Gulf Tower

Gulf Tower

Infobox Skyscraper
building_name = Gulf Tower


caption = Gulf Tower, from US Steel Tower
location = 435 Seventh Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
coordinates =
groundbreaking = 1930
constructed = 1932
opening =
use = Office
roof = convert|582|ft|m|0|abbr=on
top_floor =
floor_count = 44
elevator_count = 15
cost = $10.05 million
floor_area = convert|409320|ft2|m2|0|abbr=on
architect = Trowbridge & Livingston with E. P. Mellon
engineer = McClintic-Marshall Construction Company
contractor = Mellon-Stuart
developer = Andrew W. Mellon
owner =
management =

Gulf Tower is one of the major distinctive and recognizable features of Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The tower is named for the Gulf Oil Corporation, which was one of the leading multinational oil companies of its time, consistently ranking among the largest 10 corporations in the country. In 1984, Gulf and Chevron took part in the world's largest merger to that time.

Built as the headquarters for the Gulf Oil Company, and known as the Gulf Building, the structure was designed by the firm of Trowbridge & Livingston and completed in 1932. Now called Gulf Tower, it has 44 floors and rises 582 feet (177 meters) above Downtown Pittsburgh. Its address is 707 Grant Street and it is part of the Grant Street Power Strip in Pittsburgh. The crown of the skyscraper is modeled after the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in the style of a step pyramid.

On June 17th, 1974 - The Weather Underground Organization planted a bomb in the lobby to protest Gulf Oil's actions in Angola, Vietnam, and elsewhere.

Lighting

Prior to the late 1970s, the entire multistory "step-pyramid/mausoleum" structure at the top of the building was neon-illuminated, [http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/wt/html/gulf_building_1930-1932.html changing colors] based on barometric pressure to provide a weather forecast that could be seen for many miles.

Subsequently, however, the weather forecasting role has been limited to the weather beacon at the pinnacle of the pyramid. Although the terraced sides are once again illuminated at night, the entire pyramid structure no longer changes color with the weather (the pinnacle beacon still has that function).

Since 2001, the opening of PNC Park across the Allegheny River, fans have noticed that after Pittsburgh Pirates home-runs, the "beam" light flashes in celebration. Recently it was revealed that the afternoon and evening receptionist at the lobby desk was the one responsible for this fan favorite, following the games on her cabinet radio. The slogan "Flash the beam, Regina -- that one's out of here!" has gained popularity among Pirates fans recently. [http://www.postgazette.com/pg/05164/520648.stm]

References

*cite book | author=Toker, Franklin | title=Buildings of Pittsburgh | location=Pittsburgh | publisher=Chicago: Society of Architectural Historians; Santa Fe: Center for American Places ; Charlottesville: In association with the University of Virginia Press | year=2007 | id=ISBN 0-8139-2650-5

External links

* [http://www.mindmatrix.net/knowlet/knowlet.cfm?action=viewbody&knowletID=923&popup=0&shownext=1&cfid=1487060&cftoken=26281581&rootknowletID=923&CFID=1487060&CFTOKEN=26281581/ Gulf Tower Homepage]
* [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=gulfbuilding-pittsburgh-pa-usa Gulf Tower at Emporis.com]
* [http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/portal/tourism05.html Gulf Tower description on the City of Pittsburgh tour page]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Gulf Oil — Corporation Тип Частная компания Год основания 1901 Расположение …   Википедия

  • Gulf Oil — Rechtsform Gründung 1901 Auflösung 1984 Auflösungsgrund …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gulf Oil — Infobox Company company name = Gulf Oil International Ltd company company type = Private: Amas Holding SA (Luxembourg) ultimate holding company company slogan = Your Local Global Brand foundation = 1985 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania location =… …   Wikipedia

  • Gulf Building — There are many buildings called the Gulf Building. Among them: * Gulf Building (Houston) formerly the Humble Building * Gulf Tower Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaFormerly named Gulf Building * 1515 Poydras, New Orleans, Louisiana …   Wikipedia

  • Gulf Ridge Council — #86 serves Scouts in West Central Florida with the council headquarters in Tampa, Florida. Youth are served in the following eight counties: Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk and Sumter.… …   Wikipedia

  • Gulf Rose Hotel — (Кувейт,Кувейт) Категория отеля: Адрес: Al Shamlan Masjid roundabout, El Shohadaa S …   Каталог отелей

  • Gulf States Utilities — (GSU) was an electric power generation and distribution company headquartered in Beaumont, Texas. The company was founded in 1911 as Eastern Texas Electric, a holding company for Stone Webster. On August 25, 1925, Gulf States Utilities Company… …   Wikipedia

  • Gulf+Western — For the music genre, see Jimmy Buffett. Gulf+Western Former type Conglomerate Industry Clothing, Entertainment, Industry, Mass media …   Wikipedia

  • Gulf Building (Houston) — Infobox nrhp name = Gulf Building nrhp type = caption = location = 710 724 Main St Houston, Texas nearest city = lat degrees = lat minutes = lat seconds = lat direction = long degrees = long minutes = long seconds = long direction = area = built …   Wikipedia

  • Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway — Infobox SG rail railroad name=Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway logo filename= logo size= old gauge= marks=GCSF locale=New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas start year=1873 end year=1965 successor line=ATSF hq city=Galveston, TexasThe Gulf, Colorado… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”