UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The corner of Curtin Road and University Drive is a hub of construction activity as the preliminary steps are ongoing for the new home of Penn State Hockey.

Excavation work at the site of Pegula Ice Arena, the 6,000-seat home of the men's and women's ice hockey teams, began in early February.  The 200,000-square foot state-of-the-art facility is scheduled for completion in September of 2013.

As part of the site excavation for Pegula Ice Arena, underground blasting began on Monday.  Blasts will take place between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 2 and 3 p.m. from Monday-Friday each day for the next six weeks.  Depending on the location of each blast, traffic along University Drive is stopped during blasting efforts.  The blasting is necessary to make way for the arena's foundation.

Mortenson Construction is operating the project on the east side of the University Park campus.  Pegula Ice Arena is one of three Penn State projects the Golden Valley, Minn. based company has been awarded.  The group also built the new lacrosse facility, Penn State Lacrosse Field, next to the Multisport Building.  Additionally, Mortenson will work on the Intramural Building renovation project, which is scheduled for completion September of 2013.

Men's hockey head coach Guy Gadowsky and women's hockey head coach Josh Brandwene are excited about the progress at the future home of Pegula Ice Arena.

"We're really excited about what's going in there," Coach Gadowsky said.  "The Pegulas do things right and so does Penn State, and it's a great marriage.  This arena is going to be awesome.  I think it will be one of the premiere facilities in NCAA hockey."

"It's just tangible evidence of where we're going as a hockey program," Coach Brandwene said.  "To see a change every day and know there's great work being done by great people is very exciting. Everything that this wonderful facility will do for the Penn State community, the Centre County region and State College is going to be great."

Take a brief look at the construction progress at the site of Pegula Ice Arena.