The Civic Arena:

Modernism Under Fire

The question of the Civic Arena is on the leading edge of a whole generation of sites and buildings from post World War II America faced with similar debates. A session on the challenges and opportunities for the preservation of Modernist architecture and planning is scheduled for the Statewide Conference on Heritage (Love it or Hate it: Modernism and the Struggle to Preserve the Recent Past--see below) and the National Trust Conference in Buffalo this fall (Arenas of Modernism: from Portland to Pittsburgh). 

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHT:

The Economic Impact of Tax Credits in PA:        The Case for a State Companion

Thursday, May 19th 8:30am-10:00am

Although Pennsylvania is the fourth highest user of the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentive Program it is one of only ten states that has not passed a companion state tax credit.  This session will provide a review of some of Pennsylvania's most successful tax credit projects, the results of a recent study on the Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation and an overview of current advocacy efforts to pass this legislation. 

Presenters:  Mindy Crawford, Preservation Pennsylvania; Karen Arnold, Bureau for Historic Preservation, PHMC; Andrew Haines, Affordable Housing Division, S & A Homes, Inc.; Anne E. Nelson, Esq., Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation; and David Ziel and Jeff Spotts, Urban Outfitters.  

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Advocacy Alert? 

Last Chance for the Igloo

By Robert S. Pfaffman, AIA, AICP

The long saga of the campaign to reuse the Pittsburgh Civic Arena (affectionately known by fans as "the Igloo") is coming to a climax in May and June. Last November, the Sports & Exhibition Authority (SEA), the owner of this innovative structure, unanimously voted to demolish. Soon afterward, the City Planning Commission rubber-stamped demolition, despite letters from the preservation community including the National Trust, Preservation PA and local organizations reminding them that they were potentially violating Federal "anticipatory demolition" laws (Section 110k of the National Historic Preservation Act).

The question of Federal laws is dependent on the use of federal funding, in this case, $30 million in transportation funds requested through Senators Casey, Specter and local congressmen Doyle and Altmire. The funds would be used to build new streets on the Lower Hill site where the Arena sits.

A long time Hill Resident, Eloise McDonald, volunteered to nominate the structure as a locally designated historic landmark, which forced a review process that ends with a vote by City Council sometime in June.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

Reuse the Igloo and Preservation Pittsburgh are focused on the following approaches to saving the Igloo:

1. LEGAL ACTION 

Advocates are preparing legal options, should City Council also ignore the anticipatory demolition laws. Preservation Pittsburgh, a 501c3 organization, is asking for donations to support the legal and economic analysis. Go to www.preservationpittsburgh.org. 

2. GRASS ROOTS SUPPORT 

We need your letters, calls and presence at the Public Hearing scheduled for May 23rd at 5:30pm at the Epiphany Hall at Centre and Washington Place, next to the Arena. You can sign up, sign a petition and learn more about events planned around the Hearing by going to www.reusetheigloo.org or Reuse the igloo on Facebook Pages or Groups. You can also sign up for twitter feeds at reusetheigloo.

 3. DEVELOPER INTEREST 

Because Governor Rendell, the County and the City gave the development rights to the Pittsburgh Penguins, (owned by California billionaire Ron Burkle), bringing interested developers to the table is difficult. A developer is preparing a reuse proposal as of this writing. We have consistently proposed to the SEA and the Penguins a 1-year hold on demolition to allow a thorough federal Section 106 review process AND a developer competition to prove that there is an economically viable option to demolition. Economic planner Todd Poole of 4ward Planning developed a proforma that shows that reuse of the structure is an economic asset to the community around it, much like the Highline Park in New York that has transformed an old railroad trestle into a major destination and development catalyst.

4. THE POLITICS OF MEMORY

Intertwined with the political debate, is the question of the urban renewal legacy of the lower Hill district. Some believe that negative history of planning outweighs the positive aspects of the design. The overheated political rhetoric has included words to describe the lower hill's history as "genocidal" to justify demolition. Advocates have proposed a mediation process, using principles from the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience: http://www.sitesofconscience.org/en/

Advocates for reuse hope that the 50^th Anniversary of the Civic Arena  (Sept 17, 1961) will not mark a failure to bridge the political, racial, and economic divides that have prevented the development of truly innovative and collaborative vision, worthy of Pittsburgh's economic and environmental transformation. 

A Sampling of Hot New Design Concepts for an Historic "Igloo"   

 Please visit Reuse the Igloo's website for additional information about efforts to save the Civic Arena and proposals for this structure's future.