Big things are on the horizon in Western Pennsylvania in 2026.

With 2025 wrapping up, here is a look at 10 major things set to shape the region in 2026.

Pittsburgh to host the 2026 NFL Draft

In April, Downtown Pittsburgh will be the nexus of what is expected to be the largest tourist event in the city’s history.

The 2026 NFL Draft — anchored between parts of the North Shore, Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium — is expected to bring 500,000 to 700,000 fans over the three-day event, according to the city’s tourism agency, VisitPittsburgh.

Pittsburgh gets a new mayor

Current Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor is set to be sworn in as Pittsburgh’s next mayor Jan. 5.

During his term, O’Connor must tackle Pittsburgh’s fiscal, operational and personnel challenges.

After his win in November, O’Connor told TribLive he promises to bring fiscal accountability, foster economic growth, reinvigorate Downtown and install a permanent police chief during his term.

250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence

Along with the new year comes the Quarter Millennium — the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

By the start of the year, the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial, also known as America250PA, will have placed 100 bells throughout the state to celebrate as part of the Bells Across PA project.

According to VisitPittsburgh, the spot where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet to form the Ohio River was a hotbed of conflict between the French and British empires, and the “Steel City” played a role during the Industrial Revolution with its massive output of iron and steel.

The city will hold Pittsburgh’s Independence Day Fireworks Spectacular to celebrate the 250th anniversary, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will show programs that honor the American spirit at the Benedum Center, including George Balanchine’s patriotic and jubilant “Stars and Stripes Pas de deux,” and the Heinz History Center will celebrate with exhibits and stories of Western Pennsylvania’s impact on the American experience.

Data centers in Springdale and Upper Burrell

The Alle-Kiski Valley will have two new data centers designed to hold computing equipment, such as servers and networking devices, as well as to store data and information for companies up and running within the new year.

Upper Burrell will house Florida-based data center company TECfusions at a 1,395-acre site. In October, TECfusions officials told TribLive the facility has the potential to host a digital cloud for a company such as Meta or other household names.

Despite resident and environmental activist pushback, another data center will also open in Springdale.

The Allegheny DC Property Co. data center’s site measures about 47 acres and will house a 565,000-square-foot hyperscale data center and a 200,000-square-foot mechanical cooling plant.

Solar farms in Buffalo Township

Atlanta-based SolAmerica will install two solar arrays, one on an 81-acre spot off Bear Creek Road and a second on a 19-acre parcel along Grimm Road, despite residents’ concerns about potential fire hazards at the sites and a negative effect on property values.

The electricity generated will be part of the regional electrical grid for distribution to power company customers.

Tarentum Bridge project

About 36,000 vehicles cross the Tarentum Bridge daily. In 2026, a portion of the work will require a full closure.

During this time, traffic is expected to reroute through East Deer to New Kensington.

The project will cost $97.5 million to repair the main span and ramps. It will start in late 2026 or in early 2027 and will last roughly three years.

The PennDOT has yet to announce closure dates.

The fate of Pittsburgh Mills mall

In November, an Allegheny County judge ordered property owners of the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer to pay more than $17 million in response to poor road, sidewalk and door conditions. Mall owner Namdar Realty Group later paved some of the potholes.

Barring successful appeals, Namdar continues to face nearly $29 million in fines over the condition of the property.

Dick’s House of Sport to open at Westmoreland Mall

The Pittsburgh region is set to get its second Dick’s House of Sport in 2026, in the vacant Sears spot at Westmoreland Mall.

When the House of Sport concept store opens in the summer, athletes will be able to go rock climbing and practice baseball, softball, lacrosse, field hockey and soccer, as reported by Triblive.

In December 2024, Stephanie Cegielski, vice president of research and public relations for the International Council of Shopping Centers, told TribLive that the space follows a trend as malls evolve to include entertainment in order to stay relevant.

Arnold Palmer Airport expansion

The first phase of the Arnold Palmer Airport’s $22 million project to expand the airport’s terminal is set to wrap up in the new year.

The airport, located in Unity near Latrobe, will see completion of the shell of the two-story, 32,000-square-foot addition and relocation of a security checkpoint in April.

Homer City data center development

A 4.4-gigawatt natural gas-fired power plant south of Homer City, intended to power a nearby data processing center, is expected to have its first turbine deliveries to the site in 2026.

Despite concerns from an environmental group that the facility would become the largest air polluter in Pennsylvania, state environmental regulators said they intend to approve an air quality plan for the center in September.

Officials expect the plant to be generating power by 2027.

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