Frick Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frick Building |
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View of the Frick Building along Grant Street
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| General information | |
| Type | Office |
| Location | 437 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates | 40°26′21″N 79°59′51″W / 40.43917°N 79.99750°W |
| Construction started | 1901 |
| Completed | March 15, 1902 |
| Opening | March 15, 1902 |
| Cost | $2 million ($70.4 million today) |
| Height | |
| Roof | 330 ft (101 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 20 |
| Floor area | 357,474 sq ft (33,210 m2) |
| Lifts/elevators | 11 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | D. H. Burnham & Company |
| Developer | Henry Clay Frick |
| Main contractor | George A. Fuller Company |
| Designated: | 1974 |
The Frick Building is a very famous and easy-to-spot skyscraper in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. This tall building was built by and named after Henry Clay Frick. He was a very successful businessman who made a lot of money producing coke, a type of fuel. Frick also owned many other commercial buildings in Pittsburgh. The Frick Building is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
Building History
A Rivalry in Stone
The Frick Building was built right next to a building owned by Andrew Carnegie, who used to be Frick's business partner. Frick and Carnegie had a big argument and stopped working together. Because of their feud, Frick wanted his new building to be taller than Carnegie's. He even had it designed so that his building would cast a long shadow over Carnegie's building all day!
The Frick Building opened its doors on March 15, 1902. When it first opened, it had 20 floors and was the tallest building in Pittsburgh. A few years later, in 1912, the land around the building was leveled. This change made the basement level become the new main entrance. Because of this, some people say the building actually has 21 stories. The building stands 330 feet (about 101 meters) tall above Downtown Pittsburgh. You can find it at 437 Grant Street, and it's also easy to get to from Forbes and Fifth Avenues.
Who Designed It?
The architect who designed the Frick Building was Daniel H. Burnham from a company called D.H. Burnham & Company in Chicago. He was a very well-known architect of his time.
Special Features of the Building
The Top Floor and Frick's Shower
The very top floor of the Frick Building was originally set aside for a special group called The Union Club of Pittsburgh. This floor has a balcony that goes all the way around the building. It also features a beautiful, handcrafted ceiling and fancy brass door fixtures. Henry Clay Frick himself used this floor as his personal office. It was also a meeting place and social club for other rich business owners.
On the 19th floor, there was a special shower just for Frick! At that time, it was amazing to have a shower so high up. It was very hard to pump water that high with the technology they had back then. Even though it doesn't work anymore, that unique shower is still there on the 19th floor today.
Art and Lions in the Lobby
As you walk into the lobby of the Frick Building, you'll see some amazing art. There's an elegant stained-glass window made by John LaFarge in 1902. It's called "Fortune and Her Wheel." This artwork was a fitting choice for a building made for a man like Frick, who had promised himself he would be a millionaire by the age of 30.
You'll also spot two bronze lion statues in the lobby. These "sentinel lions" were created by sculptor Alexander Proctor in 1904. In the back lobby, which connects Forbes and Fifth Avenues, there's a bust (a sculpture of someone's head and shoulders) of Henry Clay Frick. This was made by sculptor Malvina Hoffman in 1923.
See also
In Spanish: Frick Building para niños
Images for kids
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View of the Frick Building along Grant Street
