Motor Square Garden: (5900 Baum Boulevard)

The East Liberty Market House, now called Motor Square Garden, was built in 1898 by the Boston architectural firm Peabody & Stearns. Andrew Mellon commissioned it’s construction. Built at the end of the nineteenth century during a development boom in East Liberty, this grand structure reflects the local business leaders' vision of the neighborhood as a commercial center for the elite East End. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Originally constructed as Pittsburgh’s largest market house, the building only functioned as a market for about fifteen years. Over the past century, the structure has had many uses. In 1913 it was converted into an auto showroom when it was purchased by the Pittsburgh Auto Association. Through the years it’s also been used as beer garden, exhibition hall and a sports arena. For a few years in the 1920s the University of Pittsburgh’s basketball team played their games here. During the 1980s, an unsuccessful attempt was made to convert it into an upscale shopping mall.

Sources:

“Allegheny County Survey of East Liberty.” Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. Prepared by Peta Creque, Eliza Smith and Steve Kibert. January 1980.

"Auto Enthroned in Renamed Palace." The Gazette Times, April 6, 1913.

Schmidlapp, Ellis L. “Statement by the President of Landmarks Design Associates for Mayor’s Conference on Motor Square Garden.” May 5, 1986.

“Up-town, Greater Pittsburgh’s Classic Section: East End, the World’s Most Beautiful Suburb.” Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh Board of Trade, 1907. Retrieved from Historic Pittsburgh Book Collection, University of Pittsburgh at https://www.historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt%3A00aah6674m