For months, the Penguins have been criticizing proponents of saving the Civic Arena for the lack of a viable redevelopment plan. Now a city councilman has turned the tables on the team.

During a lengthy fact-gathering session Wednesday, Councilman Bruce Kraus questioned whether the Penguins' plans to redevelop the site were firm enough to merit the demolition of what he described as technological marvel to architecture.

Mr. Kraus said his biggest fear is that council will make a "hasty" decision in voting against a city historic designation for the arena that "backfires on us." The designation would prevent the arena from being razed.

"A big concern I have is losing the arena and going into this commercial development that isn't successful," he said.

Mr. Kraus was one of several council members to raise the possibility of a two-year stay of execution for the arena or perhaps giving a temporary historic designation to the 49-year-old landmark while development plans are firmed up.

Preservationists have been pushing for such a delay to give themselves more time to finalize their own plans to reuse the arena, which closed last August when the Penguins moved to Consol Energy Center.

The Penguins have proposed a 28-acre redevelopment on the arena site that would include 1,400 units of housing, 600,000 square feet of office space, and 200,000 square feet of commercial space.

However, Mr. Kraus worried that the plan was too general, given the high stakes involved.

"If we don't have a specific plan, would it be the end of the world to wait a year or two?" he asked.

Mary Conturo, executive director of the city-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority, said the agency would be opposed to any stay of execution. She said a delay in demolishing the arena would lose the momentum generated by the opening of Consol Energy Center.