Regional Enterprise Tower
Encyclopedia
The Regional Enterprise Tower is a 410 feet (125 m) skyscraper in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, formerly known as the Alcoa Building. It was completed in 1953 and has 30 floors. It is the 15th tallest building in the city and is adjacent to Mellon Square
. A unique radiant heating and cooling system is contained in the ceiling: since there are no pipes, radiators, or air conditioning units along the exterior walls, an additional 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) of rentable space was gained. Also, the windows rotate 360 degrees so they can be washed from the inside.
Originally the headquarters for the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA), the unique aluminum walls of the building are 1/8 inch thick, which gives the building a very light weight and economical design. It was the first skyscraper with an all-aluminum facade. Upon ALCOA's 2001 relocation to a new headquarters building on Pittsburgh's North Shore
near PNC Park
, the old ALCOA building became a home to government entities, regional nonprofits and small start-up companies.
on opening night it was described as the "world's most perfect playhouse". An ornate Beaux Arts
structure, crowned by a large dome it was arguably the most opulent theater in city history. S. Trevor Hadly in Only in Pittsburgh describes that the interior "was in the Louis XVth style. Inside were massive imitation Parawazza marble columns capped with solid gold. ... The side walls were paneled to look like damask silk ... framed in a molding and styling of green, gold, and red. Velvet and silk draperies added profusely to the décor." Productions such as the 1905 staging of Ben Hur used four horse-drawn chariots while Garden of Allah "called for a herd of camels, horses, and goats and 50 camel drivers." The sale of the site to Alcoa in 1950 was met with protests, with actress Katharine Hepburn
writing to the city before demolition: "I'm infuriated, The new skyscraper will be just another building -- maybe fascinating, but not glamorous."
A second smaller and less glamorous incarnation carried the Nixon Theater name on Liberty Avenue until 1975. During the 1950's and early 1960's it sponsored family fare but by the 1970's it had devolved into adult entertainment.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, formerly known as the Alcoa Building. It was completed in 1953 and has 30 floors. It is the 15th tallest building in the city and is adjacent to Mellon Square
Mellon Square
Mellon Square is an urban park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the first Modernist park built above a parking garage. With its distinctive black-and-white geometric pavement, it is a prominent feature and gathering spot of Downtown Pittsburgh....
. A unique radiant heating and cooling system is contained in the ceiling: since there are no pipes, radiators, or air conditioning units along the exterior walls, an additional 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) of rentable space was gained. Also, the windows rotate 360 degrees so they can be washed from the inside.
Originally the headquarters for the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA), the unique aluminum walls of the building are 1/8 inch thick, which gives the building a very light weight and economical design. It was the first skyscraper with an all-aluminum facade. Upon ALCOA's 2001 relocation to a new headquarters building on Pittsburgh's North Shore
North Shore (Pittsburgh)
The North Shore is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's North Side. It has a zip code of 15212, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council members for District 1 and 6...
near PNC Park
PNC Park
PNC Park is a baseball park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It opened during the 2001 Major League Baseball season, after the controlled implosion of the Pirates' previous home, Three Rivers Stadium...
, the old ALCOA building became a home to government entities, regional nonprofits and small start-up companies.
Nixon Theater
From December 7, 1903 until April 29, 1950 the site of the Regional Enterprise Tower was home to the original incarnation of the Nixon Theater built by Samuel F. Nixon-Nirdlinger and Senator George T. OliverGeorge T. Oliver
George Tener Oliver was an American lawyer, publisher, and Republican party politician from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate...
on opening night it was described as the "world's most perfect playhouse". An ornate Beaux Arts
Beaux arts
Beaux Arts, Beaux arts, or Beaux-Arts may refer to:* Académie des Beaux-Arts, a French arts institution * Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts, a Belgian arts school* Beaux-Arts architecture, an architectural style...
structure, crowned by a large dome it was arguably the most opulent theater in city history. S. Trevor Hadly in Only in Pittsburgh describes that the interior "was in the Louis XVth style. Inside were massive imitation Parawazza marble columns capped with solid gold. ... The side walls were paneled to look like damask silk ... framed in a molding and styling of green, gold, and red. Velvet and silk draperies added profusely to the décor." Productions such as the 1905 staging of Ben Hur used four horse-drawn chariots while Garden of Allah "called for a herd of camels, horses, and goats and 50 camel drivers." The sale of the site to Alcoa in 1950 was met with protests, with actress Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
writing to the city before demolition: "I'm infuriated, The new skyscraper will be just another building -- maybe fascinating, but not glamorous."
A second smaller and less glamorous incarnation carried the Nixon Theater name on Liberty Avenue until 1975. During the 1950's and early 1960's it sponsored family fare but by the 1970's it had devolved into adult entertainment.