable and sustainable for the region. An economic impact study has been commissioned and a coalition of regional leaders is forming to evaluate funding and community impact. According to Dr. Jeremy Goodman, the president & CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, the Commonwealth is currently the most populous state without a stand-alone aquarium. No final decisions have been made regarding a specific location for the facility, even though site feasibility will be part of the evaluation process. There is currently no established construction timeline for the project. If completed, the aquarium would be the first major attraction built on the North Shore since PNC Park opened in April of 2001. The concept involves a large-scale destination that is designed for both immersive habitat experiences and aquatic conservation storytelling. Leaders emphasized that the Pennsylvania Aquarium would expand existing offerings from the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium rather than duplicating them. The facility is intended to operate as a stand-alone destination that is separate from the main zoo grounds. The project is expected to strengthen the city’s position as a national leader in environmental education while expanding both tourism and regional economic activity. Planned benefits include the creation of new jobs and immersive learning programs that are focused on aquatic life and water systems. The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium stated that it is committed to a responsible evaluation process before moving forward with this project.