Dean Lakios, general manager of the University of Pittsburgh’s hockey team, hopes Pittsburgh is successful in its longtime effort to convert a former Pennsylvania National Guard armory in Shadyside into an ice rink.

The project received a boost early this month from Pennsylvania, which approved a $1 million grant for the Hunt Armory, a national landmark. Mayor Bill Peduto wants to open it for public skating and use as home ice for local high school and college teams, including Pitt.

“The University of Pittsburgh has three hockey teams, two men’s teams and one women’s team,” Lakios said. “Right now all three teams drive up to Harmarville for practice and games. It’s easily a 30-minute, sometimes 40-minute ride, and Pitt cancels winter practice at times because we don’t like to see students driving in the winter. We would be very interested in the armory. It would allow us to get better spectator attendance as they could walk to the armory from [campus].”

The Mosites Co. and developer B. Lafe Metz are working with the city, Penguins and Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority on the estimated $40 million project, according to city officials.

Plans call for an NHL regulation rink and a smaller rink, plus office space and parking for around 100 vehicles.

The Penguins have agreed to operate the facility and are seeking funding from the NHL, according to Kevin Acklin, the Penguins’ general counsel and Peduto’s former chief of staff. He said league officials, including Kim Davis, the NHL’s senior vice president of social impact, toured the armory in May.

“They have a program that supports growth of ice rinks in urban areas, and we think the armory is an ideal candidate,” Acklin said.

City officials said the project is still “several million” short on funding. Previous redevelopment efforts, dating to 2015, have fallen through.

“We’re working closely with Steve Mosites [president of Mosites Co.] and funding partners, including the URA, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the state, to close the remaining funding gap,” said Dan Gilman, Peduto’s chief of staff. “It’s our desire to wrap this up as soon as possible so we can close the deal with the state and begin construction of ice for kids to use in the city.”

Peduto, an avid hockey fan who has played in amateur leagues, said he hopes to provide a facility where kids throughout the city can learn to skate and play hockey. He said the facility could serve numerous club teams in a five mile radius.

“I think that if we work with the Penguins and the NHL on this, we can have a program that would be there for kids to get involved in hockey as early as first grade or earlier,” the mayor said. “We could have home ice for our high schools and universities. I’m sure we could expand hockey through Mite leagues for young kids and then have a place where families can go to skate on weekends and at other times.”

The Hunt Armory was built between 1911 and 1919 and named after Capt. Alfred E. Hunt, a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard and one of the founders of the Pittsburgh Reduction Co., which became Alcoa. It served as home base for the 28th Infantry of the Army National Guard until 2013. The URA purchased the building in 2016.

Before the Civic Arena was built, the armory was Pittsburgh’s primary auditorium space, hosting visits by President Eisenhower and President Truman. It continued as concert venue and special events space.

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