The Diamond Market Roller Rink Diamond Street, Pittsburgh, PA. Architectural Drafting blueprint showing the location where the market would be built. It would cover 2 streets with one street closed. Just one direction. Source: Pittsburgh Daily Post 09 June 1912.
The Diamond Market Roller Rink Diamond Street, Pittsburgh, PA. Architectural Drafting blueprint was shown in the newspaper in December 1913. It was an early rendering before they made the final decision with the 3 story shown in next photo below instead of the two story. Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 12 December 1913.
The Diamond Market Roller Rink Diamond Street, Pittsburgh, PA. Taken in 1950s, Notice the Cornice just under the arch of the bridge part of the building on the right side? That was the very cornice part broke and injured a lady who went Christmas shopping in December 1959. Photo must have been taken after 1957 because of a 1957 automobile on the right side. Source: Heinz History Center.
The Diamond Market Roller Rink Diamond Street, Pittsburgh, PA. Taken in 1950s, Notice the Cornice just under the arch of the bridge part of the building on the right side? That was the very cornice part broke and injured a lady who went Christmas shopping in December 1959. Photo must have been taken after 1957 because of an automobile appeared 1960s style in late 1950s making a left hand turn to go under the Market building. Source: Pinterest.
The Diamond Market Roller Rink Diamond Street, Pittsburgh, PA. This one was rather a little different design than the main building. If you can read the captions in the photo. It says, "One of the Diamond Square Market" The appearance is similar but this looked like another building they had? I read articles and only they talked about ONE building but this one is quite different. It may not be the same just a copy. Just like an Iphone looks just like an Android phone. Needs to find out more. Source: Google image.
The Diamond Market Roller Rink Diamond Street, Pittsburgh, PA. Taken in 1964, now 4 corner blocks called Market Square Park. Source: Heinz History Center.
The Diamond Market Roller Rink Diamond Street, Pittsburgh, PA. Taken in 1964, now 4 corner blocks called Market Square Park. Noticed a tall Boomerang shaped building in background? That was the new attraction that made the Market a "White Elephant"... dwarf the market as it was declining as the rest of the neighborhood be skyscrapers. Source: Heinz History Center.
The Diamond Market Roller Rink Diamond Street, Pittsburgh, PA
The Diamond Square Market Roller Rink Diamond Street, Pittsburgh, PA
The Diamond Square Market Roller Rink Diamond Street, Pittsburgh, PA
The Diamond Market Roller Rink was once housed in The well known building called The Diamond Market or known as The Diamond Square Market that was built upon Diamond Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This rather unusual building was designed and built in the start of the 20th Century as a solution for automobiles and as they thought, horses and buggies to drive under or through a building. It was a new concept. Many other buildings had that concept at the time but presently, they are rarely built that way. New York City, Cincinnati, and a few other mega cities do that. Not a regular city anymore. I have experienced driven through or under a major building in New York City and in Cincinnati.
Anyway, This building was a three-story brick building that had different businesses in it. It was practically a shopping mall of sort for its day but more of like a farmers' market. They first built it in 1915 and operated until they demolished in 1961, Diamond Market shaped the life of one of Pittsburgh’s oldest public spaces. The market hosted poultry shows and boxing matches, a roller-skating rink, and for a while, the Traffic Division of the Pittsburgh Police Department. A police department in a shopping mall? Hey, there you go, mall operators! Where is yours? Malls today are dying and it would be great to add city departments to your malls!
The market bustled with vendors selling meat, fish, baked goods, coffee, and produce. It was practically a farmers' market. Some stands operated there for generations.
The Diamond Market was built and run by the city but home to more than 40 small independent businesses, the Diamond Market symbolized “old Pittsburgh.”
It was not until a 35-pound piece of a decorative cornice fell off the building in December 1959, seriously injuring a woman, it proved to be the final straw for a structure the city had been trying to remove for years.
Mayor Joseph Armstrong officially dedicated the full market on 19 December 1917
They had numerous of problems for the building where the rink was even the first decade it was operational because of a new concept grocery store that it is self-serve began in 1916, debuted in Memphis, Tennessee. The concept spread quickly, Donahoe’s, originally a market vendor in the early 1900s, opened a grand “food department store” in 1923 near Diamond and Fifth Street, not far from Diamond Market. Just a walking distance. Competition hurts.
Then they were behind in payments in taxes, and the city wanted to get rid of it. So, vendors sued the city because they found out the property really belonged to the heirs of William Penn and this is what William Penn wanted. A market ever since 18th Century. (Once there was a court house and a jail and a newspaper company on the same property throughout 19th Century where the Diamond Market was). Then the vendors won so the city could not do anything until the Debate ended when authorities discovered that the Market Vendors Association was six months behind in the rent. So, on 28 September, 1960, the city announced that the market would be demolished and replaced with a park. Existing leases granted vendors three more final months, so shoppers enjoyed one last Christmas before the market closed for good at the end of business on Dec. 31, 1960.
Originally slated for demolition in April 1961, the building got a brief reprieve when renegotiation of an urban renewal contract delayed work for a few months. But early on 04 June 1961, spectators watched as a crane and wrecking ball finally began tearing down Diamond Market, paving the way for the Market Square Park that we know today.
You see, ever since 1947, the city tried to sell the market but could not for a very long time. This is why they demolished it.
The roller rink was on second or third floor for sure because of the automobiles drive through under the building.
The Interior.
Likely the floor was wood. Maybe Maple? All floors throughout the building were wood. It was standard of its time. Likely on 2nd or 3rd floor because of automobiles can drive under the building.
The Exterior.
It was a three story Free-Span Steel Trusses and Concrete Bricks - Walled Multi-story forum - like Building with Hip Roof with Vallance on each way of the road.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Hardwood Maple? Non-painted.. Floor Layout: Likely Straight.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Renovations: N/A. Demolished: 04 June 1961 - tear down.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses and Concrete Bricks - Walled Multi-story forum - like Building.
Roof: Hipped with Vallance.
Acres: N/A.
Organ: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- N/A.
The Diamond Market Roller Rink: N/A.
The Diamond Square Market: 19 December 1917 to 31 December 1959
Reason for Closure: N/A.
The Diamond Market Roller Rink: N/A.
The Diamond Square Market: Many -- re-read story.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Heinz History Center - Diamond Market history.
Pittsburgh Press - 16 December 1959, Old Concrete Cornice Crumbles, hits Woman,
Pittsburgh Press - 16 December 1959, Stone Falls, Strikes Woman,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - 17 December 1959. Mrs. Shelton eventually sued the city over her injuries.
The Smithsonian Magazine - Story about first self-service supermarket, the Piggy Wiggly.
Date of issue: 30 January 2022.
For office use only: 7.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
Anyway, This building was a three-story brick building that had different businesses in it. It was practically a shopping mall of sort for its day but more of like a farmers' market. They first built it in 1915 and operated until they demolished in 1961, Diamond Market shaped the life of one of Pittsburgh’s oldest public spaces. The market hosted poultry shows and boxing matches, a roller-skating rink, and for a while, the Traffic Division of the Pittsburgh Police Department. A police department in a shopping mall? Hey, there you go, mall operators! Where is yours? Malls today are dying and it would be great to add city departments to your malls!
The market bustled with vendors selling meat, fish, baked goods, coffee, and produce. It was practically a farmers' market. Some stands operated there for generations.
The Diamond Market was built and run by the city but home to more than 40 small independent businesses, the Diamond Market symbolized “old Pittsburgh.”
It was not until a 35-pound piece of a decorative cornice fell off the building in December 1959, seriously injuring a woman, it proved to be the final straw for a structure the city had been trying to remove for years.
Mayor Joseph Armstrong officially dedicated the full market on 19 December 1917
They had numerous of problems for the building where the rink was even the first decade it was operational because of a new concept grocery store that it is self-serve began in 1916, debuted in Memphis, Tennessee. The concept spread quickly, Donahoe’s, originally a market vendor in the early 1900s, opened a grand “food department store” in 1923 near Diamond and Fifth Street, not far from Diamond Market. Just a walking distance. Competition hurts.
Then they were behind in payments in taxes, and the city wanted to get rid of it. So, vendors sued the city because they found out the property really belonged to the heirs of William Penn and this is what William Penn wanted. A market ever since 18th Century. (Once there was a court house and a jail and a newspaper company on the same property throughout 19th Century where the Diamond Market was). Then the vendors won so the city could not do anything until the Debate ended when authorities discovered that the Market Vendors Association was six months behind in the rent. So, on 28 September, 1960, the city announced that the market would be demolished and replaced with a park. Existing leases granted vendors three more final months, so shoppers enjoyed one last Christmas before the market closed for good at the end of business on Dec. 31, 1960.
Originally slated for demolition in April 1961, the building got a brief reprieve when renegotiation of an urban renewal contract delayed work for a few months. But early on 04 June 1961, spectators watched as a crane and wrecking ball finally began tearing down Diamond Market, paving the way for the Market Square Park that we know today.
You see, ever since 1947, the city tried to sell the market but could not for a very long time. This is why they demolished it.
The roller rink was on second or third floor for sure because of the automobiles drive through under the building.
The Interior.
Likely the floor was wood. Maybe Maple? All floors throughout the building were wood. It was standard of its time. Likely on 2nd or 3rd floor because of automobiles can drive under the building.
The Exterior.
It was a three story Free-Span Steel Trusses and Concrete Bricks - Walled Multi-story forum - like Building with Hip Roof with Vallance on each way of the road.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Hardwood Maple? Non-painted.. Floor Layout: Likely Straight.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Renovations: N/A. Demolished: 04 June 1961 - tear down.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses and Concrete Bricks - Walled Multi-story forum - like Building.
Roof: Hipped with Vallance.
Acres: N/A.
Organ: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- N/A.
The Diamond Market Roller Rink: N/A.
The Diamond Square Market: 19 December 1917 to 31 December 1959
Reason for Closure: N/A.
The Diamond Market Roller Rink: N/A.
The Diamond Square Market: Many -- re-read story.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Heinz History Center - Diamond Market history.
Pittsburgh Press - 16 December 1959, Old Concrete Cornice Crumbles, hits Woman,
Pittsburgh Press - 16 December 1959, Stone Falls, Strikes Woman,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - 17 December 1959. Mrs. Shelton eventually sued the city over her injuries.
The Smithsonian Magazine - Story about first self-service supermarket, the Piggy Wiggly.
Date of issue: 30 January 2022.
For office use only: 7.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.