Pittsburgh community concerned about pause on parking lot construction at former Civic Arena site

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — It looks like we may be one step closer to seeing development at the former Civic Arena site in Pittsburgh’s Lower Hill District. 

Developers are hoping to move forward with a music venue in the coming months, but there are concerns about promises made to the Hill District neighbors.

A community meeting on Tuesday with the site developers and Hill District talked about progress on what is currently just parking lots in the Lower Hill. The hope is to have an indoor Live Nation music venue built.

“Live Nation has been very interested in building a venue within the city of Pittsburgh. They’ve been focused on the Lower Hill as a central location for that,” said Craig Dunham, vice president of development for the Penguins.

It would hold about 4,500 people and a 900-space garage. The garage has been put on hold, and that has concerns from the Hill Community Development Corporation, as the garage’s parking taxes were going to neighborhood needs. It said in a statement, it said the lack of a parking garage will “pause desperately needed funds for the Ammon Recreation Center and housing development.” 

The group is calling on the city, URA, and Sports and Exhibition Authority to address this. The group feels it’s a promise that is not coming to fruition.

“The venue is ready to move forward. The garage has some work ahead of still relative to finances given our current climate,” Dunham said.

This all comes as the FNB Financial Center is finishing up, but there are still questions about when plans for housing on the site will be done, some of which are slated to be affordable housing. That has been an ongoing battle for years. It is still in the early stages of planning and figuring out the finances to make it happen.

“Until we have that figured out, we don’t have a specific timeline,” Dunham said.

The Hill CDC said it is still closely following this development and wants its needs met.

The Penguins said Bethel AME Church, which got its land back in the Lower Hill, should be moving forward with some development of housing soon.