Question: Old Pitt/Johnstown rumor...

[HailToPitt725]

Growing up, I was told by my parents and grandparents (Pitt alums, Johnstown natives) that at one point there was a supposed rumor that Pitt would move their main campus to Johnstown, where UPJ is.

I’ve always been curious about this throughout the years since I’ve never found anything online to back it up, but I see it referenced on this board from time to time.

My question is: Was this Pitt-to-Johnstown rumor actually a thing? If so, when was this speculated, how close did it come to happening, and why? TIA.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

During Majors I FB camp was held there at least one year. Beyond that, I don't recall anything about the idea suggested. I do suppose some "ivory tower" types probably mulled it over once upon a time and it could have generated a newspaper article.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Complete urban myth. Was never considered.

Outsider speculation probably originated when Pitt first acquired the land in Richland township in the late 50s-early 60s to move UPJ out of downtown Johnstown. The land was never considered for anything but to construct a campus for UPJ.

 

[Mikefln]

I have no information for you in regards to the validity of the rumor other than to state I have heard it before and I also heard it in regards to Greensburg campus also.

 

[pittchagg]

No knowledge either way, but my guess is that the Venn Diagram between “people who believe a rumor that Pitt at one point considered a move to Johnstown or Greensburg” and “people who think that an on-campus football stadium is the most important part of a university” is pretty close to a circle.

 

[ChazzMo]

I think universities seek a visible signature for their school. An architectural or other physical symbol. Pitt has one of the most instantly recognizable in the nation with the Cathedral. I cannot imagine anyone would ever seriously consider moving the university because of that connection. Therefore - what is it Snopes says? I judge this rumor FALSE.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Was this Pitt-to-Johnstown rumor actually a thing?

If you mean was the rumor "a thing" then yeah, there was that rumor. If you mean was the actual possibility of a move "a thing" then no, there was no chance that was ever going to happen and it was never really discussed by anyone important.

 

[Macchiato]

They were going to take the cathedral in sections by helicopter.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

They were going to take the cathedral in sections by helicopter.

Sections? Just get a couple of those big military helicopters and move it all at once!

 

[wbrpanther]

Growing up, I was told by my parents and grandparents (Pitt alums, Johnstown natives) that at one point there was a supposed rumor that Pitt would move their main campus to Johnstown, where UPJ is.

I’ve always been curious about this throughout the years since I’ve never found anything online to back it up, but I see it referenced on this board from time to time.

My question is: Was this Pitt-to-Johnstown rumor actually a thing? If so, when was this speculated, how close did it come to happening, and why? TIA.

It was exactly as you remember. A huge myth. That myth kept creeping back every so often.

 

[AZULDOS]

I had never heard this...But If I'm not mistaken Wake Forest is a campus that changed locations. I think post WW2. Sort of opposite was like a "Waynseburg" in a small isolated town. Too many GI's coming back to school and wanted to have a Med school etc. closer to the big city. I guess for Pitt it could have stayed Medical in Oakland but a sprawling Johnstown campus. The Point may have been Pitt Stadium Deux?

 

[Nanty Glos Finest]

It was exactly as you remember. A huge myth. That myth kept creeping back every so often.

Windber’s Finest

Pitt should have moved the main campus to THE GLO.

Lots of cheap land and highly skilled and educated people to hire.

New Pitt Stadium could have been along the Blacklick Creek with a great view of the rock dump.

Also lots of bar and beer distributors for tailgating.

FTP
NGF

 

[bwh05]

The main college urban legends in the 90s were Main campus moving to Johnstown & every small private school was “going Ivy League”, whatever that means.

 

[wbrpanther]

Windber’s Finest

Pitt should have moved the main campus to THE GLO.

Lots of cheap land and highly skilled and educated people to hire.

New Pitt Stadium could have been along the Blacklick Creek with a great view of the rock dump.

Also lots of bar and beer distributors for tailgating.

FTP
NGF

Not a bad idea.

 

[TDinTheSnow]

Sections? Just get a couple of those big military helicopters and move it all at once!

Little known fect: below grade the cathedral of learning has Saturn V rocket boosters.. the whole building is actually a large rocket ship..

 

[Macchiato]

Little known fect: below grade the cathedral of learning has Saturn V rocket boosters.. the whole building is actually a large rocket ship..

we could lay it on its side and put it on a barge

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Little known fect: below grade the cathedral of learning has Saturn V rocket boosters.. the whole building is actually a large rocket ship..

 

[Den of Hacks]

Complete urban myth. Was never considered.

Outsider speculation probably originated when Pitt first acquired the land in Richland township in the late 50s-early 60s to move UPJ out of downtown Johnstown. The land was never considered for anything but to construct a campus for UPJ.

Hey CP,

Off topic, but any word on when clinical trials will begin for any of the Pitt COVID19 vaccines? Status w/ FDA?

 

[jtownknowitall]

I bet that rumor started in Johnstown

 

[CrazyPaco]

Hey CP,

Off topic, but any word on when clinical trials will begin for any of the Pitt COVID19 vaccines? Status w/ FDA?

They haven't begun clinical trials yet. That likely means they haven't been given the go-head with the FDA, at least the microneedle vaccine which was published in March and whose lead researchers stated they were contacting the FDA back then. When things are in order, it only takes 30 days for the FDA to give the go ahead to begin clinical trials. Clearly things weren't in order, which isn't surprising for an academic lab relying on a new delivery device with no real experience moving things to clinical trials (that's why you partner with pharmaceutical companies). Which brings us to the other vaccine candidate in the Center for Vaccine Research which was partnering with pharm company Themis in Europe. They haven't gotten that to clinical trials yet either, and there has been no announcement about submitting it to the FDA or EMA to begin trials. Themis was bought by Merck, so now there is some money backing this vaccine. There is also a newer third vaccine candidate at Pitt which is in even earlier stages (you can read about that one at: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/h...h-boston-coronavirus-RNA/stories/202006050095)

People can sign up to be part of the clinical trials when the vaccines are given the go-ahead:
https://pittplusme.org/studyarms/publicdetails?guid=edfe4b93-86fd-4a89-af1b-fd47bdf8d76b

Of course, they can also still support Pitt's Center for Vaccine Research directly at: https://engage.pitt.edu/project/20425/donate?des_id=97209

 

[Den of Hacks]

Thanks, CP.

I was concerned that the vaccines would get caught up with the FDA. One would think that the FDA would be working hand in hand 24/7 to assist sponsors to get their trial design completed, and then approved to begin the trial. If a global pandemic can’t get the FDA to move quickly, what will?

 

[Parkview57]

Just for the record, UPJ is a really nice place/campus although I haven't been there for awhile.. I was there twice, about 15 years ago a guy I worked for , his son played Basketball for Slippery Rock and we went up there on a Saturday for a game, much before that I went to a baseball game there, cant even remember who I went with but it seems that they were from Erie. I do recall wondering at the time where you would get beer, it seemed really isolated for college kids so it seemed.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Thanks, CP.

I was concerned that the vaccines would get caught up with the FDA. One would think that the FDA would be working hand in hand 24/7 to assist sponsors to get their trial design completed, and then approved to begin the trial. If a global pandemic can’t get the FDA to move quickly, what will?

They are and they do, and they've devoted a ton of resources to the pandemic. But they don't design trials for people, although they do provide a lot of guidance in trial design and lots of feedback to sponsors during the process. But the FDA isn't a consultant and doesn't have the resources to be a consultant for every sponsor on every product. In the end, it is on the sponsors to design the trials and show that their candidate products are safe to take into human trials (and this includes providing the appropriate chemistry information and non-clinical studies to show that it is reasonably safe to start putting in people). The FDA is foremost charged with protecting people. It is their primary legal mandate.

And to be clear, we have no idea if the vaccine candidates were even submitted yet to the FDA. The only one that might be assumed to have been submitted is the microneedle one because of statements of the principal investigator, but we don't know for sure if an Investigational New Drug application was actually submitted (the PI on the project could have been referring to the Pre-IND phase of communications with the FDA and none of that information is public).

The vaccine in partnership with Themis/Merck won't be submitted until it is really ready to move into human trials and they are fairly confident it will get through a 30-day opening IND safety review because Merck is experienced and knows what it is doing. And because Themis is in Europe and the Pasteur Institute is also involved, they may start trials in Europe anyway.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Thanks, CP.

I was concerned that the vaccines would get caught up with the FDA. One would think that the FDA would be working hand in hand 24/7 to assist sponsors to get their trial design completed, and then approved to begin the trial. If a global pandemic can’t get the FDA to move quickly, what will?

Because safety is still a priority

 

[CrazyPaco]

Just for the record, UPJ is a really nice place/campus although I haven't been there for awhile.. I was there twice, about 15 years ago a guy I worked for , his son played Basketball for Slippery Rock and we went up there on a Saturday for a game, much before that I went to a baseball game there, cant even remember who I went with but it seems that they were from Erie. I do recall wondering at the time where you would get beer, it seemed really isolated for college kids so it seemed.

I agree, UPJ is an unbelievably nice "branch" campus. It really is more of its own college than a "branch". Especially now with its full fledged engineering, nursing, and business programs. Its campus always reminded me of a ski resort with the fieldstone buildings and wooded setting.

 

[BPKY]

I have no information for you in regards to the validity of the rumor other than to state I have heard it before and I also heard it in regards to Greensburg campus also.

When I took a few classes at Greensburg after I graduated, that rumor was going around at the time. They had a bunch of land.

 

[CrazyPaco]

When I took a few classes at Greensburg after I graduated, that rumor was going around at the time. They had a bunch of land.

Cook Spring Creek Preserve: 4,700 acres
UPJ: 655 acres
Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology: 360 acres
UPB: 319 acres
UPG: 219 acres
Pitt: 140 acres
UPT: 10 acres

Pitt is moving its campus to Wyoming!

 

[BPKY]

Cook Spring Creek Preserve: 4,700 acres
UPJ: 655 acres
Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology: 360 acres
UPB: 319 acres
UPG: 219 acres
Pitt: 140 acres
UPT: 10 acres

Pitt is moving its campus to Wyoming!

Hmmm...that won't likely help recruiting...

 

[wbrpanther]

Hmmm...that won't likely help recruiting...

but plenty of room for an on campus stadium complete with plenty of tailgating.