:: View topic - Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena

Architect David Roth took the market house idea a step further, suggesting the Igloo become an urban greenhouse in partnership with the Swedish company Plantagon, which aims to produce food where much of it is consumed, in cities.

"Our arena installation would be a self-funded food agora, with Plantagon produce and local farmers market stalls in each of the perimeter bays," Mr. Roth writes.

it will cost more money to build that, then to tear it down and start over. this plan, sadly, never sees the light of day.

but a great idea.

Tom Galownia of Cecil has a different idea.

"If you want to really save the Igloo, then you first have to make them want to keep it, and the best way to do that in Pittsburgh, a city with low self-esteem, is to have someone else want it. So my suggestion is to start an effort to move it.

"Maybe you could advertise it on eBay. Once you get some serious interest, I guarantee you, Pittsburghers will demand it be kept."

To make this plan work you basically would have to spend millions and millions of tax payers money and after what we have been through just to get a new arena I don't think that's going to go over well with the public.

Even if it did cost tax payer money, I think it's sad that people would be willing to take out a bond measure to fund a new stadium for a freaking sports team, but not for a greenhouse to produce FOOD.

ironyisadeadscene wrote:

it will cost more money to build that, then to tear it down and start over. this plan, sadly, never sees the light of day.

but a great idea.

it's being suggested by a private firm as a for profit business.
Why wouldn't it get private funding assuming the business plan / model worked out?

they still would have to secure the loan. this isnt a business with X amount of dollars sitting in an account.

but how much is the question? this isnt a book store, this is a major major project.

we will see, but i dont know.

couldnt, in theory, they just level the place and return it to farm land, like they are doing in detroit? for a fraction at the cost?

ironyisadeadscene wrote:

That land in the middle of the city would be far to valuable to just turn into farm land (plus, what are we talking here...10 acres?).
Something would have to be put there that would at least offset that cost.

X-pensfan wrote:

Once again....this was suggested by a private firm as a for-profit business.
It's says right there in the article; "Self Funded"
No one is suggesting using tax dollars for anything.

Author:	Crosscheck [ Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:43 pm ]
Post subject:	Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
Quote: Architect David Roth took the market house idea a step further, suggesting the Igloo become an urban greenhouse in partnership with the Swedish company Plantagon, which aims to produce food where much of it is consumed, in cities. "Our arena installation would be a self-funded food agora, with Plantagon produce and local farmers market stalls in each of the perimeter bays," Mr. Roth writes. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10174/1067462-437.stm I'm not an organic food munching hippie, but the "buy locally" mantra of the slow food movement just makes a lot of practical sense. A giant greenhouse in the middle of a city is a great idea IMO.

Author:	PatGreen [ Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:48 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
plus there is all sorts of quantitative and qualitative data explaining the benefits of having green spaces in a city.

Author:	mechaphil [ Wed Jun 23, 2010 6:15 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
I like it. Nothing not to like about it.

Author:	Van_Da_Man [ Wed Jun 23, 2010 6:27 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
first. That is a great idea, something that would get real green people thinking and would set a great precedent that hey, that building is empty, why not make it green instead of wasting resources tearing it down?

Author:	ironyisadeadscene [ Wed Jun 23, 2010 6:40 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
it will cost more money to build that, then to tear it down and start over. this plan, sadly, never sees the light of day. but a great idea.

http://www.sabresjunkie.com/forum/

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Author:	Crosscheck [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:17 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
ironyisadeadscene wrote: it will cost more money to build that, then to tear it down and start over. this plan, sadly, never sees the light of day. but a great idea. it's being suggested by a private firm as a for profit business. Why wouldn't it get private funding assuming the business plan / model worked out?

Author:	X-pensfan [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 11:19 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
First of all, I found these comment a little peculiar! Quote: Tom Galownia of Cecil has a different idea. "If you want to really save the Igloo, then you first have to make them want to keep it, and the best way to do that in Pittsburgh, a city with low self-esteem, is to have someone else want it. So my suggestion is to start an effort to move it. "Maybe you could advertise it on eBay. Once you get some serious interest, I guarantee you, Pittsburghers will demand it be kept." I do not have low self-esteem, most of the time. Secondly, the ROOF DOESN'T WORK. Why do you think it hasn't been retracted open for like 30 years? Because they are afraid it will collapse the whole building! To make this plan work you basically would have to spend millions and millions of tax payers money and after what we have been through just to get a new arena I don't think that's going to go over well with the public. Don't get me wrong, I too fantasize about my little Burgh becoming a world wide leader in the green movement! Once the most polluted city in history (it literally rained ash from the mills 24/7) why not turn out murky greenish/brown mucky rivers into clear crystal blue water with nymphomaniac lesbian mermaids giving out free hand jobs too all of the homeless that go ignored outside of our glowing yellow green house of love. But it's just that, a fantasy. Next idea please....

Author:	Crosscheck [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 11:58 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
X-pensfan wrote: To make this plan work you basically would have to spend millions and millions of tax payers money and after what we have been through just to get a new arena I don't think that's going to go over well with the public. Once again....this was suggested by a private firm as a for-profit business. It's says right there in the article; "Self Funded" No one is suggesting using tax dollars for anything.

Author:	Stuuuuuuu [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 12:47 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
Even if it did cost tax payer money, I think it's sad that people would be willing to take out a bond measure to fund a new stadium for a freaking sports team, but not for a greenhouse to produce FOOD.

Author:	mechaphil [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
Stuuuuuuu wrote: Even if it did cost tax payer money, I think it's sad that people would be willing to take out a bond measure to fund a new stadium for a freaking sports team, but not for a greenhouse to produce FOOD.

Author:	ironyisadeadscene [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:24 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
Crosscheck wrote: ironyisadeadscene wrote: it will cost more money to build that, then to tear it down and start over. this plan, sadly, never sees the light of day. but a great idea. it's being suggested by a private firm as a for profit business. Why wouldn't it get private funding assuming the business plan / model worked out? why wouldnt it? i dont know. but 9/10 times, a good idea doesnt get the funding within the window they are given, and it goes by the wayside. no way someone steps in and fronts the money for this, this isnt a 20,000,000 dollar project, this is halfway to a billion, if not more. without public money, no effing way.

Author:	mechaphil [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:27 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
Mike, you're missing the point - this corporation already said they're paying for it out of pocket because it's going to be a business and not a non-profit city venture.

Author:	Squanto [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:49 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
ironyisadeadscene wrote: they still would have to secure the loan. this isnt a business with X amount of dollars sitting in an account. Plenty of business without millions of dollars laying around get financing all the time. If the idea is sound, and the business plan is sound, they'll get funding.

Author:	Crosscheck [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:54 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
ironyisadeadscene wrote: but how much is the question? this isnt a book store, this is a major major project. we will see, but i dont know. couldnt, in theory, they just level the place and return it to farm land, like they are doing in detroit? for a fraction at the cost? That land in the middle of the city would be far to valuable to just turn into farm land (plus, what are we talking here...10 acres?). Something would have to be put there that would at least offset that cost.

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Author:	Squanto [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:55 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
Could be leveled, sure. Might be more expensive that re purposing, tough to tell. There's equal pushes to demo it, and to keep it as a historic building too. Who knows what way they'll go.

Author:	patkane88 [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 2:01 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
Just blow the dam thing up, as many said it would cost more to build something else in it.

Author:	X-pensfan [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 3:45 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool idea to reuse Mellon arena
Crosscheck wrote: X-pensfan wrote: To make this plan work you basically would have to spend millions and millions of tax payers money and after what we have been through just to get a new arena I don't think that's going to go over well with the public. Once again....this was suggested by a private firm as a for-profit business. It's says right there in the article; "Self Funded" No one is suggesting using tax dollars for anything. Indeed it does, and I don't believe everything I read. Tell you what, before anything else is done to enhance our city, how about I see some property tax relief? Just FIVE BUCKS worth of it, a penny. I just want to see something that was promised us over the past 25 years actually come to fruition, then we can talk about some future stuff.