Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania Western Headquarters Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania Western Headquarters Building
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 Location in Pittsburgh
Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 201 Stanwix Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 1.4 acres (0.57 ha) |
| Built | 1956 and 1957 |
| Architect | Press C. Dowler |
| Architectural style | Modern |
| NRHP reference No. | 11000921 |
| Added to NRHP | December 15, 2011 |
The Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania Western Headquarters Building is a cool old building in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. People also call it the Verizon Building. It's 12 stories tall and was built a long time ago, between 1956 and 1957.
This building has an interesting history. It played a big part in how people in the United States started using modern phone lines. Today, it's no longer an office building. It has been turned into fancy apartments. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.
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What is the Verizon Building?
The Verizon Building is a tall, modern-looking building located at 201 Stanwix Street in Pittsburgh. It was designed by an architect named Press C. Dowler. The building stands out in the city's skyline.
It was originally built for the Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania. This company was a major phone service provider. The building served as their main office for the western part of Pennsylvania.
A Look Inside: What Was It Used For?
When it was first built, the Bell Telephone Company used the building for many important tasks. It had lots of office spaces for their employees. They managed phone services from here.
By 1985, the building was used for new technologies. It had special rooms for corporate television. It also had fiber optic teleconferencing facilities. This allowed people to have face-to-face meetings using video calls, even if they were in different locations.
Connecting the World: The Digital Leap
A very important event happened in this building in 1986. It was called an "historic #5ESS cutover." This sounds complicated, but it was a huge step forward for phones. It meant that the old, outdated phone lines in the United States started to become digital.
Think of it like upgrading from a slow dial-up internet connection to super-fast fiber optics. This change helped bring the country into the "digital age" of telecommunications. News crews even covered this big event from the building.
A Historic Landmark: Why Is It Special?
The Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania Western Headquarters Building is considered very important. On December 15, 2011, it was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history.
Being on this list means the building is recognized for its historical value. It's a reminder of how technology changed over time. It also shows the growth of telecommunications in America.
New Life: Apartments in a Historic Building
After many years as an office building, the Verizon Building got a new purpose. In 2012, it was changed into luxury rental apartments. This means people now live in what used to be a busy office and technology hub.
It's cool to see how old buildings can be given new life. This helps preserve their history while also providing modern homes.
