William Pitt Union facts for kids
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Schenley Hotel
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The former Schenley Hotel, now William Pitt Union at the University of Pittsburgh
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| Built | 1898 |
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| Architect | Rutan & Russell |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| Part of | Schenley Farms Historic District (ID83002213) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 22, 1983 |
The William Pitt Union is a very important building at the University of Pittsburgh. It was built in 1898 and was first known as the Hotel Schenley. Today, it serves as the main student union for the university.
This historic building is recognized as a landmark by both Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. It was designed by architects Rutan & Russell in a fancy style called Beaux-Arts. The Hotel Schenley was a popular spot for wealthy visitors and locals. The University of Pittsburgh bought the building in 1956.
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History of the William Pitt Union
The Grand Hotel Schenley
The building, originally called the Hotel Schenley, opened its doors in 1898. It was a key part of a big plan by a businessman named Franklin Nicola. He dreamed of making the Oakland area a hub for culture, art, and education.
Nicola worked with famous people like Andrew W. Mellon, Henry Clay Frick, Andrew Carnegie, and H.J. Heinz. They helped him form a company to build this beautiful hotel. The hotel was built on land that once belonged to Mary Schenley. It was Pittsburgh's first large hotel with a steel frame, making it a "skyscraper hotel" for its time. People called it "Pittsburgh's class hotel of the early 20th century."
Famous Visitors and Big Events
The Schenley Hotel was known for its luxurious look, with marble, chandeliers, and fancy decorations. Many famous people stayed there. Several U.S. Presidents, including Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Dwight D. Eisenhower, signed the guest book. Eleanor Roosevelt also stayed there.
Many stars from the entertainment world visited too. Singer Lillian Russell lived in a suite and even got married in one of the hotel's rooms. Famous opera singer Enrico Caruso stayed in seven suites! Other well-known guests included Sarah Bernhardt, Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald, Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn, and Spencer Tracy. Sadly, Italian actress Eleonora Duse passed away in one of the hotel's suites.
The Schenley was more than just a hotel. It was a place where important social events happened. Young ladies made their debut in society, and many couples got married there. People enjoyed delicious meals, and powerful business leaders met to discuss big deals. For example, many talks that led to the creation of the U.S. Steel Corporation happened at the Schenley. Its formation was celebrated with a huge dinner in 1901. Later, in 1914, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) group was started at the hotel. A historical marker outside the building remembers this event.
In 1909, two big changes happened nearby. Forbes Field, a baseball stadium, opened down the street. Also, the University of Pittsburgh moved its campus to Oakland. Because of this, the hotel started to host baseball players like Babe Ruth, Casey Stengel, Ty Cobb, and Rogers Hornsby. Students and professors also began to spend time there.
For over 40 years, the Schenley continued to operate, but it wasn't as grand as before. Newer hotels opened downtown, and the Oakland area became very busy with hospitals and schools. The hotel, which was once in a quiet area, now had no easy parking for its guests.
Becoming Part of the University of Pittsburgh
In 1956, the University of Pittsburgh bought the Schenley Park Hotel. The university spent about $1 million to change it into a university building. The top four floors became a men's dorm called Schenley House. The rest of the building was used as a student union, named Schenley Hall.
In 1959, a very important event happened in the Schenley Hall ballroom. Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union, had a luncheon there. He was on a tour of the United States and visited Pittsburgh and the university. This visit was a big deal during the Cold War.
As the number of students at Pitt grew, the building needed more updates.
In 1980, the university announced a large renovation project costing $13.9 million. During the 18-month project, the upper floors were completely redone to create modern offices for students and university staff. An extra 10th floor, which had been added years ago, was removed to help the building.
However, the main floor kept its original early 1900s style. The beautiful ballroom with mirrors, the lower lounge, and the marble-walled lobby were carefully restored. The old hotel lobby is now called the Tansky Family Lounge. A new entrance was added on Forbes Avenue, and another facing the university's dorms. The old wooden doors from the hotel rooms upstairs were even used to decorate the walls of a new student recreation room downstairs, now called "Nordy's Place."
The renovations finished in 1983, and the building was renamed the William Pitt Union.
Mysterious Legends
Students at Pitt often share a ghostly story about the William Pitt Union. The legend says that a long time ago, a famous ballet dancer from Russia stayed at the Schenley Hotel. She was very tired and fell asleep, missing her big performance. Her director was so upset that he replaced her with another dancer for the rest of the tour. The ballerina was so sad and embarrassed that she took her own life that night.
Now, students say that if you ever fall asleep in the Tansky Family Lounge (also known as the Red Room), you will always wake up just in time for whatever you might have missed, like an exam or a meeting. The ballerina's ghost is said to haunt the room to make sure no one else suffers her same fate!
Another story tells of a ghost in the Lillian Russell Room, which is room 437. This room is now part of The Pitt News offices. It was once the actual residence of the famous actress Lillian Russell when the building was the Schenley Hotel.
What the William Pitt Union is Used For Today
Today, the William Pitt Union is the main student center at the University of Pittsburgh. It has many different spaces for students to use. There are lounges, ballrooms, and rooms for meetings and events.
One of the most impressive rooms is the William Pitt Union Ballroom. It has high ceilings, mirrored walls, and beautiful chandeliers, all restored to look just like they did when it was the Hotel Schenley. Other formal rooms include the Kurtzman Room and the Tansky Family Lounge, which was the hotel's grand lobby.
The William Pitt Union Assembly Room is the largest room on the main floor. It has a stage and is used for many different events. The building also houses the International Academy of Jazz Hall of Fame (opened in 1984), an art gallery, a dance studio, and university offices.
On the lower level, there is a food court. The upper floors are home to offices for over 300 student groups. This includes the student newspaper, The Pitt News, the student radio station, WPTS, and the student government. The fourth floor also has the Lillian Russell Room, which was her old residence. It has a portrait of Russell, a fireplace, and stained glass.
In 2007, the recreation room on the ground floor was renovated and named "Nordy's Place." This was done to honor Chancellor Mark Nordenberg, who was very popular with students. There's also "Gigs Game Center" with video games on the lower level.
Recent renovations have improved other areas too. In 2009, the second floor was updated for the student careers center. The fifth floor got six new meeting spaces for student groups, some with hard floors for dance practice. In 2011, the ninth floor was renovated to create a new study and lounge area for students, along with new offices. In 2013, the Assembly Room was updated, and the food court and dining areas on the lower levels were also renovated.
Images for kids
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William Pitt, who the city, university, and student union are named after
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Martin Luther King Jr. giving a speech to students and faculty in the William Pitt Union ballroom on November 2, 1966
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Dining Room A was known as the French Room when it was still the Schenley Hotel and held several weddings, including actress Lillian Russell's
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Nordy's Place in the lower level of the William Pitt Union
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The Assembly Room, as seen before its 2013 renovations, hosts many large meetings and events
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The "Stairway to Nowhere" with a bronze tablet honoring Eleonora Duse by Frank Vittor in the Tansky Family Lounge
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Panther (1897) by Giuseppe Moretti in the Tansky Lounge
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Gene Kelly star near the Forbes Avenue entrance
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State historical marker
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Union Lawn
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Lower atrium
| Preceded by Chancellor's Residence |
University of Pittsburgh Buildings William Pitt Union Constructed: 1898 |
Succeeded by University Child Development Center |
