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Old 08-21-2015, 08:07 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
252 posts, read 346,756 times
Reputation: 198

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I thought we could discuss oddly shaped buildings and why they look like that.

One I'm sure everyone is familiar with is Baker Hall at CMU which is extremely long and built on a slope. The main hallway on each floor follows the grade of the hill, gently rising upward along its length. This was done so large machines could be rolled up and down the hall:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztnO_E9pdmA

I was in Blairsville and I saw this building which looks like a fairly normal late 19th century brick apartment building, but it has an extremely tall box on top of just part of the building. What could this possibly be for?
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Old 08-21-2015, 08:57 AM
 
Location: Awkward Manor
2,576 posts, read 3,078,677 times
Reputation: 1684
Quote:
Originally Posted by grep View Post
I thought we could discuss oddly shaped buildings and why they look like that.

One I'm sure everyone is familiar with is Baker Hall at CMU which is extremely long and built on a slope. The main hallway on each floor follows the grade of the hill, gently rising upward along its length. This was done so large machines could be rolled up and down the hall:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztnO_E9pdmA

I was in Blairsville and I saw this building which looks like a fairly normal late 19th century brick apartment building, but it has an extremely tall box on top of just part of the building. What could this possibly be for?
Hm, it looks like there is an "OH" or "HO" on the roof? Odd Fellows is usually IOOF, but maybe "Odd Fellows Hall"?
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Old 08-21-2015, 09:34 AM
 
Location: Awkward Manor
2,576 posts, read 3,078,677 times
Reputation: 1684
Quote:
Originally Posted by doo dah View Post
Hm, it looks like there is an "OH" or "HO" on the roof? Odd Fellows is usually IOOF, but maybe "Odd Fellows Hall"?
"Opera House"!
Please see this page:
Dr. Kevin J. Patrick ::: Home - Indiana University of Pennsylvania
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Old 08-21-2015, 09:50 AM
 
Location: Awkward Manor
2,576 posts, read 3,078,677 times
Reputation: 1684
Quote:
Originally Posted by doo dah View Post
Which lead me to this book: Coal & Culture: Opera Houses In Appalachia: William Faricy Condee: 9780821415887: Amazon.com: Books

Excerpts of which are on Google Books, where I learned that opera houses were usually located on the second story, so perhaps that tall extension at the front of the building had something to do with the stage mechanics and lighting.

It's called the "fly loft".

Last edited by doo dah; 08-21-2015 at 09:54 AM.. Reason: edited to add
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Old 08-21-2015, 01:36 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
252 posts, read 346,756 times
Reputation: 198
Quote:
Originally Posted by doo dah View Post
Excerpts of which are on Google Books, where I learned that opera houses were usually located on the second story, so perhaps that tall extension at the front of the building had something to do with the stage mechanics and lighting.

It's called the "fly loft".
Sounds quite probable to me. Good sleuthing.
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Old 08-22-2015, 07:01 PM
 
Location: Awkward Manor
2,576 posts, read 3,078,677 times
Reputation: 1684
Not a weird building, but I always admired the Forbes Substation, on Forbes, between Boyd and Shingiss. That curved corner!
I always thought it looked rather deco, but I can't find out much except that *maybe* Victor G. Tilbrook was the architect.
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