On July 13th, Pitt closed on the Allegheny County Health Department Building at 3441 Forbes Avenue for $1.9 million and plans to use it as part of a new innovation district. This building originally served as the home of a Croatian club of Pittsburgh before being taken over by the county and used as a public health building.
Obviously the county didn't maintain the building well, but it still has a lot of interesting architectural detailing on the facade that, in my personal opinion, the facade should be preserved. Buildings with this type of detailing will never be built again.
Now, I do not believe the building should not be demolished, because the interior is probably inadequate and in bad shape, but I do believe Pitt should restore and incorporate the facade of this building into whatever new facility it plans on constructing. This facade preservation is done with almost every new construction in Washington DC, for much less interesting buildings, and it makes for much more historically preserved, and architecturally interesting neighborhoods despite completely new and modern buildings being just behind the original facades. It also prevents some major mistakes of the past on Pitt's campus, such as the obliteration of the main entrance of Thaw Hall, and the lack of any preservation of the facades of State Hall, Logan Armory, or Forbes Field.
Obviously the county didn't maintain the building well, but it still has a lot of interesting architectural detailing on the facade that, in my personal opinion, the facade should be preserved. Buildings with this type of detailing will never be built again.
Now, I do not believe the building should not be demolished, because the interior is probably inadequate and in bad shape, but I do believe Pitt should restore and incorporate the facade of this building into whatever new facility it plans on constructing. This facade preservation is done with almost every new construction in Washington DC, for much less interesting buildings, and it makes for much more historically preserved, and architecturally interesting neighborhoods despite completely new and modern buildings being just behind the original facades. It also prevents some major mistakes of the past on Pitt's campus, such as the obliteration of the main entrance of Thaw Hall, and the lack of any preservation of the facades of State Hall, Logan Armory, or Forbes Field.
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