The Former Mcdonalds Location @ Wood and Forbes (Pittsburgh, Penn: tenant, restaurant)

[wpipkins]

During my daily lunch walk, I noticed workers removing the orange cladding from the former Mcdonalds building. I was suprised to see that the facade underneath is not victorian. It is actually 1930's art deco limestone. it looks similar to the Gulf or Coppers buildings. The condition of the facade looked pretty much intact with the art deco decorations still adorning the upper half or the building.


I wonder if there is a victorian facade under the art deco facade.

[greg42]

Hey, getting that cladding off will be a huge improvement whatever the case.

Is there anything new on what's going in there?

[wpipkins]

Originally Posted by greg42

Hey, getting that cladding off will be a huge improvement whatever the case.

Is there anything new on what's going in there?

The city received a foundation grant to restore that block of Wood Street in preperation for the new PNC tower, The Gardens, and the ongoing Point Park street upgrades. The grant will also fund the restoration of the three victorian structures across wood from the mcdonalds building. I never noticed that the victorian facades of those buildings are actually metal and not rotting wood.

[nuwaver88]

The lower part of the Golden Triangle is becoming really impressive and will continue to get even better when this Wood Street Corrridor gets revitalized.

[BrianTH]

I thought we had figured out, or maybe it was just me, that the Order of Italian Sons and Daughters of America building (the orange-clad building in question) was post-Victorian and had a less ornate exterior. Anyway, I believe you can see some of it on the far left in this picture (a 1936 Flood scene), the building with a key sign on it:



Comparable Google streetview:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=pittsb...,303.6,,0,7.84

[Geeo]

Neat view of Forbes (I think it was called Diamond Street back then). Some of those buildings are still there (except the market house). Boy, that flood really made a mess of things!

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Geeo

Some of those buildings are still there (except the market house).

I believe the right (north) side of Diamond/Forbes is entirely intact.

The left (south) side is obviously missing some buildings, and I believe except for the corner building the remainder are going to be torn down to make way for the Gardens.

[Love2Golf09]

Thank God someone took that down. That was one of the ugliest buildings downtown. Someone must have been smoking something pretty strong to think that looked classy when they put that up....which reminds me, didn't the McDonalds there get busted for slingin' dope from behind the counter? Not surprised. That was always an extremely ghetto McDonalds.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by wpipkins

During my daily lunch walk, I noticed workers removing the orange cladding from the former Mcdonalds building. I was suprised to see that the facade underneath is not victorian. It is actually 1930's art deco limestone. it looks similar to the Gulf or Coppers buildings. The condition of the facade looked pretty much intact with the art deco decorations still adorning the upper half or the building.

Not at all suprised, in fact I'd be suprised if it had been otherwise.


Before the Forbes/Wood McDonald's was opened in the early 1970's, the building held a Stouffer's Restaurant.

Stouffer's came to Pittsburgh in the 1930's and had several downtown locations including Wood Street. Stouffer's was a pretty classy joint that an Art Deco front would have been very appropriate for. They were definitely a bit priciers than Palmer's, Lums, BG's and Sweet William's that also had location in town. The link below references a young lady's youth working at the Forbes/Wood Stouffers.

Restaurant reminiscences

[greg42]

No word on a tenant though sounds like. Ah well.