Help save history in your community by restoring and reusing historic buildings.

“The big windows in this building let me see what's going on inside.” —student quote

1315 East Carson Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Date and Style

Built around 1900

—American Renaissance style

In this style, beginning in the 1880s, American architects were inspired by Italian and French Renaissance forms. Notice the patterned brickwork and large, semi-circular-arched windows with decorative keystones. The cornice has a series of small ornamental brackets called modillions set within large brackets.

Facts and Stories Worth Knowing

• In 1916, this was the “American Building,” owned by G. A. Jones, and others. Mr. Jones was a real estate salesman.
• As you can see from the historic photograph below, the American Buildinghad a fancier roofline originally, and six flags proudly flew abovethe building.
• In 1997, City Theatre purchased the building, and, with the help of a $300,000 loan from the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, converted the basement and second-floors of the building into rehearsal studios and technical support areas, and leased the first floor to a retail tenant.

• Architects for the $840,000 renovation were Perfido Weiskopf. Improvements included restoring the large, segmental-arched second-floor windows and transoms, and cleaning the decorative brickwork.
• Since 1992, City Theatre's primary performance space has been in the former Birmingham Methodist Episcopal Church of 1859 and annex at South 13th and Bingham Streets.
• Copies at Carson has occupied the street level store front since 2000.

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