A Brief History of Pittsburgh: From Colonial Settlement to 'America's Most Livable City', Study Guides, Projects, Research of Architecture

Download A Brief History of Pittsburgh: From Colonial Settlement to 'America's Most Livable City' and more Study Guides, Projects, Research Architecture in PDF only on Docsity! Arch 654 Urb an 1 20 07 :: K ar l D u Pu y PITTSBURGH, PA Matthew Ponsi Fall 2007 Brief History, Reason for Being, and Urban Form Generators The city of Pittsburgh is the second largest metropolis in the state of Pennsylvania and the 22nd largest met- ropolitan area in the United States. The city is situated at the confl uence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers (meeting to form the Ohio) and, as a direct result, has served as a transportation gateway to the west and a manufacturing hub for America from as early as colonial times. Today, Pittsburgh has complet- ed a complete economic transition and currently ranks as “America’s Most Livable City” in the 2007 Places Rated Almanac. Europeans fi rst arrived at the site of the future city in the 1710s and established trading posts and settle- ments on the banks of the Monongahela River—thus establishing the historic heart of Pittsburgh’s current downtown. Similar to other American cities, especially Lower Manhattan, access to the two rivers established the fi rst road network. The street grid ran perpendicu- lar to the water at each river and both networks would eventually slam together along Liberty St—similar to Broadway in New York City. And just as Manhattan would reclaim land by fi lling in interior lakes and along the river’s edge, so too would Pittsburgh. Liberty St. would serve as one of the main routes into and out of the tip of the city which anchors the Golden Triangle and is the current site of Point State Park—perhaps the most imageable landmark of the city. A series of forts would protect the developing town from this site, starting with Fort Prince George during the 1750s, Fort Duquesne at the time of the French and Indian War, and eventually Fort Pitt in 1758. General John Forbes (with George Washington at his side) cap- tured Fort Duquesne for the British and named it after Secretary of State William Pitt—two names that would permanently remain with the city. In 1768, in the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, Pittsburgh ac- quired western lands from the Six Nations—an area that encompasses much of the present city. And it would offi cially become part of Pennsylvania after the 1780 extension of the Mason-Dixon Line. After the American Revolution, Pittsburgh would become an industrial hub—fi rst with a boat building industry—and eventually with steel production. Af- ter the War of 1812 cut off the supply of British goods, Pittsburgh started producing iron, brass, tin, and glass in large quantities. After the American Civil War (1865), iron and steel production took off . Andrew Carnegie founded the eventual Carnegie Steel Company in 1875. In 1901, the US Steel Corporation was formed and a decade later, the city was producing almost a half of the nation’s steel. Pittsburgh’s population also exploded during this era as European immigrants raised it to over a half million people. River traffi c, congestion, abuse of the water’s edge, and pollution became so bad that author James Parton described the city as “hell with the lid off .” The Ohio River / Mississippi River network starts in Pittsburgh and reaches the Gulf of Mexico at New Orleans, passing several impor- tant cities along the way. gfi g 1 .0 2 Forks of the Ohio Gateway to the West Arsenal of Democracy Steel City Smoky City Hell with the Lid Off Golden Triangle Renaissance City City of Champions fi g 1.01 Current Pittsburgh skyline across the Monongahela River. fi g 1.03 Arch 654 Urb an 2 20 07 :: K ar l D u Pu y After World War II, Pittsburgh launched a clean air and urban revitalization process known as the “Renais- sance.” The early 20th Century saw the city’s living conditions take a downward turn—just as many other American cities suff ered the eff ects of the Industrial Revolution. Pollution and congestion exceeded the infrastructure capabilities of the city. In October 1945, governor Edward Martin authorized the creation of a state park at the city’s “Point.” A month later, bank- ing tycoon Richard King Mellon leveraged $4 million from the state after forming the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. The city was ready to become the “bellwether of American postwar city plan- ning.” (Bauman & Muller) A few years earlier, in 1939, the Pittsburgh Regional Planning Association summoned Robert Mosses to draw up a plan for a new traffi c system in the Golden Triangle. His plan called for the removal of chaotic rail- road lines in the downtown core, the creation of a new highways system, and the addition of parkways along each river leading to a large park at the “Point.” The new Fort Duquesne Bridge, Fort Pitt Bridge, Duquesne Boulevard (along the Allegheny) and Penn Lincoln Parkway (along the Monongahela) formed the basic structure of a new regional network of direct connections between the city and region. (Ciucci et. al.) By 1974, at the time of the offi cial dedication of Point State Park, the anchor of the fi rst Pittsburgh Renaissance, the city now boasted the new Three Rivers Stadium and Civic Arena (Mellon Arena), the Gateway Towers, Penn-Lincoln Parkway, the Fort Pitt Tunnels and Bridge, Mellon Square Park, and the sky- scrapers of the Alcoa Building and the Mellon Bank / US Steel Building. It was also in the 1970s that the steel industry suff ered layoff s and closures. However, despite a shrinking population and the fall of manufactur- ing, Pittsburgh experienced “signifi cant growth and vitality in the cultural sector in the 1980s.” (Lubove) Music, art, theater, and sports took off with the openings of Carnegie Science Center, Roberto Clem- ente Memorial Park, and the Andy Warhol Museum to name a few. A second “Renaissance” had begun. This one focused more on cultural, residential, and neighborhood renewal projects and has continued to the present. Pittsburgh suff ered from near bank- ruptcy in the early 2000s, but promises to recover as an education, tourism, and service sector hub into the future. An 1857 depiction of Pittsburgh’s river scene. Iron and steel production is just starting to take off , stimulating the economy, boosting the population, and dra- matically increasing pollution.fi g 2. 01 Pittsburgh Renaissance fi g 2.02 fi g 2.03 The city’s downtown street congestion ex- plodes, seemingly overnight. Urban renewal projects in the Golden Triangle region of Pittsburgh in 1965. fi g 2.04 Fig. 5.03 Plan of Lots In Pittsburgh in 1764 by Col. John Campbell. Water Street runs parallel to the river pro- viding access to the amenity for the general public. Blocks are oriented with the narrow side facing the river as well. Streets clearly run north, perpendicular from the river, providing easy access to the city’s main resource. ce “REE PLAN OF Lots in PITTSBURGH ~ ire4 by Col, John Camphait Fig. 5.04 In this 1795 plan, the Inttal downtown core on the Monongahela River has expanded north and east, however, block sizes have Increased signifl- cantly. Development has now occurred on the Al- legheny River as well, with Its street grid also running f perpendicular to the waters edge. Small lakes and i Fig. 5.01 Pittsburgh as It exists today. The downtown core of skyscrapers Is ponds still exist, as does a long Island In the middle of ~—« ar slo very compact, almost completely within the Golden Triangle region. Note the Monongahela River. **"» j the extreme rise In topography along the south shore of the Monongahela and just to the northeast of the central city where today's train lines come in. we City Population: (2006 US Census Estimate) 312,819 Metropolitan Population: (2006 US Census Estimate) 2,370,776 Ctty Area: 58.3 sq ml (55.5 sq mi Land & 2.8 sq mi Water) Metropolitan Area: 5,343 sq ml Density: Range from 65 persons / sq mi- 25 persons / sq mi -----------: > (On the low end, but somewhat expected. Pitisburgh’s influence exceeds what one would expect based on population figures.) Fig. 5.05 By 1825, the downtown core of the clty has been filled in with a complete street network. The city has yet to expand eastward, where a large topography incline exists, but a couple “suburbs” have developed across each river. Clearly the northern one was fully planned out, accessed by a bridge on axis with its cen- tral square. (The southern one Is just to the southeast off of the image.) Also, note that the Fort at the city’s point is gone, as are the lakes within the downtown region and Alternative section for the water feant, would rise and fall with the river, Large © adways would cut through the promenade tt provide access to ramps leading down to the quays and to provide places for freight trucks to stand while being loaded and unloaded, Fig. 5.02 The Citizens Committee on the Clty Plan's (CCCP) 1921 = inter-district traffic concept. The plan occupied the Pittsburgh | CPC through the 1930s. Dashed lines on the map are proposed <| streets and bridges needed to complete the system. to trucks at the strect level, At certain places 2007 :; Karl Du Puy Ang ng Bey = £007 *UOHN|OASY [DLSNPU] ‘pauado aapy DuaIN sods pup WNn|pD]s Mau au} jo seBnys Aue ay} Ul Ayj> D 0} ss@DaD Aspe Bulpyaod (s9A Pupiq D pup (pedo! usaq SADY ajjs ay US soBpyq OM Suj} S}spKo MOU Y2De 19A0 Bay) seBpyq X/S MOU @1D @10U! ‘]8 SD dojeaep MUD JUJOd “1D3]D auD (,,2DuDss|DUaY,, SY) PUD) asjwWOJd jo suBls “2ZASMOH ©} unBieq eany spoooqyBjeu jouysig ‘Woo UCYDiNdod s,Ay]> “S9U0 JO]UDAa J9/|DUWUs PeoD|del BADY sD0/q-Jedns a6_] |OY] ID|]D O3)D S| J] @uy jo sGujuujGeq ey, YA Sepjoujo> sjy) ‘pepuDndxe Aypal6 poy -doup 04 upBiag Aj|> ayy jo UOYDindod oy) PU_ asoj> Oo} Buypjs 319M sjuD|d yBingsuid ea SHALER| oe }_ 5 ane " a8 Fi é el ES ia ut ot ! 1 ” “ a ‘dow yj uo Mou ei We;shs yD eB i 5 eu D pup {(‘ausenbng pup yBingsyid) seyjsieajun Jofow ‘ i OM ‘S@UI] PDOI []D1 JO OMYOU D {,sU]Od, OY} J FYB OMY Hd Bulpnjou)) seBppq jOuCYIPpP [PIBAesS “as UOYD|Ndod syow = z i -DIP $} JO @|PPjw ay} ul puD P18 Bupnyoojnuow s,yBungspid JO pOSY OY} 6] SUL “*SEPE2Ep JO]NDe LOY sejOy OY; jOMJOU JOOS BUI *, W Lm es MH “ZE6L Ul €9 Gg \ LOI, St MOUNT WASHINGTON Waa) Fig. 6.01 Pitisburgh has a modest mass transit system today, served by a small subway and light rall line. However, due to the compact nature, especially downtown, the city is very walkable. Most of the area is within a % mile radius (5 min. walk) to the closest subway station. Each grey circle is a % mile radius, centered on a station.  l=. Unj--ct Ute Sur PLANNED COMMUNITY, Fig. 7.03 Fig, 7.01 Pittsburgh Housing Historically, housing In the city has occurred throughout the nearby sub- urbs and nelghborhoods. The north side contains many 19th Century stone and brick designs. The south side, primarily for mill workers a cen- tury ago, now is a growing activity center popular In the real estate market today (thanks In part to access provided by the relatively new light rail / subway IIne.) The city’s main Untversitles are found in the east end (Fig. 7.04,) including a good deal of student housing In the Oakland and Schenley Park nelghborhoods. And the downtown business district Is finally seeing residential and mixed use development today as old office bulldings are being converted Into apartments and condos. Chatham Village (depicted above and left) Is a residential nelghbor- hood designed by Clarence Stein and Henry Wright and constructed in 1930-1932. Stein and Wright employed many of the same Ideals as they did in thelr contemporary design of Radbum in 1928-1933, including the use of public green spaces. Companies and Institu- tions in Pittsburgh Today: Alcoa Inc Allegheny Technologies HJ Heinz Company Mellon Financial Corporation PNC Financial PPG Industries WESCO International US Steel Carnegie Mellon University University of Pittsburgh Duquesne University Robert Mortis University Fig. 7.05 Conclusion and Lessons Pittsburgh provides a great example of how a city transiffons over fime—and in a successful way. Clearly, the confluence of the three rivers provided a wondertul transportation network and an amble Power source that generated a manufacturing economy lasting all the way through World War Il. When Plitsburgh lost its steel Industry, It quickly responded with an urban “Renalssance” project Including new parklands, transit networks, and cultural insiltutions—all of which helped an easier transition into a service economy. Urban renewal Is continuing today as well. Two new baseball and football stadiums and a planned sports arena (in large part due to thelr national expo- sure) highlight an urban “Renaissance” Into the 21st Century. Planners are fruly bullding on the uniqueness of the city. Very few other metropolitan regions have the natural beauty found In Pltts- burgh. Although no longer necessary as a major power source or transportation network, the three rivers continue to define the clty. With such a relatively small population, Pittsburgh has an unusually large regional Influence. 2007::KaiD uy