Good question Steve. This was a very unsightly little triangle building that had the ugliest lottery billboard on it's roof at all times. I did a google search and oddly enough the only picture i could find of it was one that I took a couple years ago that shows the top of the billboard.
And here is an article about what they are doing there:
PNC proposes further development on Liberty
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
With its sparkling 23-story office tower on Fifth Avenue virtually complete, PNC Financial Services Group is turning its attention to a companion block of Downtown.
The financial giant is interested in redeveloping two publicly owned properties at 600 and 604 Liberty Ave., adjacent to its new Three PNC Plaza building, to "further enhance the neighborhood."
City Urban Redevelopment Authority board members are expected to consider a proposal Thursday to give PNC 90 days to come up with a redevelopment plan for the properties and negotiate a final purchase.
Both are located at the intersection of Liberty and Sixth Street adjacent to the entrance to the just-opened Fairmont Pittsburgh hotel in Three PNC Plaza and a small park PNC built as part of the development.
The buildings, separated by a privately owned structure that houses a convenience store, also sit across the street from Heinz Hall and can be seen by those coming into Downtown on Sixth.
A corner building, 600 Liberty, now houses Liberty Travel, while 604 Liberty is vacant.
URA executive director Rob Stephany said PNC wants to "renovate and reposition" the properties in an effort to make them more of a welcoming point.
"They don't have proposed tenants or reuses yet, but I think the notion is they're in the heart of that investment zone and they want to try to clean up things around them," he said.
He said that part of Liberty "has become a little dark corner of what otherwise is a really bright spot of Downtown."
Mr. Stephany said the "big ideas" that have been kicked around for the properties include the use of one as a welcoming center for visitors or maybe even as a police mini-station.
PNC also is toying with the idea of making the three-story building at 604 Liberty into very exclusive housing space that could be used by entertainers performing in the cultural district or perhaps even as an extension of the Fairmont, Mr. Stephany said.
The bank also is proposing to remove two billboards attached to 600 Liberty.
Fred Solomon, a PNC spokesman, declined to discuss specific reuses for the buildings until plans are approved by the URA. He would only say PNC expects to acquire them for a "business purpose and to further enhance the neighborhood."
Mike Edwards, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership president and CEO, wrote a letter in support of the venture.
"PNC has made a major contribution to the Golden Triangle, and we feel comfortable that having them as the owner of 600 and 604 Liberty Avenue means we will have a quality building and a quality tenant," he wrote.
PNC was one of two firms to respond to a request for proposals in December. The other dropped out.
Mark Belko:
mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262.