Penguins' idea for Civic Arena site questioned in city council
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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.
One preservationist group, Reuse the Igloo, has proposed a reuse plan that includes two six-story office buildings and housing. The arena itself would be used for hospitality, recreational and entertainment purposes.
Architect Rob Pfaffmann, leader of Reuse the Igloo, said he has lined up a developer from Toronto-based Triple Properties Inc. for the work. He has said the developer, which bought the Pontiac Silverdome, is willing to pay $5 million for the arena.
Before council, Mr. Pfaffmann also asserted that Triple Properties was negotiating with a "cultural" tenant to be the anchor for the arena, but needed more time to finalize the deal. He said he could not disclose the name because of confidentiality agreements.
"The tenant would knock everybody's socks off," he said.
But Travis Williams, the Penguins' chief operating officer, greeted the disclosure with skepticism, calling it a "last-ditch attempt to delay this process," adding that any reuse would involve "a laundry list of nothing but public subsidies."
A preliminary vote on whether to designate the arena as historic could come as early as next week. Under law, council must vote on the issue by July 20. Both the city historic review commission and planning commission have voted against a designation.
First Published June 2, 2011 12:00 am
