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Here is a 1952 photo showing the facade of the Brookline Savings and Trust Bank (now PNC Bank), located on the 800 block of Brookline Boulevard, prior to a renovation that would give the building its present-day appearance. The bank originally opened in 1926, with the pre-cast concrete facade. The bank President was Professor Joseph W. Moore.
Local construction company J.J. McGaffin Construction had plans to remake the front of the bank, installing an ultra-modern facing made almost entirely of solex glass panels that deflect the light and heat of the sun. The sides of the building were to be covered with cream colored swedish granite.
The project, scheduled to take sixty to ninety days, was delayed. The Ben Franklin Store, which stood next to the bank building, was purchased. The bank was enlarged, doubling in size. The final appearance (below) is somewhat similar to what the bank looks like today.
Over the years, the Brookline Savings and Trust was purchased by the West Penn National Bank. It later became Equibank, then Integra Bank, and then National City Bank. Finally, in 2009, National City Bank was purchased by PNC Bank, headquartered in downtown Pittsburgh. |
