Carnegie Mellon University gets approval to build new robotics center at Hazelwood Green

Carnegie Mellon University has received approval from Pittsburgh’s Planning Commission to move forward with plans for a new robotics center at the Hazelwood Green site.

The university is planning to build a 150,000-square-foot research building with a two-story enclosure for testing robots and drones, according to Bob Reppe, the school’s architect. Plans also call for a 1½-acre outdoor laboratory where researchers will be able to conduct various tests and experiments with robots.

The school already leases space at Hazelwood Green’s Mill 19 building, but this will mark the first new building the school will build at the site.

The facility is designed to provide ample space for robot and drone experiments, Reppe said. The fenced-in outdoor area will include two public viewing areas where people will be able to watch the robots and drones in action.

The university is planning to begin construction late this summer and open the center in May 2025, Reppe said. University officials have not said how much the project is expected to cost.

“It really is intended to be a space where robotics research is done, especially robotics research that may not fit on campus,” Reppe told members of the Planning Commission, which approved the plans this week.

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