Looking to infuse a dose of tech-savviness into its annual Treasurer's Sale, the City of Pittsburgh's Department of Finance, in collaboration with local architecture and design trailblazers VRIDIAN, has introduced a new digital tool designed to enhance transparency and civic engagement. VRIDIAN, which stakes its reputation on innovative spatial computing, teamed up with city officials to create VIVA—an interactive digital map where residents can check out properties on the auction block as though they were navigating a video game, according to details from the City of Pittsburgh's website.
The novel VIVA platform represents a blend of GIS data, 3D modeling, and real-time interactivity, converging for a fresh take on how the public interacts with land sale data. Jack Nelson, the architect at the helm of VRIDIAN emphasized, "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," a statement outlined on the city's website. The digital offering is touted as a boon for transparency ahead of the Treasurer's Sale on Wednesday, particularly for first-time property auction participants.
The Director of the Department of Finance, Jennifer Gula, touted the tech as a significant step for improving customer experience, asserting, "VRIDIAN is supplying an extremely cool customer-facing visualization tool that will be great for Finance." She cites the platform as a key resource for Pittsburghers, helping them make informed choices before placing their bids. Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey also lauded the initiative, describing it as an embodiment of savvy, people-first government service. "This is exactly the kind of smart, people-first technology we need to make our city work better for everyone." These remarks were mentioned on the City's official website.
To explore the VRIDIAN-crafted interactive map or for more information on the Treasurer's Sales process, Pittsburgh residents can visit the City's official website.
