The Allegheny HYP Clubhouse - Past and Present
The Club was originally formed as a social headquarters for alumni of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. While active for many years prior to 1929, no one alumni group was large enough to maintain a permanent clubhouse. In 1929, efforts were made to band together and procure a joint headquarters. The small tenement buildings on the corner of William Penn Place and Strawberry Way seemed to offer the best location, combining proximity to many of the larger office buildings in the vicinity with the restful atmosphere of a quiet street.
Built in 1894, the buildings originally contained 12 three-room apartments and served as workers' row housing. Pittsburgh architect and club member Edward B. Lee (Harvard Class of 1899) was commissioned to transform the space into a private club. Some of his other works include the City County Building and various buildings at CMU. The fact that it was a reuse project made it unusual for the time. The exterior of the Club was remodeled in the Georgian style to be reminiscent of the London of long ago. Lee also designed much of the interior as well, donating an antique grandfather clock from Amsterdam that still resides in the Club today. Following many months of extensive reconstruction, the Club opened its doors on November 7, 1930.
The Club is registered as a National Historic Landmark and is part of the Pittsburgh Historic & Landmarks Foundation downtown walking tour. It continues to be the last remaining tenement from the 1890's in downtown Pittsburgh.