Gulf Tower
Skyscraper in Pittsburgh
title: "Gulf Tower" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["skyscraper-office-buildings-in-pittsburgh", "oil-company-headquarters-in-the-united-states", "office-buildings-completed-in-1932", "pittsburgh-history-&-landmarks-foundation-historic-landmarks", "art-deco-architecture-in-pennsylvania", "1932-establishments-in-pennsylvania", "gulf-oil"] description: "Skyscraper in Pittsburgh" topic_path: "history" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_Tower" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Skyscraper in Pittsburgh ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox building"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Gulf Tower |
| image | Pittsburgh-gulf-tower-2007.jpg |
| image_size | 250px |
| caption | Gulf Tower, from US Steel Tower, pictured January 31, 2007 |
| architectural_style | Art Deco |
| highest_region | Pennsylvania |
| highest_prev | Philadelphia City Hall |
| highest_next | U.S. Steel Tower |
| highest_end | 1971 |
| highest_start | 1932 |
| location | 707 Grant Street |
| Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | |
| coordinates | |
| start_date | 1930 |
| completion_date | 1932 |
| building_type | Offices |
| roof | 177.4 m |
| floor_count | 44 |
| elevator_count | 15 |
| cost | US$10.05 million (1932) |
| $ million (today) | |
| floor_area | 409320 ft2 |
| architect | Trowbridge & Livingston |
| Edward Mellon | |
| structural_engineer | McClintic-Marshall Construction Company |
| main_contractor | Mellon-Stuart |
| developer | Andrew W. Mellon |
| public_transit | Steel Plaza |
| embedded | |
| references | |
| website | |
| :: |
| name = Gulf Tower | image = Pittsburgh-gulf-tower-2007.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Gulf Tower, from US Steel Tower, pictured January 31, 2007 | architectural_style = Art Deco | highest_region = Pennsylvania | highest_prev = Philadelphia City Hall | highest_next = U.S. Steel Tower | highest_end = 1971 | highest_start = 1932 | location = 707 Grant Street Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | coordinates = | start_date = 1930 | completion_date = 1932 | opening = | building_type = Offices | roof = 177.4 m | top_floor = | floor_count = 44 | elevator_count = 15 | cost = US$10.05 million (1932) $ million (today) | floor_area = 409320 ft2 | architect = Trowbridge & Livingston Edward Mellon | structural_engineer = McClintic-Marshall Construction Company | main_contractor = Mellon-Stuart | developer = Andrew W. Mellon | owner = | management = | public_transit = Steel Plaza | embedded = | references = | website =
The Gulf Tower is a 44-story, 177.4 m Art Deco skyscraper in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The tower is one of the major distinctive and recognizable features of the city and is named for the Gulf Oil Corporation.
Built as the headquarters for the Gulf Oil Company, the structure was designed by the firm of Trowbridge & Livingston and completed in 1932 at a cost of $10.05 million ($ million today). As late as 1981 Gulf Oil employed 3,100 within the building. Now called Gulf Tower, it has 44 floors and rises 177.4 m above downtown Pittsburgh. The crown of the skyscraper is modeled after the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in the style of a step pyramid. The building was listed as a Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark in 1973.
On June 13, 1974, a bomb was detonated on the 29th floor of the Gulf Tower. The Weather Underground Organization took credit for the attack, claiming it was in protest to Gulf Oil's involvement in the oil rich regions affected by the Angolan War of Independence.
The building was condemned following a fire on May 19, 2021, and reopened after repairs six months later.
Weather beacon
Prior to the late 1970s, the entire multistory "step-pyramid/mausoleum" structure at the top of the building was neon-illuminated, changing colors to provide a weather forecast that could be seen for many miles. This concept was developed by the building manager Edward H. Heath. He used the Gulf Oil colors to create a simplified forecast: steady blue meant colder and fair; flashing blue meant colder with precipitation; steady orange meant warmer and fair; flashing orange meant warmer with precipitation. Subsequently, in an effort to conserve energy, the weather forecasting role had been limited to the weather beacon at the pinnacle of the pyramid, which would glow blue for precipitation and red for fair weather. Although the terraced sides were once again illuminated at night (by means of spotlights), the entire pyramid structure no longer changed color with the weather (the pinnacle beacon still had that function).
::data[format=table title="'''Original Weather Beacon'''"]
| Orange red – flashing | – | precipitation & rising temperature | |
|---|---|---|---|
| :: |
Since the 2001 opening of PNC Park across the Allegheny River, after Pittsburgh Pirates home runs, the "beam" light flashes in celebration. Regina Taylor, a receptionist at the lobby desk who listens to games on the radio, is behind this. Pirates announcer Lanny Frattare, after he learned who was responsible, started saying, "Flash the beam, Regina – that one's out of here!" after a Pirates home run at home.
The KDKA Weather Beacon, the most recent weather beacon to adorn the pyramid atop the tower, was officially dedicated on July 4, 2012. In partnership with KDKA-TV, the Gulf Tower was retrofit with a modern, automated LED weather beacon able to tell a more complete forecast than ever before. It also features holiday displays. Hearkening back to the original 1950's beacon, the entire pyramid once again changes colors at night depending on the current weather conditions:
Floor By Floor Breakdown
- 44th floor – temperature
- 43rd floor – temperature
- 42nd floor – temperature
- 41st floor – precipitation
- 40th floor – humidity
- 39th floor – wind speed
::data[format=table title="'''Temperature'''"]
| Red | – | 80 °F | |
|---|---|---|---|
| :: |
::data[format=table title="'''Precipitation'''"]
| Blue purple | – | ≤.25 in | |
|---|---|---|---|
| :: |
::data[format=table title="'''Humidity'''"]
| Dark green | – | ≥50% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| :: |
::data[format=table title="'''Wind Speed'''"]
| Pink | – | ≤10 mph | |
|---|---|---|---|
| :: |
References
References
- (2010). "Historic Landmark Plaques 1968–2009". Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation.
- "Emporis building ID 121981".
- {{SkyscraperPage. 6355
- {{Structurae. 20010028
- Conti, John. (May 4, 2013). "Art Deco style survives in Pittsburgh—if you look around". [[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]].
- "Loss of Gulf Would Be Costly in Pittsburgh". [[Beaver County Times]].
- "Historic Landmark Plaques: 1968–2009". Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation.
- Smith, Craig. (March 27, 2010). "Ayers' talk kept quiet at Pitt". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
- Lovingood, Chris. (2021-06-07). "Gulf Tower in downtown Pittsburgh slapped with condemnation notice".
- Belko, Mark. (2021-11-01). "Return of a landmark: Downtown's Gulf Tower reopens after May 19 fire". [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]].
- "Gulf Building 1930–1932".
- (2005-06-13). "A paperweight maybe?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- (2021-03-25). "ON THIS DAY: March 25, 1990, Gulf Tower weather beacon returns after going dark in 1974".
- (July 2, 2012). "How To Read The KDKA-TV Weather Beacon Atop Gulf Tower".
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