P.O. Box 1041

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041 U.S.A.

Telephone: 412-561-7876

Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >

Internet Web Site: < http://www.planetarium.cc >

2004 November 10

Hand-Delivered at 2004 November 10 Meeting of the Historic Review Commission of Pittsburgh

Mr. Michael D. Eversmeyer, Chairman

Historic Review Commission of Pittsburgh

Department of City Planning

City of Pittsburgh

200 Ross Street

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219-2010

RE: Violation of Section 1101.05 of the City of Pittsburgh Historic Preservation Ordinance,

by Lord and Taylor Department Store

Dear Mr. Eversmeyer:

Section 1101.05 of the City of Pittsburgh Historic Preservation Ordinance states:

§ 1101.05 EFFECTS OF DESIGNATION.

(a)     No Exterior Alterations as defined in § 1101.02(e) or change of location of an Historic Object, shall be undertaken upon a Historic Structure or upon a structure located within a Historic District or upon a Historic Site or upon a Historic Object without the review of the Historic Review Commission or the authorized approval of certain routine kinds of exterior work specified by the Commission without the formal review and approval of the Commission itself, and issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness.

In the last week of August, I noticed a violation of this section of the ordinance by the Lord and Taylor Department Store. At that time, I noticed that an antique thermometer and barometric pressure gauge, which had been mounted at the Smithfield Street entrance of the Mellon National Bank Building, was missing.

This antique thermometer and barometric pressure gauge had been mounted between the two Smithfield Street entrance doors, in clear view from the public right-of-way, for decades ! I first saw this thermometer and barometric pressure gauge, when I started visiting the Pittsburgh Golden Triangle in the 1960s.

I do not frequent Smithfield Street much; as you know, I spend most of my time on Grant Street. So, I cannot tell you exactly when the antique thermometer and barometric pressure gauge were removed from the Smithfield Street façade of the Mellon National Bank Building. My estimate is that this occurred sometime earlier this year. However, I can assure you that this antique thermometer and barometric pressure gauge were, definitely, on the building at the time of the building’s designation as a historic structure in July of 1999.

As you know, I follow the proceedings of the Historic Review Commission closely. To my knowledge, there has been no public hearing before the Commission, regarding the removal of this antique thermometer and barometric pressure gauge from the façade of the Mellon National Bank Building.

Mr. Michael D. Eversmeyer 2004 November 10 Page 2 of 2

I ask that the Historic Review Commission investigate this matter and insist that Lord and Taylor Department Store return the antique thermometer and barometric pressure gauge to the Smithfield Street facade of the Mellon National Bank Building. If Lord and Taylor must leave town, the least they can do is return Pittsburgh history to Smithfield Street.

Sincerely yours,

Glenn A. Walsh

gaw

P.S. Except for the list of city-designated historic landmarks, the Historic Preservation Program References, listed at the bottom of the Historic Review Commission’s Internet web page, are dead links.

gaw

Copy: Commissioners, Historic Review Commission of Pittsburgh

Angelique Bamberg, Preservation Officer, Historic Review Commission of Pittsburgh

Maria Thomas Burgwin, Staff, Historic Review Commission of Pittsburgh

Tom Murphy, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh

Members of Council, Council of the City of Pittsburgh

Tom Flaherty, Controller, City of Pittsburgh