The Urban Redevelopment Authority in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has finally approved plans to redevelop the long-vacant former Civic Arena site.
The project required 13 years of negotiations, mostly focused on getting a wealthy local sports franchise owner to get serious about benefiting the community.
It’s a $750 million project and up until now, it’s been hung up by disagreements between the Penguins and the Hill District community. The district was severed from the downtown by urban planning mistakes made decades ago in the name of “urban renewal.”
Earlier in May of 2020, the deal was almost canceled when the URA tabled the plan, and the Penguins withdrew from the project in a fit of pique.