Bellefield Hall facts for kids
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Bellefield Hall
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Bellefield Hall at the University of Pittsburgh.
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| Location | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA |
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| Built | 1924-1926 |
| Architect | Benno Janssen |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Part of | Schenley Farms Historic District (ID83002213) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 22, 1983 |
Bellefield Hall is a special building on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. It's considered a historic landmark by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. This means it's an important building with a lot of history!
Built between 1924 and 1926, Bellefield Hall was designed by architect Benno Janssen. It has an Italianate style, which means it looks like old Italian buildings. Originally, it was a community center for young Jewish men and women. Today, it's a busy place for university students. It has music rehearsal rooms, classrooms, offices, and a special recording studio. You can also find a gym, a fitness center, and an indoor swimming pool there. Plus, it has a large auditorium that seats 676 people.
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What is the History of Bellefield Hall?
Bellefield Hall was built in 1924. The architect, Benno Janssen, got his ideas from two famous buildings. He used parts of the Italianate Palazzo Piccolomini in Siena, Italy, for the front of the building. He also looked at the Lee House at Stratford in Virginia for its brick style and high basement.
A famous metalworker named Samuel Yellin created the beautiful iron lanterns for the main entrance. When it first opened in 1926, Bellefield Hall was home to the Young Men's and Women's Hebrew Association (Y.M.H.A.). Important families, like Edgar Kauffman and his family, were supporters.
The building had a flat roof where Y.M.H.A. members could sunbathe privately. It also had full sports facilities and meeting rooms. The concert hall inside was very special, with a unique ceiling and wall designs. Many famous musicians, like Arthur Rubinstein and Isaac Stern, performed there for the first time in Pittsburgh.
How did the University of Pittsburgh get Bellefield Hall?
The University of Pittsburgh took over the building in 1984 through a special agreement. Ten years later, in 1994, the university fully owned Bellefield Hall.
Today, Bellefield Hall is a huge building, about 110,000 square feet! It's used for many university activities and offices. The University's Department of Music uses it for practice rooms, classrooms, and a digital recording studio. The large auditorium is often used for music concerts and student performances.
The building also has great sports facilities. There's a gym, a fitness center, and an indoor swimming pool. The fitness center was updated and made bigger in 2005. In 2008, a special classroom was built just for African drumming music. Bellefield Hall is also home to the Collegiate YMCA at the University of Pittsburgh.
What Notable Events Have Happened at Bellefield Hall?
Bellefield Hall has been the site of many interesting events over the years. As mentioned, famous musicians have performed in its concert hall.
In 2008, a well-known politician, Congressman Ron Paul, gave a speech at the University of Pittsburgh. He was running for president at the time. He was the first presidential candidate to speak on the Pitt campus during that election year.
| Preceded by University Place Office Building |
University of Pittsburgh Buildings Bellefield Hall Constructed: 1924-1926 |
Succeeded by Cathedral of Learning |
Images for kids
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A commons area on the second floor
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The Bellefield Hall swimming pool
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The Bellefield Hall gymnasium
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Kyu Ha Kim and Gary Goltz at Y.M.&W.H.A. in 1966
