Pittsburgh Civic Arena

Pittsburgh Civic Arena, also known as The Igloo, was a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The arena was home to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League and hosted various events, including concerts, basketball games, and tennis matches, featuring notable performers such as Elton John, The Rolling Stones, and Stevie Wonder. The arena was also a popular venue for University of Pittsburgh Panthers basketball games and Pittsburgh Pipers and Pittsburgh Triangles games. The arena's unique design and location made it a notable landmark in Pittsburgh, near the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University.

● History

The Pittsburgh Civic Arena was built in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with construction beginning in 1958 and completion in 1961, during the tenure of Mayor Joseph Barr and with the support of Richard King Mellon. The arena was designed to replace the Duquesne Gardens, which was the previous home of the Pittsburgh Hornets hockey team, and was also used by the Pittsburgh Pipers of the American Basketball Association. The arena hosted its first event, a Carrie Underwood-style concert, in 1961, and quickly became a popular venue for various events, including concerts by The Beatles, The Who, and Led Zeppelin, as well as basketball games featuring the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the Pittsburgh Pipers. The arena was also home to the Pittsburgh Triangles of World TeamTennis and hosted various other events, including the 1978 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and the 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, featuring teams such as the University of Louisville Cardinals and the Georgetown Hoyas.

● Design and Construction

The Pittsburgh Civic Arena was designed by the architectural firm Mitchell & Ritchey, which also designed other notable buildings in Pittsburgh, including the Alcoa Building and the Koppers Building. The arena's unique design featured a retractable roof, which was the first of its kind in the world, and was designed by Civic Arena architect Domingos Oliveira. The arena's construction was managed by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, which also oversaw the construction of other sports venues in Pittsburgh, including PNC Park and Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively. The arena's design and construction were influenced by other notable arenas, including the Boston Garden and the Madison Square Garden, and featured a unique Teflon-coated fabric roof, designed by Birdair, Inc., which was also used in other notable structures, such as the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

● Seating and Facilities

The Pittsburgh Civic Arena had a seating capacity of over 17,000 for hockey games and up to 18,000 for basketball games, featuring seating areas such as the Lexus Club and the Verizon Lounge. The arena also featured a variety of amenities, including concession stands, restaurants, and a Pittsburgh Penguins team store, as well as a unique SkyDome-style roof, which provided natural light and ventilation. The arena's facilities were also used by other teams, including the Pittsburgh Pipers and the Pittsburgh Triangles, and hosted various events, including concerts by Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel, as well as basketball games featuring the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the Duquesne University Dukes.

● Events and Tenants

The Pittsburgh Civic Arena hosted a wide range of events, including concerts, hockey games, basketball games, and tennis matches, featuring notable performers such as Elton John, The Rolling Stones, and Stevie Wonder. The arena was home to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League and also hosted games by the Pittsburgh Pipers of the American Basketball Association and the Pittsburgh Triangles of World TeamTennis. The arena also hosted various other events, including the 1978 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and the 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, featuring teams such as the University of Louisville Cardinals and the Georgetown Hoyas, as well as concerts by The Who and Led Zeppelin. The arena was also used by the University of Pittsburgh Panthers for basketball games and was a popular venue for WWE events, featuring wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair.

● Renovations and Demolition

The Pittsburgh Civic Arena underwent several renovations during its history, including a major renovation in the 1980s, which added new seating and amenities, designed by HOK Sport (now Populous), and a renovation in the 1990s, which updated the arena's sound and lighting systems, designed by JBL Professional. However, despite these renovations, the arena eventually became outdated and was replaced by the Consol Energy Center (now PPG Paints Arena) in 2010, which was designed by HOK Sport (now Populous) and features a unique LEED-certified design. The Pittsburgh Civic Arena was demolished in 2011-2012, with the demolition process managed by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh, and the site is now being redeveloped into a mixed-use complex, featuring a new Pittsburgh Penguins practice facility, designed by Stantec. The arena's legacy lives on, however, as a notable part of Pittsburgh's sports and entertainment history, and its unique design and location continue to inspire new developments in the city, including the River Point complex and the SouthSide Works development.

Category:Defunct sports venues in the United States