United Steelworkers Building

United Steelworkers Building
The building in 2019
Map
Former namesIBM Building
Alternative namesI.W. Abel Building, Five Gateway Center
General information
TypeOffice
Location60 Boulevard of the Allies
Town or cityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
CountryUnited States of America
Coordinates40°26′22″N 80°00′20″W / 40.4394°N 80.0055°W / 40.4394; -80.0055
GroundbreakingDecember 5, 1961[1]
Topped-outNovember 8, 1962[2]
OpeningMarch 19, 1964[3]
Cost$5 million[5]
OwnerUnited Steelworkers
Height172 feet (52 m) (estimated)[4]
Technical details
Floor count13
Design and construction
Architect(s)Curtis and Davis
DeveloperEquitable Life Assurance Society
Structural engineerWorthington, Skilling, Helle & Jackson
Main contractorGeorge A. Fuller Co.
IBM Building
Part ofPittsburgh Renaissance Historic District[6] (ID13000252)
Significant dates
Designated CPMay 2, 2013
Designated PHLF2014[7]

The United Steelworkers Building, originally named the IBM Building and also known as the I.W. Abel Building or Five Gateway Center,[8] is a highrise office building in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was built by the Equitable Life Assurance Society in 1961–64 as part of the Gateway Center project which redeveloped a large portion of the area known as the Point. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property in the Pittsburgh Renaissance Historic District[6] and has been designated as a Pittsburgh landmark by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation.[7]

The building was designed by Curtis and Davis, a New Orleans–based architecture firm, with structural engineers Worthington, Skilling, Helle & Jackson. The design of the building, featuring a load-bearing steel diagrid exoskeleton, was highly unusual at the time and helped pioneer the use of diagrids and framed tube construction.

  1. ^ "IBM Breaks Ground For Gateway Office". Pittsburgh Press. December 5, 1961. Retrieved April 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ Thomas, George (November 9, 1962). "Ceremony 'Tops' IBM Building". Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved April 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "IBM Building Dedication Set". Pittsburgh Press. March 17, 1964. Retrieved April 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "United Steelworkers Building". Emporis. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ "New IBM Building Unusual Inside, Too". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 11, 1964. Retrieved April 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Pittsburgh Renaissance Historic District" (PDF). National Park Service. May 2, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Historic Landmark Plaques 1968–2014 (PDF). Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. 2014. p. 19. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  8. ^ Jensen, Edward (February 19, 1964). "U.S. Steel Balks Over Name". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved April 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.