Pens, One Hill talks to resume
Hill District residents seeking public subsidies to develop low-income housing, a grocery store and attract jobs to their neighborhood said Wednesday they successfully pressured the Penguins to agree to resume negotiations.
In a letter sent Jan. 25 to Penguins President David Moorehouse, the One Hill Community Benefits Coalition implored team officials to sit down with representatives from the group of residents, business owners and nonprofits.
The team's participation is critical because it has the power to develop homes, businesses and even park space on up to 28 acres of land around the arena over 10 years, said One Hill chairman Carl Redwood Jr.
"One of their representatives said they would come back to the table," Redwood said hours after the group publicly released the letter to Moorehouse.
A date for the next negotiating session hasn't been set.
Penguins spokesman Tom McMillan declined to comment; however, team consultant Ron Porter acknowledged Jan. 17 that Pens officials skipped several negotiation sessions with One Hill members in favor of allowing Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato to lead them.
"If they're not in the negotiations, we really can't do this," Redwood said, noting that the Penguins attended negotiating sessions at first. "The (Penguins) need to be one of the signers on this, and they have to be at the table to do that."
Since Sept. 17, One Hill has been lobbying team, city and county officials with a "blueprint for a livable Hill" that includes guarantees arena jobs for Hill District residents, a "living wage" for employees working in buildings on Penguins-developed land and a job training and social services resource center.
The $290 million hockey arena is being built by the city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority. It is expected to open in time for the 2010-11 season.
Members of One Hill plan to attend an authority meeting Monday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. It's unclear if the community benefits agreement will be discussed at the meeting.
In a letter sent Jan. 25 to Penguins President David Moorehouse, the One Hill Community Benefits Coalition implored team officials to sit down with representatives from the group of residents, business owners and nonprofits.
The team's participation is critical because it has the power to develop homes, businesses and even park space on up to 28 acres of land around the arena over 10 years, said One Hill chairman Carl Redwood Jr.
"One of their representatives said they would come back to the table," Redwood said hours after the group publicly released the letter to Moorehouse.
A date for the next negotiating session hasn't been set.
Penguins spokesman Tom McMillan declined to comment; however, team consultant Ron Porter acknowledged Jan. 17 that Pens officials skipped several negotiation sessions with One Hill members in favor of allowing Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato to lead them.
"If they're not in the negotiations, we really can't do this," Redwood said, noting that the Penguins attended negotiating sessions at first. "The (Penguins) need to be one of the signers on this, and they have to be at the table to do that."
Since Sept. 17, One Hill has been lobbying team, city and county officials with a "blueprint for a livable Hill" that includes guarantees arena jobs for Hill District residents, a "living wage" for employees working in buildings on Penguins-developed land and a job training and social services resource center.
The $290 million hockey arena is being built by the city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority. It is expected to open in time for the 2010-11 season.
Members of One Hill plan to attend an authority meeting Monday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. It's unclear if the community benefits agreement will be discussed at the meeting.