Food Podcast: Expansion project will allow for more produce storage, distribution

On this episode of the Food Podcast presented by Clearview Federal Credit Union, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is giving an inside look at a major renovation/expansion project.

The warehouse and facility is expanding from 96,000 square feet to 130,000 square feet in a targeted effort to bring the community healthy food. The plans were set up and funded before the pandemic through the Grow, Share Thrive Campaign.

The renovated and expanded facility will have more shelving and create more cooler space specifically to house fresh produce. The goal is to make 50% of all the food distributed from the food bank fresh produce by 2025.

“Our existing facilities weren’t set up in a way to handle that fresh, expiring product. Food banking was built on shelf-stable canned items, boxes … things that could sit on a shelf for an extended period of time and we were the benefactors of manufacturing overruns,” said Chief Operating Officer Justin Lee. “When we decided to go to fresh product, healthy product, we knew that we had to increase the amount of cooler space and storage to preserve the life and prolong the life of the product that we had going out into the community.”

The cooler space includes the addition of three refrigerated loading docks.

The renovations also include the addition of an on-site food pantry.

The idea is to create an environment similar to a grocery store, where people have greater access to food depending on time restrictions. The pantry will also have refrigerated lockers where people can request food and pick it up at a time that works with their schedule.

There will also be a kitchen called the nutrition kitchen where staff can show the community healthy recipe possibilities.

Lee said the construction is in the final stages and that it was critical to stay open during construction, which is why the food bank hired Massaro Construction.

“It’s one of the reasons we chose Massaro with their experience in the hospital system. Thinking about how you can keep a hospital going while you’re building a wing, while you’re doing demolition. Helping to protect patients in the process. We liked that they did that when we were talking about our food safety … how we have to control the dust and particles in the air,” Lee said.

The food bank hopes to open parts of the facility this fall.

To see the construction progress, click here.

Listen: Food bank under renovation in effort to house and distribute more produce