Over the next few weeks (and maybe more), we here at Grant
Street Associates, Inc. have decided to delve into our city’s past and dig out
some interesting facts or stories that we wanted to share with you. Along
with new photos and a fresh spin on things, we’re aiming to do a top 5 list of
things you may not have known about Pittsburgh.
While you might take a leisurely stroll to admire the great
architecture along Grant Street or maybe you’re just running to get your lunch,
walking down one of the main thoroughfares of the Central Business District
wasn’t always so easy. Grant Street as we know it was actually a
hill.
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| Grant Street Site Plan |
Uptown, was quite literally, up town. Traversing the
hill was a pain not just for pedestrians, but for the horses and carts that
were commonly used at the turn of the century. The city deemed the hill a
detriment to travel and growth, and set out the long process of removing
it. Starting work in 1836, the hill was removed in three parts over the
next 76 years, and finally complete in 1912.
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| Grant Street During Construction |
Many of the buildings still show signs of the excavation,
most notably, The Frick Building. The pillars that start above ground
level once stood flush with the original Grant Street. The lions, which
originally guarded the entrance to the building, now sit one story above
looking down towards the entrance. The basement of The Frick, then became
the entrance and lobby we know today.
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