A Brief History of Downtown Pittsburgh

Downtown Pittsburgh (aka the Golden Triangle) is at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers (we’re saying them in a Pittsburgh accent as we read this too!). Downtown was where such famous Pittsburghers like Andrew Carnegie became successful businessmen. Carnegie was credited with the expansion of the steel industry in the U.S. in the late 1800s. He’s often stated as one of the richest Americans ever. Downtown was also credited with “making” Henry Clay Frick, who founded the H.C. Frick & Company coke manufacturers and was chairman of Carnegie Steel Company. There’s also Henry J. Heinz, a lifelong Pittsburgher who many may know for his ketchup. Andrew Mellon served as Treasury Secretary from 1921 through 1932. Finally, downtown Pittsburgh helped make a name for George Westinghouse, an American entrepreneur and engineer credited with inventing the railway air brake.

Facts About Downtown Pittsburgh

A few years ago, Pittsburgh had the second-lowest vacancy rate for Class A space in downtown areas in the U.S. Downtown includes 10 of the 446 bridges in the city (18 if you count the expanded Downtown definition). Downtown has multiple public transportation options, including a large bus system, a light rail (what many Pittsburghers refer to as the “T”) and the Duquesne and Monongahela inclines.