If you could bring back one demolished Pittsburgh landmark, which would you pick? (Smithfield: neighborhood, tenant)

[Debbie1125]

I was going to start a thread asking if Pittsburgh had a Chinatown. No need to now because some of the posts in here answered my question. Thanks!

[gallacus]

Originally Posted by Debbie1125

I was going to start a thread asking if Pittsburgh had a Chinatown. No need to now because some of the posts in here answered my question. Thanks!

Yeah, on the Ducky Tour they mentioned that the only remaining building left intact from old Chinatown is the Chinatown Inn, which has operated there ever since it was actually Chinatown.

[gallacus]

I, personally, have always had a fascination with the Wabash Terminal Building:



From an article in the Post Gazette:

The old Wabash Terminal being demolished for a Gateway Center office building. A flatiron train station built in 1904, the Wabash was part of New Yorker Jay Gould's attempt to build a transcontinental railroad empire. On the night of March 22, 1946, the terminal and its maze of sheds and overpasses burned in a fire near The Point. David Lawrence, the new mayor, watched happily from the roof of the nearby Pittsburgh Press building. The fire made it easier for the city to acquire the building and the land from the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railroad. The Wabash building and the nearby Wabash Bridge came down in the early 1950s.

[BrianTH]

The Wabash Terminal was a cool building, but it was also cursed by King Tut, so you have to factor that into whether you would still want it around.

[AnneWest]

Originally Posted by gallacus

I, personally, have always had a fascination with the Wabash Terminal Building:

From an article in the Post Gazette:

The old Wabash Terminal being demolished for a Gateway Center office building. A flatiron train station built in 1904, the Wabash was part of New Yorker Jay Gould's attempt to build a transcontinental railroad empire. On the night of March 22, 1946, the terminal and its maze of sheds and overpasses burned in a fire near The Point. David Lawrence, the new mayor, watched happily from the roof of the nearby Pittsburgh Press building. The fire made it easier for the city to acquire the building and the land from the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railroad. The Wabash building and the nearby Wabash Bridge came down in the early 1950s.

Hmm... makes you wonder how many buildings 'conveniently' burned down in this manner. Luckily for city planners, that is.

[Debbie1125]

Such a shame about the Jenkins Arcade. I Googled and saw many pictures of the exterior but only one of the interior. What a magnificent looking building it was!

One photograph of interest is one taken during the St. Patrick's Day Flood of 1936. The water is almost up to the marquee.

Unfortunately after a few times trying, I can't manage to post the picture.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by Debbie1125

Such a shame about the Jenkins Arcade. I Googled and saw many pictures of the exterior but only one of the interior. What a magnificent looking building it was!

One photograph of interest is one taken during the St. Patrick's Day Flood of 1936. The water is almost up to the marquee.

Unfortunately after a few times trying, I can't manage to post the picture.

Here's the photo you want, as well as some other amazing shots from that flood:

Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle - 1936

[slamont61]

When I was a youngster the Point Bridge and Manchester were still standing, the Manchester still in operation. It was a scary sight, looked as if it could fall into the river at anytime. The two of them had to come down, I doubt seriously as there would be any "saving" these at any cost. They would have had to be replaced. I kind of like Point Park a bit more than the confluence of these two bridges.

[AnneWest]

Originally Posted by Caladium

Here's the photo you want, as well as some other amazing shots from that flood:

Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle - 1936

My aunt worked as an elevator girl in Joseph Horne's at the time. As the waters were rising, when she left work the water was above her ankles and she managed to catch one of the last streetcars leaving town. She said she didn't work for almost 2 weeks after that.

[Impala26]

My vote is for the Panther Hollow Lake Boathouse:



These days, the old lake seems a bit austere and neglected. The thankful thing is that there are studies underway about restoring the lake and boathouse. So, I'm wishfully hopeful.

On a similar note: Silver Lake (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26850935@N03/4557992477/ - broken link)

Doubtful you could ever restore any sort of lake there, but the topic is certainly pertinent given the disastrous flooding that occurred further down the valley just a few months ago. It just seems like a big waste of space right now with the current industrial setup that stands there now.