The long-quiet Vincentian Marian Manor site in Banksville may finally be headed for a second act, and this one comes with garages, pickleball and a built-in tax base. A developer is pitching Golden Horizons, a 124-unit age-restricted townhome community for buyers 55 and older, that would replace the former assisted-living building at 2695 Winchester Drive. Some neighbors say if something is going to land on the vacant property, they would rather see new, taxable homes than some of the other ideas that have been floated over the years.
What the plan would build
According to the City of Pittsburgh project page, the proposal calls for 124 for-sale townhomes, each with a two-car integral garage, along with a residents' clubhouse and outdoor recreation space. Site drawings show a private drive that would connect the development to Winchester Road and a maximum building height of about 40 feet.
The city materials also note plans for a pool and pickleball courts on the property, giving the project a decidedly resort-lite feel for the 55-and-up crowd.
Developer and neighbors
Split Rock Real Estate Partners is listed on the filings as the developer and describes itself on its website as a Pittsburgh-area residential and commercial investor. Local reporting and project renderings highlight extra amenities such as a putting green and an indoor golf simulator, details that suggest the developer is leaning hard into the active-adult branding.
Neighbors told CBS Pittsburgh they prefer a housing development that will bring property-tax revenue to the neighborhood over other potential uses that have been discussed in the past. A Split Rock representative told the station the firm plans to share more specifics in the coming weeks.
Permits, zoning and public records
On the bureaucratic side, city records show that a Sewage Facilities Plan revision for 2695 Winchester Drive cleared City Council in May, a routine but necessary step toward approving sewer service for the site, according to City Council records.
Council files also include a bill that would create a new Residential Planned Unit Development district identified as "Banksville Golden Horizons," tailored to this proposal. Council has authorized an extension so the Planning Commission can complete its review. Final approval will depend on a Planning Commission recommendation followed by a City Council vote.
What's next
The Planning Commission is scheduled to review the Golden Horizons proposal on Tuesday at 2 p.m. If commissioners recommend the zoning change, it would move to City Council for a final decision, per the City of Pittsburgh project page.
Members of the public can testify at the hearing or submit comments through the city's project portal before council takes up the matter. The developer has said it will release additional project details and a construction timeline in the coming weeks.
If the plan wins approval, Banksville would gain a substantial batch of new for-sale homes and see a long-vacant institutional site turned into a taxpaying development. Nearby homeowners, local council members and city planners are expected to keep a close eye on traffic, infrastructure and design details as the proposal moves through the review process.
