A local architect today took his battle to save Mellon Arena from the wrecking ball to its owner, the city-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority.

Rob Pfaffmann urged the SEA board to allow for a full public dialogue on the future of the arena, including his plan to salvage the 48-year-old landmark and transform it into a community ice skating rink along with shops, entertainment, and restaurants similar to Chicago's Millenium Park. He also would reconnect Wylie Avenue in the Hill District with Downtown as a pedestrian greenway.

"This is going to be a long process. There is no need to rush the demolition of the arena," he said. "I can make the argument to the Penguins . . . that the economic advantage to keeping the arena is better than tearing it down."

Mr. Pfaffmann, a Downtown architect, said the team may be able to secure historic tax credits for the development. He also feels it is more cost effective to work with the existing infrastructure than to tear it up and start anew.

Noting that the arena is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, Mr. Pfaffmann told the board, "You have a responsibility to set a process that includes the community in the process. You haven't done that. We're going to make the same mistakes we made in 1954 [when Mellon Arena was planned] if we have a hidden process that does not have proper transparency."

The Penguins plan to develop 28 acres, including the Mellon Arena site, across from the new Consol Energy Center into a mix of residential, retail and office uses. Under the plan, the arena would be demolished and the land paved over and used for parking before other development takes place.

Their plan also includes re-establishing the street grid from the Hill into Downtown, which was removed with the construction of Mellon Arena.

SEA Executive Director Mary Conturo said after Mr. Pfaffmann spoke that there would be a public process relating to the proposed demolition of the arena. The authority board also hired Oxford/Chester LLC today at a cost not to exceed $277,180 to assist in the master planning for the 28-acre site.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

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