Guide to the Jenkins Arcade and Empire Building, Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Empire Hotel, New York, N.Y., Collection of Plans and Drawings, 1897-1953 AIS.1984.01
Arrangement
Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Jenkins Arcade and Empire Building, Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Empire Hotel, New York, N.Y., Collection of Plans and Drawings
Collection Number
AIS.1984.01
Extent
573.75 Linear Feet(oversized drawings and blueprints)
Date
1897-1953
Abstract
The Jenkins Arcade and Empire Building were long-time Pittsburgh landmarks until they were razed in 1984. The Jenkins Arcade was designed by O. M. Topp in 1910 as an improvment to the original Jenkins Building. The Empire Building, designed by Frederic I. Merrick in 1898, was erected in 1900 on the same block as the Jenkins Building. The collection contains architectural drawings and engineering plans.
Language
English
.
Author
Jeffrey Flannery, John Kasing, and Frank Kurtik. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in August 2003.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System Archives & Special Collections Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman) Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
History
The Jenkins Arcade and Empire Building were long-time Pittsburgh landmarks which occupied the block bordered by Penn Avenue, Fifth Street, Stanwick (formally Ferry) Street, and Liberty Avenue until they were razed in 1984. Designed by O. M. Topp in 1910, the Jenkins Arcade was built as an improvement upon a grocery warehouse constructed for Tomas C. Jenkins in 1864 at the corner of Penn Avenue and Fifth Street. The Empire Building, designed by Frederic I. Merrick in 1898, was erected in 1900 on the remaining half of the block where the Jenkins Building was located, along what was then known as Ferry Street, between Penn Avenue and Liberty Avenue. Frederic I. Merrick also designed the Empire Hotel at 63rd and Broadway in New York City during 1922 and 1923.
The original Jenkins Building was also designed by O. M. Topp and was a victim of the Great Fire of 1897. At this time, the Jenkins brothers chose to reconstruct the building and eventually turn it into a shopping arcade and office building. In its day, it was considered the largest and finest arcade in the United States. The building was seven-stories tall and constructed of steel with terra-cotta tiling through out. The imposing exterior was handsomely finished in vitrified brick and terra-cotta trimings. The Jenkins Arcade was officially designated an historic landmark in 1972. Until 1984, when the building was razed for the construction of the Fifth Avenue Place office building, few changes had been made to it.
Scope and Content Notes
The architectural drawings and engineering plans included in this collection are incomplete. They were discovered by workmen in the course of the razing of the buildings. The collection consists of 459 items including india ink drawings on vellum, blueprints, as well as pencil and ink drawings on paper. The materials in the collection have been dated between 1897 and 1953. The drawings and plans are arranged in three series relating to the content of the materials. Within each series the materials are arranged according to size, medium, architectural subject, and building. The collection is all oversized materials housed in map cases.
The collection contains a set of architectural drawings of the Jenkins Arcade and the companion buildings, the Jenkins and Empire Buildings. The largest group of material consists of mechanical engineering plans and blueprints by architects, O. M. Topp and Edward B. Lee. The engineering plans mostly include structural steel shop drawings of reconstruction after the fire of 1897 and the construction of the Arcade in 1910. A few of the drawings contain exterior and interior details. Construction cost estimates and a list of the building contractors are also written on the drawings.
A small collection of blueprints by Frederic I. Merrick show the plans for the alterations and additions to the Empire Building. There is also a set of drawings on linen and other interior details of the Empire Hotel, New York, NY done by Frederic I. Merrick in 1922 and 1923.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Acquisition Information
Gift of William J. Swazuk, January 12, 1984.
Previous Citation
Jenkins Arcade and Empire Building, Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Empire Hotel, New York, N.Y., Collection of Plans and Drawings 1897-1953, ais198401, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh
Preferred Citation
Jenkins Arcade and Empire Building, Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Empire Hotel, New York, N.Y., Collection of Plans and Drawings 1897-1953, ais198401, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Jeffery Flannery, John Kasing, and Frank Kurtik in November, 1984.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Jamie Shriver in August, 2003. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 1541150
Copyright
Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
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