Overview

The Yards at 3 Crossings is a premier luxury residential community located in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, directly along the Allegheny River. The building features expansive window lines, modern architecture, and waterfront exposure that brings in light — but also increases the accumulation of dust, pollen, river moisture, and airborne debris.

Because of the building's design, several elevations are difficult or impossible to reach safely with traditional poles or lifts. The owners needed a cleaning method that would maintain the property's high-end aesthetic without blocking resident access, staging heavy equipment, or disrupting the community.

 

AIRSCAPE was hired to perform a full exterior window cleaning using our drone-powered DI water system, giving the building a refreshed, streak-free finish in a fraction of the time conventional methods would require.

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The Challenge

 

The Yards presented several unique obstacles for exterior maintenance:

 

Riverside environmental buildup

Constant exposure to river moisture, wind-blown sediment, and pollen caused noticeable film on upper windows.

 

Difficult access elevations

Tight walkways, landscaping, and a waterfront edge made lift placement costly and unsafe.

 

Resident activity & traffic flow

As a fully occupied residential building, noise, sidewalk closures, and lift operations would disrupt daily life.

 

Large window area spanning multiple levels

Upper floors had the heaviest accumulation and are the hardest to reach without specialized equipment.

 

 Our Solution

 

AIRSCAPE deployed a drone-powered cleaning operation designed specifically for multi-story residential buildings with limited ground access.

 

1. Full Site Walkthrough & Safety Engineering

 

We evaluated:

• Launch and landing zones

• Resident foot traffic patterns

• Wind patterns coming off the river

• No-fly zones

• Areas where traditional methods would be unsafe or impossible

 

*An FAA-certified pilot and visual observer were present every day.

 

2. Drone Cleaning with DI Water

 

Our DI (deionized) water system delivered:

• No risk to landscaping or building materials

• Perfect for waterfront buildings where runoff matters

• No equipment was leaned against the building, protecting the façade and balconies.

 

 

3. Zero-Disruption Residential Execution

 

We coordinated the workflow to avoid:

• Resident entry/exit zones

• Courtyard/social areas

• Peak traffic hours

 

*Residents remained completely undisturbed throughout.

 

 Results

 

AIRSCAPE delivered a complete exterior refresh for The Yards at 3 Crossings.

 

Quantitative Outcomes:

• Tens of thousands of sq ft of glass cleaned

• Completed dramatically faster than traditional methods

• No lift rentals required

• Zero resident disruption

• Improved visibility and curb appeal, especially on upper floors

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Visual Improvements:

• Brighter interior light due to clearer glass

• A cleaner waterfront-facing façade

• More polished curb appeal from the 3 Crossings development walkway

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Operational Impact:

• No blocked sidewalks

• No heavy equipment on property

• No noise pollution

• No risk associated with workers performing tasks at height