Gulf Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gulf Tower |
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Gulf Tower, from US Steel Tower
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| General information | |
| Type | Offices |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Location | 707 Grant Street Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates | 40°26′33″N 79°59′43″W / 40.44250°N 79.99528°W |
| Construction started | 1930 |
| Completed | 1932 |
| Cost | US$10.05 million ($176.1 million today) |
| Height | |
| Roof | 177.4 m (582 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 44 |
| Floor area | 409,320 sq ft (38,027 m2) |
| Lifts/elevators | 15 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Trowbridge & Livingston Edward Mellon |
| Developer | Andrew W. Mellon |
| Structural engineer | McClintic-Marshall Construction Company |
| Main contractor | Mellon-Stuart |
| Designated: | 1973 |
The Gulf Tower is a tall, 44-story building in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It stands about 177.4 meters (582 feet) high. This skyscraper is famous for its unique Art Deco style.
The tower is named after the Gulf Oil Corporation. This company was once one of the biggest oil companies in the world. It was often among the top 10 largest companies in the United States. In 1984, Gulf Oil joined with Chevron. This was a very big business deal at the time.
The Gulf Tower was built as the main office for the Gulf Oil Company. It was first known as the Gulf Building. The building was designed by the company Trowbridge & Livingston. It was finished in 1932 and cost about $10.05 million. This would be much more money today! In 1981, about 3,100 people worked in the building.
The very top of the skyscraper looks like a step pyramid. It was inspired by the ancient Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. In 1973, the building was named a historic landmark by the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation.
Contents
Cool Lighting Features
The Gulf Tower has always been known for its special lights. These lights help people know the weather.
Original Weather Beacon
Before the late 1970s, the entire top part of the building lit up. It changed colors to show the weather forecast. You could see these lights from far away. Edward H. Heath, the building manager, came up with this idea.
He used Gulf Oil's colors for a simple forecast:
- If the lights were steady blue, it meant colder and clear weather.
- If they were flashing blue, it meant colder weather with rain or snow.
- Steady orange meant warmer and clear weather.
- Flashing orange meant warmer weather with rain or snow.
Later, to save energy, only a light at the very top of the pyramid showed the weather. It would glow blue for rain or snow and red for clear weather. The sides of the pyramid were lit up with spotlights, but they didn't change color with the weather anymore.
Pirates Home Run Flash
Since 2001, fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team have noticed something fun. When the Pirates hit a home run at PNC Park, the tower's light flashes! It was later found out that the lobby receptionist, Regina, was responsible. She would listen to the games and flash the light. Fans now often say, "Flash the beam, Regina – that one's out of here!"
New KDKA Weather Beacon
A new weather beacon was officially turned on on July 4, 2012. This new system works with KDKA-TV. The Gulf Tower now has modern LED lights. These lights can give a more complete weather forecast than before.
The design for the new lights was created by Cindy Limauro and Christopher Popowich. They are from a Pittsburgh company called C & C Lighting, LLC. The new system can also show special holiday displays. Just like the original beacon from the 1950s, the entire pyramid changes colors at night. The colors depend on the current weather conditions.
Here's how the new color system works, floor by floor:
Floor By Floor Breakdown
- 44th floor – temperature
- 43rd floor – temperature
- 42nd floor – temperature
- 41st floor – precipitation (rain or snow)
- 40th floor – humidity (how much moisture is in the air)
- 39th floor – wind speed
Temperature Colors
- Dark blue means it's very cold, below 0°F (about -18°C).
- Medium blue means it's cold, between 0°F and 32°F (about -18°C to 0°C).
- Light blue means it's cool, between 33°F and 49°F (about 1°C to 9°C).
- Amber means it's mild, between 50°F and 65°F (about 10°C to 18°C).
- Orange means it's warm, between 66°F and 79°F (about 19°C to 26°C).
- Red means it's hot, above 80°F (about 27°C).
Precipitation Colors
- Red purple means there will be a lot of rain or snow (more than 0.25 inches).
- Blue purple means there will be some rain or snow (0.25 inches or less).
Humidity Colors
- Light green means the air is dry (less than 50% humidity).
- Dark green means the air is humid (50% humidity or more).
Wind Speed Colors
- Magenta means it's windy (more than 10 mph).
- Pink means it's not very windy (10 mph or less).
See also
In Spanish: Gulf Tower para niños
