SEA schedules vote on fate of Arena tomorrow (Pittsburgh, Oxford: apartments, condos)

[BrianTH]

I think there is enough money to be made that something like the planned development will in fact happen. It almost surely will be a frustratingly slow process, particularly in the beginning, but the bottomline is that this isn't charity: this should be very profitable.

And for evidence, I would note that although again it is taking a while, the area between Heinz and PNC is in fact being developed as we speak.

Incidentally, I believe that guy who wants to take a couple sections of the Arena and use them to build office buildings next to a hill is still interested. I suspect there are numerous financial and legal issues that would have to be worked out, but I would hope there would be the will to make that happen if at all possible.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by AaronClark

I'd like to see the big metal pieces turned over to some architect or artist to at least recycle into something else. I could see a huge sculpture made from that thing.

If you have ever seen a photo when the Arena was open, it looked really cool. A triangle over the seats. It would be great if they could take that material and put it over a concert venue somewhere in the area.

Yeah, I'm dreaming.

[Blackbeauty212]

I can't remember the last time they opened the Arena Dome.....anyone remember????

[pman]

as an aside, they should sell off the seats.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I think there is enough money to be made that something like the planned development will in fact happen. It almost surely will be a frustratingly slow process, particularly in the beginning, but the bottomline is that this isn't charity: this should be very profitable.
And for evidence, I would note that although again it is taking a while, the area between Heinz and PNC is in fact being developed as we speak.
Incidentally, I believe that guy who wants to take a couple sections of the Arena and use them to build office buildings next to a hill is still interested. I suspect there are numerous financial and legal issues that would have to be worked out, but I would hope there would be the will to make that happen if at all possible.

well, it looks like hilton might be in the market for a hotel property. the location is intriguing and I support the idea of restoring the grid. do you know of a place that has good detail on what is "supposed" to happen?

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by pman

do you know of a place that has good detail on what is "supposed" to happen?

Yep. Basically every relevant document is located here:

Lower Hill Redevelopment

This PDF describes the master plan the Penguins have pitched:

http://www.pgh-sea.com/images/LHR_Me...on20100317.pdf

Note that for reasons which aren't clear to me, the renderings don't match up with the actual plans in various important details. The presentation also doesn't explain why at one point they seem to be suggesting they would reconnect both Webster and Wylie, and then instead they only reconnect Wylie.

I don't think any of this has actually been approved yet. So I'm hoping we might be able to revisit some other key issues now that the Arena issue is out of the way.

[hempfield mania]

See ya later, sucka!

My fondest memory is playing in a couple exhibition scrimmages at the arena during Pittsburgh Spirit halftimes many, many years ago.

[youngabe]

So...let's talk about the preservationists that are still vowing to "over turn" the SEA's ruling. While I understand the historical value, etc, the ideas they put forth were not economically beneficial. I remember reading about a place for skating, book fairs...you've got to be kidding me.

[IAmNips82]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

I can't remember the last time they opened the Arena Dome.....anyone remember????

According to the final Director of Operations (who came over to CONSOL), it was last open in 2000 for maintenance. It was pretty rare for it to be open after 1995, because of the installation of the Jumbotron - the weight of the scoreboard meant that you had to take it down and dismantle it to open the roof, which was cost prohibitive.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by youngabe

So...let's talk about the preservationists that are still vowing to "over turn" the SEA's ruling. While I understand the historical value, etc, the ideas they put forth were not economically beneficial. I remember reading about a place for skating, book fairs...you've got to be kidding me.

I actually don't have a problem with them pushing this issue as hard as they can. The Arena represents a big capital investment, and it has some interesting and historic aspects, and before you destroy all that you should make sure you are doing the right thing. And in that sense, I personally take comfort in the fact that they have tried so hard, because that makes the fact that they haven't come up with a compelling vision or argument all the more useful.

[youngabe]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I actually don't have a problem with them pushing this issue as hard as they can. The Arena represents a big capital investment, and it has some interesting and historic aspects, and before you destroy all that you should make sure you are doing the right thing. And in that sense, I personally take comfort in the fact that they have tried so hard, because that makes the fact that they haven't come up with a compelling vision or argument all the more useful.

Very good point.

My biggest thought on the issue is that no use of that one building could possibly be as economically beneficial as starting fresh. The new development could be a mix of residential, commercial, etc...really, the possibilities are endless, as a result, really breathing new life into that area. Whereas if the building stands, I'm in doubt that any reuse could be as beneficial to the city as a whole.