The Renaissances of Pittsburgh

With every trip I take around the sun, I begin to realize more and more that time is the greatest resource in this world. No matter how carefully I plan my days, I always seem to feel like a hamster constantly trying to play catch up with the speed of the wheel. Thus is the burden of the historian.

Research is a tedious process that can easily sap the hours out of a day, especially with the internet at our disposal. While nothing will ever replace the intellectual buffet that is a trip to the local library, the internet offers us some amazing assets for the study of history. That is, if you don’t get caught up in a rabbit hole, which I always seem to do.

On a night last week when I should have been sleeping, I ventured to YouTube to view some old films of Pittsburgh. As rabbit holes go, this one went pretty deep. I spent close to six hours watching amazing 1950s and 1960s home movies of the Steel City during its late-industrial stage. It is fascinating to see the changes that took place during the post-war era, when city leaders began to fear a mass exodus of young people from the area.

Pittsburgh’s metamorphosis came in two waves, known as “Renaissances.” Renaissance I concentrated on the Point, where a century of industry had turned the city’s birthplace into a rusted labyrinth of old rail facilities, crumbling buildings and mountains of litter. It was so bad that even the rats were trying to hitchhike their way out of there.

Pittsburgh needed to grow up, to mature. The only question was, who would lead the charge?

The Moses Plan

Cornelius Scully was a Pittsburgh boy, through and through. Born into the fiery city in 1878, he had spent his youth as a street vendor of newspapers and produce. By the time he reached manhood, Scully had set his eye on a career in public office. His first position was as city solicitor, which was followed by a distinguished run on city council. By the 1930s, he was considered one of the most influential men in Pittsburgh and was ready to ascend to the throne he had craved for so long — the mayor’s office.

The year 1936 could be considered the pivotal point in Pittsburgh’s modern history. The Great Depression had ripped the soul out of the city, and leadership under Mayor William McNair was politically fractured beyond repair. In March, the St. Patrick’s Day flood plunged Pittsburgh into absolute chaos. Unable to regain the trust of the people, McNair resigned. As city council leader, Cornelius Scully was sworn in to replace him.

Scully’s main goal upon becoming mayor was to clean up the city. He immediately put funding into the creation of new public parks, razing of old properties,and improvement of the city’s water system. All of that was put on hold when the American war machine geared up in the late-1930s. Pittsburgh once again assumed its role as our nation’s supplier of wartime steel. The economy quickly rebounded as mills operated 24/7 and thousands of new jobs were created in private industry.

Even in the midst of a potential war, Scully’s mind for environmental reforms kept working overtime. In 1938, he turned his attention to the tip of the Golden Triangle, where the Pennsylvania Railroad had centered its nationwide shipping enterprise for the past fifty years. Surrounding the railroad’s freight yard and warehouses was a commercial slum, the first thing motorists saw as they entered the city from both the Point and Manchester bridges.

Scully’s plan for the Point was simple — level the entire thing. To accomplish this and his future redevelopment plans, the mayor hired master builder Robert Moses, the man considered most responsible for New York City’s urban planning success during the 1920s.

The “Moses Plan” could be best described as comprehensive. With a price tag of $38 million, it would be the single-largest urban development plan in American history. It included several parkways, a crosstown highway, and reconstruction of Duquesne Way, Saw Mill Run Boulevard and the Liberty Tubes portals. The city would also remove the Wabash Railroad bridge and station, the Baltimore & Ohio station and over two hundred buildings that were in the way of the new roads.

In October 1940, Mayor Scully unveiled the plans for the crown jewel of his tenure — Point State Park. The final 13 acres of needed land were purchased from the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the Point Park Commission was formed. In February 1942, archeologists working at the Point uncovered the original curtain of Fort Pitt. This find immediately brought state funding to the table, formally granting the go-ahead for the new Point State Park. However, it would be nearly thirty years before the park was finally completed.

Scully would continue on as mayor until 1946. During his tenure, the city made amazing strides toward a brighter future. Unfortunately, and perhaps unfairly, it would be his successor who would reap the accolades as Pittsburgh’s 20th century guiding hand.

Renaissance I

When you think of names associated with Pittsburgh, David L. Lawrence is pretty high on the list. Born into a tough, working-class Irish family, he was raised only steps from the former site of Fort Pitt. With no money to attend college, Lawrence obtained a job as a clerk for attorney William Brennan, who also served as chairman of the local Democratic Party. After serving in World War I, Lawrence returned to Pittsburgh and began a career in public service.

Lawrence’s blue collar background endeared him to the people of Pittsburgh. He served in several Democratic Party positions between 1919 and 1932, working on campaigns for national candidates. He lost his bid for Allegheny County commissioner in 1931, but was respected enough by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to be appointed as U.S. Collector of Internal Revenue. In 1934, Lawrence was named state chairman of the Democratic Party. These positions gained him enough clout to run for mayor in 1945, an election he won by a slim margin.

Once Lawrence became mayor, his popularity skyrocketed. He was elected to an unprecedented four terms, from 1946 to 1959. During this time, he built upon Mayor Scully’s plans to bring Pittsburgh into the modern era. His partnership with Richard Mellon, chairman of Mellon Bank, helped create the first official urban renewal plan for the city, known as Renaissance I.

Part of President Harry S. Truman’s “Fair Deal” initiative, the Housing Act of 1949 provided the financial capital for Lawrence’s new plan. Between 1949 and 1953, virtually the entire Golden Triangle was razed to make way for new buildings. More controversial developments took place in the lower Hill District, where 95 acres of mostly residential property were claimed via eminent domain. This move unfairly impacted African-American families and small businesses, who saw their neighborhood destroyed to make way for the new Civic Arena and a phantom cultural center that was never built.

Next to the developing Point, the Gateway Center project got underway in May 1950. New York-based Equitable Life Assurance Society purchased 23 acres to build a series of stainless-steel office buildings. In 1952, the first three Gateway Center buildings opened, followed by the new Hilton Hotel in 1960. Gateway Center also gave Pittsburgh its first fully underground parking garage, creating more space above ground for construction.

Other projects completed during Renaissance I were the Alcoa Building, the original U.S. Steel building (now the Citizens Bank Tower), Mellon Square Plaza, the Fort Pitt Tunnels and Bridge, and the Fort Duquesne Bridge.

Renaissance I was not a complete success, however. Along with the Hill District, East Liberty was also impacted negatively by redevelopment. Over 125 acres of the neighborhood was razed to build three 20-story apartment buildings and a very unpopular road system that continues to bewilder motorists to this day. East Liberty, once a bustling commercial district, lost over 90% of its businesses by 1980.

On the North Side, preservation efforts helped to save many historic places. The Mexican War Streets, Manchester and Allegheny West remain today thanks to the work of local historical societies. The heart of old Allegheny City wasn’t so lucky, with all but a handful of structures razed to build Allegheny Center Mall. Only the old post office, the Carnegie Library and the Buhl Planetarium were salvaged.

The final project of Renaissance I was perhaps the most anticipated. In 1968, ground was broken for a new multipurpose sports stadium on the North Side. Known as Three Rivers Stadium, it would open in June 1970 at a cost of $55 million.

Renaissance II

By 1970, Pittsburgh had seen so many changes that residents could barely recognize their own city. One last project was yet to be completed, however.

Point State Park had been the dream of Mayor Scully more than thirty years prior, but numerous other priorities robbed the project of its steam during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1969, the park was nearly complete, but still had the twin Point and Manchester Bridges pouring traffic through it. Both bridges were finally removed in late-1970, allowing for the park to rise in its final form.

In 1972, the iconic fountain was built, followed by two years of grading and landscaping to transform the former industrial property into the majestic showcase it is today. On August 30, 1974, 45 years ago this week, Point State Park was officially dedicated in an elaborate ceremony.

The second phase of redevelopment began in earnest during this same period. The U.S. Steel building, the tallest skyscraper in Pittsburgh, was completed in 1970. The 64-floor tower was built of Cor-ten steel, which requires little maintenance due to its corrosion-resistant finish. The building was a symbol of Pittsburgh’s steel roots and continues to define the skyline today. It is currently home to the headquarters of UPMC.

The mid-1970s began the dark years for the region and its largest city. Between 1974 and 1985, the Pittsburgh area lost more than 300,000 industrial jobs, once again causing the city to redefine itself. As mills were shuttered and torn down, this left the city something it had not had in decades — room to grow.

In 1977, then-Mayor Richard Caliguiri coined the term Renaissance II to describe the next chapter in the city’s history. This time, redevelopment was centered on the downtown area and transportation improvements. Notably, this would be the beginning of the Pittsburgh Light Rail System, known lovingly as the “T.”

Pittsburgh had been a trolley town since 1902, when the Pittsburgh Railways system was chartered. By the 1950s, the city’s streetcar fleet was second in size to only Chicago, domestically. When the Port Authority took control of Pittsburgh Railways in 1963, it had plans to scrap the entire network in favor of Westinghouse’s revolutionary “Skybus” system. Plans called for an automated 92-mile network that would extend to Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, Kennywood Park and other destinations.

As it turned out, the Skybus just wasn’t economically viable. A greatly increased system of bus routes was chosen instead, with only the southern suburbs retaining streetcar service. A $265 million federal grant was procured to fund a new downtown subway that would connect with the remaining streetcar routes. The new combined system was opened as the “T” in July 1985.

Another project taking place during this same period was the construction of PPG Place, a six-building complex that has become one of Pittsburgh’s defining features. Nicknamed the “Glass Palace,” it combines medieval-style architecture with the modern elements of glass and steel. PPG Place’s main tower was completed in 1983 and dedicated in April 1984.

Meanwhile, more skyscrapers were taking shape. In 1983, the 54-story One Mellon Center was completed. It is the second tallest building in the city today. That same year, the 46-story One Oxford Center was also dedicated. Consisting of four inter-connected octagonal towers, it has the most corner offices in the city. A twin building to One Oxford Center was planned, but never materialized.

The final Renaissance II project was Fifth Avenue Place, which was completed in 1988. While the 31-story building adds a unique look to the city skyline, its construction required the removal of the historic Jenkins Arcade. This fact makes the relationship between Fifth Avenue Place and Pittsburghers bittersweet.

Today, Pittsburgh is a completely different city than it was during its peak as America’s steel hub. The thousands of people who commute into the city today are doing so to work in technology and health care jobs instead of at mills. It could be argued that Pittsburgh’s renewal over the past 75 years is one of its most historic qualities.

Jeffrey Snedden is a local historian and researcher. If you have any subjects, questions or comments for Histories & Mysteries, please send them to historiesandmysteries@yahoo.com. Each week, he will choose a few new topics and update past ones with readers notes and questions.