Court Place (1930–1981)
| Court Place | |
|---|---|
| Neighborhood | Central Business District |
| Origin of name | Allegheny County Courthouse |
| Fate | Eliminated in 1981 |
| Wylie Avenue (until 1930) | |
| Origin of name | Stephen Wylie or Samuel B. Wylie |
The western end of Wylie Avenue, between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue, was renamed Court Place in 1930[1] for its location across Fifth Avenue from the Allegheny County Courthouse. The name change was urged by Louis Little, a lawyer whose office was on the street,[2] because of the bad reputation of Wylie Avenue.[3]
This street was eliminated in 1981 as part of the development of the Grant Street East project. The project, part of Mayor Richard Caliguiri's Renaissance II, included the construction of the Steel Plaza subway station and a 54-story skyscraper, today BNY Mellon Center, on the site where Court Place ran. The new street configuration, which also closed Tunnel Street and changed Sixth Avenue and Ross Street, was designed to simplify intersections, reduce odd-shaped blocks, and improve traffic flow.[4][5][6][7]
Three years later, in 1984, the name Court Place was resurrected for a portion of Second Avenue between Ross Street and Grant Street; this is the Court Place that exists today.
References
- ↑ "An ordinance changing the name of WYLIE AVENUE, between Fifth avenue and Sixth avenue, to 'COURT PLACE.'" Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1930, no. 11. Passed Feb. 3, 1930; approved Feb. 5, 1930. Ordinance Book 42, p. 244. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh: For the Year 1930, appendix, p. 31, City Printing Company, Pittsburgh (Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1930). Reprinted in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Feb. 10, 1930, p. 29 (Newspapers.com 89867379), and Feb. 11, p. 31 (Newspapers.com 89867451). [view source] ordinance-1930-11
- ↑ R. L. Polk & Co. Polk's Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) City Directory, 1930: Including Brentwood and Mount Oliver Boroughs, Banksville and the recent annexations to the City of Pittsburgh known as Brierly Plan, Calhoun Park Plan, Carrick, Crafton Heights, Hays Borough, Knoxville, Lincoln Place, McElhany Plan, Mifflin Township, Overbrook, Parkview Plan, Penn Township, Ross Township and Westwood; containing an alphabetical directory of business concerns and private citizens, a directory of householders, occupants of office buildings and other business places, including a complete street and avenue guide and much information of a miscellaneous character; also a buyers' guide and a complete classified business directory, vol. LXXV. R. L. Polk & Co., Pittsburgh, 1930, p. 1352. DonsList.net Pgh1930CDM; Historic Pittsburgh 31735055722841. [view source] polk-1930
- ↑ Roy McHugh. "Jury's in: a slow death for Court Place." Pittsburgh Press, Aug. 14, 1977, p. A-2. Newspapers.com 142723458. [view source] jurys-in
- ↑ Carl Morris. "Grant Street project agreement clears way for construction." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Oct. 16, 1980, p. 4. Newspapers.com 88792311. [view source] grant-agreement
- ↑ David Nilsson. "Council OKs redesign of Grant St. traffic." Pittsburgh Press, Oct. 22, 1980, p. A-2. Newspapers.com 146936107. [view source] nilsson
- ↑ Carl Morris. "Grant St. project wins test." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Oct. 23, 1980, pp. 1, 10. Newspapers.com 88792554, 88792563. [view source] grant-wins-test
- ↑ "Paving the way." Pittsburgh Press, Oct. 23, 1980, p. A-16. Newspapers.com 146938162. [view source] paving-the-way
