Commission approves new music venue for old Civic Arena site, but some say not so fast
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Pittsburgh Planning Commission has signed off on a new music venue and parking garage on the old Civic Arena site.
As KDKA-TV money editor Jon Delano reports, it's a step closer to a project that has been a long time in the making, despite criticism from some community groups.
It's been over a decade since talk began on redeveloping the old Civic Arena site after the Penguins moved to PPG Paints Arena, but on Tuesday the Planning Commission approved a new indoor music venue for the site.
"This will be a venue that will be operated by Live Nation," says Craig Dunham, senior vice president for development at the Penguins.
"This gives them another type of space, another size of space that they can bring talent to the region. It will have an overall capacity of about 4,500 patrons and of that about 2,200 will be in fixed seats," says Dunham.
Dunham says the music venue's capacity — larger than Stage AE but smaller than PPG and Acrisure — will allow Live Nation to book a wider range of music entertainers and for other uses.
"We'll also set it up so it could also be used for corporate events and conferences," Dunham said.
Dunham says the venue has no name yet but is likely to have its naming rights sold. In the meantime, it's called by its location on the site map.
"We do not have a name. We poetically call it the Block E Music Venue. We've got to improve on that one."
Adjacent to the music venue will be a new 900-space parking garage, and along the venue's storefront on Wylie Avenue and Logan Street will be retail, most likely, restaurants and bars.
"We think the primary opportunity for the initial retail in the Lower Hill development is going to be food and beverage oriented," Dunham said.
With Pittsburgh Planning Commission approval in place, Dunham says the next step is approval by the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Sports and Exhibition Authority, which owns the property. If approved soon, the ground on the garage could be broken by summer.
As for the new music venue, says Dunham, "We're hopeful that we can open before the end of '24. That would be optimum for us."
But it's not yet a done deal, as some community groups raise concerns.
Marimba Milliones, CEO of the Hill Community Development Corporation, says the commission failed to attach the community benefits agreement or CBA to make sure the Hill District gets its fair share.
"The Planning Commission said it was outside their purview but again the city code is explicit that the city Planning Commission's job is to ensure positive socio-economic impact for the city of Pittsburgh," says Milliones.
Second, she says while the Penguins agreed to a $2 ticket surcharge for a neighborhood reinvestment fund, that, too, was not codified.
"While the Pens have put that in a press release, they have not yet confirmed that in writing and a signed document," says Milliones.
Delano: "As far as the Penguins are concerned, you are firm in your commitment on this $2 surcharge?"
Dunham: "Absolutely."
Milliones also worries that private security guards protecting this property may harass African Americans walking through the Lower Hill.
"Residents shouldn't feel as though this neighborhood was made for someone else. They should feel this neighborhood is for them," says Milliones.
"We certainly understand that there are complex issues around policing and bias," says Dunham, "and we will do everything we can as a private employer and private operator of public spaces in sensitizing our employees."
