The O'Hara Student Center, formerly the Concordia Club, is a three-story, building on the campus of the
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
on O'Hara Street in the
Oakland neighborhood of
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. It is a contributing property to the
Schenley Farms National Historic District and the City of Pittsburgh Oakland Civic Center Historic District. The building was acquired by the university in mid-December, 2009.
and has since been renovated to house academic and student activity programs.
History
![O'Hara Student Center Staircase](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/O%27Hara_Student_Center_Staircase.jpg)
On January 21, 1874, a group of prominent German
Jews
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
, mostly members of the
Rodef Shalom Congregation
Rodef Shalom Congregation is a National Register of Historic Places landmark in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, designed by architect Henry Hornbostel.
Located on Fifth Avenue on the border of the Oakland and Shadyside neighborhoods, it houses Co ...
, met for the purpose of organizing a private club in Pittsburgh, "to promote social and literary entertainment among its members." The small group establishing the Jewish social club voted to host it at a private residence on Pittsburgh's
North Side and voted Judge Josiah Cohen to be its first president. The popularity of the Club called for a move to larger quarters on Stockton Street on the North Side. It was at this location that a conference of eighteen
rabbi
A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...
s met at the Club in November 1885 to sign the defining document of American
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its ethical aspects to its ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous sear ...
termed the
Pittsburgh Platform The Pittsburgh Platform is a pivotal 1885 document in the history of the American Reform Movement in Judaism that called for Jews to adopt a modern approach to the practice of their faith. While it was never formally adopted by the Union of Americ ...
. The creation of this document is commemorated by a historical marker placed by the state of Pennsylvania near the location of the Club at the time. The Club's growing acceptance encouraged a second move to the present quarters in Oakland, designed by a leading Pittsburgh architect,
Charles Bickel.
Characterized by the press as "a handsome facility," the new quarters opened formally on December 25, 1913.
The membership rolls of the club over the years included
Pittsburgh Pirates owner
Barney Dreyfuss
Bernhard "Barney" Dreyfuss (February 23, 1865 – February 5, 1932) was an executive in Major League Baseball who owned the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise from 1900 to his death. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008.
Dr ...
, industrialist Leon Falk Jr., and department store magnate
Edgar J. Kaufmann. Eventually, the club began including eastern European Jews, and in more recent years membership was open without regard to gender, race, ethnicity or religion.
When Concordia moved into its building on O'Hara Street in 1913, it was described as one of city's most opulent with notably elegant china, crystal and linens along with profuse flower arrangements. A 1915 article in the ''
Jewish Criterion
The Jewish Criterion (OCLC 2262915) whose editors included J. Leonard Levy (rabbi of Rodef Shalom) and Charles H. Joseph, was one of two weekly papers for Jews in Pittsburgh. It was published 1895-1962, with the initial editor being M. K. Susman ...
'' commented that the new club was "entirely complete with billiard rooms, banquet hall, rest and lounging parlors, reading quarters and sleeping accommodations." Later the club would add to its interior by installing elaborate dark-stained
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
paneling rescued from the lower level and bar of the 1905 constructed Fort Pitt Hotel at 10th Street and Penn Avenue,
Downtown when it was demolished in 1967.
At its peak the club had nearly 300 members,
but in the face of declining membership and a shortage of cash, club members voted July 16, 2009 to approve the sale of their historic building to the
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
who will pay $2.1 million for the structure. The club continued its normal activities until the sale closed on December 14, 2009.
Restoration and use
![OHaraStudentCenter2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/OHaraStudentCenter2.jpg)
The University of Pittsburgh undertook $5.8 million in upgrades, preservation, and renovations that were completed in April, 2011 and provided almost of space in order to help alleviate shortages in student group event, meeting, and office space at the
William Pitt Union
The William Pitt Union, built in 1898 as the Hotel Schenley, is the student union building of the University of Pittsburgh main campus, and is a Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark. Designed by Pittsburg ...
.
Upgrades included tearing out walls, updating the heating and cooling systems, replacing the roof, and upgrading the lighting. The first floor contains the oak paneled space for studying or socializing as well as a dining room that can double as a meeting room. A staircase, with original wood railings, leads to a second floor contains a 450-person capacity, sound system-equipped ball room that includes an open balcony, arched windows, and a small stage. From a previous renovation more than 50 years ago, the ballroom contains three
chandeliers, one larger than the others, and a number of
sconces. Renovations to the ball room included restoring access to the balcony, applying gold leaf trim to the wall panels, and a restoration of the chandeliers, including replacement of the light bulbs with LEDs, by the original lighting fabricator located in Pittsburgh's
Strip District.
The basement of the Student Center is used as a storage area for student groups. The facility also houses the Math Assistance Center, the Freshman Studies Program, and the student Writing Center.
In popular culture
![OHaraStudentCenter4](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/OHaraStudentCenter4.jpg)
*The Concordia Club was used for location shoot in the movie ''
Sorority Row
Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America.
Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradua ...
'' (2009).
References
External links
O'Hara Student Center on Pitt's virtual Campus TourFormer Concordia Club homepageMath Assistance Center
Video
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Concordia Club Closes
{{Pittsburgh
Jewish clubs and societies
University of Pittsburgh buildings
Student activity centers in the United States
Historic district contributing properties in Pennsylvania
National Register of Historic Places in Pittsburgh