PITTSBURGH — Construction has begun in downtown’s PPG Plaza on a new ice rink that officials said will be 25 percent larger than the previous rink, which had been in use since 2001.

Crews from Everything Ice started working on the ice surface Tuesday. The $1 million ice rink will be about two-thirds the size of a standard National Hockey League rink, although it will be larger than its cousin at New York’s Rockefeller Center.

Officials said the rink will be able to accommodate about 350 skaters at once and will be easier to maintain than the previous surface. The rink will be built on top of plastic foam, not sand, which officials said will make the ice more level and easier for skating.

The project’s lead engineer, Kim Schreck, said the rink’s new features should cut the time it takes to erect and break down in half. The addition of new chillers is expected to make the creation of the ice more efficient and cost-effective.

PPG Place’s owner, Highwoods Properties, is buying 700 pairs of new skates for patrons to rent along with a new Zamboni.