Cor-ten resists the corrosive effects of rain, snow, ice, fog, and other meteorological conditions by forming a coating of dark brown oxidation over the metal, which inhibits deeper penetration and doesn't need painting and costly rust-prevention maintenance over the years.

[14] A cleanup effort was orchestrated by the corporation once weathering was complete to undo this damage, but the sidewalks still have a rusty tinge.

[16][17] The largest occupancy by a tenant of the building is held by UPMC, which leases 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2) of office space within the tower.

Fire protection was achieved for the 18 columns of this tower by making them hollow and filled with a water/antifreeze/rust inhibitor mixture, a technique patented in the 19th century.

[21] In another building cited in 1970, the horizontal beams were also hollow and interconnected with the columns, the entire system tested to be leakproof.

[21] In 2019, Winthrop Management, with the help of sustainability consulting firm evolveEA, achieved LEED Silver Certification for the US Steel Tower under the Existing Buildings: Operations + Maintenance rating system.

The U.S. Steel Tower features several redundant systems that have allowed the building to remain free of unplanned service interruptions since it was constructed.

There is a fail over system in place, and either main will automatically meet the water demands of the building in the event of a failure.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center initially leased five floors of the tower, which now serves as the institution's headquarters.

The area is known as "Steel Garden" [29] There is also a bus stop right outside the plaza that serves the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway.

[31] From shortly after the Tower's opening until 2001, the 62nd floor was home to Top of the Triangle, a fine dining restaurant that provided unequaled views of Pittsburgh and the surrounding region.

[31] In March 2013 a group of architects and designers finished detailed plans for a glass covered 2 floor atrium at the top of the skyscraper, however the building management has not responded thus far to requests for potential construction.

[34] On clear days, it is possible to spot the U.S. Steel Tower from as far as 50 miles (80 km) away, from the top of Chestnut Ridge in the Laurel Highlands southeast of the city.

The U.S. Steel Tower makes an appearance in the movie Dogma and figures prominently in Sudden Death, Boys on the Side, Striking Distance, Jack Reacher and the video for the 2010 rap song "Black and Yellow".