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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2025 |
Olga George
Press Secretary
Mayor's Office
olga.george@pittsburghpa.gov
412-627-0679 |
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City of Pittsburgh Leverages Cutting-Edge Technology to Boost Resident Engagement in Annual Treasurer’s Sale
Pittsburgh, PA – As part of the PGH Lab 10.0 pilot program, the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Finance has partnered with local architecture and design firm VRIDIAN to launch a powerful new tool aimed at increasing transparency and participation in the City’s Annual Treasurer’s Sale. The result: an interactive digital map that allows residents to explore sale properties with the ease and engagement of a video game.
Founded in 2016 by architect Jack Nelson, VRIDIAN is a South Side-based firm at the forefront of spatial computing. Through this pilot, VRIDIAN and the Department of Finance are unveiling VIVA (VRIDIAN’s Integrated Virtual Architecture), a next-generation digital twin platform that fuses GIS data, 3D modeling, and real-time interactivity to reimagine how residents' access and engage with public land sale data. The platform allows users to virtually navigate and explore individual properties up for auction in the Treasurer’s Sale, making an often-complex process far more accessible.
“VRIDIAN’s Integrated Virtual Architecture (VIVA) is a groundbreaking digital twin platform that combines the power of GIS data, spatial computing and digital twin technologies with the accessibility, interactivity and fun of a video game engine,” said Jack Nelson, Founder and Principal at VRIDIAN.
The initiative comes ahead of the 2025 Treasurer’s Sale, scheduled for July 18, with a clear objective: make the purchasing process clearer, more transparent, and easier to navigate for all residents—particularly those unfamiliar with property auctions or public land sales.
“VRIDIAN is supplying an extremely cool customer-facing visualization tool that will be great for Finance,” said Jennifer Gula, Director of the Department of Finance. “It is an open portal that we can use to promote our Treasurer’s Sales that will help our residents make sound decisions before bidding on a property. This can also be used as a showcase for residents that may be unfamiliar with the overall Treasurer’s Sale process, allowing greater accessibility.”
Mayor Ed Gainey praised the effort as a bold step toward digital equity and innovation in government services: “This is exactly the kind of smart, people-first technology we need to make our city work better for everyone. Tools like VIVA don’t just modernize the process—they give residents real power to make informed decisions and invest in their neighborhoods.”
By leveraging this advanced digital platform, the City aims to increase awareness, boost participation, and ensure all Pittsburghers have an equal opportunity to reclaim and reinvest in underutilized properties across their communities.
To learn more about the City's Treasurer's Sales process, please click here. To explore VRIDIAN's interactive Treasurer’s Sale map, please click here.
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