Paging through the dictionary the other day, I was startled to find this definition: hubris (hyoo-bris) -- overbearing pride or presumption, arrogance: The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center shows a lot of hubris in wanting to attach its name to the top of the U.S. Steel Tower.

	Keith Srakocic, Associated Press UPMC announced last month it would be putting its name on three sides of the top of the U.S. Steel Tower. Click photo for larger image. Polls Will UPMC's corporate logo enhance Pittsburgh's skyline? Should the U.S. Steel Tower be re-opened as a public viewing platform?

Well, you know that's not true. Who pages through a dictionary anymore? And that sentence in italics? Probably nothing more than a hallucination on my part.

But can you blame me? UPMC has been on my mind a lot in the past few days, ever since it announced earlier this month that it wanted to put its initials near the top of the tower, on each of its three sides.

I suppose it's a natural business instinct to want to take full advantage of a city law that allows corporate names writ large on Downtown buildings, with planning commission approval.

When we opened that can of worms in the early 1990s by allowing the Mellon name atop the former Dravo building (now One Mellon Center), it was only a matter of time before that mother of all -- no, no, no, let's not blame the women here -- before that big daddy of all worms would eventually crawl to the surface. Somebody would want to put a name on the top of the town's tallest building.

But it's not the U.S. Steel Corp. that wants to put its name at the top of its headquarters building; it's the health-care giant that is, with 43,000 worker bees, the region's largest employer. It will lease 185,000 square feet on five floors to house its executive staff and business operations -- finance, legal, human resources, payroll and such -- and it expects to grow into as much as 500,000 square feet within five years. That still gives UPMC only, what, maybe 10 to 15 rented floors out of 64 total? That's where the hubris comes in.

Few buildings are ever improved by corporate branding, but some buildings are harmed more than others -- especially iconic buildings like the U.S. Steel Tower, which occupies a special place on the landscape and in the architecture canon. King of the mountain that is Downtown's building topography, the tower also is significant for its exoskeleton design. When it opened in 1970, the building gained international fame for its exposed steel frame and its first-ever use of hollow, liquid-fireproofed columns -- 18 of them stretch from top to bottom, supporting the building and holding water and antifreeze. They're designed, in the event of a fire, to cool the building and prevent the frame from buckling.

Here's another thing: UPMC's move to the tower threatens to dash any hope of regaining public use of the 62nd floor, former home of the late, lamented Top of the Triangle restaurant. Now its incomparable vistas will be the exclusive purview of UPMC's top executives and board members. In his column Sunday, Post-Gazette travel editor David Bear advocated that UPMC bring back a small slice of public access by opening an observation deck and a cafe on the 62nd floor, with the cheerily affirmative name Pie in the Sky. Imagine the public relations benefits for a health-care provider that shares its lofty digs by serving clients tasty, healthful, organic treats.

Which brings up another thing about that high sign: It doesn't exactly buy a boatload of good will. Pittsburghers don't get all warm and fuzzy about the Mellon sign the way they wax nostalgic about how the Gulf Tower's glowing pyramidal roof once signaled weather changes by flashing Gulf's corporate colors, orange and blue. That was clever, and it was a public service. But corporate names, logos and initials too often add only self-promotion without redeeming aesthetic and social value.

Pittsburgh does have corporate signs that make us smile, like the pouring Heinz ketchup bottle and the Wholey's fish with the blinking eye. So, UPMC, instead of your initials, how about a giant illuminated hypodermic needle, maybe one that looks like it's injecting water into those hollow columns?

I'm kidding, I'm kidding.

What I'd really like is to find this definition at dictionary.com: humility (hyoo-mil-i-tee): the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc.: UPMC showed great humility and consideration for its native city when it declined to put its name at the top of the town's tallest tower.