Monastery at Large

From the Notebook

  • Villard Houses (1885) – New York

    Joseph Wells of McKim, Mead & White. Henry Villard Residence (1885). New York.
    Joseph Wells of McKim, Mead & White. Villard Houses (1885). New York.

    Six of New York’s surviving Gilded Age mansions hide in plain sight on Madison Avenue, and most people would never suspect they were once residences.

    Stretching across an entire block, the imposing Villard Houses complex looks every bit like a public building, but it was initially designed as six attached townhomes.

    Location of the Villard Houses

    Henry Villard originally owned the property, and in the early 1880s, he hired McKim, Mead & White to design houses on it for himself and five other executives of his railroad company.1

    With the firm’s star designer, Stanford White, otherwise engaged, the project’s design fell to Joseph Wells, an assistant who discarded White’s original sketches and opted for an exquisite Renaissance-inspired scheme.2

    North wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    North wing of the Villard Houses, New York

    Wells’ work on this project was magnificent. Judging from this and his designs for the New York Life Buildings in Kansas City and Omaha, and the Russell & Erwin Building in New Britain, Connecticut, I’d venture to say he was more talented than White—certainly he was more disciplined.

    Wells styled the Villard Houses as an Italian palazzo, reportedly inspired by the Palazzo della Cancelleria, Palazzo Farnese,3 and Villa Farnesina.4

    The three-story homes included basements and attics and were built around a central courtyard, with brownstone facades and a tile roof. The ornamentation is sparse but striking, forming a tasteful, cohesive design that is far more subdued than many of White’s buildings, which were often quite garish.

    Courtyard of the Villard Houses, New York
    Courtyard of the Villard Houses, New York

    The Villard Houses marked an important turning point for McKim, Mead & White, as Wells’ Renaissance-influenced design received widespread public acclaim, prompting the firm to look increasingly toward Italian architecture for inspiration.5

    The project itself was a bust, however: Villard’s company failed during construction, and the homes were put up for sale before the interiors were completed.6 Typical Gilded Age bullshit. The firm ultimately finished the interiors of four of the homes.7

    South wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    South wing of the Villard Houses, New York

    Stanford White and Joseph Wells reportedly had a complex and contentious relationship that grew increasingly strained through the 1880s as White’s hard-partying lifestyle began to eclipse his work output, and Wells handled major projects without credit or commensurate pay.8

    Although he was virtually unknown to the public, Wells was highly esteemed in the architectural community, and when he abruptly died in 1890, his friend Cass Gilbert said he “had the temperament which makes artists unfit to cope with the world, and which, therefore, kept them always as assistant rather than principals.”9 Woof.

    Granted, I tend to root for talented people who stay out of the spotlight, but I consider Wells an unsung genius, and the Villard Houses are undoubtedly his finest surviving work.

    Looking at the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Looking at the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York

    Gallery

    Looking at the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Looking at the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Looking at the south wing of the Villard Houses from East 50th Street, New York
    Looking at the south wing of the Villard Houses from East 50th Street, New York
    Second and third-floor windows on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Second and third-floor windows on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Second-floor balcony on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Second-floor balcony on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Third-floor windows on the facade of the Villard Houses, New York
    Third-floor windows on the facade of the Villard Houses, New York
    Third-floor window on the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Third-floor window on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Console and ornamentation on a second-floor balcony of the Villard Houses, New York
    Console and ornamentation on a second-floor balcony of the Villard Houses, New York
    Third-floor and attic windows on the facade of the Villard Houses, New York
    Third-floor and attic windows on the facade of the Villard Houses, New York
    Main entrance to the Villard Houses, New York
    Main entrance to the Villard Houses, New York
    Ornamentation on the main entrance of the Villard Houses, New York
    Ornamentation on the main entrance of the Villard Houses, New York
    Quoins on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Quoins on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Cornice and brackets on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Cornice and brackets on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Dormers on the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Dormers on the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Entrance to the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Entrance to the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Dormer window on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Dormer on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Chimney on the Villard Houses, New York
    Chimney on the Villard Houses, New York
    Attic windows on the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Attic windows on the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Second-floor balcony on the Villard Houses, New York
    Second-floor balcony on the Villard Houses, New York
    Light at the entrance to the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Light at the entrance to the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Third-floor double window on the facade of the Villard Houses, New York
    Third-floor double window on the facade of the Villard Houses, New York
    Dormers and chimney on the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Dormers and chimney on the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Console and ornamentation on a second-floor balcony of the Villard Houses, New York
    Console and ornamentation on a second-floor balcony of the Villard Houses, New York
    First-floor window on the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    First-floor window on the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Second-floor windows on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Second-floor windows on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Second and third-floor windows on the Villard Houses, New York
    Second and third-floor windows on the Villard Houses, New York
    Column at the entrance gate to the Villard Houses, New York
    Column at the entrance gate to the Villard Houses, New York
    Looking at the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Looking at the north wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Rusticated brownstone on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York
    Rusticated brownstone on the south wing of the Villard Houses, New York

    Interior10

    Mantel in Entrance Hall, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York
    Mantel in Entrance Hall, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York
    Door to Dining Room, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York
    Door to Dining Room, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York
    Lunette over mantel, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York
    Lunette over mantel, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York
    Entrance Hall, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York
    Entrance Hall, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York
    Dining Room, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York
    Dining Room, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York
    Mantel in Dining Room, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York
    Mantel in Dining Room, Henry Villard Residence at the Villard Houses, New York

    Elevations and Floorplan11

    West Elevation of the Villard Houses, New York
    West Elevation of the Villard Houses, New York
    First floor plan of the Villard Houses, New York
    First floor plan of the Villard Houses, New York

    References

    1. Broderick, Mosette. Triumvirate: McKim, Mead & White. New York: Alfred A. Knopf (2010), p. 226. ↩︎
    2. ibid. ↩︎
    3. ibid. ↩︎
    4. White, Samuel G. The Houses of McKim, Mead & White. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. (1998)., p. 79. ↩︎
    5. Broderick, Mosette. Triumvirate: McKim, Mead & White. New York: Alfred A. Knopf (2010), p. 230. ↩︎
    6. ibid., pp. 228-9. ↩︎
    7. White, Samuel G. The Houses of McKim, Mead & White. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. (1998)., p. 79. ↩︎
    8. Broderick, Mosette. Triumvirate: McKim, Mead & White. New York: Alfred A. Knopf (2010), pp. 275, 288-89, 295-96. ↩︎
    9. ibid, p. 298. ↩︎
    10. A Monograph of the Work of McKim Mead & White, 1879-1915. New York: The Architectural Book Publishing Company, 1915. ↩︎
    11. ibid. ↩︎

  • H.C. Dobbs Residence (1900) – Marietta, Georgia

    W.T. Downing. H.C. Dobbs Residence (1900). Marietta, Georgia.
    W.T. Downing. H.C. Dobbs Residence (1900). Marietta, Georgia.1 2 3 4

    References

    1. “Local News Items Paragraphed”. The Marietta Journal (Marietta, Georgia), May 17, 1900, p. 1. ↩︎
    2. “Local News Items Paragraphed.” The Marietta Journal (Marietta, Georgia), June 28, 1900, p. 1. ↩︎
    3. “Local News Items Paragraphed.” The Marietta Journal (Marietta, Georgia), November 1, 1900, p. 1. ↩︎
    4. Cobb Landmarks | Instagram ↩︎

  • Relic Signs: Shangri-La Motel (1950) – New Smyrna Beach, Florida

    Shangri-La Motel. 805 North Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
    Shangri-La Motel (1950). 805 N. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

    I drove down U.S. 1 one morning to see old motel signs.

    That’s when I found Shangri-La.

    Location of Shangri-La Motel

    Judging from an old postcard of the Shangri-La Motel (pictured below), it was probably a reasonable slice of paradise in its time. And now? Well…

    Originally owned and managed by Mr. & Mrs. Carroll A. Maul,1 the motel advertised:

    “Modern duplex cottages. New city court. Automatic vented heat. Carpeted floors. Airfoam beds. Connecting rooms. City water. Tile baths. Maid service.”

    Postcard view of the Shangri-La Motel (1950), New Smyrna Beach, Florida
    Shangri-La Motel (1950). New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Photograph from an undated postcard published by Willens & Co. of Chicago.

    The motel opened in 1950,2 and the sign pictured at the top likely debuted then as well.

    It appears to be the same one visible on the far left of the postcard, although it was awkwardly placed on the office roof at some point, probably when the nearby highway was widened.

    “They sure don’t make signs like that anymore,” says the voice of some old man in my head.

    References

    1. “New Smyrna Beach”. Daytona Beach Morning Herald (Daytona Beach, Florida), June 21, 1950, p. 5. ↩︎
    2. ibid. ↩︎

  • Walter Clinton Jackson Library Addition (1973) – Greensboro, North Carolina

    Odell Associates, Inc. Walter Clinton Jackson Library Addition (1973), University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Greensboro, North Carolina.
    Odell Associates, Inc. Walter Clinton Jackson Library Addition (1973), University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Greensboro, North Carolina.1 2 3
    Concrete panels on the Walton Clinton Jackson Library Addition, Greensboro, North Carolina
    Concrete panels on the Walton Clinton Jackson Library Addition, Greensboro, North Carolina
    East elevation of Walter Clinton Jackson Library Addition behind the original building
    East elevation of Walter Clinton Jackson Library Addition behind the original building

    References

    1. “UNC-G Library Bid Meeting Set”. Greensboro Daily News (Greensboro, North Carolina), November 19, 1971, p. A19. ↩︎
    2. Davis, Wilson. “UNC-G ‘Tower Of Books’”, The Greensboro Record (Greensboro, North Carolina), December 5, 1971, p. D1. ↩︎
    3. Davis, Wilson. “How Do You Move Half Million Books?” The Greensboro Record (Greensboro, North Carolina), November 8, 1973, p. C1. ↩︎

  • Postcards from the South: The Piedmont Hotel Main Dining Room – Atlanta

    Postcard view of Main Dining Room in Piedmont Hotel (1903), Atlanta

    This postcard depicts the Main Dining Room of the Piedmont Hotel in Atlanta, designed by Willis F. Denny and completed in 1903.

    Ruth Ehrlich wrote on the front: ‘In the excitement of leaving the other night, I forgot to “drop” you this postal. Hoping that you will pardon my delay. I am with love to you and yours sincerely.’

    Oddly, the card is unaddressed and contains no postmark. Guess she forgot to “drop” it again.

  • Second Bank of the United States (1824) – Philadelphia

    William Strickland. Second Bank of the United States (1824). Philadelphia.
    William Strickland. Second Bank of the United States (1824). Philadelphia.1 2 3
    Columns, architrave, frieze, cornice, and entablature on the north facade of the Second Bank of the United States, Philadelphia
    Columns, architrave, frieze, cornice, and entablature on the north facade of the Second Bank of the United States, Philadelphia
    Capital, architrave, frieze, and triglyphs on the Second Bank of the United States, Philadelphia
    Capital, architrave, frieze, and triglyphs on the Second Bank of the United States, Philadelphia
    Looking at the columns of the Second Bank of the United States from the east
    Looking at the columns of the Second Bank of the United States from the east

    References

    1. Second Bank of the United States – Independence National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service) ↩︎
    2. “Bank of the United States.” York Recorder (York, Pennsylvania), April 27, 1819, p. 2. ↩︎
    3. “Communication.” The National Gazette (Philadelphia), April 30, 1821, p. 2. ↩︎

  • Postcards from the South: Mitchell Street – Atlanta

    Postcard view of Mitchell Street, Atlanta

    This postcard depicts a scene on Atlanta’s Mitchell Street, looking east toward Forsyth Street.

    The card was postmarked in Atlanta on October 13, 1910, and addressed to Miss Edmonia March in Taylorsville, Virginia.

    The following note was written on the back:

    “Atlanta Ga
    10/13/10

    I have been promoted to one of the longest run in the South running from Wash DC to Atlanta only 706 mile. I’m on the road 24 hours. I get my lay off in Wash

    Write me
    612 – 6th – N.E. St. Wash

    Sincerely [?]”

  • Dickerson Residence (1960) – Sarasota, Florida

    Tim Seibert. Dickerson Residence (1960). Sarasota, Florida.1

    References

    1. Dickerson Residence | Sarasota History Alive! ↩︎

  • Piedmont Natives: Daisy fleabane

    Fleabane (Erigeron annuus)
    Daisy fleabane (Erigeron annuus)

    Some people would consider Daisy fleabane a weed, since it tends to pop up uninvited in unexpected places.

    But I’m a big defender of many so-called weeds, including fleabane, which is a member of the aster family and a favorite of native bees and small insects. It’s tough, easy to grow, and I think its dainty white-and-yellow flowers are pretty.

    It’s a better sight on the summer landscape than some tropical plant that subsists on hose water and chemicals.

  • Ten Peachtree Place (1991) – Atlanta

    Michael Graves. Ten Peachtree Place (1989). Midtown, Atlanta.
    Michael Graves. Ten Peachtree Place (1989). Midtown, Atlanta.1 2
    Looking at the facade of Ten Peachtree Place from the south
    Looking at the facade of Ten Peachtree Place from the south
    Facade of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Facade of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Balcony on the facade of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Balcony on the facade of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Windows and granite panels on Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Windows and granite panels on Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Looking up at the facade of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Looking up at the facade of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Balcony on the east elevation of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Balcony on the east elevation of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    East elevation of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    East elevation of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Street-level entrance on the north elevation of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Street-level entrance on the north elevation of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    East elevation of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    East elevation of Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Looking at Ten Peachtree Place from the east
    Looking at Ten Peachtree Place from the east
    Street-level arcade at Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta
    Street-level arcade at Ten Peachtree Place, Atlanta

    References

    1. Salter, Sallye. “First Gateway tower planned”. The Atlanta Journal, January 27, 1988, p. 12A. ↩︎
    2. “Gateway Atlanta: A Billion-Dollar Development for Midtown”. The Atlanta Journal, February 12, 1989, The Business Edition, p. 4. ↩︎