Alternative names City Hall Construction started July 5, 1915 Height 44 m Opened December 1917 Owner City of Pittsburgh | Coordinates 40.4381, -79.9969 Completed December 1917 Floors 10 Architectural style Neoclassical architecture Architect Henry Hornbostel | |
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Type Neo-Classical, Beau-Arts Location Pittsburgh, United States Address 401 Grant St, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA Similar David L Lawrence Conventi, Schenley Bridge, Josh Gibson Field, South Tenth Street Bri, Rodef Shalom Biblical B | ||
The Pittsburgh City-County Building is the seat of government for the City of Pittsburgh and houses both Pittsburgh and Allegheny County offices. It is located in Downtown Pittsburgh at 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Built from 1915-17 it is the third seat of government of Pittsburgh. Today the building is occupied mostly by Pittsburgh offices with Allegheny County located in adjacent county facilities.
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History
In 1914, a competition was held for a new Pittsburgh City Hall. The 16-entry competition led to the commissioning of Edward B. Lee, a respected Pittsburgh architect, with Palmer, Hornbostel, & Jones as associated architects. The completed design was done by Hornbostel. The building was commissioned by former Pittsburgh Mayor Joseph G. Armstrong to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Pittsburgh's 1816 incorporation as a city.
On the seventh floor of the building is a massive mural completed in 1940 entitled "Justice" by award winning artist Harry Scheuch.
Popular culture
1922's In the Name of the Law starred Pittsburgh Pirates great and future Hall of Famer Honus Wagner as the hero, as a Pittsburgh Police Superintendent pitched baseballs off the 144-foot-high roof in the film's climax.
Mayor Magee and the City Hall were featured in 1924's Fording the Lincoln Highway.
1992's Lorenzo's Oil used the building to shoot scenes depicting Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Many scenes of the Bruce Willis and Sarah Jessica Parker 1993 police drama Striking Distance were filmed both inside and on the Grant Street entrance to the building. Most notable is the nighttime scene of Dennis Farina's supervisor character arguing with Willis' "Tom Hardy" over the "Polish Hill" documents.
Scenes of the 1997-98 Superman remake Superman Lives were slated to be filmed in the building's "crystal palace" grand mezzanine and serving as Daily Planet offices but production was delayed by Warner Brothers.