the first hornets’ team ended after the 1955–56 season. on march 31, 1956, the hornets played their final game at the duquesne gardens; a 6–4 win over the barons. the hornets franchise was suspended for five years because of pittsburgh's urban renewal project, renaissance i, called for the gardens to be torn down. demolition started on august 13, 1956, to make way for the park plaza apartments and a local fixture, stouffer's restaurant. today duranti's restaurant features the only remaining evidence of the gardens, with 2, 11-feet wide sections of exposed red brick wall. the wall would have been the front wall of the gardens' visiting team's dressing room. however duranti's closed in 2008, and the bricks were removed and stored for two years. pittsburghhockey.net, an online pittsburgh hockey museum, donated bricks to the pittsburgh penguins' current arena consol energy center for a historical display. the display contains original bricks from the duquesne gardens and mellon arena.