There was a time when the Mellon name in Pittsburgh was like the Kennedy name in Boston. Whatever they wanted; they got.
Posted on 06/13/2019 4:15:10 AM PDT by Bonemaker
“What chu be talkin’ about, Willis”?
“Yes habits calling something something are hard to break when they get renamed.”
I was watching a YouTube video of Vietnam and had to laugh when I realized that the people in the south still call their former capital Saigon instead of Ho Chi Minh city. Even some of the road signs still have Saigon with slightly larger Ho Chi Minh signs above them.
On a more local note Liberty Baptist College in Lynchburg, Va was built at the foot of Candlers mountain In 1971. When the name was changed to Liberty University in 1977 Jerry Falwell started calling it Liberty mountain. Ask the students at LU and they will call it Liberty mountain, locals still call it Candlers mountain.
I’m sure every city/locale has a similar story.
Oh and a few more tidbits about the Steel Tower...
Its the tallest building between NY and Chicago
When Mellon (prior to being bought out/merging with BNY) went to build their new HQ downtown they intended it to be taller than the steel tower, but the city would not approve it.... The Steel Tower will always be the tallest building in da burgh... at least for a long time to come.
“Oh and a few more tidbits about the Steel Tower...
Its the tallest building between NY and Chicago”
which is why when the plane flying west turned around over Cleveland on 9/11 and made a B-line to Pittsburgh, they thought it was going for the Steel Tower and we all high-tailed it out of the Burg. That plane was the one that went down in Shanksville.
Yeah, you are right. UPMC occupies several floors of the building, but I know of nobody who calls it the UPMC Tower. High priced law offices occupy most of the remainder.
Anyway, you won't get me out on that glass platform. I don't care how secure the engineers say it is.
Fifth Avenue place is actually 1’ taller than Mellon Tower (both were built around the same time).... but both are a little more than 100’ shorter than the Steel Tower...
The tower has NEVER officially called anything but USX or USSteel or Steel Tower.... basically if a building has signage on it, that’s whoever has the largest lease in the building... goes with that.. but it doesn’t rename the building.
Just like William Penn Place has “Citizens Bank” on the building, but the building is still William Penn Place.
Or there is the Huntington sign on the Grant Building, but the building has never been called anything but the Grant Building....
Been a long time since I’ve been downtown Chicago!
My wife didn’t want me to step on the observation deck since I am not small. I accommodated her. Maybe she was right!
Different building, same general area of the city...
If Mitch wins the presidency it will be the first vicarious woman president.
The first time I went to the top floor in one of the Twin Towers in NYC was an experience. The elevator door opened and the first thing you saw was a close-by window letting you realize how high you were. I got bumps all over.
Don’t like glass elevators that are outside of buildings either.
I like my stable firm floors and ground!
Be careful, Ferris!
Former names Sears Tower (1973–2009)
Won’t find moi up there either.
Until the elevator cable starts cracking?
;)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.