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The former Greater Pittsburgh International Airport Terminal was located nearly 20 miles west of Downtown Pittsburgh, along what is now Business Interstate 376 and University Blvd. The terminal opened in the summer of 1952 and was designed by Joseph Hoover. It featured a curved, stepped design with each level extending out further than the last, allowing for numerous observation decks. The most popular observation deck, the Horizon Room, was located on the fourth floor and offered a commanding view of the airport. The terminal underwent several expansions and renovations throughout its 40 years of service, growing from a small regional airport to the main hub for USAir. However, by the 1980s, it had become overcrowded and outdated, leading to the construction of a new Landside Terminal that opened on October 1, 1992. The old terminal sat empty for several years before demolition began in 1997.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Former name | Greater Pittsburgh Airport |
| Location | Findlay Township and Moon Township, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Distance from Downtown Pittsburgh | 10 miles (15 km) west |
| Date of opening | 1952 |
| Date of closing | 30 September 1992 |
| Number of runways | 4 |
| Area | 10,000 acres (40 km2) |
| Number of airlines initially served by | 5 |
| Designer | Joseph Hoover |
| Notable features | Terrazzo compass in the main lobby, rounded "Horizon Room" on the fourth floor, observation decks |
| Expansion cost | $1 billion |
| Year of expansion | 1992 |
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What You'll Learn
The old terminal's location
The old terminal of the Pittsburgh International Airport, formerly known as the Greater Pittsburgh Airport and Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, is located in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. The airport is about 10 miles west of downtown Pittsburgh, serving as the primary international airport for the Greater Pittsburgh Region, as well as neighbouring areas in West Virginia and Ohio.
The former terminal was designed by Joseph Hoover and opened in the summer of 1952. It was located nearly 20 miles west of downtown Pittsburgh. The terminal featured a well-landscaped entrance leading to a curved, stepped design, with each level extending further than the last, allowing for numerous observation decks. The Horizon Room, located on the fourth floor, was the most popular observation deck and offered a commanding view of the airport. The interior of the terminal building was designed in the contemporary International Style, with a large compass laid in green and yellow-orange terrazzo in the main lobby. The terminal also featured black granite columns, marble balconies, and escalators, which were a novelty at the time.
The airport underwent several expansions in 1959, 1972, and 1980 to accommodate growing traffic. However, by the 1980s, the main terminal had become overcrowded, outdated, and obsolete. Construction on the new Landside Terminal began in 1987 with financial backing from USAir, and it opened on October 1, 1992. The old terminal sat empty, except for some offices, for the next five years until demolition began in 1997.
The new terminal featured innovative designs, including an AirMall with over 100 retailers and eateries, and an underground tram to transport passengers. The X-shaped airside terminal was designed to reduce the distance between gates and simplify aircraft and pedestrian movement. The new airport was considered the "airport of the future" and served as a model for modern airport design worldwide.
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The new terminal's location
The new terminal is located on the opposite end of the airport property from the old terminal, which was along what is now Business Interstate 376 and University Blvd in Moon Township. The old terminal, which opened in 1952, was designed by Joseph Hoover and featured a curved, stepped design with multiple observation decks, including the popular "Horizon Room" on the fourth floor. The terminal underwent several expansions and renovations to accommodate growing traffic, but by the 1980s, it was overcrowded and outdated.
The Pittsburgh International Airport is the primary international airport serving the Greater Pittsburgh Region, as well as adjacent areas in West Virginia and Ohio. It offers passenger flights to destinations throughout North America, Central America, and Europe and is equipped to handle up to 35 million passengers per year. The airport has four runways and covers 10,000 acres (40 km2), making it the largest civil/public airport in Pennsylvania in terms of land area.
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The old terminal's design
The old Pittsburgh International Airport terminal was located nearly 20 miles west of Downtown Pittsburgh, along what is now Business Interstate 376 and University Boulevard (formerly the Airport Parkway and Beers School Road) in Moon Township. The terminal was designed by local architect Joseph W. Hoover and opened in the summer of 1952. In its first full year of operation in 1953, over 1.4 million passengers passed through its doors.
The terminal featured a curved, stepped design, with each level extending further than the other, allowing for numerous observation decks. The most popular of these was the "Horizon Room", a rounded room on the fourth floor, which offered a commanding view of the airport. The interior of the terminal building was designed in the contemporary International Style, with a large compass laid in green and yellow-orange terrazzo on the floor of the main lobby. Another decorative feature of the lobby was an Alexander Calder mobile, which now hangs in the centre core of the new airside terminal.
The old terminal underwent several expansions and renovations throughout its 40 years of service. In 1957, the Airline Guide showed that several airlines were operating out of the airport, including Capital, TWA, Allegheny, United, Eastern, Northwest, American, and Lake Central. In 1959, the east dock was added to the terminal, and in 1968, ground was broken for the International Wing, which opened in 1972 to accommodate federal inspection services for international flights. In the 1970s, growing traffic necessitated the construction of more gates, and in 1987, with financial backing from USAir, work began on a billion-dollar expansion.
By the time the new terminal opened on 1 October 1992, the old terminal had become overcrowded, outdated, and obsolete. The new terminal featured two main buildings: a landside terminal for security, ground transportation, and baggage handling, and an airside building for passenger gates. The old terminal sat empty for five years, aside from some remaining operations offices, before demolition began in 1997.
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The new terminal's design
The former Greater Pittsburgh International Airport terminal was located nearly 20 miles west of Downtown Pittsburgh. Designed by Joseph Hoover, the terminal featured a well-landscaped entrance and a curved, stepped design, with each level extending further than the one below, allowing for numerous observation decks. The Horizon Room, located on the fourth floor, was the most popular of these. The terminal opened in the summer of 1952 and underwent several expansions and renovations over the years, including the addition of an international wing in 1968 and the construction of more gates in the 1970s. However, by the 1980s, the terminal had become overcrowded and outdated.
In 1987, construction began on a new Landside Terminal, located on the opposite end of the airport property in Findlay Township. This new terminal, which opened on October 1, 1992, consisted of two main buildings: a landside terminal for security, ground transportation, and baggage handling, and an airside building for passenger gates. The airside terminal was designed in an X-shape with a capacity for 100 gates.
The new terminal also featured an Alexander Calder mobile above the main concourse, mirroring the decoration in the former terminal. The old terminal sat empty for five years after the new one opened, with demolition beginning in 1997.
More recently, the Pittsburgh International Airport has undergone a Terminal Modernization Program, aiming to create a modern and adaptable airport terminal with updated technology and an improved passenger experience. The new design includes additional space for concessions, an expanded TSA checkpoint, and separate levels for departing and arriving passengers. The landside elements of the design include modifications to existing roadways, utility improvements, and the design of new bridges, including a three-level bridge serving as the entryway to the new terminal. The new terminal also incorporates biophilic design elements, bringing nature into the building with a forest-like canopy and tree-shaped steel columns. Security and sustainability are also key considerations, with the terminal targeting LEED Silver certification and advanced digital modelling to optimise structural systems and materials.
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The old terminal's history
The old terminal of Pittsburgh International Airport, originally known as Greater Pittsburgh Airport, was located in Moon Township, nearly 10-20 miles west of Downtown Pittsburgh. It was designed by Joseph Hoover and opened in the summer of 1952, becoming a small hub for Trans World Airlines. The terminal was known for its terrazzo compass in the main lobby, rounded "Horizon Room" on the fourth floor, and numerous observation decks.
The Horizon Room hosted performances by Ted Lewis and his band, and the airport also featured black granite columns, marble balconies, and escalators—a first for any airport at the time. It was considered a "state-of-the-art" airport, with over 100,000 people, including Hollywood stars, in attendance at its grand opening. The terminal underwent several expansions in 1959, 1972, and 1980 to accommodate growing traffic, with the addition of an international wing in 1968. Despite these expansions, the terminal became overcrowded and outdated by the 1980s.
With financial backing from USAir, construction began on a billion-dollar expansion in 1987. On October 1, 1992, the new midfield terminal opened, featuring two main buildings: a landside terminal for security, ground transportation, and baggage handling, and an airside building for passenger gates. The old terminal remained in use for offices until 1999, after which it sat empty and faced demolition in 1997, halted only by the need for asbestos removal.
The old terminal left a lasting legacy, with numerous proposals for redeveloping the site, including sports stadiums, a transportation museum, and an indoor NASCAR track. Its replacement, the new Pittsburgh International Airport, pioneered modern airport design with its X-shape, underground tram system, and extensive shopping options.
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Frequently asked questions
The old Pittsburgh Airport, originally called Greater Pittsburgh Airport, was located in Findlay Township and Moon Township, Pennsylvania, about 10 miles west of downtown Pittsburgh.
The old Pittsburgh Airport opened in 1952.
The old Pittsburgh Airport was a state-of-the-art facility with black granite columns, marble balconies, and escalators, which were a first for any airport at the time. It featured an observation deck and the popular "Horizon Room", known for hosting performances by Ted Lewis' band.
By the 1980s, the old Pittsburgh Airport's main terminal had become overcrowded, outdated, and obsolete. With funding from USAir, construction began on a new terminal in 1987, which opened on October 1, 1992.
The old terminal remained in use for some offices until 1999. Demolition began in 1997 but was halted for asbestos removal, and various proposals were considered for the site, including a transportation museum and an indoor NASCAR track.
