Road Access Sought for Carrie Furnace Site

(08/20/2010) - Steel Industry Heritage Corporation and Allegheny County officials held a news conference at the Carrie Furnace Site on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 to announce upcoming plans for the site. They are asking the federal government for approximately $20 million in funding to build a ramp to connect the Rankin Bridge to a proposed national heritage park at the site. The furnaces received a National Historic Landmark designation in 2006. The plans include converting Carrie Furnaces 6 and 7, and the property surrounding the furnaces into a tourist destination. There are 120 acres on the site that are to be developed into housing and office space.

Steel Industry Heritage Corporation officials estimate it would cost approximately $75 million to $100 million to renovate the furnaces, and, install utilities and pave roads on the site.

The furnaces were built in 1907. Steel from the furnaces was used for auto parts, factory metallurgy and weaponry for the United States in World War II. U.S. Congressman Mike Doyle has introduced a bill in Congress for a Steel Industry National Historic Site in Allegheny County, and that would include the Carrie Furnace site. The bill would provide for up to $30 million in federal funds for the development of the site, if approved.