Pittsburgh Central Downtown Historic District

Downtown Pittsburgh's central business district holds this cluster of commercial and institutional buildings, mostly dating from the 1870s through the 1930s and organized around Grant Street and Mellon Square. The district contains four churches built between 1870 and 1925 in several Gothic Revival modes, including Trinity Cathedral, whose churchyard holds graves from the late eighteenth century. Banking is represented by the Mellon Bank building, the German National Bank, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Major office towers include the 1901 Frick Building, the 1896 Park Building, and the 1930s Koppers and Gulf Buildings. The William Penn Hotel, Kaufmann's department store, and the Union Arcade of 1915 add retail and hospitality uses. The 1950s Alcoa Building is notable for its aluminum construction, and Mellon Square is described as a notable example of mid-century urban open space.