First Look: UPMC-Pittsburgh Penguins Sports Complex and Ice Rink

Cranberry planning officials on Monday got their first glimpse at detailed renderings for the Village of Cranberry Woods, including the proposed UPMC-Pittsburgh Penguins sports medicine facility and ice rink.

Located off Route 228 near the Westinghouse headquarters, the complex aims to be similar to the UPMC sports performance facility on Pittsburgh's South Side, which is used by the Pittsburgh Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh. 

The proposed 150,000 square-foot sports facility would offer hockey-related training and injury treatment and prevention.

When ice isn't available at the Consol Energy Center, the Penguins would use the new rink. Development camps for Penguins hockey prospects, skating classes, public skating sessions and other programs also would take place at the complex.

The five-phase Village of Cranberry Woods plan also includes two hotels, apartments, conventional townhouses, “live-work” townhouses, retail and office space.

UPMC would build and own the complex and the Penguins will lease the ice rink and other facilities from the hospital. Don Rodgers and FRA Development are developing the property.

At Monday’s planning commission meeting, officials reviewed comprehensive drawings for the sports complex, which showed a large, brick structure with a glass front.

Roger Altmeyer, director of community project development for UPMC, said at a prior planning meeting that one portion of the facility would be a two-story medical office space similar to UPMC’s space on the South Side. 

The Penguins training facility would be located in the top half of that same building.

“The balance of the building is the arena area, which has two rinks,” Altmeyer said at the time.

One rink will have about 1,500 seats, he said. There also will be a dedicated area for the Penguins.

The Village of Cranberry Woods developers, including representatives from UPMC, will attend the next Cranberry planning commission meeting on July 1 to make a presentation and answer questions.

Any recommendations the commission makes on the development to be continued to the next planning meeting.

Final approval for the development is not expected to be wrapped up until the end of the year.   

To check out more of the renderings, click on the drawings in this article.