Fondly known as the Igloo, Pittsburgh’s old dome of a rink, the Civic Arena, stood for 50 years until demolition began last September.
With the Penguins’ fancy new home, the Consol Energy Center, erected across the street, the Igloo – stage for three Stanley Cup championship teams and the tell-your-grandkids thrill that was Mario Lemieux’s career – began to melt. Metaphorically.
Literally, it was demolished slowly.
Luckily, YouTube uploader DAYGraphics2012 captured the nine-month dismantling of the Igloo with hand-held time-lapse photography, from Sept. 29 through June 29, and condensed the destruction into one bittersweet 30-second clip for our viewing pleasure.
Preservation Pittsburgh argued that the vintage arena’s retractable steel roof on made it worth saving. Instead, under terms of an agreement to finance the Energy Center, the Penguins franchise is committed to redeveloping the Igloo’s 28-acre site. The team plans a mixed-use development including retail, commercial and residential space but no five-goal games.