In 1937, Pittsburgh built a 102-foot water tank that doubled as a park lookout

Officials and parks supporters gather for a ceremony on Aug. 31, 2026. A 102-foot water tank in Pittsburgh that once also served as an observation post is set to welcome visitors again after being closed for decades, following a major restoration project. According to reports by WESA and TribLive, the North Park Observation Tower, built in 1937, is undergoing a multi-million-pound restoration led by the Allegheny County Parks Foundation and local county officials. The project has a budget of about $3.2 million and will repair the tower, improve safety railings, and reopen its 154-step spiral staircase to the public.High-altitude architecture from the New Deal eraThe tower was built during the Great Depression with funding help from the Works Progress Administration, a major New Deal agency created to provide jobs through public works projects. It was mainly built as a 300,000-gallon water storage standpipe. At the same time, it served as a high lookout point for visitors to the county park. Standing at an elevation of more than 1,300 feet above sea level, the tower’s open-air viewing deck provides a 360-degree view of the surrounding North Hills. On clear days, visitors can see as ...