Oxford Development announcing Downtown project (Pittsburgh, York: credit, tenant, university)

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

The proposal is for the building to be razed for a bigger and presumably better building.

It isn't like they are just tearing it down for another surface parking lot, a gas station or a fast food restaurant.

Many fine buildings have been brought down over the years, and some very excellent replacements have gone up. I remember the wails when numerous commercial buildings bit the dust for PPG Place. What we got was a lot better. Ditto for the previous generation that saw Frick remove and in one case transport 3 landmark churches on Grant St. when he built the William Penn, Union Trust and the Frick Building.

I personally loathe PPG Place.

[PreservationPioneer]

Just what we need, another hulking glass box. I can't wait. Someday soon downtown will be a huge glass office park surrounded by parking lots.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

I personally loathe PPG Place.

Don't you personally loathe anything built after 1903?

[FreightTrainRunning]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Don't you personally loathe anything built after 1903?

There's been some decent architecture since then but what are the chances that anything that replaces the existing building will even be 1/10th as handsome and well proportioned? Chances are that it will be just another bland and soulless box.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Don't you personally loathe anything built after 1903?

Generally, most buildings built after around 1940. The art deco / neoclassical period was the last architectural style I have any affection for. I do appreciate SOME mid-century modern architecture, such as the Alcoa building, and would not wish a nice example of that style to be torn down, although generally speaking, modern architecture is not my cup of tea. I don't even particularly care for Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. Shoot me now!

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by GeneW

There's been some decent architecture since then but what are the chances that anything that replaces the existing building will even be 1/10th as handsome and well proportioned? Chances are that it will be just another bland and soulless box.

Exactly my opinion.

[PITairport]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

I personally loathe PPG Place.

I love modern architecture, but at first PPG place was just "OK" to me. But after learning it's a stylized replica of British parliament, adding credence to a British theme considering the city's name (Pitt's Burgh), I really like it more and more. Plus the design is over 30 years old but hasn't aged one day.

[PreservationPioneer]

The thing I don't like about PPG is it seems to wall off any street-level interaction. I realize there are some store fronts, but the overall effect is a huge glass wall on the street. It's not the same as walking around Manhattan or even Market Square and seeing all of the little boutique store fronts and different architectural styles. PPG just has too large of a blank glass footprint and it bores me to death. It looks good as part of the skyline, from a distance, but that is all. I feel that way about a lot of modern skyscrapers. They do not necessarily contribute to the street-level.

[Craziaskowboi]

You can't save every ornate old building. Could you imagine if New York tried that? Their skyline would be less than half its current size.

[PreservationPioneer]

Who cares about the skyline? And having spent a lot of time walking around Manhattan, I feel that is is generally in a better state of preservation than Pittsburgh.