Neighborly Love: Penguins Arena "Tweaked" To Address Concerns

Penguins Alter Design Of New Arena To Better Fit With Surrounding Neighborhood

The Penguins have "tweaked the design" of their new arena on Centre Avenue, "slightly reducing its height and refining features to address neighborhood and city concerns," according to Mark Belko of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. Arena architect HOK Sport has "designed a public thoroughfare that will run between two of the main arena entrances" and the Penguins are "considering a similar thoroughfare on the eastern side." HOK yesterday presented the latest changes to the arena during a briefing before the city planning commission, which in two weeks will "hold a public hearing on the project.'' The architect also has placed "more windows on the facade's eastern side'' and added banners along Centre Avenue in an effort to "make the building more appealing and to enliven its street presence." HOK reduced the height of the arena by about 10 feet to 163 feet "at its highest point," and HOK Sport Principal Wayne London said the change was made to "reduce the volume of the building so aesthetically it fit into the neighborhood a little bit better" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 3/26).