One Hill Seeks CBA for New Arena

CBA negotiations for the Penguins’ new hockey arena are currently under way in Pittsburgh between city and county officials and the One Hill Coalition, which is made up of about 130 community groups—possibly the largest and most diverse CBA coalition to date. The coalition has profited from strong community organizing and cohesiveness, much of it due to the neighborhood’s experience when the existing arena was built in the 1950s. At that time, ninety acres in the Hill district were cleared and 1,600 families were displaced to make way for the development (see here). Today, the residents expect promises that they will be treated better.

Beginning in the spring and summer of 2007, One Hill began holding public meetings and canvassing the community to determine the CBA’s priorities. It took the results of its community outreach work to the negotiating table in the fall, and made clear that it would not support the development unless community impacts were addressed. In early 2008, officials offered One Hill a three page CBA that included few specifics and mostly vague terms. The agreement was resoundingly rejected, with a copy being burned publicly. Although the planning commission approved the arena’s master plan despite the CBA’s rejection, elected officials and Penguins representatives have stayed at the negotiating table—likely because of the flurry of negative publicity following the CBA’s rejection, and possibly in response to One Hill’s statements that it has prepared for “rolling protests” and “behind-the-scenes arm-twisting.” The city and the Penguins have each pledged $1 million for a community fund, but the details have not been settled. One Hill continues to push for its “Blue Print for a Livable Hill,” which includes provisions relating to a master plan for the district, a community fund, the establishment of a grocery store and community center, and improvement of the neighborhood through historic preservation and green space creation. One Hill is also asking for policy commitments from the city that the CBA will be implemented and enforced with community input.

This local news clip from January 8th gives a nice overview of the situation. Note that, since then, the master plan for the arena has been approved.

You can also listen to a fairly recent radio interview with Mayor Luke Ravenstal here. Carl Redwood, chair of the One Hill Coalition, can be heard here discussing the CBA campaign and the very recent announcement that a discount grocery store--independently of any CBA--might open up in the Hill District.