🇺🇸 Pittsburgh Day Hike · Part 3

Unknowingly, it’s already afternoon—time to seek out US Steel Power ⏳. Now I’ve truly arrived in downtown Pittsburgh 🏙️. The signs of a city center are everywhere: skyscrapers and busy businesspeople 💼. In the distance stands the Highmark Building, a uniquely designed high-rise. Suddenly, I spot the Evoqua logo mounted in front of a tall building 😲. It looks familiar—like a company acquired by Xylem, where I used to work. What a warm feeling! ❤️ On the other side of the building, there’s another logo with “Water Technologies” underneath. Yes, it must be them! ✅ Later, I asked a colleague and learned that this was Evoqua’s headquarters before the acquisition. It was relocated last year, though the logo might not have been taken down yet 🏢. Back in the day, this office occupied three whole floors. After being acquired, the headquarters moved to Washington, and this office was closed. I imagine it must have been quite impressive in its heyday 👏. Walking through downtown, I keep passing skyscrapers and historic churches ⛪. The streets are wide and lively. Following my navigation, I arrive in the US Steel Power area—but which building is it? 🤔 I ask a passerby, who looks around and points toward the UPMC Building. A bit skeptical, I walk closer and finally spot the sign: U.S. STEEL TOWER. 🏢 This reinforced concrete skyscraper stands 256 meters tall with 64 floors. Built in 1970, its exterior is clad in steel produced by U.S. Steel itself. This type of steel develops a protective rust layer over time, giving the tower a distinctive look while reducing maintenance costs 🔧. On the way back, I take a different route and come across Carlow University. 🏫 Something’s unusual—the university’s name appears on a church 😯. The campus spreads along a hillside beside the road, with several different schools. Curious, I ask GPT and learn that it’s a private Catholic university founded in 1929 by the Sisters of Mercy. It’s known for small class sizes and personalized education, covering health sciences, nursing, education, arts, business, and more 🎓. After a whole day exploring Pittsburgh, I’m left with many impressions 🌟. Having traveled extensively across Europe, my initial feeling here was very European: a small city full of elegance and tranquility, unique architecture, historic churches, and even the winter climate strongly resembles Northern Europe 🏛️❄️. It’s only when I reached the downtown area—with its skyscrapers and hurried businesspeople—that I felt I was in a U.S. city center 🇺🇸. Overall, the line between downtown Pittsburgh and its surrounding areas is very distinct. You can experience urban vibrancy and also appreciate the calm of the outskirts 🌆🍃. I’ll keep hiking. Pittsburgh is a city that rewards the curious walker. 📖✨ #Pittsburgh #TravelDiary #UrbanHiking #USSteelTower #Evoqua #CarlowUniversity #CityAndNature #LikeEuropeInUS