Save Mellon Arena? (Pittsburgh, Madison: landscaping, new construction, mall)

[BrianTH]

Here is another article on this subject, providing a little more detail on the upcoming planning process:

Mellon Arena study may sketch out vision - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

An excerpt:

Pittsburgh Penguins executives said Thursday they're open to ideas for developing 28 acres next to their new home in the Consol Energy Center, but saving Mellon Arena from demolition is unlikely. Their rough vision so far is an expansive mix of retail, housing and public space based on successful arena-centered commercial districts . . . .

A key component will be gathering input from the new arena's neighbors, [Penguins Team President] Morehouse said, an effort that began yesterday when the Sports & Exhibition Authority hired Michael Baker Corp. of Moon to study the historical and archaeological significance of Mellon Arena and the land around it. . . . Because Mellon Arena is eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the civil engineering firm will ensure that plans to demolish it and redevelop the site don't violate the National Historic Preservation Act. What Michael Baker finds could shape how the site is altered and what, if anything, should be preserved. Research efforts will include at least two public presentations, according to its contract.

[jimmyev]

Originally Posted by TelecasterBlues

I don't really understand how it's so "unique" either. Is it really any different than the AstroDome, SuperDome, the old KingDome in Seattle that was leveled a decade ago, etc? It's really not that endearing of a design or anything truly unique.

I think it's funny that Houstonians complain the city never preserves its history compared to northeastern cities, yet the first reaction to the building of Reliant Park was to preserve the Astrodome. They're still trying to figure out what to do with it.

IMHO, the Civic Arena, with its retractable roof and sleek sculptural look is more worthy of preservation than the Astrodome. Pittsburgh has a lot of fine examples of international-style architecture - Gateway Center, the Alcoa Building, US Steelworkers Bldg and the Civic Arena.

The urge to destroy (or re-face) international-style buildings now reminds me of the whole-sale destruction of Art Deco buildings from 1950 through 1980.

[Hopes]

If it isn't fixed soon, someone needs to destroy the Hilton! I'm surprised the chain is allowing the hotel fall into such disrepair under this franchisee!

[szug-bot]

the arena can have so many possibilities - a maglev station, unique condos, with a city center'/retail on what is the performance space, an urban farm, movie studio space...

i would like to see it stay and adapted to another use.

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by jimmyev

I think it's funny that Houstonians complain the city never preserves its history compared to northeastern cities, yet the first reaction to the building of Reliant Park was to preserve the Astrodome. They're still trying to figure out what to do with it.

IMHO, the Civic Arena, with its retractable roof and sleek sculptural look is more worthy of preservation than the Astrodome. Pittsburgh has a lot of fine examples of international-style architecture - Gateway Center, the Alcoa Building, US Steelworkers Bldg and the Civic Arena.

The urge to destroy (or re-face) international-style buildings now reminds me of the whole-sale destruction of Art Deco buildings from 1950 through 1980.

So true. I don't see how anybody can compare the arena to the municipal monstrosities from the late 60s-early 70s like the Astrodome/Kingdome/3 Rivers.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Hopes

If it isn't fixed soon, someone needs to destroy the Hilton! I'm surprised the chain is allowing the hotel fall into such disrepair under this franchisee!

I know. I'm surprised they weren't dropped, but it is the largest hotel in town and Hilton must think it's going to work out somehow. If not there, I don't know what hotel Hilton would be able to put its name on, and then they would be gone from the area with their flagship brand. Some new investors have either purchased it or become co-owners or something, so work should restart soon if it hasn't already.

[jimmyev]

Originally Posted by Hopes

If it isn't fixed soon, someone needs to destroy the Hilton! I'm surprised the chain is allowing the hotel fall into such disrepair under this franchisee!

I stayed at this hotel during the arts festival and loved it. Not only does it have the 1950s thing going on with the exterior (except for the endless remodel) as part of Gateway Center, but the rooms have been remodeled in that Frank Sinatra-Crate and Barrel style. Kind of like waking up inside a Rothko painting.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by jimmyev

I stayed at this hotel during the arts festival and loved it. Not only does it have the 1950s thing going on with the exterior (except for the endless remodel) as part of Gateway Center, but the rooms have been remodeled in that Frank Sinatra-Crate and Barrel style. Kind of like waking up inside a Rothko painting.

I'm just upset about the condition of the exterior. The owner doesn't pay his bills so the construction and painting has been half done for over a year.

[Herodotus]

First of all, 8,000 people were displaced by the leveling of the Lower Hill. While the roughly 2,000 white residents were easily absorbed into other neighborhoods, the 6,000 underclass blacks were steered into Homewood, Beltzhoover, and the North Side. Homewood and Beltzhoover, which were predominantly white neighborhoods that each contained an enclave of middle/working class blacks, were badly destabilized by this. Homewood went from 80% white, to over 80% black in less than 10 years. The middle class blacks escaped to Wilkinsburg, but the underclass soon followed. They then ran to Penn Hills, but have been followed there as well.

As for Isle of Capri, their failure to get the Casino was not because of the polititians, but because of a certain large and powerful institution located nearby, Duquesne University. When the president of Duquesne came out and said that they didn't want a casino next to their campus, Isle of Capri was dead. Duquesne alums have plenty of juice in this town, and it was made clear to the people making the decisions that this casino was not to happen. Barden likely would have gotten the financing done for his project if he hadn't been delayed by the naysayers so long that he ran into the economic collapse.

[pman]

the cheesegrater (US Steelworkers bldg) is pretty ugly. would be nice if they had a plan for the site first.