The tower was built next to a building owned by his business partner-turned-rival Andrew Carnegie, on the site of Saint Peter Episcopal Church. Frick, who feuded with Carnegie after they split as business associates, had the building designed to be taller than Carnegie's in order to encompass it in constant shadow.[2]
The Frick Building was opened on March 15, 1902, and originally had 20 floors. It was the tallest building in the city at that time.[3] A leveling of the surrounding landscape that was completed in 1912 caused the basement to become the entrance, so some sources credit the building with 21 stories. It rises 330 feet (101 m) above Downtown Pittsburgh. Its address is 437 Grant Street, and is also accessible from Forbes and Fifth Avenues.
The building's architect was Daniel H. Burnham of D.H. Burnham & Company, Chicago.[4] Of the eleven executed designs for Pittsburgh by D.H. Burnham & Company, the Frick Building is one of only seven survivors.[5]
The top floor, which was reserved for The Union Club of Pittsburgh,[6][7][8] includes a balcony around the perimeter of the building, a high, handcrafted ceiling, and heavy, elaborate brass door fixtures. Originally, H.C. Frick used it as his personal office and as a meeting place and social club for wealthy industrialists. On the 19th floor was Frick's personal shower. At the time, no other shower had been built that high above ground level, because water could not easily be pumped that high with the technology of the time. The shower, non-functioning, still exists on the 19th floor today.
Fittingly for a building created for a man who vowed to be a millionaire by age thirty, the lobby features an elegant stained-glass window by John LaFarge, depicting "Fortune and Her Wheel" (1902).[9] The two bronze sentinel lions (1904) in the lobby were created by sculptor Alexander Proctor. A bust of Frick by sculptor Malvina Hoffman (1923) is displayed in the rear lobby, which extends from Forbes to Fifth Avenue.[4]
For a time, the building was home to the headquarters for Frick's family whiskey business, Old Overholt.[10] The headquarters oversaw a network of sales offices around the United States.[10]
^Sturgess, ed. (2018). Exploring Pittsburgh: A Downtown Walking Tour. Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. p. 20.
^Charter and By-Laws of the Union Club of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh: Union Club of Pittsburgh. 1904. p. 1.
^Skrabec, Quentin R. (2010). Henry Clay Frick: The Life of the Perfect Capitalist. McFarland. p. 175. ISBN0786443839.
^Skrabec, Quentin R. (2010). The World's Richest Neighborhood: How Pittsburgh's East Enders Forged American Industry. Algora. p. 176. ISBN0875867979.
^Emporis Corporation description of the Frick Building.
^ abWondrich, David (12 September 2016). "How Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey Lost Its Way". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
Further reading
Toker, Franklin (2007). Buildings of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh: Chicago: Society of Architectural Historians; Santa Fe: Center for American Places ; Charlottesville: In association with the University of Virginia Press. ISBN0-8139-2650-5.
Glenn A. Walsh (2001) History of Industrialist, Art Patron, and Philanthropist Henry Clay Frick Retrieved 2005-09-20.
Retrieved 2005-09-20.
Chris Potter (2005) You Had To Ask Archives Retrieved 2005-09-20.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frick Building.
frick, building, major, distinctive, recognizable, features, downtown, pittsburgh, pennsylvania, united, states, tower, built, named, henry, clay, frick, industrialist, coke, producer, created, portfolio, commercial, buildings, pittsburgh, building, listed, na. The Frick Building is one of the major distinctive and recognizable features of Downtown Pittsburgh Pennsylvania United States The tower was built by and is named for Henry Clay Frick an industrialist coke producer who created a portfolio of commercial buildings in Pittsburgh The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places Frick BuildingView of the Frick Building along Grant StreetGeneral informationTypeOfficeLocation437 Grant Street Pittsburgh PennsylvaniaCoordinates40 26 21 N 79 59 51 W 40 43917 N 79 99750 W 40 43917 79 99750Construction started1901CompletedMarch 15 1902OpeningMarch 15 1902Cost 2 million 70 4 million today HeightRoof330 ft 101 m Technical detailsFloor count20Floor area357 474 sq ft 33 210 m2 Lifts elevators11Design and constructionArchitect s D H Burnham amp CompanyDeveloperHenry Clay FrickMain contractorGeorge A Fuller CompanyPittsburgh Landmark PHLFDesignated1974 1 The tower was built next to a building owned by his business partner turned rival Andrew Carnegie on the site of Saint Peter Episcopal Church Frick who feuded with Carnegie after they split as business associates had the building designed to be taller than Carnegie s in order to encompass it in constant shadow 2 The Frick Building was opened on March 15 1902 and originally had 20 floors It was the tallest building in the city at that time 3 A leveling of the surrounding landscape that was completed in 1912 caused the basement to become the entrance so some sources credit the building with 21 stories It rises 330 feet 101 m above Downtown Pittsburgh Its address is 437 Grant Street and is also accessible from Forbes and Fifth Avenues The building s architect was Daniel H Burnham of D H Burnham amp Company Chicago 4 Of the eleven executed designs for Pittsburgh by D H Burnham amp Company the Frick Building is one of only seven survivors 5 The top floor which was reserved for The Union Club of Pittsburgh 6 7 8 includes a balcony around the perimeter of the building a high handcrafted ceiling and heavy elaborate brass door fixtures Originally H C Frick used it as his personal office and as a meeting place and social club for wealthy industrialists On the 19th floor was Frick s personal shower At the time no other shower had been built that high above ground level because water could not easily be pumped that high with the technology of the time The shower non functioning still exists on the 19th floor today Fittingly for a building created for a man who vowed to be a millionaire by age thirty the lobby features an elegant stained glass window by John LaFarge depicting Fortune and Her Wheel 1902 9 The two bronze sentinel lions 1904 in the lobby were created by sculptor Alexander Proctor A bust of Frick by sculptor Malvina Hoffman 1923 is displayed in the rear lobby which extends from Forbes to Fifth Avenue 4 For a time the building was home to the headquarters for Frick s family whiskey business Old Overholt 10 The headquarters oversaw a network of sales offices around the United States 10 References Edit Historic Landmark Plaques 1968 2009 PDF Pittsburgh PA Pittsburgh History amp Landmarks Foundation 2010 Retrieved 2010 07 02 The World s Work A History of Our Time Volume 14 by Walter Hines Page amp Arthur Wilson Page page 8856 The Spectator and the Topographical City by Martin Aurand page 38 a b City of Pittsburgh website Sturgess ed 2018 Exploring Pittsburgh A Downtown Walking Tour Pittsburgh PA Pittsburgh History amp Landmarks Foundation p 20 Charter and By Laws of the Union Club of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Union Club of Pittsburgh 1904 p 1 Skrabec Quentin R 2010 Henry Clay Frick The Life of the Perfect Capitalist McFarland p 175 ISBN 0786443839 Skrabec Quentin R 2010 The World s Richest Neighborhood How Pittsburgh s East Enders Forged American Industry Algora p 176 ISBN 0875867979 Emporis Corporation description of the Frick Building a b Wondrich David 12 September 2016 How Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey Lost Its Way The Daily Beast Retrieved 3 October 2016 Further reading EditToker Franklin 2007 Buildings of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Chicago Society of Architectural Historians Santa Fe Center for American Places Charlottesville In association with the University of Virginia Press ISBN 0 8139 2650 5 Glenn A Walsh 2001 History of Industrialist Art Patron and Philanthropist Henry Clay Frick Retrieved 2005 09 20 Mellon Square Map Retrieved 2005 09 20 Chris Potter 2005 You Had To Ask Archives Retrieved 2005 09 20 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frick Building Frick Building at EmporisPreceded byFour Gateway Center Pittsburgh Skyscrapers by Height330 feet 101 m 20 floors Succeeded byWyndham GrandPreceded byFarmers Bank Building Pittsburgh Skyscrapers by Year of Completion1902 Succeeded byThe Carlyle Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frick Building amp oldid 1111250775, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
