Location | 500 Smithfield Street ( Downtown), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA |
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Coordinates | 40°26′25.26″N 79°59′53.36″W / 40.4403500°N 79.9981556°W |
Built/founded | 1924 |
CPHD designated | July 1999 [1] |
PHLF designated | 1976 [2] |
The Mellon National Bank Building (also known as the Lord & Taylor Department Store) at 514 Smithfield Street in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was completed in 1924 after Mellon acquired the property in August 1916 from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad which had their regional offices on the site. [3]
Prior to the B&O office the site was the original home to the city's first public high school (Central High), which opened in the fall of 1855. [4] The Classical-styled building was designed by architects Trowbridge & Livingston with Edward Mellon. It was added to the List of Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmarks in 1976, [2] and the List of City of Pittsburgh historic designations in July 1999. [1]
On July 30, 1999, May & Co. bought the structure for $9.250 million from Mellon ending branch services at the site. [5] The building was converted into a multi-level department store despite the protests of historical preservationists. It opened as Lord & Taylor on November 1, 2000, after a $12 million refurbishment (21.2 million in 2023 dollars). [6]
On May 31, 2012 PNC Financial Services purchased the structure after Lord & Taylor closed in 2004. [7]