Beacon Closes on PACT Steam Plant for 97 Affordable Apartments

Beacon Communities closed Oct. 22 on the former PACT steam plant at 120 Cecil Place Downtown for $1.87 million, and a $26.2 million building permit for the conversion was issued the same day. The 13-story project will create 97 affordable apartments. Beacon Communities is the developer; Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaff + Goettel is the architect. Construction began in October 2026, when the notice of commencement was filed.

The apartments will include a mix of studios and one- to three-bedroom units. Forty-nine units carry project-based vouchers reserved for single parents pursuing college degrees through Pittsburgh Scholar House. Amenities include a community room, fitness center, fenced playground, Scholar House office, and childcare and counseling services. The project includes 2 parking spaces.

Financing includes a $5 million URA loan and $4.9 million from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. The design retains the smokestack and adds a stainless steel tile facade. Completion is expected by 2028.

The plant was decommissioned after heating Downtown buildings for more than a century. The conversion is part of Gov. Shapiro's 10-year Downtown revitalization plan.