09/01/2026
Pittsburgh Landmarks | Koppers Building
You might not know its name, but you definitely know the roof.
Completed in 1929, the Koppers Building rises 475 feet above Downtown Pittsburgh and remains one of the city’s best examples of Art Deco architecture. Commissioned by Pittsburgh industrialist Andrew Mellon, the tower was built during an era when Pittsburgh was becoming an industrial powerhouse. (Historic Pittsburgh)
Its most recognizable feature is that unmistakable copper, château-style roof - the green-topped crown that has been part of Pittsburgh’s skyline for nearly a century. Inside, the building is just as impressive, with a three-story lobby featuring marble, bronze detailing and even an original mailbox designed as a miniature version of the building itself. (Historic Pittsburgh)
The building takes its name from Koppers, a Pittsburgh-based company whose roots are tied directly to the city’s industrial history. The company became a major innovator in coke production and the recovery of coal byproducts, eventually growing into a global industrial company. (Historic Pittsburgh)
Nearly 100 years later, the Koppers Building still stands along Grant Street.
Not every Pittsburgh landmark has to be the tallest to stand out. Sometimes, you just need one heck of a roof.
