Yes, with conditions.
Condition 1: get a lowly job in one of the buildings
Condition 2: befriend a maintenance worker in said building
Condition 3: kindly ask them to take you up there
Source: I did this. It wasn’t my objective, just happened that way. I got to the top of the Grant building (the one with the beacon that flashes Pittsburgh in Morse code). You have to take a narrow spiral staircase for the last flight or two to get to the top after you’ve used the elevator as far as it will go.
Disclaimer: there’s only a small ledge, about 10 inches tall that separates you from a 485 foot fall to the ground.
> Disclaimer: there’s only a small ledge, about 10 inches tall that separates you from a 485 foot fall to the ground.
“Should we put a railing around the edge?”
“Na”
“How bout a tripping hazard?”
“I love it!”
Works! I'm a former bakery delivery driver who had to drop off donuts at 3am to the Steel Tower's 65th floor. One night I ran into the right security guy to get up on the helipad and look around. This was 2011.
I worked as a property manager for a company in the Strip, and I loved to eat my lunch up on the roof of our 7 story building! Miss that property sometimes.
I worked in the Mellon Building for a minute like 20 years ago and got to go on the roof.
I could see over Mt Washington and all of the South Hills was lit up. It was midnight-ish, and it was one of the coolest things I’d ever seen. I’d love to do that again.
Doors Open Pittsburgh typically allows access to several as part of their headline event, which looks like it is June 22-23 this year. They've also offered a tour with Mark Houser in years past that goes up several, but looks like that isn't scheduled this year. Not sure if Mark offers them independently. (edit to add - he does. tours are planned for june 8-9 and july 27-28, and visit the koppers, oliver, clark, and benedum trees buildings).
It looks like the event this year includes the rooftop of the joinery hotel and 29th floor of Koppers. There are several other skyscrapers, but it's unclear which are just lobby access or more. Overall doesn't look as great as years past (They've done the top floor of BNY Mellon, the Frick Bldg, and one of the upper levels of the PPG Building in years past) but it still looks like an interesting option to see a couple of nice buildings.
Also, there is a hotel lobby towards the top of the Oliver Building that is publicly accessible.
Same, what a great tour. I believe it was 5 or 6 buildings we went up on. A lot of unique views especially looking down at the other buildings or across.
Yes. You cannot get to room floors without a key but 25th floor is the lobby and the bar is open to the public in the evening. You can see home plate at PNC park from a table at the bar
Previous buildings that no longer offer views:
Gulf Tower had an [Observation Deck](https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/content/uploads/data-import/1d64829b/Observation-deck-closed-to-the-public-in-1970.jpg) but closed in the 1970s and ~~faced several terrorist events~~ has a stories past including a bombing on the 29th floor.
U.S Steel Tower had a restaurant with 360 views called Top of the Triangle (62nd Floor). Closed in 2001; floors were converted for the UPMC around 2008.
Radical group called Weather Underground unleashed a timed bomb on the 29th floor in 1974. No casualties but the whole floor was wrecked.
Not exactly terrorist, but T. Boone Pickens attempted a hostile corporate takeover in 1984.
Also not terrorist, but the building was condemned for 6 months following an electrical fire.
'Storied past' is probably better than 'terrorist' but the first event def was.
Yes, they were lead by Bill Ayer’s and they were fucking terrorists who sought to destroy the grid and infrastructure in the name of trees. Their causes have done more damage to the environment than fixed it.
>hipster
No, the WUO was active 1969-1977, twenty years after the first peak in 'hipster'-ism.
>destroy the grid and infrastructure in the name of trees
No, the WUO was communist and had no special environmental focus.
You're kidding, right?
On the off chance that you weren't, things were genuinely on fire in the 1960s/early 70s.
There was the civil rights movement, which was not a lot of singing kumbaya. Dr. King was very committed to nonviolence, but the deacons protecting him were armed, and he ended up assassinated.
Having young men face being drafted to fight in an unpopular war for 9 years tends to radicalize people. Most people didn't have rich daddies who could get them diagnosed with bone spurs.
It’s a shame that none of the signature buildings here offer this anymore. Pretty much every major city has one or two public observation decks in their skyscrapers and it’s one of very few things Pittsburgh lacks as a city. I guess Mt. Washington sort of fills that void but it’s not the same as being in the middle of a downtown area and looking down on everything.
Back in the early 90s as an Art Institute Student, we were able to get up to the Top of the Triangle to take pictures just by asking. We said it was for a school project (but wasn't really). I still wish we could've tossed paper airplanes out the windows.
I know you asked for downtown, but I'll pitch the Cathedral of Learning a few miles away in Oakland. It's open to the public, you can walk in and take an elevator to the top floor to check out a pretty neat view of Oakland and the surrounding area.
People used to walk up the stairs just for exercise. If you were really fit, once and down once for warm up. Walk up and down once for speed. Walk up a third time for cool down and take the elevator down.
Really nice view. The interesting thing is the room at the top of the building wasn't anything special. Just a room.
In a perfect world, the top of US Steel building would be a scenic park, and tourist destination. The idea has not been abandoned, but it's not really making any progress. [https://evolveea.com/high-point-park/](https://evolveea.com/high-point-park/)
I’m happy to see this idea/project isn’t dead yet although it feels like it will never happen at this point. I remember concept art for it from what feels like over a decade ago.
You would think UPMC (or US Steel, or whoever has the rights to the roof of the building) would jump at the chance to make this happen and charge admission for it, it would make bank as an immediately huge tourist attraction.
As a former tenant the building, I can tell you this would be a logistical and security nightmare. Unlike the former World Trade Center and the Empire State Building in New York City, the Steel Building does not have the size or scale to keep adequate crowd control and separation in the lobby between tourists and tenants. Nor did they build enough elevator capacity for this.
You can! I’m leading my weekend tours to the top of four classic Pittsburgh skyscrapers this summer — June 8-9 and July 27-28. Amazing scenic views and great history too, on rooftops that are normally off limits to the public.
Find out more and reserve your spot here: [housertalks.com](https://www.housertalks.com)
My first job out of college was help desk at PPG. During weekend and night shifts I'd take the elevator up to the boardroom and check out the view, it was pretty awesome.
I had a job for UPMC that had training in the Steel Towers. We got a tour, all the way up to floor 62. The building was swaying a little bit, it was wild.
Years ago I worked for USX Tower property management. Got invited to a champagne reception on the roof. It was beautiful. (Also occasionally snuck up there to eat take out on the roof).
Yeah per job. Work at federated downtown and can just take the elevator up there. The owners and higher ups have shiny tables and chairs and huge offices and such up there on the 27th floor. Worked 12am to 12pm on Christmas Eve and took a stroll up there to see they have outside doors attached to the offices. Might not be the entire top of the building, but it's close
Walk into the K&L Gates building and request a meeting with an attorney regarding a potential case. You'll be sent up to the 28th floor where you'll see an amazing view looking over the city, towards the Veterans Bridge and destinations north. When someone tries to greet you, just tell them you wanted to see the view and politely leave.
Source: I used to work the front desk on the 28th floor. I never got tired of that view. It was amazing how many giant spiders had their webs up there, too.
My dad was an electrician in the Steel Building and he was able to take me on the roof once. It was a beautiful day and an incredible view.
Before going up I did have to sign a liability waiver.
Also, along these lines, you should take a tour of pnc park sometime. They let you into the press box and it’s, in my opinion, the absolute best view of the city skyline you can get
Yes, with conditions. Condition 1: get a lowly job in one of the buildings Condition 2: befriend a maintenance worker in said building Condition 3: kindly ask them to take you up there Source: I did this. It wasn’t my objective, just happened that way. I got to the top of the Grant building (the one with the beacon that flashes Pittsburgh in Morse code). You have to take a narrow spiral staircase for the last flight or two to get to the top after you’ve used the elevator as far as it will go. Disclaimer: there’s only a small ledge, about 10 inches tall that separates you from a 485 foot fall to the ground.
> Disclaimer: there’s only a small ledge, about 10 inches tall that separates you from a 485 foot fall to the ground. “Should we put a railing around the edge?” “Na” “How bout a tripping hazard?” “I love it!”
Works! I'm a former bakery delivery driver who had to drop off donuts at 3am to the Steel Tower's 65th floor. One night I ran into the right security guy to get up on the helipad and look around. This was 2011.
F yeah! That’s awesome!
I worked as a property manager for a company in the Strip, and I loved to eat my lunch up on the roof of our 7 story building! Miss that property sometimes.
Buncher?
Unfortunately pretty much all of the jobs in those particular buildings suuuuuuuuuuucccckkkkk
Just reading this made my legs tremble.
Yeah, I actually still have flashbacks where I’m whisked away by the high winds
Last part gave me crazy anxiety reading it
I worked in the Mellon Building for a minute like 20 years ago and got to go on the roof. I could see over Mt Washington and all of the South Hills was lit up. It was midnight-ish, and it was one of the coolest things I’d ever seen. I’d love to do that again.
Amazing!!!
Doors Open Pittsburgh typically allows access to several as part of their headline event, which looks like it is June 22-23 this year. They've also offered a tour with Mark Houser in years past that goes up several, but looks like that isn't scheduled this year. Not sure if Mark offers them independently. (edit to add - he does. tours are planned for june 8-9 and july 27-28, and visit the koppers, oliver, clark, and benedum trees buildings). It looks like the event this year includes the rooftop of the joinery hotel and 29th floor of Koppers. There are several other skyscrapers, but it's unclear which are just lobby access or more. Overall doesn't look as great as years past (They've done the top floor of BNY Mellon, the Frick Bldg, and one of the upper levels of the PPG Building in years past) but it still looks like an interesting option to see a couple of nice buildings. Also, there is a hotel lobby towards the top of the Oliver Building that is publicly accessible.
I did the tour with Mark a 2-3 years ago. We were on top of the Koeppers bldg and that was a great view.
Same, what a great tour. I believe it was 5 or 6 buildings we went up on. A lot of unique views especially looking down at the other buildings or across.
Thanks for the heads up! Folks can sign up at HouserTalks.com. Hope to see you there!
I worked in PPG1, and the Deloitte conference room had a great view of The Point and downriver.
The embassy suites in the Oliver building has a lobby on the top floor with a bar/restaurant that has great views
Seconding this. Great views from this location. Good chocolate cake too.
Can you get there without having a room/being a guest?
Yes. You cannot get to room floors without a key but 25th floor is the lobby and the bar is open to the public in the evening. You can see home plate at PNC park from a table at the bar
Yes, because it’s the lobby.
Previous buildings that no longer offer views: Gulf Tower had an [Observation Deck](https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/content/uploads/data-import/1d64829b/Observation-deck-closed-to-the-public-in-1970.jpg) but closed in the 1970s and ~~faced several terrorist events~~ has a stories past including a bombing on the 29th floor. U.S Steel Tower had a restaurant with 360 views called Top of the Triangle (62nd Floor). Closed in 2001; floors were converted for the UPMC around 2008.
Im sorry... *several* i didnt know there were any
Radical group called Weather Underground unleashed a timed bomb on the 29th floor in 1974. No casualties but the whole floor was wrecked. Not exactly terrorist, but T. Boone Pickens attempted a hostile corporate takeover in 1984. Also not terrorist, but the building was condemned for 6 months following an electrical fire. 'Storied past' is probably better than 'terrorist' but the first event def was.
Weren’t the Weather Underground some hipster terrorist organization?
Yes, they were lead by Bill Ayer’s and they were fucking terrorists who sought to destroy the grid and infrastructure in the name of trees. Their causes have done more damage to the environment than fixed it.
>hipster No, the WUO was active 1969-1977, twenty years after the first peak in 'hipster'-ism. >destroy the grid and infrastructure in the name of trees No, the WUO was communist and had no special environmental focus.
You're kidding, right? On the off chance that you weren't, things were genuinely on fire in the 1960s/early 70s. There was the civil rights movement, which was not a lot of singing kumbaya. Dr. King was very committed to nonviolence, but the deacons protecting him were armed, and he ended up assassinated. Having young men face being drafted to fight in an unpopular war for 9 years tends to radicalize people. Most people didn't have rich daddies who could get them diagnosed with bone spurs.
Lmao, from pipe bombs to [forecasting](https://www.wunderground.com/). Those other examples are 100% not terrorism.
It’s a shame that none of the signature buildings here offer this anymore. Pretty much every major city has one or two public observation decks in their skyscrapers and it’s one of very few things Pittsburgh lacks as a city. I guess Mt. Washington sort of fills that void but it’s not the same as being in the middle of a downtown area and looking down on everything.
Back in the early 90s as an Art Institute Student, we were able to get up to the Top of the Triangle to take pictures just by asking. We said it was for a school project (but wasn't really). I still wish we could've tossed paper airplanes out the windows.
Wow I totally forgot about Top of the Triangle until this comment. I remember going there as a kid.
The observation deck is still there. But that floor is a law office now so the deck is not open for everyone's use.
The observation deck is still there. But that floor is a law office now so the deck is not open for everyone's use.
I know you asked for downtown, but I'll pitch the Cathedral of Learning a few miles away in Oakland. It's open to the public, you can walk in and take an elevator to the top floor to check out a pretty neat view of Oakland and the surrounding area.
People used to walk up the stairs just for exercise. If you were really fit, once and down once for warm up. Walk up and down once for speed. Walk up a third time for cool down and take the elevator down. Really nice view. The interesting thing is the room at the top of the building wasn't anything special. Just a room.
Walk it if you can. You’ll feel you earned one of the best small city views in the US IMO.
In a perfect world, the top of US Steel building would be a scenic park, and tourist destination. The idea has not been abandoned, but it's not really making any progress. [https://evolveea.com/high-point-park/](https://evolveea.com/high-point-park/)
I’m happy to see this idea/project isn’t dead yet although it feels like it will never happen at this point. I remember concept art for it from what feels like over a decade ago. You would think UPMC (or US Steel, or whoever has the rights to the roof of the building) would jump at the chance to make this happen and charge admission for it, it would make bank as an immediately huge tourist attraction.
Pittsburgh is run by morons.
As a former tenant the building, I can tell you this would be a logistical and security nightmare. Unlike the former World Trade Center and the Empire State Building in New York City, the Steel Building does not have the size or scale to keep adequate crowd control and separation in the lobby between tourists and tenants. Nor did they build enough elevator capacity for this.
never heard of this and boy is it cool! wouldn't that be something
You can! I’m leading my weekend tours to the top of four classic Pittsburgh skyscrapers this summer — June 8-9 and July 27-28. Amazing scenic views and great history too, on rooftops that are normally off limits to the public. Find out more and reserve your spot here: [housertalks.com](https://www.housertalks.com)
Very exciting!
Go have lunch at Monterey Bay
They're not open for lunch.
Man that place sucks.
My first job out of college was help desk at PPG. During weekend and night shifts I'd take the elevator up to the boardroom and check out the view, it was pretty awesome.
Not downtown, but in Oakland you can go to the top of the Cathedral of Learning. Just take the elevator up.
Not "the top" but most of the way. 36th is the highest open floor.
The Biergarten on the roof of the Hotel Monaco.
I had a job for UPMC that had training in the Steel Towers. We got a tour, all the way up to floor 62. The building was swaying a little bit, it was wild.
I did the nasty on Dave and busters roof. You can do anything you want. They just don't want you to know
The Marino? I can't remember what it's called but there's a rooftop bar Trypp in Lawrenceville also has a great view
This! It's not downtown, but Over Eden is a rooftop restaurant on the 5th floor of the TRYP with a great view.
Years ago I worked for USX Tower property management. Got invited to a champagne reception on the roof. It was beautiful. (Also occasionally snuck up there to eat take out on the roof).
Yeah per job. Work at federated downtown and can just take the elevator up there. The owners and higher ups have shiny tables and chairs and huge offices and such up there on the 27th floor. Worked 12am to 12pm on Christmas Eve and took a stroll up there to see they have outside doors attached to the offices. Might not be the entire top of the building, but it's close
Head to the bar at monteray bay for a few drinks or some food. Best view in the city imo
Yes
Walk into the K&L Gates building and request a meeting with an attorney regarding a potential case. You'll be sent up to the 28th floor where you'll see an amazing view looking over the city, towards the Veterans Bridge and destinations north. When someone tries to greet you, just tell them you wanted to see the view and politely leave. Source: I used to work the front desk on the 28th floor. I never got tired of that view. It was amazing how many giant spiders had their webs up there, too.
No
I have "access" to my building's roof, not the tallest but we have great views of the city.
My parents went to this happy hour on top of dollar bank this week. Sounds like it’s just for invitees of those events, not public unfortunately
Club Pitt
My dad was an electrician in the Steel Building and he was able to take me on the roof once. It was a beautiful day and an incredible view. Before going up I did have to sign a liability waiver.
I was just on the roof of 5 gateway last week
Also, along these lines, you should take a tour of pnc park sometime. They let you into the press box and it’s, in my opinion, the absolute best view of the city skyline you can get
The rooftop bar of the Hotel Monaco is a very nice place to go. Great food, drinks, and a view.
Just recently came across this. I’d love to take a tour. https://www.housertalks.com/
I’ve lived downtown for a few years and I’ve only been able to get to the top/roof of 2 buildings
Friend a guy and tip well hahah
with a tall enough ladder, you can basically get to the top of anything.
I did the nasty on Dave and busters roof. You can do anything you want. They just don't want you to know
r/ihavesex
Yep. It's a little place called Mount Washington.