Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette St. Regis Hall behind Epiphany Church is the first building to be demolished on the site.

By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A former residence hall for working women became the first casualty yesterday of the effort to build a new venue for well-paid hockey-playing men.

St. Regis Hall, a four-story, 18,000-square-foot brick structure that was part of the Epiphany Church complex on Colwell Street, Uptown, gave way to the wrecker's might, as Penguins executives and public officials watched approvingly.

It is the first of a dozen knock-downs planned on the way to the construction of a $290 million arena. That it happened on the eve of the team's first playoff game in six years just added to the gushing.

		Graphic: Under the wrecking ball

"It's an exciting time for the team, a young team that's going to bring a tremendous amount of excitement to this region and to this area," said Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. "And what better way to continue that than to build a new facility?"

St. Regis Hall is the first of 12 buildings set to meet their doom under a $926,419 contract with Empire Dismantlement Corp. of Grand Island, N.Y. The package also includes the old Epiphany School, the Epiphany Church rectory and nine buildings along Fifth Avenue.

All but the rectory will be down by Aug. 1, said Mary Conturo, executive director of the city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority, which is managing the process. The rectory will be demolished next year, after a new one is built.

The authority is putting together plans to demolish the former St. Francis Central Hospital, also part of the arena site, and will invite bids next month or in June in hopes of entering into a contract by July, she said.

"This is really a great moment for us," said Penguins Chief Executive Officer Ken Sawyer, whose team has spent seven years lobbying for the arena deal that was finally struck March 13.

Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette From left, the Penguins' Ken Sawyer, Sports & Exhibition Authority chairman John Chalovich, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, and Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato gather for the ceremonial beginning of the demolition. Click photo for larger image.

Even before the gambling-backed financial deal was reached, Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, Mr. Ravenstahl and Gov. Ed Rendell were assembling land and preparing demolition specifications. Nearly a month after the basic terms were struck, the Penguins and the Sports & Exhibition Authority continue to exchange drafts of a new arena lease, officials said.

"The mayor and I have made it clear, along with the SEA, that as we develop this site and move across the street [to redevelop the Mellon Arena site], we will be working closely with the community representatives to make sure that this becomes a win-win for the Penguins, for the community and the city," said Mr. Onorato.

He and Mr. Ravenstahl said they are trying to arrange a meeting, possibly tomorrow, with the Penguins and Hill District residents.

They plan to discuss a possible community benefits agreement that would ensure the neighborhood shares in the surge of construction that could also include a proposed $350 million development on and around Mellon Arena's site.

The role of the arena's neighbors became an issue Thursday, when Hill District business leaders and clergy met with Mr. Ravenstahl and Mr. Onorato. They provided a "terms sheet" indicating they want $10 million in development funding for the neighborhood, a share of arena and development revenue, and a guarantee that 30 percent of related jobs will go to minorities.

Mr. Onorato said the proposed terms should be viewed as "goals, as opposed to specific items."

Mr. Ravenstahl added that there would have to be give and take.

"I think when we talk about numbers like $10 million, it would be input and dollars that would go into redeveloping the area, not necessarily a lump sum payment," he said.

There has been "some tension in the past" among Hill residents toward the Penguins, he said. "So we want to start to smooth that over. ... Hopefully that meeting will be the first step in building that relationship."

Penguins President David Morehouse withheld comment until after the meeting. The team, which was not invited to last week's meeting, will bring along its neighborhood development consultant, Don Carter of Urban Design Associates.

In addition to the arena development, slot machine license winner Don Barden has pledged to be involved in the $350 million redevelopment of the Mellon Arena site, even as he hopes to build a North Shore casino. Spokesman Robert Oltmanns said he wasn't aware of anyone from Mr. Barden's team being invited to any upcoming meeting.

Efforts to ensure that the Hill benefits from the development are fragmented.

The group that met with officials Thursday, led by businesswoman Marimba Milliones and the Rev. Johnnie Monroe, pastor of Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church, emerged from the Hill District Gaming Task Force that explored the impact a slots casino might have.

That group is at odds with city Councilwoman Tonya Payne, who is working with county Councilman Bill Robinson to secure contracts for minority-owned and women-owned businesses.