For all of you "reconnect the hill types" who wants to obliterate any trace of the Civic Arena, I have a couple things to chew on in your mind.
-The Igloo didn't separate your neighborhood, 579 did. It's a gigantic trench gouged out between downtown and the Hill. Look at a satellite image, it's a much clearer defining line than the big dot just to the east. No matter how many streets they re-build over the arena property, there's still one way into and two ways out of downtown (Centre in and Bigelow and Centre out), because of the aforementioned highway.
-The Igloo didn't prevent Giant Eagle and Kuhn's from either balking at or pulling out of deals to re-build a Super Market in the Hill. Blame Giant Eagle especially, a "neighborhood" company that won't lift a finger to support a hometown neighborhood. Kuhn's at least tried, but ran into financial trouble.
-Whatever development they put there isn't being put there to help residents of the Hill. It's going to be upscale to attract to young business types, not long time Hill residents. Best case scenario is that it will Gentrify the area, and that's not going to help the Hill at all!
-So you want the development? That's fine too. Look at a map, the parking takes up two city blocks! You could easily keep the arena and re-develop the parking lots. Those are MUCH more of an eyesore than the arena.
Showing posts with label The Igloo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Igloo. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Save The Civic Arena!
A new website has sprung up to help preserve the Igloo. Found it by way of an interesting Op-Ed piece in the PG.
If you don't want the Igloo saved, then whatevs. If you do, then go to the website. It's at the top of the links on my page. There are TONS of ways to get involved. There is an online petition in addition to tons of links to get in touch with local leaders to let them know how you feel.
If you want the Igloo to stay but don't say speak up, no one of consequence will know.
If you don't want the Igloo saved, then whatevs. If you do, then go to the website. It's at the top of the links on my page. There are TONS of ways to get involved. There is an online petition in addition to tons of links to get in touch with local leaders to let them know how you feel.
If you want the Igloo to stay but don't say speak up, no one of consequence will know.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Surreal
No other words to describe it. Should be sad, but I'm just so shocked to see it, even though I knew it would come. Right now, just more in awe than sad. Plenty of time for sadness this summer...
The Ice melting for the final time
I'll miss you more than I realized Lady Mellon.
The Ice melting for the final time
I'll miss you more than I realized Lady Mellon.
Friday, April 16, 2010
What to Do with the Igloo?
I’ve often heard the phrase “You Americans have no sense of history”. This is usually spoken by non-Americans, and is usually directed at Americans with little sense of history.
It’s in this spirit that I write this post. Fifty-odd years ago, Pittsburgh destroyed a neighborhood in order to build what is now Mellon Arena. They destroyed a piece of our history. Now they threaten to destroy history again, although in a different way; by knocking down a piece of American Engineering AND Cultural history.
Two wrongs don’t make a right. Was obliterating that neighborhood bad in the first place? Absolutely. Does that make it ok to destroy this landmark which was the first EVER retractable dome and is a piece of Pittsburgh history? No way.
The common theme I hear is “we must connect the Hill back to Downtown”. The Radical Middle does a GREAT job of throwing this argument out the window. Check it out here. To roughly paraphrase, The Hill IS connected to downtown, and always has been. If you are worried about “restoring the street grid”, get rid of those damn parking lots and rebuild the street grid, complete with whatever type of development you would like, residential, commercial, WHATEVER.
What to do with old Lady Mellon?
The harder issue to tackle is the sheer fact that the old lady is old and broken. To continue to use it in something approaching its current capacity would require a lot of $$$$. You can’t just let it sit empty either, as it would continue to deteriorate, and eventually become a safety hazard. My favorite idea, pushed here, would be to gut the arena, leaving it’s signature feature, the roof intact. The roof would then be retracted (permanently, I think) and the shell of the arena could house an outdoor amphitheatre.
By using this approach, you are saving an engineering first, and avoiding many of the other problems, including continued maintenance. This would also would allow for more extensive development than by leaving the arena/parking lots fully intact.
The Civic Arena has somewhat of a sordid history, but that history is nonetheless extremely important to this city and Western Pennsylvania. The story of The Civic Arena/Igloo/Mellon Arena should be preserved, not just in pictures and thoughts, but in real concrete and steel.
It’s in this spirit that I write this post. Fifty-odd years ago, Pittsburgh destroyed a neighborhood in order to build what is now Mellon Arena. They destroyed a piece of our history. Now they threaten to destroy history again, although in a different way; by knocking down a piece of American Engineering AND Cultural history.
Two wrongs don’t make a right. Was obliterating that neighborhood bad in the first place? Absolutely. Does that make it ok to destroy this landmark which was the first EVER retractable dome and is a piece of Pittsburgh history? No way.
The common theme I hear is “we must connect the Hill back to Downtown”. The Radical Middle does a GREAT job of throwing this argument out the window. Check it out here. To roughly paraphrase, The Hill IS connected to downtown, and always has been. If you are worried about “restoring the street grid”, get rid of those damn parking lots and rebuild the street grid, complete with whatever type of development you would like, residential, commercial, WHATEVER.
What to do with old Lady Mellon?
The harder issue to tackle is the sheer fact that the old lady is old and broken. To continue to use it in something approaching its current capacity would require a lot of $$$$. You can’t just let it sit empty either, as it would continue to deteriorate, and eventually become a safety hazard. My favorite idea, pushed here, would be to gut the arena, leaving it’s signature feature, the roof intact. The roof would then be retracted (permanently, I think) and the shell of the arena could house an outdoor amphitheatre.
By using this approach, you are saving an engineering first, and avoiding many of the other problems, including continued maintenance. This would also would allow for more extensive development than by leaving the arena/parking lots fully intact.
The Civic Arena has somewhat of a sordid history, but that history is nonetheless extremely important to this city and Western Pennsylvania. The story of The Civic Arena/Igloo/Mellon Arena should be preserved, not just in pictures and thoughts, but in real concrete and steel.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
One Last Dance with the Old Lady
I wish it would have gone differently last night. I could have truly enjoyed my last event hosted by the old broad. Sadly, it was not meant to be. The last dance did not go as planned.
Still, I am glad to say I saw her one last time. Old lady Mellon has been showing her age for a long time, but there is no place like Mellon Arena in the NHL, and pretty soon there will be no Mellon Arena period.
In all my trips to the arena, I had never had the fortune, and the joy of sitting in the F Balcony where the Pens shoot twice. Despite last night’s outcome, I am sure glad that I had that opportunity. For all the hubbub about the new arena, I doubt that it, or any other hockey arena will be able to match the experience of watching a game from F section at the Mellon. I’ve often heard people say that in E and F sections you are right on top of the ice, but I was never able to picture it for myself. After last night, I now know what they were talking about, they could not have been more right. What an experience; what a great way to watch a hockey game!
I know things can’t last forever, and the old lady is tired and broken. This amazing team deserves a first class state of the art venue. I am glad they are getting that new facility. Still, I can’t help but feel a little sad. There was no NHL experience like the Mellon Arena. I don’t just mean the amazing views in the balcony seats, I mean the Standing Room Only, and the seats where there was a big chunk of concrete in your way. Those sections were ugly, but they were unique and they brought balance to the arena. You had the funky sight lines, but by the same token, in some sections you literally hovered over the ice, giving an unrivaled view of the action.
Unlike some others who cut their last visit to the old Igloo short last night once it became apparent the Pens were not going to pull it out, I stayed and walked around the seating bowl. I took some pictures and stopped to reminisce about my own personal experiences in this fine old arena.
I’ll always remember my first trip to the Igloo, as a “student rusher” with maybe about 4000 other people there (I missed Mario’s comeback by a few scant weeks). I’ll also never forget Ryan Malone’s wrap around goal during game two of the Senators series in 2008. It broke a 3-3 tie with under a minute to play and I remember thinking the roof was going to fly off as the place went absolutely NUTS!
Finally, I’ll always remember the Game 3 OT Goal by Letang to turn the series around against the Caps. I have never experienced a louder more intense crowd in any sport, at any venue than at that very moment. It was amazing and still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Even as your time grows near Lady Mellon, It’s hard to say goodbye. I’m not exactly sure how, suffice to say it’s been a wonderful ride, and thank you for all the memories.
Still, I am glad to say I saw her one last time. Old lady Mellon has been showing her age for a long time, but there is no place like Mellon Arena in the NHL, and pretty soon there will be no Mellon Arena period.
In all my trips to the arena, I had never had the fortune, and the joy of sitting in the F Balcony where the Pens shoot twice. Despite last night’s outcome, I am sure glad that I had that opportunity. For all the hubbub about the new arena, I doubt that it, or any other hockey arena will be able to match the experience of watching a game from F section at the Mellon. I’ve often heard people say that in E and F sections you are right on top of the ice, but I was never able to picture it for myself. After last night, I now know what they were talking about, they could not have been more right. What an experience; what a great way to watch a hockey game!
I know things can’t last forever, and the old lady is tired and broken. This amazing team deserves a first class state of the art venue. I am glad they are getting that new facility. Still, I can’t help but feel a little sad. There was no NHL experience like the Mellon Arena. I don’t just mean the amazing views in the balcony seats, I mean the Standing Room Only, and the seats where there was a big chunk of concrete in your way. Those sections were ugly, but they were unique and they brought balance to the arena. You had the funky sight lines, but by the same token, in some sections you literally hovered over the ice, giving an unrivaled view of the action.
Unlike some others who cut their last visit to the old Igloo short last night once it became apparent the Pens were not going to pull it out, I stayed and walked around the seating bowl. I took some pictures and stopped to reminisce about my own personal experiences in this fine old arena.
I’ll always remember my first trip to the Igloo, as a “student rusher” with maybe about 4000 other people there (I missed Mario’s comeback by a few scant weeks). I’ll also never forget Ryan Malone’s wrap around goal during game two of the Senators series in 2008. It broke a 3-3 tie with under a minute to play and I remember thinking the roof was going to fly off as the place went absolutely NUTS!
Finally, I’ll always remember the Game 3 OT Goal by Letang to turn the series around against the Caps. I have never experienced a louder more intense crowd in any sport, at any venue than at that very moment. It was amazing and still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Even as your time grows near Lady Mellon, It’s hard to say goodbye. I’m not exactly sure how, suffice to say it’s been a wonderful ride, and thank you for all the memories.
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