Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1915, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “May 15th, I went to Pittsburg with my big models for the Shrine and closed for $8,575.00. A good one.”
Moses’ designs were for Syria Shrine Mosque, a 3,700-seat auditorium. 1913, the Syria Improvement Association mailed a prospectus outlining plans for a new building. A parcel of land known as the old Schenley Farm land was identified as the site for a new building that year. Two years later, ground was broken for the new temple on April 20, 1915. It was around this time that Moses secured the contract for $8,575.00 worth of scenery; today’s equivalent of $218,173.47.
On June 19, 1916, the laying of the corner stone for the Syria Shrine building was preceded by “a parade of 3,000 nobles, headed by a half dozen bands” (Indianapolis Star, 20 June 1915, page 6). Newspapers reported that the parading nobles were clothed in full dress suits, wearing their traditional red fez as headgear. The Shrine patrol was dressed in their oriental costumes for the parade. The largest flag in the United States at the time was also carried in the parade.
In 1916, Moses wrote, “The Syria Temple of Pittsburg is still jogging along. If they don’t get it under roof pretty soon, we will have the scenery finished long before they are ready for it.” Later that year he added, “Stopped at Pittsburg on my way home and inspected the Syria Temple work. It looks very good to me and everyone seems to be well please with it.”
On October 27, 1916, the “Record-Argus” reported, “Syria Mosque Dedicated by Shriners. New Million Dollar Temple at Pittsburgh a Shrine of Oriental Magnificence” (Greenville, Pennsylvania, page 1). The article described, “Syria Temple, the new $1,000,000 mosque of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Pittsburgh, was formally dedicated Thursday afternoon. Solemn ceremonies, including the ritual of the Shriners, attended the dedication, which was completed before a large crowd. Prominent men of the order from every section of this country, Canada and one from Hawaii took part in the festivities, which were held behind closed doors…Following the dedicatory exercises a banquet, attended by 5,000 Shriners was served in the dining hall of the temple. The dinner was informal and speeches were tabooed. Nearly 700 prospective Shriners were also dined and occupied positions as guests with out-of town visitors.
Thursday night the largest class of candidates was initiated. The number ran close to 700 and is probably the largest to be accepted at one time in the history of the Shrine. Instructions were given candidates in Memorial Hall in the afternoon and at 7 o’clock they were formally accepted.
Initiation took place in the auditorium, the officers in the charge wearing new costumes. During both ceremonies the elaborate lighting system was demonstrated. Rays from two search light machines, made soft, played in the stage throughout.”
The dedication ceremonies occurred over the course of a week in October, with an estimated 40,000 guests attending various activities.
The Syria Shriner’s website notes, “A movement began in the late 1980’s to replace the aging structure with a new facility that offered greater amenities to suit the needs of its members and its special events business. The Syria Mosque went up for sale in June of 1989. The building was demolished August 27, 1991. In October 1994, the Syria Shrine Center opened its new, 40,000 square foot, $10 million facility set on 37 acres in Harmar Township, Cheswick, PA. Great effort was spent to retain some of the classic features of the former Mosque, such as the twin sphinxes which guarded the entrance and the immense chandeliers which hung in the auditorium.” Here is the link to the Syrian Shrine history for more details: https://www.syriashriners.org/history/
There is a little more to the story. On March 1, 1992, “The Morning Call,” noted, “The Syrian Mosque was a Pittsburgh landmark. Alas, it recently came under the wrecker’s ball. Prior to its demolition, it was home to a prestigious Pittsburgh antiques show, the Pittsburgh Symphony, and a theater group. It was one of seven temples in Pennsylvania” (Allentown, Pennsylvania, page 102). Now fast-forward twenty years.
In 2012, the “Pittsburgh Post-Gazette” published, “Two decades later, razing of Syria Shrine Mosque still a sore topic” (Sept. 23, 2012.) The article detailed, “Despite one of the fiercest preservation battles in the city’s history that culminated with Mr. Ferlo, then a Pittsburgh city councilman, and three fellow supporters being arrested the morning bulldozers rode in on Aug. 27, 1991, the Mosque and its acoustically perfect hall couldn’t be saved. Now in its place is a surface parking lot for UPMC and University of Pittsburgh employees. The building’s owner, the Shriners, had it demolished so that it could sell the 2 acres of land under it to UPMC, then known as Presbyterian University Health System, for $10 million. ‘At the time it was probably one of the highest prices ever paid for real estate in the city at $5 million an acre for land,’ said Greg Hand, who was vice president in charge of development and construction in 1991 for National Development Corp. and was the main architect behind the deal that brought UPMC together with the Shriners. Though the hospital system tried to conceal its role as buyer for months in 1991 — until it was forcibly revealed during a court hearing — its purchase of the site, and what it has done with it since, is for many observers a prime example of how UPMC pays inflated prices for taxable land and takes it off the tax rolls… The site was converted into a ‘temporary’ parking lot, and UPMC converted it from taxable to tax-exempt. In 1991, the last year the building was in use, the Shriners paid $66,535 in property taxes to the city, county and school district.” Here is the link for the full: https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2012/09/23/Two-decades-later-razing-of-Syria-Mosque-still-a-sore-topic/stories/201209230185
In 2016 the former Syria Mosque property made headlines again when the “Pittsburgh Post-Gazette” announced, “A committee of University of Pittsburgh trustees today approved acquisition of the former Syria Mosque property in the heart of the school’s Oakland campus from UPMC for $10 million. The vote by the Property and Facilities Committee involves 2.1 acres of undeveloped land just north of Fifth Avenue between Bigelow Boulevard and Lytton Avenue. Decades ago, the property was ground zero for one of the roughest land preservation fights in city history. The site already is zoned Educational/Medical/Institutional (EMI), which facilitates university usage of the property, Pitt said in a statement released minutes after the mid-afternoon vote. ‘The University continually monitors the local real-estate market for strategic opportunities to acquire buildings or land that are in close proximity to any of its University campuses and suitable to support and advance the University’s mission,’ said Art Ramicone, senior vice chancellor, chief financial officer, and interim senior executive vice chancellor for business and operations. ‘Opportunities such as this, to acquire property of this nature in Oakland, are extremely scarce.’ A committee of University of Pittsburgh trustees today approved acquisition of the former Syria Mosque property in the heart of the school’s Oakland campus from UPMC for $10 million.”
How unfortunate. I wonder what ever happened to the scenery.
To be continued…
