Gulf Tower

Gulf Tower
Gulf Tower, from US Steel Tower
General information
Type	Commercial offices
Architectural style	Art Deco
Location	707 Grant Street Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	40°26′33″N 79°59′43″W / 40.44250°N 79.99528°W / 40.44250; -79.99528Coordinates: 40°26′33″N 79°59′43″W / 40.44250°N 79.99528°W / 40.44250; -79.99528
Construction started	1930
Completed	1932
Cost	US$10.05 million ($140.4 million today)
Height
Roof	177.4 m (582 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	44
Floor area	409,320 sq ft (38,027 m2)
Lifts/elevators	15
Design and construction
Architect	Trowbridge & Livingston E. P. Mellon
Developer	Andrew W. Mellon
Structural engineer	McClintic-Marshall Construction Company
Main contractor	Mellon-Stuart
References
[1][2][3]

Gulf Tower is a 44-story, 177.4 m (582 ft) Art Deco skyscraper in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.^[4] The tower is one of the major distinctive and recognizable features of the city and 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 ($13.3 billion or $29.9 billion today) 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 at a cost of $10.05 million ($140.4 million today). As late as 1981 Gulf Oil employed 3,100 within the building.^[5] Now called Gulf Tower, it has 44 floors and rises 177.4 m (582 ft) above Downtown Pittsburgh. The crown of the skyscraper is modeled after the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in the style of a step pyramid. The building was listed as a Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark in 1973.^[6]

On June 13, 1974, a bomb was detonated on the 29th floor of the Gulf Tower.^[7] The Weather Underground Organization took credit for the attack claiming it was in protest to Gulf Oil's involvement in the oil rich regions affected by the Angolan War of Independence.

Lighting

Prior to the late 1970s, the entire multistory "step-pyramid/mausoleum" structure at the top of the building was neon-illuminated, changing colors to provide a weather forecast that could be seen for many miles.^[8] This concept was developed by the building manager Edward H. Heath. He used the Gulf Oil colors to create a simplified forecast: steady blue meant colder and fair; flashing blue meant colder with precipitation; steady orange meant warmer and fair; flashing orange meant warmer with precipitation. Subsequently, in an effort to conserve energy, the weather forecasting role had been limited to the weather beacon at the pinnacle of the pyramid, which would glow blue for precipitation and red for fair weather. Although the terraced sides were once again illuminated at night (by means of spotlights), the entire pyramid structure no longer changed color with the weather (the pinnacle beacon still had that function).

Original Weather Beacon

            Blue - steady - precipitation & rising temperature
            Blue - flashing - precipitation & falling temperature
            Orange red - steady - fair weather & rising temperature
            Orange red - flashing - fair weather & falling temperature

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.^[9]

The KDKA Weather Beacon, the most recent weather beacon to adorn the pyramid atop the tower, was officially dedicated on July 4, 2012. In partnership with KDKA-TV, the Gulf Tower has been retrofit with a modern, automated LED weather beacon that will tell a more complete forecast than ever before. It will also feature holiday displays. Hearkening back to the original 1950's beacon, the entire pyramid will once again change colors at night depending on the current weather conditions. The new color-coded, tiered system works as such:^[10]

Floor By Floor Breakdown

• 44th floor – temperature
• 43rd floor – temperature
• 42nd floor – temperature
• 41st floor – precipitation
• 40th floor – humidity
• 39th floor – wind speed

    Dark blue  – <0 °F (−18 °C)
    Med blue   – 0 to 32 °F (−18 to 0 °C)
    Light blue – 33 to 49 °F (1 to 9 °C)
    Amber      – 50 to 65 °F (10 to 18 °C)
    Orange     – 66 to 79 °F (19 to 26 °C)
    Red        – >80 °F (27 °C)

    Red purple  – >.25 in (0.64 cm)
    Blue purple – ≤.25 in (0.64 cm)

    Light green – <50%
    Dark green  – ≥50%

    Magenta – >10 mph (16 km/h)
    Pink    – ≤10 mph (16 km/h)

See also

• List of tallest buildings in Pittsburgh

References

Further reading

• Toker, Franklin (2007). Buildings of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh: Chicago: Society of Architectural Historians; Santa Fe: Center for American Places ; Charlottesville: In association with the University of Virginia Press. ISBN 0-8139-2650-5. 

External links

Media related to Gulf Tower at Wikimedia Commons

• Gulf Tower description on the City of Pittsburgh tour page