Topping The U.S. Steel Tower: High Point Pittsburgh’s Grand Design Would Be Economic Engine
I’d meet Dad in Downtown Pittsburgh for lunch and he’d be standing there under the portico formed by the ground floor girders of the U.S. Steel Tower, framed by the beautiful rusty patina of that CorTen Steel. He’d be grinning and dapper in his suit, the U.S Steel civil engineer meeting one of his many kids, and he’d throw an arm around my shoulder for a bit as we walked across Grant Street and down the brick alley called Cherry Way, to Weiner World (“Home of the Cheese Dog”) or somewhere nicer. Didn’t matter.
I bring it up because High Point Pittsburgh, a visitor’s center/entertainment complex envisioned for the rooftop of the U.S. Steel Tower, is near to my heart, I confess. But if constructed, HPP would allow public access to the top of the iconic 64-story Tower, offering sweeping views of the region to the Laurel Ridge and beyond, while bringing new honor and revenues to a landmark building that represents a large and imposing chunk of Pittsburgh history. HPP’s rooftop observation deck alone could generate millions annually for the building.
Like many Pittsburghers I have personal connections to the Tower (known as the U.S Steel Building back when), but I also think HPP makes sense for the unused, 1+ acre roof of the building. It was built exceptionally sturdy to be a helipad for vertical takeoff jets, and organizers of the proposed $70 million project want to see a grand use of that structural integrity by adding two glass-enclosed floors and a rooftop observation deck.
As planned, HPP would house a large presentation space, a restaurant, café, bar, art gallery/gift shop, two theaters and three “Viewseums,” and a rooftop observation deck. Green and sustainable, the destination point could cost $70 million to create, but supporters say it will pay for itself and add value to a famous landmark.
Developed by Carnegie Mellon University ‘s Studio for Creative Inquiry, under the direction of Studio Fellow and former Pittsburgh Post-Gazette travel editor David Bear, with help from CMU students, faculty and others, the concept is moving forward with creation of Friends of High Point Pittsburgh, a nonprofit being formed for the effort.
The tallest building between New York and Chicago when it was built, U.S. Steel Tower remains one of the best addresses for Class A office space Downtown. HPP supporters must first convince the building’s owners of the public-private concept, though. But Bear says it’s a matter of changing some peoples’ minds; sort of the way visitors' minds will be changed as they catch their breath and take in the 360-degree view from the rooftop of the Tower.
The Tower’s designer, world-famous engineer Leslie Robertson, says he thinks creating a public top for the building will be a popular addition. After reviewing the feasibility study and other High Point Pittsburgh materials, Robertson says that while further evaluations of the concept are needed, it seems structurally possible and economically practical. “It should generate significant attention from visitors and citizens alike,” he says.
For more on High Point Pittsburgh, visit www.highpointpittsburgh.org.
The decline of the United States steel industry was due to many factors but one important factor was its comparitive lack of research and development. For example electroslag remelting ...
CorTen steel is an example where poor application information, and general ignorance of specifying engineers as well as a too great conservatism among engineers lead to both misapplication of the steel and non adoption when it could have been used. Failures involving the steel could be seen as an indicator as well as failure to use it intelligently could be seem as indicating a decline in American Engineering prowess.
Many years ago Japanese engineers visited the United States to view some of its engineering successes and were shown some machinery that was considered "advanced" but actually was a throwback to pre world war 2 machinery. They were completely unimpressed by the display but what caught their eye was some antique machinery circa 1900.
This suggests that the U.S. Steel Tower be marketed as a museum piece, like other museum pieces of technology like airport terminals, so tourists can see the grandeur of what was once American Engineering.
Just kidding of course.
You make some good points. But clearly, U.S. Steel and the era of Big Steel and all of its achievements in the US and worldwide cannot be summed up in a short collection of somewhat ins...
Of course there is no contradiction between a museum piece building and a cool building. For the record I have a lot of affection and love for a lot of the old buildings-sometimes it se...
My taste is for the unadorned building, not one that is modified so it does not look as it did originally but you are right there is no accounting for taste.
You are also correct that the decline of Big Steel cannot be summed up in a short collection of comments-although I will note those comments are factual and I did note that lack of research and development was only one factor abet an important one in the decline of the steel industry.
