Once-forgotten construction photos of Pittsburgh's City-County Building on display

Pittsburgh's City-County Building turns 100 this year, and the city is commemorating its centennial with an exhibition of 25 rare photographs documenting construction from 1915 to 1916.

The photos start with excavations on Nov. 11, 1915, and end with a finished building on Dec. 13, 1916.

“These photos have been for years now kind of locked away at Carnegie Mellon University's Architectural Archives,” said James Hill, special assistant to Mayor Bill Peduto. “We've had them blown up and on display publicly for the very first time here in the lobby.”

Designed by nationally renowned architect Henry Hornbostel, the building has served as Pittsburgh's third city hall and offices for Allegheny County government and courts since it opened. It is jointly owned by the city and county. Contractors razed 50 buildings on Grant Street to build the block-long building between Forbes and Fourth Avenues.

The photos, along with other historical artifacts, including a shovel city officials suspect was used during construction, will remain on exhibit in the building lobby through the end of the year.

Bob Bauder is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-765-2312, bbauder@tribweb.com or via Twitter @bobbauder.