Columbus Provides Blueprint For How To Develop Mellon Arena Site

A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its neighborhoods labeled. For use primarily in the list of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  We love it when folks use existing successful business models for a blueprint. Why reinvent the wheel when a tweak will due 🙂

COLUMBUS, Ohio — About $1 billion in development around an arena primarily for hockey transformed a dreary section of downtown Columbus that used to be an industrial area and home to a run-down prison.

“People didn’t come downtown very often, and they certainly didn’t live here. Things are different now. This is a place to be,” said Sherri Lyle, 44, of suburban Powell, who works in Columbus’ 14-year-old Arena District.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are paying attention. The team is preparing to develop a 28-acre site where the Civic Arena stood, across Centre Avenue from the $321 million Consol Energy Center that opened in 2010.

“We’ve sat down and talked with them several times about what they have done relative to development,” said Penguins Chief Operating Officer Travis Williams, noting the team studied similar projects in Cincinnati, Dallas, Philadelphia, San Jose, Washington and Pittsburgh’s North Shore.

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/6881016-74/arena-district-area#ixzz3FOBkt9TK
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Pittsburgh-Allegheny County SEA Moves Ahead On Redevelopment Of Civic Arena Site

Mellon Arena in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority board has taken another step in preparing the former Civic Arena site for redevelopment.

Board members authorized a $555,685 contract with Michael Baker Jr. today to do final design work for four roads — Centre Avenue, Washington Place, Bedford Avenue, and Crawford Street — that border the 28-acre site in the lower Hill District.

Plans call for those existing roads to be repaved, with upgraded signals, intersections and sidewalks at an estimated cost of $12 million.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2014/07/10/Pittsburgh-Allegheny-County-SEA-moves-ahead-on-redevelopment-of-Civic-Arena-site/stories/201407100268#ixzz375Nwumqr

Centre Park Rolls Out Welcome Mats For Christmas House Tour

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Reading, PA – Doug and Dia Fell were decorating their home for the holidays last week. Some lights and garlands to highlight the staircase, a few of the long-used holiday ornaments from years past here and there and, of course, the festooned tree in the living room.

“It’s the usual stuff, nothing special,” Dia said, sounding calm and collected even though she’s expecting a throng of visitors this weekend.
She’s going to let the house speak for itself.

The Fell’s home in the 300 block of Douglass Street is one of the many scheduled stops on the self-guided tour of private residences and other buildings in the Centre Park Historic District.

The 29th Christmas House Tour and Champagne Brunch, to be held Sunday, is a major annual fundraiser for the preservation group in the city neighborhood of homes, many of which are more than a century old, surrounding the park in the 700 block of Centre Avenue.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article/20131205/WEEKEND/312059991#.UqC1w7B3uM8

Reading Christmas House Tour – Centre Park Historic District

Image via Wikipedia

If you enjoy touring historic homes decorated for the Christmas season then you might want to head to Reading this Sunday, December 11th.  The 27th Annual Centre Park Historic District Christmas House Tour is from 1pm to 6pm.  The tours are self-guided and ticket are $15.00!  Tickets will be available at Centre Park, in the 700 block of Centre Avenue, on the day of the tour.  Advance tickets are $12 per person and are available at www.centrepark.org or by calling (610) 375-7860.  Advance tickets are non-refundable.

If riding in a horse-drawn carriage is your thing, that is available as well.  Tickets are $5.00.

Parking is available at First Energy Stadium and a free trolley will shuttle you to and from the historic district.

If you don’t want to tour on an empty stomach, a champagne brunch runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Adrienne’s Inn at Centre Park.  Brunch is $25 per person (includes champagne mimosa) or can be combined with a house tour ticket for $35.  An advanced reservation for brunch is required.  Brunch reservations can be made using the phone number or website listed above.