Monastery at Large

Category: Northeastern United States

  • Police Administration Building (1962) – Philadelphia

    Geddes, Brecher, Qualls and Cunningham. Police Administration Building (1962). Center City, Philadelphia.
    Geddes, Brecher, Qualls and Cunningham. Police Administration Building (1962). Center City, Philadelphia.1 2 3
    Looking up at the Police Administration Building from the northeast
    Looking up at the Police Administration Building from the northeast
    Concrete wall outside the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Concrete wall outside the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia

    Windows above the main entrance of the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Windows above the main entrance of the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Windows on the west wing of the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Windows on the west wing of the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Windows on the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Windows on the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Windows on the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Windows on the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Windows on the east wing of the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Windows on the east wing of the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Windows on the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Windows on the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Looking at the east wing of the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Looking at the east wing of the Police Administration Building, Philadelphia
    Looking at the rear of the Police Administration Building from the southeast
    Looking at the rear of the Police Administration Building from the southeast

    References

    1. “Art Board Approves Police Building”. The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 28, 1960, p. 3. ↩︎
    2. “Cop Shop Sound, But Builder Balks”. Philadelphia Daily News, September 15, 1961, p. 64. ↩︎
    3. Nelson. Nels. “Visitor to Cop Shop Is Roundly Impressed”. Philadelphia Daily News, November 28, 1962, p. 5. ↩︎

  • 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. ↩︎

  • 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. ↩︎

  • Clarence B. Moore Residence (1890) – Philadelphia

    Wilson Eyre, Jr. Clarence B. Moore Residence (1890, left) and Joseph Leidy Residence (1893, right). Center City, Philadelphia.
    Wilson Eyre, Jr. Clarence B. Moore Residence (1890, left) and Joseph Leidy Residence (1893, right). Center City, Philadelphia.1 2 3
    West elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    West elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    West elevation of the Clarence Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    West elevation of the Clarence Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Front porch and entrance of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Front porch and entrance of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Entrance and second-floor double window on the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Entrance and second-floor double window on the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor double window on the facade of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor double window on the facade of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor window on the front circular tower of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor window on the front circular tower of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Front porch and entrance of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Front porch and entrance of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Ornamentation on the front porch of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Ornamentation on the front porch of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Rusticated limestone on the front porch of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Rusticated limestone on the front porch of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta ornamentation on the entrance of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta ornamentation on the entrance of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta ornamentation on the entrance of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta ornamentation on the entrance of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Lion at the front steps of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Lion at the front steps of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor window on the front circular tower of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor window on the front circular tower of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Chimney on the facade of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Chimney on the facade of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    First-floor window on the front circular tower of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    First-floor window on the front circular tower of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Front circular tower and front porch of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Front circular tower and front porch of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    First-floor bay window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    First-floor bay window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    First-floor windows and rusticated limestone on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    First-floor windows and rusticated limestone on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor bay window and third-floor balcony on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor bay window and third-floor balcony on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor triple window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor triple window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    First-floor bay window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    First-floor bay window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Back circular tower and oval window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Back circular tower and oval window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    First-floor double window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    First-floor double window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Chimney on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Chimney on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Basement window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Basement window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Gargoyle on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Gargoyle on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta ornamentation on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta ornamentation on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Oval window and rusticated limestone on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Oval window and rusticated limestone on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor double window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor double window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta ornamentation on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta ornamentation on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Third-floor balcony and circular window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Third-floor balcony and circular window on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta corbel on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta corbel on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor window on the back circular tower of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Second-floor window on the back circular tower of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Dormer on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Dormer on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Headless statue on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Headless statue on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Roof finial on the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Roof finial on the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta corbel over the entrance of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Terracotta corbel over the entrance of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Statue on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Statue on the west elevation of the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Roof finial on the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia
    Roof finial on the Clarence B. Moore Residence, Philadelphia

    References

    1. “The Church of the Messiah Sold.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 6, 1890, p. 2. ↩︎
    2. “Will Build In Virginia.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 12, 1890, p. 7. ↩︎
    3. National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form: Clarence B. Moore House ↩︎

  • Postcards from the North: Kingston Passenger Station – Kingston, New York

    Postcard illustration of the Kingston Passenger Station (1883), Kingston, New York

    This postcard depicts the Kingston Passenger Station in Kingston, New York, completed in 1883.

    Between 1875 and 1880, Kingston was the home of W.W. Goodrich, a terrible architect and bullshitter extraordinaire who later practiced in Atlanta.

    Goodrich had nothing to do with the design of this Queen Anne-style depot, but you’ll be seeing more about Northern train stations here at some point in the future—and Goodrich (blech).

    BIF wrote on the front of the postcard: “Here is where I got off train.”

    It’d be more fun if he’d omitted the last word.

    The card was postmarked in Poughkeepsie, New York, date unreadable, and addressed to Miss E. Crosby of RFD #2, Chester, Vt.

  • A.S. Beck (1936) – New York

    A.S. Beck (1936). 128 W. 34th Street, New York.
    A.S. Beck (1936). 128 W. 34th Street, New York.1

    Is it a relic sign or a fine example of Art Deco architecture? The answer is both.

    I admired this swanky old Manhattan storefront for years on my walks to and from Moynihan Train Hall, but for some reason, I only recently thought to take a picture of it.

    It was easy to find the opening-day newspaper advertisements for the A.S. Beck shoe store, but I’ve yet to determine the designer. Whoever it was, they did a swell job.

    Location of A.S. Beck

    References

    1. Advertisement. Daily News (New York), September 18, 1936, p. 16. ↩︎

  • Relic Signs: Philip’s Restaurant (1940) – Philadelphia

    Philip's Restaurant (1940). 1145 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia.
    Philip’s Restaurant (1940). 1145 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia.

    This swanky old sign is a true relic of South Philly, which is changing as rapidly as any other neighborhood these days.

    Owned and operated by the Muzi family, Philip’s Restaurant was licensed for business at this location in 1940,1 although later advertisements claimed it opened in 1938.2

    The blue portion of the sign likely dates to 1940, but I suspect the “Cocktail Lounge” segment was added later.

    Location of Philip’s Restaurant

    Originally built as a residence, the 3-story brownstone structure that housed the restaurant previously served as the Circolo Italiano clubhouse for at least 20 years.3 4

    Philip’s touted itself as “Serving the finest in Italian cuisine”, and the interior photograph shown below is from a postcard published circa 1960, based on a note from the back that adds the restaurant had been in “The same location for 20 years.”

    Interior of Philips Restaurant, circa 1960. Photograph by Bill Bennett from an undated postcard published by Bill Bennett of Philadelphia and Pennsburg, Pennsylvania.
    Interior of Philips Restaurant, circa 1960. Photograph by Bill Bennett from an undated postcard published by Bill Bennett of Philadelphia and Pennsburg, Pennsylvania.

    Philip’s closed in 2001, and the building has apparently been unoccupied since 2018.5 The sign remains untouched.

    References

    1. “Latest Reports Of Legal Actions”. The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 23, 1940, p. 39. ↩︎
    2. Advertisement. The Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine, October 27, 1968, p. 44. ↩︎
    3. “Sale on South Broad Street”. The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 12, 1916, p. 7. ↩︎
    4. “Circolo Italiano Meets”. The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 1, 1936, p. 32. ↩︎
    5. Hidden City Philadelphia › Mysteries Revealed as Old Philip’s Restaurant Eyed for Redevelopment ↩︎

  • Department of Housing and Urban Development (1968) – Washington, D.C.

    Marcel Breuer with Herbert Beckhard. Department of Housing and Urban Development (1968). Washington, D.C.
    Marcel Breuer with Herbert Beckhard. Department of Housing and Urban Development (1968). Washington, D.C.1 2
    Looking at the Department of Housing and Urban Development from the northeast
    Looking at the Department of Housing and Urban Development from the northeast
    Looking at the Department of Housing and Urban Development from the southeast
    Looking at the Department of Housing and Urban Development from the southeast
    Entrance of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Entrance of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Granite cladding on the northeast corner of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Granite cladding on the northeast corner of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Pre-cast concrete and granite on the southeast corner of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Pre-cast concrete and granite on the southeast corner of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Entrance arcade of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Entrance arcade of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Windows on the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Windows on the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Looking at the Department of Housing and Urban Development from the northeast
    Looking at the Department of Housing and Urban Development from the northeast
    Entrance sign of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Entrance sign of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Columns on the entrance arcade of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Columns on the entrance arcade of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Looking toward the northwest corner of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Looking toward the northwest corner of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Granite cladding on the northeast corner of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Granite cladding on the northeast corner of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Windows on the northeast corner of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    Windows on the northeast corner of the Department of Housing and Urban Development

    References

    1. McCarter, Robert. Breuer. New York: Phaidon Press Limited (2016). ↩︎
    2. Nolan, Martin F. “LBJ Speeds Slum Housing”. The Boston Globe, September 10, 1968, p. 2. ↩︎

  • United States Post Office (1913) – New York

    McKim, Mead & White. United States Post Office (1913). New York.
    William M. Kendall of McKim, Mead & White. United States Post Office (1913). New York.

    The imposing United States Post Office in New York City was a very late work of McKim, Mead & White—so late that two of the firm’s namesake founders, Charles McKim and Stanford White, had been dead for several years by the time it was completed in 1913.

    At that point, McKim, Mead & White was a well-oiled machine that ran on an army of anonymous architects, but the project is now primarily credited to William M. Kendall.

    The gleaming white five-story structure occupies two blocks of prime real estate in Midtown Manhattan and was built to complement its original neighbor, Pennsylvania Station,1 also designed by McKim, Mead & White, which was demolished in 1963.

    Location of the United States Post Office

    The firm’s output in later years was often unremarkable and derivative, but there’s something special about this building, which is chock-full of exquisite materials and elegant details that reveal thoughtful attention to design despite the project’s massive scale.

    United States Post Office, New York, circa 1913
    United States Post Office, New York, circa 1913

    Built for a hefty $6 million, the original structure included over 400,000 square feet of floor space and was composed of 165,000 cubic feet of Massachusetts granite, 18,000 tons of steel, 7 million bricks, and 200,000 square feet of glass.2

    Most of that glass was used in the giant skylight over the building’s central workroom, which was reportedly the largest room in the United States when the facility opened.3

    Looking at the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Looking at the facade of the United States Post Office, New York

    The building’s public-facing interior spaces were elaborately decorated with Tennessee marble on the floors and walls, topped by ornamental plaster ceilings featuring the seals of 10 nations recognized for doing “great things for the advancement of the universal mail service.”4

    A Harvard professor reportedly suggested that the architects add the inscription spanning the building’s facade, quoting Herodotus: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”5

    The statement originally referred to mail service in ancient Greece, but its inclusion in the building’s design made it an unofficial motto of the U.S. Postal Service.

    Inscription and Corinthian capitals on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Inscription and Corinthian capitals on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York

    A portion of the building is still used as a post office, but the bulk of the structure now houses the Moynihan Train Hall, which opened in 2021.

    The demolition of Penn Station is often cited as the event that launched the historic preservation movement in the United States, and the dark, dank, subterranean maze of low-slung corridors that replaced it is entirely unworthy of one of the world’s great cities.

    Although that unnavigable mess still exists, the conversion of the former post office into a modern train hall has restored much-needed prestige to New York’s landscape, and it’s encouraging to see such a fine building put to a worthy new use.

    Gallery

    Looking at the northeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Looking at the northeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Cornice and Corinthian capital on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Cornice and Corinthian capital on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Inscription on the northeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Inscription on the northeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Inscription on the southeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Inscription on the southeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Fourth-floor windows, inscription, and Corinthian capitals on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Fourth-floor windows, inscription, and Corinthian capitals on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Third-floor window on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Third-floor window on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Looking at the northeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Looking at the northeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Fourth-floor windows, inscription, and Corinthian capitals on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Fourth-floor windows, inscription, and Corinthian capitals on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Ornamental crest on the United States Post Office, New York
    Ornamental crest on the United States Post Office, New York
    Corinthian capitals and entablature on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Corinthian capitals and entablature on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Ornamental iron on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Ornamental iron on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Fifth-floor windows on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Fifth-floor windows on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Inscription and Corinthian capitals on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Inscription and Corinthian capitals on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Niche on the northeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Niche on the northeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Ornamental iron spandrels on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Ornamental iron spandrels on the facade of the United States Post Office, New York
    Columns and front steps of the United States Post Office, New York
    Columns and front steps of the United States Post Office, New York
    Southeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Southeast corner of the United States Post Office, New York
    Front steps of the United States Post Office, New York
    Front steps of the United States Post Office, New York

    Floorplans and Sections6

    First floor plan of the United States Post Office, New York
    First floor plan of the United States Post Office, New York
    Second floor plan of the United States Post Office, New York
    Second floor plan of the United States Post Office, New York
    Detail and section drawings of the United States Post Office, New York
    Detail and section drawings of the United States Post Office, New York
    Detail drawings of the plaster ceiling and public corridor in the United States Post Office, New York
    Detail drawings of the plaster ceiling and public corridor in the United States Post Office, New York

    References

    1. “New York’s New Post Office A $6,000,000 Wonder”. The Sun (New York), March 2, 1913, p. 1. ↩︎
    2. ibid. ↩︎
    3. ibid. ↩︎
    4. ibid. ↩︎
    5. ibid. ↩︎
    6. A Monograph of the Work of McKim Mead & White, 1879-1915. New York: The Architectural Book Publishing Company, 1915. ↩︎

  • Rohm & Haas Corporate Headquarters (1965) – Philadelphia

    Pietro Belluschi with the George M. Ewing Company. Rohm & Haas Corporate Headquarters.1 2 Philadelphia.
    Looking across the east facade of Rohm & Haas Corporate Headquarters
    Sun screens on Rohm & Haas Corporate Headquarters

    References

    1. “Rohm & Haas builds for the future in Philadelphia” (advertisement). The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 28, 1965, p. 9. ↩︎
    2. “Rohm & Haas Moves Into 9-Story Building, Joins 41 Departments”. The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 28, 1965, p. 18. ↩︎