A nonprofit, described as fiercely apolitical and dedicated to educating the public about all things American flag, is being reborn with a spiffy educational center Downtown and plans to light up the Pittsburgh skyline.
The Pittsburgh-born National Flag Foundation is marking Flag Day Thursday by announcing the opening of a flag education center on the first floor of the historic Koppers Building. Also planned for the city landmark on patriotic holidays is red, white and blue lighting atop the 34-story building, with white stars projected from the nearby, taller Gulf Building.
The new lighting will not be visible until August and the educational center, with free admission and rotating flag exhibits, will open next year. NFF Chairman Romel Nicholas said the foundation will move its offices to the 22nd floor of the Koppers Building from Uptown.
“This has been building momentum for several years, the coming out party for the flag foundation,” said Mr. Nicholas, who is also a lawyer with the Downtown firm of Gaitens, Tucceri & Nicholas. “It’s not only good for the country, it’s going to be good for the city.”
The NFF will conduct a program at its new headquarters, starting at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, which will include the singing of the national anthem by Jeff Jimerson, perhaps best known for singing the national anthem for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and elementary school students leading the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The NFF is marking its 50th anniversary in 2018 and its rebirth follows several years of low activity due to financial issues. Now, it’s back. The NFF has secured a $250,000 grant from the Sewickley-based Thomas Marshall Foundation and received support from the PNC Foundation and private donations to secure its future.
Lighting for the Koppers Building, with its signature green cap, had been failing, so building owners Rugby Realty Inc. were exploring replacement options when NFF proposed a flag motif, said Larry Walsh, Rugby COO and principal. Mr. Nicholas called it a “kind of an education beacon that changes the skyline.”
On holidays such as Independence Day, red and white bands will circle the top of the Koppers Building and the green cap will turn blue with lighting, Mr. Walsh said. On all other days, the roof will remain a familiar green, the color it has had for decades.
“The signature roof top of the Koppers Building is something we wanted to preserve,” Mr. Walsh said.
Mr. Nicholas said in a statement that the NFF has a historic past.
“This organization has a historic past including a connection to many U.S. presidents, involvement at the federal level regarding the Flag Code as well as a relationship with over 7,000 U.S. schools to help foster knowledge, good citizenship and patriotism among our young people.”
Mr. Nicholas said he hoped to have the Koppers Building topped in the colors of the flag 50 days a year, possibly extending some patriotic holidays into the weekends. The flag beacon will be something to see, he said.
“In time, it’ll garner some attention,” Mr. Nicholas said.
Kris B. Mamula: kmamula@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1699
First Published: June 13, 2018, 9:32 p.m.
