<p>The USA Courthouse, Wichita, Kansas is a historic post office, courthouse, and Federal office building located at Wichita in Sedgwick County, Kansas. It is a courthouse for the United States District Court for the District of Kansas.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The USA Courthouse in Wichita, originally the USA Post Office and Courthouse, is distinguished by its modern facade and Depression-era murals. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of a group of Kansas Post Offices noted for their artwork. The USA Courthouse demonstrates a skillful blending of Art Deco and classical influences; it retains the symmetry and proportions of Classical architecture while modernizing exterior ornamentation. It is representative of the large and cohesive body of architectural work by Louis A. Simon, who was responsible for the design of government buildings at the Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore. The building was constructed between August 1930 and April 1932 at a cost of $1.2 million.</p><br>
<p>As a courthouse and post office, the building was significant in the development of the city of Wichita. From the time of the earliest settlement, the Wichita Post Office was a focal point of the community, and when the location of the post office shifted, the downtown commercial area grew up around it. When the site for the new USA Courthouse, which was to include the new post office, was selected at 401 North Market Street, it was only a few blocks from the site of Wichita&#39;s original post office in the Durfee Ranch Store. The new building provided an anchor for development and helped draw businesses north along Main Street from Douglas Avenue.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>Modernistic for its time, the USA Courthouse is a U-shaped, flat-roofed, steel-framed building clad in beige Bedford limestone. The building is 224 feet by 157 feet, and is three levels in height, with a fourth level across the south elevation, and a fifth level at the towers of the east and west corners. While the receding walls of the towers stress the vertical, the long facades of the building express an overall horizontal emphasis. All windows are in slightly recessed planes, with pilasters between openings. The even fenestration pattern and the rusticated first story of the building are common themes in classically inspired architecture. The main entrances in the towers on the south elevation have heavy molded surrounds, ornamental reveals, and shelf heads. Above the shelf are two winged limestone lions holding a plaque.</p><br>
<p>Stone carving on the exterior-primarily around the entrances and near the tops of the towers-combines classically inspired, Art Deco, and regional motifs such as winged lions, eagles, buffalo, Native Americans, wheat, and ears of corn. The latter symbols reflect Wichita&#39;s cultural and historic heritage. An ornamental band with a stylized, winged-bird motif is centered between the window heads and the cornice line.</p><br>
<p>Styles displayed on the exterior are continued throughout the interior of the building, where regional motifs blend with classicism. The entrances in the towers on the south elevation open into marble-clad vestibules. The interior doors are hollow bronze set in a wrought-bronze and glass-panel framework. A cast-bronze cornice with four bronze eagles tops the entire framework. The plaster ceiling is coffered with egg-and-dart molding and a star pattern inside the coffers.</p><br>
<p>The walls of the primary corridors on the second level are clad in Kasota Cream marble. Two pairs of double walnut-panel doors with oval windows open into the District Courtroom. The coffered ceilings feature ornamental plaster work, and the elaborate cornice is also plaster.</p><br>
<p>The exterior of the USA Courthouse retains its original appearance. The most impressive interior spaces with grand materials remain intact; these include the lobbies, corridors, and courtrooms. When the Postal Service moved out in 1986, the USA General Services Administration (GSA) restored the finishes of the main lobby and transformed the postal workroom with its wood block floor and warehouse appearance into two courtrooms. Original marble was painstakingly matched and the original paint colors were recreated. Light fixtures, wood paneling and judges&#39; benches were accurately replicated using historic documentation. GSA undertook additional renovations in 1998.</p><br>
<p>Oil-on-canvas murals, painted in 1935–1936, are located on the east and west walls of the lobby. Artists J. Ward Lockwood and Richard Haines received the commissions through a post office mural project awarded by the USA Treasury Department&#39;s Painting and Sculpture Section.</p><br>
<p>Pioneers in Kansas, the mural by Lockwood (a Kansas native), is a collage of images associated with role and evolution of the Postal Service during the settlement of the western United States. A stagecoach laden with mail and passengers marks the center of the canvas, with the other images radiating around it. A Pony Express rider and a Native American exchange fire on the left side of the canvas. A vulture flies above the rider, symbolizing imminent danger and death. A pioneer couple stands on the right side of the canvas, the woman reading a letter. A black steam engine emerges behind the couple, symbolizing continued western expansion.</p><br>
<p>Kansas Farming, the mural by Haines, depicts various aspects of rural life and farm production, focusing on the importance of urbanization, industrialization, and technology to the economic growth of the region. Rolling hills ripe with the bounty of the fall harvest comprise the idealized rural landscape. Tall corn and sunflower plants frame the center panel of the canvas, in which a farmer on horseback visits his neighbors. Nearby, a young girl holds mail in both hands as the boy waves to an unseen mail plane. A farmer feeds corn to his hogs and looks toward a group of produce packers on the left side of the canvas. In the distant background, a small town with a railroad depot and grain elevator represent the growing role of industry in agriculture.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1930–1931: The USA Courthouse, originally called the USA Post Office and Courthouse, is constructed.</p><br>
<p>1935–1936: Under the Department of the Treasury&#39;s newly formed Painting and Sculpture Section. Lobby murals are commissioned and installed.</p><br>
<p>1968: The Post Office relocates to a new building.</p><br>
<p>1986: Postal workroom is converted into two courtrooms.</p><br>
<p>1989: The USA Courthouse is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1998: GSA undertakes a third renovation of the Courthouse.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architects: James A. Wetmore/Louis A. Simon</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1930–1932</p><br>
<p>Landmark Designation: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Kansas Post Offices with Artwork Multiple Property Submission</p><br>
<p>Location: 401 North Market Street</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Art Deco</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Bedford limestone</p><br>
<p>Prominent Feature: Lobby murals, Pioneers in Kansas, by J. Ward Lockwood, and Kansas Farming, by Richard Haines</p><br>
<p>The Edward T. Gignoux USA Courthouse is a historic courthouse building at 156 Federal Street in Portland, Maine. It is the courthouse for the United States District Court for the District of Maine.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>When it was completed in 1911, the USA Courthouse in Portland, now known as the Edward T. Gignoux USA Courthouse, was the first federal courthouse in Maine. Its national stature combined with its distinctive Italian Renaissance Revival architecture brought prestige to Portlands civic center. Designed by James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department, the courthouses classical details complement its neighbors surrounding Lincoln Park, which include the USA Custom House (1872), Cumberland County Courthouse (1910), and Portland City Hall (1912). The USA Courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.</p><br>
<p>Construction of the USA Post Office Building near Lincoln Park in 1868 helped establish the area as a location for public buildings at the turn of the twentieth century. By 1908, the federal government had acquired a prominent site for a new courthouse adjacent to the park, and construction began that year. Knox designed a trapezoidal building with an interior courtyard to be constructed in two phases. The U-shaped first phase of construction was completed in 1911. In 1931–32, Knox&#39;s original design was completed, closing the U, under the direction of the Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore. The new construction provided space for a post office and additional offices on the upper floors.</p><br>
<p>In 1988, the USA Courthouse was renamed in honor of Judge Edward T. Gignoux, a veteran of 26 years on the bench, who had gained notoriety when he presided over the contempt trial of activists who attempted to disrupt the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968.</p><br>
<p>In 1996, the courthouse underwent extensive modernization, which added two new courtrooms in the 1931-32 addition. The principal features and details of the first and second floors of the 1911 construction were rehabilitated and restored. As a result of the project, the Edward T. Gignoux USA Courthouse was awarded an Institutional Preservation Award from Greater Portland Landmarks in 1999.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The Edward T. Gignoux USA Courthouses Italian Renaissance Revival style reflects its architects belief that classicism was well suited for federal buildings. Entirely faced with New England granite, the building is composed of two stories above a raised stone base. Each level is articulated on the exterior through the use of subtle variations in ornamentation and textures. The first story is characterized by channeled stone. It is distinguished from the second story by a stringcourse and by the second story&#39;s smooth masonry. Differentiation also occurs in the fenestration. While the first floor has recessed, rectangular windows with simple moldings, the second-story windows are larger and elaborately detailed with classical moldings, balcony balustrades, and crowning triangular and segmented pediments, some of which are set within large arched niches with keystones. A continuous frieze, dentil molding, and cornice finish the top of the wall, where a parapet caps the composition. A succession of circular dormer windows punctuates the attic story of the slate-shingled mansard roof. The exterior articulation and ornamentation of the 1931-32 addition faithfully replicates the architectural detail of the original 1911 construction.</p><br>
<p>The buildings trapezoidal plan occupies an entire city block bounded by Federal, Newbury, Pearl, and Market Streets. The buildings original U-shaped plan comprises the southwest portion of the block, with the 1931-32 addition completing the northeast side and enclosing the central courtyard. The courtyard is accessed through a porte-cochere on Federal Street, and features buff-colored brick walls with granite stringcourses and keystones for the walls.</p><br>
<p>The building&#39;s formal entrance, located at the angled corner at Federal and Market Streets, is marked by a large, triangular pediment that surmounts a Doric frieze and engaged columns decorated with banded rustication. The entrance leads into the elliptical Rotunda, an elegant and open two-story foyer with refined classical detailing. The Rotunda features a curving marble staircase with a balustrade of thin cast-iron balusters, rising to the second floor along the perimeter of the room.</p><br>
<p>The elegant public spaces are symmetrically composed using classical proportions and details for the bases, wainscoting, and crown molding. Stained wood finishes, such as oak and pine, are used in the courtrooms, corridors, and judicial chambers. Marble finishes and terrazzo floors are reserved for the courtrooms and the corridors in the first floor. Interior finishes in the 1931-32 addition reveal the reduced or — stripped — classical style of the era, as seen in the abstracted designs in the terrazzo flooring and the flattened moldings used for the door framing.</p><br>
<p>In 1992, a major renovation project began to modernize and renovate the historic fabric of the building. Space in the original 1911 floor plan was converted into the Court Clerk offices and a new Magistrate Hearing room. District Courtroom No. 1 was carefully restored to its original design — including arched casement windows, period light fixtures, original color palette, and replicated plaster moldings for the ceiling.</p><br>
<p>The renovations to the 1932 east wing allowed for significant alterations, most notably for the new District Courtroom No. 2, which features an open, two-story space illuminated by skylights and contemporary materials and finishes. The Edward T. Gignoux USA Courthouse remains a fine example of early twentieth century Federal architecture and an important historic landmark in Portland.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1903-08: The federal government purchases the site for a new courthouse.</p><br>
<p>1908-11: The first building phase of the USA Courthouse is completed.</p><br>
<p>1931-32: The U-shaped courthouse is enclosed with a connecting wing, following the building&#39;s original plan.</p><br>
<p>1974: The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1988: The USA Courthouse is named in honor of Judge Edward T. Gignoux.</p><br>
<p>1992-96: A modernization project restores the original District Courtroom, and adds courtrooms and other facilities.</p><br>
<p>1999: The building receives the Institutional Preservation Award from Greater Portland Landmarks.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architects: James Knox Taylor; James A. Wetmore</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1908-11; 1931–32</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 156 Federal Street</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Italian Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Granite</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Rotunda and spiral staircase; District Courtroom</p><br>
<p>The Eldon B. Mahon United States Courthouse is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit located in Fort Worth, Texas. Built in 1933, the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 and was renamed in honor of district court judge Eldon Brooks Mahon in 2003.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>Completed in 1934 during the Great Depression, the courthouse symbolized growth and renewed optimism in Fort Worth. Akin to other buildings of the 1930s, its design and construction fit the pattern of the New Deal-era federal building programs enacted to relieve widespread unemployment. Recognizing that the city&#39;s existing federal building was inadequate for the burgeoning federal agencies, Congress appropriated $1.215 million in June 1930 for the construction of a new USA Courthouse.</p><br>
<p>The buildings forward-looking design makes a significant contribution to the citys impressive collection of Depression-era architecture. Renowned Philadelphia architect Paul Philippe Cret, in association with prominent local architect Wiley G. Clarkson, designed the building under the direction of the Office of the Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department. Clarkson, a native Texan, designed many buildings in Fort Worth during the 1920s and 1930s, including the Trinity Episcopal Church, the Woolworth Building, and the Texas Christian University Library.</p><br>
<p>In 1938, artist Frank Mechau was commissioned under the Public Works Administrations art programs to paint three oil-on-canvas panels in the fourth-floor Court of Appeals. Mechau, a realistic painter who romanticized the American West, is a key figure of the western genre-with work on public view in Federal buildings and art museums across the country. Mechaus paintings were installed in 1940, becoming the only New Deal art commission sponsored in Fort Worth.</p><br>
<p>The USA Courthouse was named in honor of Judge Eldon B. Mahon in 2003 for his service in the Northern District of Texas. Mahon presided over some of the most influential social and political cases in north Texas, including overseeing the racial integration of the Fort Worth School District-a 19-year endeavor.</p><br>
<p>The Courthouse remains an important landmark in downtown Fort Worth and is a symbol of the continued Federal presence in Tarrant County.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The building is an impressive five-story structure, creating the illusion of a solid limestone mass rising to a height of 94 feet. It is designed in the Art Moderne style, incorporating classical elements. A steel and concrete structure faced with limestone veneer, each elevation adheres to classical principles of symmetry and articulation by a regular rhythm of bays with a centralized principal entrance. Art Moderne elements are embodied by the sharp angles and zigzag surfaces seen in the stacked fenestration of the upper stories, and in the geometric, low-relief abstraction of the ornamentation.</p><br>
<p>The first three floors of the courthouse form a rectangular block, while upper floors are E-shaped, opening to the south to form two, three-sided light wells. Original access to the building was gained through three sets of bronze and glass double doors, flanked by Art Deco lanterns of aluminum and glass fronting West Tenth Street. Aluminum grilles in Mayan ziggurat, zigzag, Plains Indian arrows, and Egyptian lotus motifs are set over each pair of doors. Metal trim with Pueblo designs accentuates the windows of the second, third, and fourth floors. The smooth stone walls of the first story rise to a flattened, dentiled stringcourse before a shallow setback to the upper-story block. The outer bays of the second story have semicircular balconies of corbelled stone and metal railings. In between, eleven sets of three-story, stacked windows are each angled outward to the central mullion, creating a distinctive zigzag pattern across the surface of the facade. The window spandrels separating each floor feature moldings incised with black designs in Pueblo Indian motifs. The elongated bays are capped by horizontal windows at the fifth story, as the stone walls terminate to a flat roof. The east and west elevations are mirror images of each other and vary little from the facade, except in their width.</p><br>
<p>Sumptuous finishes, crafted of marble and bronze, and Native American and Art Deco-influenced detailing create eye-catching public spaces on the interior. The former postal lobby and the second- and fourth-floor courtrooms are the most architecturally enriched. The north lobby retains its original terrazzo floor, composed of multicolored marble, forming a zigzag pattern bordered by rectangular designs in pink Lepanto marble along the wall perimeter.</p><br>
<p>The Federal District Court, located on the second floor, displays finishes of the highest quality. Leather-sheathed doors open onto a room with 21-foot-high walls of rich oak paneling framed by dark Cedar Tennessee marble. Art Deco applications at the judge&#39;s white-oak bench and the plaster ornament of the ceiling are decorative focal points.</p><br>
<p>The Court of Appeals on the fourth floor exhibits similar finishes and motifs, featuring 22-foot-high walls clad in American black walnut paneling that is rounded at the corners in a streamlined effect. The doorjambs and engaged columns are Yellow Kasota Fleuri marble, while the plaster ceiling displays a circular band of geometric patterns. At the rear of this room hang Frank Mechau&#39;s dramatic murals: "Texas Rangers in Camp," "The Taking of Sam Bass," and "Flags over Texas." Depicting cowboys, rangers and scenic views of Texas, they are recognized for their skillfully executed abstract and linear style.</p><br>
<p>Extensive renovations in 1994 to create a bankruptcy courtroom and offices partially reversed remodeling done in the 1950s and 1960s. Currently the south half of the lobby has been incorporated into the new courtroom, keeping the original north postal lobby intact. The USA Courthouse remains an outstanding example of the 1930s Art Moderne style.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1933: Courthouse constructed</p><br>
<p>1934: The building opens to the public.</p><br>
<p>1940: Murals painted by Frank Albert Mechau are installed in the fourth-floor Court of Appeals.</p><br>
<p>1956: First floor remodeled, removing most of the original postal substation features.</p><br>
<p>1994: First-floor lobby renovated to include a new bankruptcy court and associated offices.</p><br>
<p>2001: Courthouse listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>2003: Renamed in honor of Judge Eldon B. Mahon.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Paul Philippe Cret; Wiley G. Clarkson</p><br>
<p>Location: 501 West Tenth Street</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Art Moderne</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Limestone veneer, concrete, steel, marble</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Multicolored terrazzo flooring; Art Deco detailing; courtroom wood paneling and murals</p><br>
<p>The Gene Snyder USA Courthouse and Custom House, also known as United States Post Office, Court House and Custom House, is a historic courthouse, custom house, and post office located at Louisville in Jefferson County, Kentucky. It is the courthouse for the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places under the "United States Post Office, Court House and Custom House" name.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>Construction of the Post Office, Court House and Custom House, as it was known historically, came at the end of a prosperous decade for the city of Louisville. The largest city in Kentucky, Louisville played a major role in the regional manufacturing and shipping industries, fostering an increasing population and urban development. New building projects highlighted the citys growth and prosperity, and the planned construction of the new federal building was another indication of Louisvilles rising prominence. The new federal building was constructed from 1931 to 1932, under the Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department James A. Wetmore.</p><br>
<p>The building was among the first recipients of artwork commissioned by the Treasury Relief Art Project, that employed painters and sculptors to incorporate art within the interiors of federal buildings nationwide. In 1935, artist Frank Weathers Long, a Kentucky native, was commissioned to paint ten murals depicting regional themes of commerce, agriculture, and sport. In 1936, with a growing need for more offices and courtrooms, the PWA funded the addition of the sixth floor. The interior of the building was renovated in 1950. In 1958, the sixth story was damaged by a fire, prompting additional renovations.</p><br>
<p>In 1986, the building was renamed in honor of Marion Gene Snyder. Born in Louisville in 1928, Snyder was a prominent figure in Kentucky politics, serving several public offices, including USA Congressional Representative from 1963 to 1965 and 1967 to 1987.</p><br>
<p>In 1986, the Post Office moved out, and Congress appropriated funds for a four-year renovation project to modernize the interiors and restore the key historic spaces on the first and second floors. As a result of the project, the building received numerous stewardship awards, including the 1997/98 and 1998/99 Office Building of the Year, Historic Building Category from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA); BOMA&#39;s 1999/2000 International Award for Government Building of the Year, Historic Building Category; and the 2001 Modernization Project award from Buildings Magazine. In 1999, the Gene Snyder USA Courthouse and Custom House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The Gene Snyder USA Courthouse and Custom House is an excellent example of Classical Revival architecture, a style that federal government architects embraced during the early twentieth century as a method of symbolizing democratic ideals of government and power. More specifically, the building was inspired by the architecture of the USA Treasury Department Building in Washington, DC, designed a century earlier. Both buildings prominently feature a limestone facade composed of a long colonnade of tall, colossal columns raised on a ground-story base to an imposing and impressive effect. Unlike the Treasury Building, the Courthouse was constructed not of solid masonry, but of modern materials, including concrete and steel columns and beams, with Bedford limestone for the exterior veneer.</p><br>
<p>Encompassing an entire city block, the rectangular building rises six stories (the fifth floor is concealed on the exterior behind the limestone entablature). The facade (south elevation) facing Broadway features a row of 18 engaged Corinthian columns with fluted shafts poised upon a rusticated base of arched windows aligned with the fenestration above. The colonnade is framed at each end by projecting pavilions, each with four columns and crowning pediments. The secondary east and west elevations are composed of 12 colossal Corinthian columns to match those of the facade.</p><br>
<p>A continuous limestone entablature, composed of an architrave, frieze, dentil molding, and cornice, and a balustraded parapet cap the south, east, and west elevations. Above this, the unadorned smooth stone walls of the sixth story are subordinate to the articulated rhythm of the lower stories. The two primary entrances are recessed within the tripartite arches at the ends of the facade, and are accessed by stairs flanked by original bronze and glass light standards with claw feet and fluted columns. The glass and bronze doors are original, and retain their decorative surrounds and elliptical transoms containing bronze grilles.</p><br>
<p>The building&#39;s interior is primarily composed of individual offices connected by central corridors, with the exception of the main lobby on the first floor. Originally designed to provide space for post office patrons, the lobby is a grand space, with an arcade extending the length of the building. The lobby is finely detailed with original pink, green, and beige marble flooring with geometric insets, marble veneer for the walls and pilasters, and a pair of marble Doric order columns at each end. Paintings by Frank Weathers Long embellish the lobby walls, with murals titled Stock Farming and Agriculture in the east lobby and Ohio River Traffic and Coal Mining in the west lobby.</p><br>
<p>The two main stairwells feature marble staircases with wrought-iron balusters and floral designs inset into wood handrails. Adjacent elevators retain their original bronze doors, displaying decorative medallions and Greek fretwork. Above the elevator doors are bronze acanthus-leaf moldings and lunettes with murals depicting postal delivery themes, also painted by Long.</p><br>
<p>The second floor includes two original federal courtrooms designed with coffered wood ceilings, marble wainscoting, decorative pilasters, and arched windows.</p><br>
<p>The law library features elegant details including Doric fluted, wood pilasters and an original plaster ceiling decorated with Greek fret band and wave molding.</p><br>
<p>From 1986 to 1990, GSA launched an extensive renovation project. The office spaces were remodeled with modern amenities and contemporary interior design, including new floor and wall finishes. At the same time, original finishes and fixtures in the historic courtrooms and lobbies were rehabilitated and restored to their 1932 condition.</p><br>
<p>The USA Custom House, also known as the Old Post Office and Custom House, is a historic government building at 423 Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was designated a National Historic Landmark, receiving this designation in 1974 and noted for its Egyptian Revival columns. Construction on the building, designed to house multiple federal offices and store goods, began in 1848 and didn&#39;t finish until 1881 due to redesigns and the American Civil War. The USA Customs offices have been located there since the late 19th century.</p><br>
<p>In 2008, it became home to the Audubon Insectarium, the largest free-standing American museum dedicated to insects.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The first customs house in New Orleans was designed by Benjamin Latrobe in 1809. The Latrobe building was replaced by a building that was started around 1819.</p><br>
<p>The current USA Custom House in New Orleans is one of the oldest and most important federal buildings in the Southern United States and one of the major works of architecture commissioned by the federal government in the 19th century. This monumental granite building was begun in 1848 and built over a period of 33 years. The grand Marble Hall in the center of the building is one of the finest Greek Revival interiors in the United States.</p><br>
<p>Located a few blocks from the Mississippi River, the great waterway that enabled New Orleans to become an important port city, the USA Custom House was planned in the 1840s in response to increasing trade through the Mississippi Valley. The building was also designed to accommodate other Federal offices, most notably the main post office and federal courts.</p><br>
<p>In 1847, the Treasury Department chose the design of Alexander Thompson Wood, and construction began in 1848. After Wood was replaced as architect in 1850, a succession of eight architects followed, each modifying the original design concept.</p><br>
<p>The partially completed building was first occupied in 1856 when the USA Customs Service moved into the first floor. The post office followed in November 1860, and the building served as the city&#39;s main post office through the remainder of the 19th century. Although construction was suspended during the Civil War, the building was occupied briefly by Confederate forces and then by the Union Army after New Orleans was occupied in 1862. It was also used to house captured Confederate soldiers, reportedly up to 2,000 men at one time.</p><br>
<p>Construction resumed in 1871, with the upper floor and roof plan and sections substantially revised under the direction of the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury, Alfred B. Mullett (1834–1890), the designer of the Old Executive Office Building in Washington, DC, and many other federal buildings nationwide. Construction of the USA Custom House was completed in 1881.</p><br>
<p>In 1916, the building underwent major interior renovations following the move of the post office and courts to a new facility on Lafayette Square. Interior offices were subdivided and corridors reconfigured. Over the years, mechanical and electrical systems and suspended ceilings were added.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The impressive exterior of the USA Custom House retains its original design, which includes modified Greek and Egyptian Revival elements. The immense four-story building occupies the full trapezoidal downtown city block bounded by Canal, North Peters, Iberville, and Decatur Streets. Due to the shape of the lot, the corner of the building at Canal and North Peters Streets is rounded. The majority of the building is constructed of brick sheathed in gray granite from Quincy, Massachusetts; however, the entablature material is cast iron.</p><br>
<p>Each of the four facades is similar in design. In the center of each facade is a projecting pavilion consisting of four round, fluted, modified Egyptian, engaged columns. The first floor of the structure is faced with rusticated granite stonework. The cast-iron entablature contains widely spaced triglyphs (three vertical bands) in the frieze and dentils (small square blocks) in the cornice, and supports a triangular pediment above the central portico on each facade. Near both ends of each facade is a slightly projecting bay composed of four modified Egyptian pilasters supporting the entablature.</p><br>
<p>On the first story of the exterior of the USA Custom House are a series of blind (vacant) niches, six on each facade. The original architect intended these niches to hold heroic statues of famous Americans. When the plans for the exterior were later simplified, the idea of installing statuary was abandoned.</p><br>
<p>The floor plan of the USA Custom House is arranged around an impressive Greek Revival room known as the Marble Hall, one of the first such rooms in the country. This room is ornamented with Corinthian columns that depict the heads of the mythological god Mercury, guardian of boundaries, commerce, and roads, and the goddess Luna, whose crescent moon-shaped brow symbolizes the city&#39;s location at the crescent bend of the Mississippi River. The columns support a full classical entablature with an ornamented cornice and floral cresting. A deep cove above the cornice supports a sophisticated geometrically-composed skylight. Over the entrance at the North Peters Street end of the hall are sculptures depicting founder of New Orleans, Sieur de Bienville; General Andrew Jackson; and the pelican, the traditional symbol of Louisiana.</p><br>
<p>In 1916, the building underwent major renovations following the move of the post office and courts to a new facility on Lafayette Square. Recent GSA restoration efforts have successfully recaptured the historic appearance of the building, exposing original components such as vaulted ceilings and replicating missing or deteriorated interior elements and finishes, such as the skylight over the stairs.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1845: Congress appropriates $500 for the preparation of plans for a new USA Custom House and Construction begins.</p><br>
<p>1861: The start of the Civil War suspends construction of the USA Custom House and a temporary roof is put on the building.</p><br>
<p>1861–1865: During the war, the unfinished building is used to manufacture gun carriages for the Confederacy, as a Union headquarters, and as a Federal prison.</p><br>
<p>1871–1889: Under Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department Alfred B. Mullett, construction of the USA Custom House is completed.</p><br>
<p>1915–1916: The entire building is renovated.</p><br>
<p>1974: The USA Custom House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark.</p><br>
<p>1975–1976: Congress authorizes $6,732,000 for a major renovation, as a contribution to the country&#39;s Bicentennial.</p><br>
<p>1993: A G.S.A. rehabilitation and vacant-space-recapture project restores rooms and other interior elements to their pre-1916 condition.</p><br>
<p>2008: Becomes home to the Audubon Insectarium.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Alexander T. Wood, principal</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1848–1881</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: National Historic Landmark</p><br>
<p>Location: 423 Canal Street</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Modified Greek/Egyptian Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Gray Massachusetts granite over a steel frame, with a cast-iron entablature</p><br>
<p>Prominent Feature: Marble Hall</p><br>
<p>The John Minor Wisdom United States Court of Appeals Building is a historic courthouse for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit located at 600 Camp Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2015 it was designated a National Historic Landmark for its extensive role in adjudicating issues of the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. John Minor Wisdom, for whom it is now named, was a judge on the Fifth Circuit during that period.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The John Minor Wisdom USA Court of Appeals Building originally housed a USA post office and both federal district and appeals courts. In 1908, the New York architectural firm Hale and Rogers won a design competition for the building, and USA Treasury Department officials approved their plans in 1909. Workers broke ground later that year on the site, which encompasses the block bounded by Lafayette, Camp, Magazine, and Capdeville streets overlooking Lafayette Square. Construction of the elaborate building took many years; the date 1912 is incised on the frieze on the Lafayette Street side, but the interior was not finished until 1915, and employees were only able to move into their offices the next year. The post office occupied the entire first floor, while the federal district court and court of appeals were on the second. Executive branch agencies were on the third level.</p><br>
<p>In 1961, needing additional space, the post office moved to a new facility. Two years later, the courts also vacated. The building was unoccupied until 1965, when it served as a public high school for three years after Hurricane Betsy destroyed McDonough 35 High School. Between 1971 and 1972, the federal building underwent an extensive restoration. Upon completion, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals returned to the building as its only tenant. The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and has since been featured in several films and television shows.</p><br>
<p>In 1994, the building was renamed to honor John Minor Wisdom, a respected judge who served on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals from 1957 until his death in 1999. Wisdom strongly promoted civil rights and issued landmark decisions that supported school desegregation and voter rights. In 1993, President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation&#39;s highest civilian honor.</p><br>
<p>During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, wind and rain damaged the building, but there was no flooding. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals judges and staff briefly relocated to other cities and towns in the region because of damage and power outages, but returned to the building in December 2005 when the issues were resolved.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The building is an excellent example of the Italian Renaissance Revival style of architecture. During its construction, author Russell F. Whitehead called the building "the most important public building of the New South." Regional building materials were used throughout, including Mississippi and Louisiana pine, Tennessee and Georgia marble, and Louisiana gum.</p><br>
<p>The monumental three-story building is faced in white Cherokee, Georgia, marble atop a gray granite base. The first story is articulated with deeply incised horizontal striations while the marble on the upper stories is cut in smooth ashlar blocks. Round-arch openings dominate the first story. Dramatic colonnades with Ionic columns are on the Camp and Magazine street elevations and support a cornice inscribed with the names of past Chief Justices of the Supreme Court.</p><br>
<p>Projecting corner pavilions rise slightly above the roofline; each pavilion contains an ornate arched opening flanked by marble columns, both freestanding and attached, that are striated to match the pattern on the street level. The columns support entablatures that include classical balustrades. Windows with ornately carved hoods featuring split pediments and eagle-and-shield motifs are directly above the arched openings. Ionic order pilasters separate windows on the upper stories of the pavilions. A balustrade runs between each of the pavilions at the roofline, topping the recessed portion of each elevation. Other exterior elements typical to the Italian Renaissance Revival style of architecture include classical features such as pediments, triglyphs, and dentils, which are interspersed with foliated and floral designs. A unique detail is the arch keystones that have carved fish-scale patterns.</p><br>
<p>Perhaps the most striking exterior features of the building are the groupings of four colossal statues placed at each of the buildings corners. These identical copper and bronze sculptures are called History, Agriculture, Industry, and Arts, but are popularly known as The Ladies. Each figure holds an item associated with the concept it represents. History wears a bonnet; Agriculture holds a cornucopia; Industry holds a tool; and Arts holds a flower. The figures are seated around an armillary sphere banded by the signs of the zodiac. Each sculpture is twelve feet high and weighs one ton. The renowned Piccirilli Brothers, expert marble carvers who also executed Daniel Chester Frenchs statue of President Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial, created The Ladies from drawings by architect James Gamble Rogers.</p><br>
<p>The emphasis of the 1971 to 1972 restoration effort was on the impressive public interior spaces, which were returned to their original grandeur. The first floor lobby, known as the Great Hall, is an L-shaped space with marble columns that support an elaborate bronzed castplaster vaulted ceiling. The ceiling is richly decorated with bas relief floral medallions and motifs, geometric key designs, and allegorical figures. Spherical lights are held in place by bronze pendant fixtures that descend from the vaulted ceiling. The court&#39;s law library occupies the original postal work area on the first floor.</p><br>
<p>Three courtrooms, each with an entry lobby with marble wainscot walls, are located on the second floor. The courtrooms are paneled in polished gum wood and bronze chandeliers hang from the ceiling. Distinctive wall sconces that feature large white globes supported by either cast-bronze eagles or snakes illuminate the spaces. The central courtroom is perhaps the most impressive. Called the En Banc courtroom, it was designed to seat all of the active judges on the Court of Appeals simultaneously so that they can hear important cases together. The plaster ceiling features medallions and other symbols and has been finished with a bronze glaze.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1909: Construction commences</p><br>
<p>1912: Roof sculpture installed</p><br>
<p>1915: Construction completed at a cost of $2 million and building occupied</p><br>
<p>1961: Post office vacates building</p><br>
<p>1972: Restoration completed</p><br>
<p>1974: Building listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>1994: Building renamed to honor John Minor Wisdom</p><br>
<p>2015: Building designated National Historic Landmark</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 600 Camp Street</p><br>
<p>Architect: Hale and Rogers</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1909–1915</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Italian Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Marble</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Colonnades; Great Hall; "The Ladies" sculptural groupings</p><br>
<p>The United States Custom House is a historic custom house at 312 Fore Street in downtown Portland, Maine. It was built from 1867–1872 to house offices of the United States Customs Service, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>Located near Portlands waterfront, the USA Custom House is a testament to the citys maritime history. It was built to accommodate the city&#39;s growing customs business, which, by 1866, was collecting $900,000 annually in customs duties—making Portland one of the most significant seaports in the country. The building is typical of the notable designs completed under the direction of Alfred B. Mullett, Supervising Architect of the Treasury from 1865 to 1874. Constructed between 1867 and 1872, the USA Custom House combines elements of the Second Empire and Renaissance Revival styles. The need for the new USA Custom House was exacerbated by the Great Fire of July 4, 1866. The fire destroyed the Exchange Building—which had previously housed the customs office, post office and courts—as well as 1,800 other buildings in the center of the city.</p><br>
<p>Although federal funds for the construction of buildings were limited during the post-Civil War period, the importance of maintaining Portland&#39;s customs business and rebuilding the city mandated the construction of the new government facility. Plans for designing the new USA Custom House were completed in 1866. Mullett was commissioned to design the new building, as well as a new post office and courthouse (no longer extant). Construction took five years to complete amid delays in obtaining granite for the upper stories.</p><br>
<p>The USA Custom House is the best remaining example of Mullett&#39;s work in the state of Maine and continued to serve its original function until USA Customs and Border Protection moved out in 2012. A major renovation was completed in 2013 and the building now houses several other federal agencies. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The USA Custom House is a skillful blend of the Renaissance Revival and Second Empire styles, which were popular in the United States during the mid- to late 19th century. Its original design is largely intact. The three-story, free-standing, I-shaped structure is constructed of New Hampshire granite with a slate-shingled hipped roof. These fireproof materials were chosen in response to the 1866 fire.</p><br>
<p>The building rests on a sloping lot that forms an embankment along the sides and the Fore Street entrance of the building. A heavy cast-iron railing, designed of tangent ovals, rests on top of the embankment. The basement level is accented with a rusticated granite exterior finish.</p><br>
<p>The USA Custom House has a shallow I-shaped plan, with projecting pedimented entry pavilions on the Fore Street and Commercial Street facades. The entire building is dominated by large and handsome rhythmic, round-headed windows with simple keystones. The window openings are flanked by engaged Doric columns on the first and second stories. Square pilasters mark the corners of the pavilions and the facades. A cornice and balustrade surround the entire building. The cornice features ornamental triglyphs (three vertical bands separated by V-shaped grooves).</p><br>
<p>Distinctive twin, square cupolas rise above the pedimented pavilions. Double Corinthian order pilasters flank arched Venetian windows, each of which is capped with a shallow pediment. The cupolas&#39; distinctive mansard roofs are a defining feature of the Second Empire style.</p><br>
<p>The building is organized around the grand two-story customs hall, which is the building&#39;s public showplace and occupies the central portions of the first and second floors. The marble floor of the hall is laid with a sophisticated checkerboard pattern. Two counters run the length of the room and are fashioned of several different types of marble that were quarried on an island in Lake Champlain. These include a dark veined marble for the base; a red variegated marble for the pilasters, cornice and panels; a jet-black marble for the beading around the panels; and a dove-gray marble for the counters. Encircling the hall at the second floor is a narrow gallery with a decorative iron rail. The gallery is ornamented with symbols relating to commerce in the United States, including corn and tobacco leaf motifs and dolphins flanked by oak and olive leaves.</p><br>
<p>The ceiling of the customs hall is highly ornamented. A large plaster cove rises from the second-floor openings to an elaborate plaster cornice and coffered ceiling. Groin (cross) vaults over each second floor-opening extend from the cove, and the ceiling beams are decorated with a Greek key pattern and bosses (elaborate joints) at beam intersections.</p><br>
<p>An eight-foot, walnut, pedestal-mounted counter capped with a spherical clock stands at the center of the customs hall. The counter contains an octagonal writing surface decorated with flutes, bosses, a collar, and modified Ionic order scrolls.</p><br>
<p>The original walnut woodwork is still intact throughout the building, as are the Italian marble fireplaces in the offices located at both ends of the building. The offices, which are more simply designed than the main hall, consist of plaster walls, and walnut baseboards, window surrounds, and doors. The original 2 story vault for storing valuables also remains.</p><br>
<p>The USA Custom House has experienced only minor changes since it was constructed, and therefore exhibits a high degree of architectural integrity. The most notable alteration to the structure has occurred in the interior customs hall, where the original gas chandeliers have been replaced with the current surface-mounted ceiling fixtures. The basement was converted into office and dormitory space for the USA Coast Guard in 1983. The majority of the building&#39;s distinctive elements, such as the marbled checkerboard floor and decorative staircases, remain in place. In 1998, the aluminum doors, which were installed during the 1960s at the main entrances, were replaced with wooden doors similar in design and color to the original doors to the building.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1866: Supervising Architect of the Treasury, Alfred B. Mullet, designs the USA Custom House.</p><br>
<p>1867–1872: The USA Custom House is constructed.</p><br>
<p>1950s: The USA General Services Administration acquires the building.</p><br>
<p>1973: The USA Custom House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1983: The basement is converted into office and dormitory space for the USA Coast Guard.</p><br>
<p>1998: Restoration of the building begins with restoration of the entrance to replicate its original appearance.</p><br>
<p>2012: USA Customs relocates from the building.</p><br>
<p>2013: Restoration of the building completes.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Alfred B. Mullett, Supervising Architect of the Treasury</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1867–1872</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 312 Fore Street, Portland, Maine</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Second Empire/Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: New Hampshire granite and slate tile roof</p><br>
<p>Prominent Feature: Customs Hall</p><br>
<p>USA Custom House is a historic custom house building located at Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is a granite, steel-frame structure measuring 252 feet by 139 feet. It is an exceptionally distinguished example of Beaux Arts architecture and was built from 1903 through late 1907 from plans by Hornblower and Marshall, a Washington, D.C. firm. The ceiling of the Call Room, located in the pavilion, was painted by Francis Davis Millet . It served as Baltimore&#39;s Custom House until 1953. Since that time various Federal agencies have occupied the building.</p><br>
<p>USA Custom House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>In the 18th and 19th centuries, Baltimore flourished as one of the nations major commercial ports, its economy growing as foreign trade increased. In 1789, the First USA Congress established the United States Customs Service and named Baltimore as one of 59 collection districts. The first Baltimore custom house was at the intersection of South Gay between East Lombard and Water Streets, across from the present location. Around 1820 the government began to rent a wing of the Merchants Exchange Building to house the Customs Service. Designed by J. Maximilian Godefroy, (1765-1838), and famous British-American architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, (1764-1820), in an H-shaped structure and constructed in 1816–1820, the Merchant&#39;s Exchange Building was the largest domed building of its kind in America and a landmark of the city symbolizing its commercial importance. It continued to house the USA Customs Service, along with the USA Courthouse for District and Circuit Court of Appeals, Post Office and a branch of the Bank of the United States and separate wings for the first City Hall and another for offices of shipping companies, brokers, attorneys and related maritime businesses through the end of the 19th century. In April 1865, the rotunda was the site of a viewing ceremony during the long procession winding through the downtown city streets for assassinated 16th President Abraham Lincoln as later his decorated train traveled through the Northern States back to his home in Springfield, Illinois for burial.</p><br>
<p>In 1900 the Treasury Department held a design competition for Baltimores third custom house. It was to be built on the site of the famed Merchants Exchange. The winning entry was by the prominent Washington, D.C. firm of Hornblower and Marshall.</p><br>
<p>The buildings cornerstone was laid on June 13, 1903, in a ceremony attended by several hundred people. On February 7–8, 1904 as construction neared the third floor, a catastrophic fire swept through downtown Baltimore. Over 1,500 buildings were destroyed, and the Custom House suffered major damage. Many of the granite blocks had been split by the heat. These had to be removed and replaced in what proved to be a difficult and costly process. The structures northwest corner was almost entirely rebuilt. Despite this setback, construction continued, and the building was completed and occupied at the end of 1907.</p><br>
<p>From the time of its completion, the Custom House was widely praised as a triumph of both design and workmanship. In 1908, the American Architect and Building News declared, "The result achieved by the intelligent cooperation of architect and artist stamps Baltimore&#39;s new Custom House as among the most successful public buildings erected in this country." Today the Custom House remains an outstanding interpretation of the Beaux-Arts vision and a monument to the dignity of the federal government.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The USA Custom House in Baltimore is located two blocks north of the Inner Harbor, on a gently sloping site bounded by Gay, Lombard, and Water Streets. The six-story building, 92 feet high from base to roof balustrade, displays an axial symmetry and imposing presence characteristic of the Beaux-Arts style. The buildings architects, Joseph C. Hornblower (1848–1908) and John Rush Marshall (1851–1927), began their careers in the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department. They used Hornblowers training at the École des Beaux-Arts and the experiences of their European tours to apply French academic planning and organizational principles to American civic architecture.</p><br>
<p>The steel structure and masonry bearing walls are faced with granite quarried near Laurel, Maryland, and Mount Airy, North Carolina. The primary facade fronts Gay Street. A smooth-faced basement level (extending from grade up to a watertable course) rises to a heavily rusticated first floor. The second through fourth stories are articulated by three-story engaged Ionic columns, flanking the recessed window bays. Alternating segmental and triangular pediments carried on consoles top the second-story windows. The smooth columns support a full entablature and roof balustrade, which wrap around the building and conceal the attic story and flat roof.</p><br>
<p>The Gay Street entrance is approached by marble steps that are flanked by plinths with wrought-iron lamp standards with lamps resembling 18th century ship&#39;s stern lanterns. The entrance doors are protected behind wrought-iron grillework.</p><br>
<p>The west (Commerce Street) side of the building reveals an "E-shaped" plan. The double-story Call Room pavilion forms the middle arm of the "E" and is on axis with the entrance. Rusticated corners flank a five-bay window arcade. The window spandrels are decorated with carvings depicting sea monsters, shells, and other nautical ornamentation that reflect the Custom Houses proximity to Baltimores Inner Harbor. A balustraded parapet shields the copper-clad roof of the pavilion.</p><br>
<p>The main lobby has a marble floor with an inlaid brass compass design. The walls are paneled with variegated marble. The lobby is flanked by elevators and stairhalls, with marble stairs and ornamental iron and brass railings. A narrow corridor connects the lobby to the historic Call Room where customs revenues were paid.</p><br>
<p>The Call Room is the Custom Houses most impressive, and historically significant, space. The walls have paired Ionic pilasters supporting an entablature with a paneled frieze. The paneled cove rises to the central ceiling panel, measuring 63 feet by 30 feet, and adorned with a mural entitled Entering the Harbour. It depicts a fleet of ten sailing vessels: ships including a whaler, barks, a barquentine, a brig, and a schooner entering the harbor. The panels of the cove and frieze, five lunettes on the east wall, and the borders of the ceiling panel depict the evolution of navigation. They portray over 125 vessels, from ancient Egyptian ships to the R.M.S. Mauretania of 1907, accompanied by J. P. Morgans yacht, the Corsair. All of the murals were painted by Francis Davis Millet, a prominent American muralist of the period. Millet died just a few years after these murals were completed, perishing along with over 1,500 others in the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic in 1912.</p><br>
<p>After four years of renovation and modernization work, the Custom House formally reopened in 1997.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1789: The USA Customs Service is established, and Baltimore is named as one of 59 collection districts.</p><br>
<p>1816-1820: The Merchant&#39;s Exchange Building, designed by Maximilian Godefroy and Benjamin H. Latrobe, is constructed; one wing is used for Customs Service.</p><br>
<p>1900: Hornblower and Marshall are selected as architects for the new Custom House.</p><br>
<p>1903: The cornerstone of the present-day Custom House is laid on the former site of the Exchange Building.</p><br>
<p>1904: A devastating fire ravages a seventy-block area of Baltimore, damaging the unfinished Custom House.</p><br>
<p>1907: Construction is completed.</p><br>
<p>1972: The building is designated one of America&#39;s twelve Historic Custom Houses.</p><br>
<p>1974: The Custom House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1997: The Custom House is formally reopened after a four-year renovation project.</p><br>
<p>The USA Post Office in Le Roy, New York, serves the 14482 ZIP Code, covering the village and town of Le Roy. It is a brick and stone building on Main Street  erected in the late 1930s.</p><br>
<p>Its Colonial Revival design, featuring a hipped roof and limestone facing, is unique among post offices in the state as the only small one with a clock tower or limestone facing.</p><br>
<h2>Building</h2><br>
<p>The post office is located at the northeast corner of Main and Mill streets, at the eastern edge of downtown Le Roy, two blocks east of the Clay and Lake street (New York State Route 19). To its east a 25 ft stone retaining wall separates it from Oatka Creek, next to a partial dam. South and west are other commercial properties; a parking lot is located to the north. The lot slopes significantly enough due to the proximity of the creek, exposing the basement on the north (rear) side.</p><br>
<p>The building itself is an almost square one-story steel frame structure, five bays on the south (front), east and north and six on the west. It is faced in coursed ashlar limestone and topped by a hipped roof shingled in slate, set off by a shallow cornice and parapet with balustraded sections above the windows, around the entire roofline. In the center is a square wooden cupola with a dome, illuminated electric clock and weather vane. A wide stone chimney rises from the rear.</p><br>
<p>In the center of the south façade is the recessed main entryway, flanked by metal lanterns. Above the doors are a large radiating fanlight and a small hood supported by stone consoles. It is flanked by 12-over-12 double-hung wooden sash windows. At the end bays are recessed niches with small semicircular openings at the top. Above all the windows are carved panels depicting, in alternation, garlands and postal motifs. Metal letters affixed above them, below the cornice, spell out "UNITED STATES POST OFFICE" with smaller letters saying "LE ROY NEW YORK" in the frieze above the doors.</p><br>
<p>At the south end of the side facades are double-recessed arched 20-over-15 sash windows on slightly projecting portions with carved medallions. Other windows on those facades are identical to the flanking windows on the front. A wooden canopy shelters the loading dock at the rear.</p><br>
<p>Walled stone steps lead to the modern double metal-and-glass double doors at the main entrance. They open into a wooden vestibule. Behind it is the L-shaped main lobby, occupying four of the front five bays and stretching around the southwest corner. The postmaster&#39;s office is in the southeast corner.</p><br>
<p>It retains many original finishes, from black and white checkerboard terrazzo flooring, black marble borders and baseboard and veined gray marble wainscoting to seven feet (7 ft) along the walls. Above is a plaster wall and ceiling with molded cornice. The insides of the windows are also recessed and decorated with beaded molding. The screenline features unusual angled glass and metal grilles above the teller windows and lockboxes.</p><br>
<h2>History</h2><br>
<p>Le Roy was established in the last years of the 18th century, before the Holland Purchase, covering the vast majority of the other land in Western New York, was initiated. The intersection of the creek and a major Iroquois trail through the region (today Route 5) made it an ideal place for a mill. By 1804 it had a post office, and 30 years later it was incorporated as a village.</p><br>
<p>Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the post office was housed in a variety of rented or leased locations in the village. In 1929, Congress, lobbied by local resident Ernest L. Woodward, heir to the Jell-O fortune, authorized the construction of a dedicated facility in the village and appropriated funds for its construction as an amendment to the Public Buildings Act. It took longer to start and complete than other New Deal post offices in New York, partly due to Woodward&#39;s involvement.</p><br>
<p>Congress reiterated its authorization in another amendment two years later passed in response to the onset of the Great Depression, after Woodward donated land federal and state inspectors approved after flying over it.</p><br>
<p>Despite the lack of adequate frontage, it had other advantages that made it an ideal site. The Treasury Department, which oversaw postal construction, asked Woodward to obtain additional land along the creek from the Niagara Hudson Company, the local electric utility, for a retaining wall. He did, but the Treasury refused to accept the deed over concerns about liability the government might face from past flood damage. After many trips to Washington to lobby officials there, Woodward resolved the impasse by obtaining a surety bond absolving Niagara Hudson.</p><br>
<p>Woodward suggested that Rochester architect James Arnold, who was familiar with Le Roy&#39;s downtown, be commissioned to design the building. The recommendation was accepted, and Arnold promptly produced a building. It was reported to be "almost an exact copy" of the Radcliffe Library at Oxford University. Woodward, USA Representative Archie D. Sanders, the postmaster and village officials sent a petition to Treasury requesting that the stone used be native to the area.</p><br>
<p>Due to the change in presidential administrations and the beginning of the New Deal, a final appropriation was delayed. In November 1933 the budget was halved when president Franklin D. Roosevelt decided to focus on reforestation instead. Many village residents reconsidered whether a post office that reflected the community could be built with the limited funds available. Woodward rallied residents to lobby for the restoration of the full appropriation, and they secured it the next year. Most of the money allocated would go to building the retaining wall, after the village and the government resolved a dispute over which of them would pay for how much.</p><br>
<p>Construction was plagued by problems from the start. No local stonecutters were available, and Indiana limestone was therefore substituted for local stone. The low bidder on the job, a Kenmore contractor, went bankrupt before construction could begin in late 1935. The bonding company chose a Rochester firm to replace it, and the cornerstone was laid in August 1936, without any of the usual ceremonies. After learning that the contractor had bid on the assumption that they were to be building a brick structure, Woodward paid for the limestone facing himself.</p><br>
<p>He further intervened to delay the building&#39;s scheduled opening in the spring of 1937, dissatisfied with the roof. He felt the original flat roof, a feature of many post offices of the era, looked "squatty" and undistinguished. That summer plans for the current roof, with clock tower, were approved, and construction began again. The building was finally dedicated in 1938, almost two years to the day after construction began. It was estimated that the total cost of construction, including the monies donated by Woodward, was almost $90,000 ($ in contemporary dollars). As a result of his contribution, the Le Roy post office is the only small one in the state with a clock tower and limestone facing. Its hipped roof with parapet is also distinctive.</p><br>
<p>The United States Customhouse is a historic and active custom house at 2nd and William Streets in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Architect Robert Mills designed the custom house in 1834 in a Greek Revival style. It has been used by the USA Customs Service ever since, and today serves as a port of entry.</p><br>
<p>The building was designated a National Historic Landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 for its architectural significance as one of the finest modest Greek Revival government buildings in New England.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>In 1789, New Bedford was chosen to be the administrative center of the Tenth USA Customs District. Colonel Edward Pope was chosen to be the district&#39;s first collector. By 1825, New Bedford had surpassed Nantucket as the world capital of the whaling industry, a distinction it would hold for much of the nineteenth century. In response to the importance of New Bedford as a port city, the USA Congress authorized the construction of a Custom House in 1832. The initial appropriation was $15,000, but the funds were insufficient to meet new USA Treasury Department requirements for fireproof construction. With the allocation of additional appropriations, construction began in 1834. The final cost was approximately $31,000.</p><br>
<p>The design of the USA Custom House is attributed to Robert Mills (1781–1855), architect of the USA Treasury Building and the USA Patent Office in Washington, DC. Mills also designed three other USA Custom Houses in New England at about the same time: those in New London and Middletown, Connecticut, and Newburyport, Massachusetts. Although the four Greek Revival USA Custom Houses are similar in scale, plan, materials, and detailing, the New Bedford building is the largest and most architecturally elaborate. Collectively, the buildings represent an early example of standardized construction and supervision that formed a pattern of design for the federal building program in later years.</p><br>
<p>Considered functionally outdated in 1958, the USA Custom House was extensively restored in 1962. It was listed as a contributing building in the New Bedford National Historic Landmark District in 1966. In 1970 it was designated a National Historic Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The USA Custom House became part of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park in 1996.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The USA Custom House in New Bedford, erected between 1834–1836, is an exceptional illustration of a modest public building designed in the Greek Revival style. Located a few blocks from the waterfront, the oblong, symmetrical building occupies most of its site with the principal entrance and first story located approximately four feet above grade. Set 50-feet above the tide level with an uninterrupted view of the harbor, the USA Custom House has been a city landmark since its completion.</p><br>
<p>The design of federal buildings changed significantly following a fire in 1833 that destroyed the Executive Office Building in Washington, DC. Seeking to end the onslaught of fires, the Treasury Department instituted new requirements for fireproofing federal buildings. The initial appropriation for the USA Custom House had been for a brick building with wood framing, but Mills designed a solid masonry building. His design demonstrated skill with fireproof construction methods, which remained evident in all of his later federal commissions.</p><br>
<p>The monumental USA Custom House is five bays wide and three bays deep, rising two stories above a full basement. The structure has granite-faced, masonry-bearing walls with floors supported by brick groin-vaults and a hipped roof carried by zinc-coated wood trusses. Four chimneys rise from the center of the building enclosing the original rooftop observatory.</p><br>
<p>The dramatic portico dominates the main (east) elevation on North Second Street. This significant feature was excluded from the original contract due to its expense and decorative purpose. The high-style portico, which is characteristic of the Greek Revival style, was part of a second set of construction specifications produced in 1836. It is composed of four slightly tapered Doric order columns, twenty-five feet in height and two feet three inches in diameter. Each column consists of four pieces of stone and supports an enclosed pediment, accentuating the building&#39;s wide entablature.</p><br>
<p>The building&#39;s modest interior finishes reflect not only the frugality of the federal building program during this period, but also the sparseness of the Greek Revival style. Interior spaces are organized along a central corridor on the first floor. The stair hall runs perpendicular to the south side of the main axis. The main hall is located on the second floor, with offices and storage occupying the remaining portions of the building. Extant interior features original to the building include the groin vaults of the ceiling in the first-floor office spaces, plastered wall surfaces, molded wood service counters, and a built-in measuring device from 1859. Late 19th century wainscoting composed of beaded vertical boards and wide baseboards survive in the first-floor corridor but the original pine flooring is covered with black-and-white marble tiles. The main stair is modestly detailed with stone treads, wood handrail, and square iron balusters. The workmanship that created these stairs was described in 1837 by John L. Sibley in The American Magazine of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge, as "not surpassed by any which we have ever seen."</p><br>
<p>In the 1960s the building was extensively restored. The exterior was cleaned, the 2/2 double-hung sash wood windows installed in the 1870s were replaced with 6/6 double-hung wood sashes replicating the original windows, and the mid-nineteenth-century cupola was removed. The exterior of the building was cleaned again in 1981. Following an assessment of preservation needs, a major historic rehabilitation project is planned for the USA Custom House that includes improvements necessary for continued use of this significant national resource.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1832: Construction of the USA Custom House is authorized by Congress.</p><br>
<p>1833: Robert Mills designs the USA Custom House at New Bedford along with three other USA Custom Houses in New England.</p><br>
<p>1834-1836: The USA Custom House is constructed.</p><br>
<p>1958: A Building Evaluation Report concludes that the 120-year-old building is "functionally outdated."</p><br>
<p>1961-1962: The building is documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and is restored.</p><br>
<p>1966: The USA Custom House is listed as a contributing building in the New Bedford National Historic Landmark District.</p><br>
<p>1970: The building is designated a National Historic Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1996: The building becomes part of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Robert Mills</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1834-1836</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: National Historic Landmark</p><br>
<p>Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Contributing building in the New Bedford National Historic Landmark District</p><br>
<p>Location: 37 North Second Street</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Greek Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Hallowell granite</p><br>
<p>Prominent Feature: Portico</p><br>
<p>The Harold D. Donohue Federal Building and United States Courthouse, formerly known as the USA Post Office and Courthouse, is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts located in Worcester, Massachusetts.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>Established in 1722, Worcester remained a relatively small but prosperous village until the 1835 construction of the Boston & Worcester Railroad. The railroad established the town as an important commercial and industrial hub, and businesses burgeoned. In 1848, as a result of rapid growth, Worcester was incorporated as a city. The earliest postal facilities in Worcester were located in postmasters&#39; homes. In 1897, a post office was constructed on the site of the present building. As Worcester expanded in the twentieth century, it needed a courthouse and federal office space in addition to a larger post office building. Officials decided to construct a single building to meet all of those needs. Disputes arose over the selection of a site that was appropriate for a prominent federal building yet situated in a convenient location within the commercial district. Ultimately, the 1897 post office building was demolished and the site utilized for the current building, which would house the first and only presence of the United States District Court in Worcester.</p><br>
<p>The present building was constructed from 1930 to 1931 with funding made available through the Public Buildings Act of 1926. The design was approved by Louis A. Simon in the Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore. The Murch Brothers Construction Company of St. Louis, Missouri, completed the construction for a cost of $670,000 plus an additional $37,747 for the installation of Otis Elevation Company elevators. The building officially opened in January 1932.</p><br>
<p>In 1987, the building was renamed for Harold D. Donohue, a USA Representative and World War II veteran who served in the House from 1947 to 1974. Federal Square, which fronts the northeast elevation of the building, was constructed in 1991. In 1993, the USA Post Office left the building and the interior space was reconfigured to accommodate the needs of the court.</p><br>
<p>The building was a regional winner and finalist in the Building Owners and Managers Association&#39;s The Office Building of the Year (TOBY) Award for 1996 to 1997.</p><br>
<p>The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The structure is located on a triangular lot in the southern end of the commercial district in Worcester. It is bounded by Main, Myrtle, and Southbridge streets and is adjacent to Federal Square. The five-story building is a blend of the Classical and Renaissance Revival styles of architecture. The building&#39;s design conveys the dignity and stability of the federal government, which was particularly important during the Great Depression.</p><br>
<p>Native New England materials were used to construct the building, which is divided into three horizontal zones: base, midsection, and attic story. The base is clad in West Townsend, Massachusetts, granite laid in ashlar blocks. Middle stories are sheathed in Danby, Vermont, marble. The attic story is distinct and contains bays divided by terra-cotta panels with raised relief motifs bordered by stylized palmettes and inverted waterleaf designs. The attic story is topped by a flat roof. A circular terra-cotta cupola with a colonnade (series of columns) and dome roof sits atop the building.</p><br>
<p>The narrow northeast facade serves as the principal elevation from a design perspective. It contains monumental engaged columns with granite bases, marble shafts, and terra-cotta capitals. Three arches form an arcade. The central keystone in the arch over the entrance is adorned with a scale of justice and a key motif contained within a cartouche (decorative oval). Beneath the roofline, the frieze contains three recurring motifs. A bulls skull surrounded by oak leaves and banderols is followed by a rams head festooned with fruit and nuts. A corn wreath crowned with an armorial helmet completes the trio.</p><br>
<p>The interior of the building has relatively simple finishes that remain primarily in the courtrooms, judges&#39; chambers, lobbies, stair halls, and corridors. The first-floor elevator and postal lobbies retain many original finishes. Floors are covered with pre-cast orange terrazzo set in pigmented grout with polished Travertine and Vermont marble inlay. The plaster walls have marble wainscot. Brass radiator grilles, bronze writing desks, and an iron grille above the original service entrance remain. The transom area above the opening to the staircase in the west entrance vestibule is adorned with a raised-relief plaster eagle, which conveys the federal presence.</p><br>
<p>The building was renovated between 1972 and 1973. At that time, major mail processing activities moved to a recently completed facility nearby. Hellman-Kempton Associates of Falmouth, Massachusetts, retrofitted the building for new tenants. This work left the building exterior intact, but the interior was reconfigured. The renovation included the replacement of windows; removal of skylights; and installation of new floors, ceilings, light fixtures, plumbing, and wiring. A portion of the west postal lobby and the postal workroom were divided into smaller spaces.</p><br>
<p>Between 1993 and 1995, a lightwell that extended from the second to the fifth stories in the central portion of the building was filled to accommodate additional courtrooms. In 1995, artist Michael Hachey completed a mural to commemorate the case of Quock Walker, an African-American slave who successfully sued for his freedom in a 1783 case that was popularly believed to have abolished slavery in Massachusetts.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1897: First post office building constructed on site</p><br>
<p>1930–32: Earlier post office building demolished and new building constructed</p><br>
<p>1972–73: Building renovations upon departure of majority of post office functions</p><br>
<p>1987: Building renamed to honor USA Representative Harold D. Donohue</p><br>
<p>1993–95: Courtrooms addition constructed</p><br>
<p>1996–97: Regional winner and finalist in TOBY awards</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 595 Main Street</p><br>
<p>Architects: James A. Wetmore; Leers Weinzapfel Associates</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1930–32; 1993–95</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Classical and Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Granite, Marble, and Terra Cotta</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Cupola; Decorative frieze</p><br>
<p>The Federal Building and USA Courthouse, Port Huron, Michigan is a historic courthouse and federal office building located at Port Huron in St. Clair County, Michigan. It is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The Federal Building and USA Courthouse in Port Huron, Michigan, is located on the south side of the Black River in the central business district. It has the distinction of being the oldest federal building in the State of Michigan still occupied by the federal government; it was built to house some of the government&#39;s oldest agencies.</p><br>
<p>In 1872, Congress authorized construction of a building to house the USA Customs Service, a post office, and other federal agencies in Port Huron. Alfred B. Mullett, supervising architect of the USA Treasury Department, designed the building. Construction began in 1873, and the cornerstone was laid on October 8, 1874. It was completed in 1877 at a cost of $200,000, with tenants occupying their new building in May of that year. In 1916, a classical fountain that originally stood in front of the building was replaced with a war memorial. In 1930, Congress appropriated $115,000 for an addition to the building. The Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore, oversaw design of the one-story addition. Construction of the addition was completed in 1933.</p><br>
<p>In 1959–1960, the post office vacated the building and, at a cost of $250,000, the first floor was renovated to house the Social Security Administration. The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Federal courts continue to occupy the building&#39;s second floor. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection maintains offices in the building.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The three-story Federal Building and USA Courthouse is an example of Renaissance Revival style with Greek Revival influences. The load-bearing exterior walls are built of limestone at the ground level and sandstone on the upper three stories. Constructed in 1873–1877, the original portion of the building has front and rear (north and south) elevations divided into nine bays, while the east and west sides contain five bays. The north and south elevations are highlighted by centered three-bay pavilions topped by pediments with dentil-block molding. The north facade originally contained three entrances, but only the center entrance remains, and the flanking entries have been converted into windows. The entry has a half-glass door with sidelights and a square transom, with historic light fixtures to either side. The first- and second-story windows are rectangular, while the third-story windows are smaller and square. Both the window and door openings are trimmed with flat stone arches detailed with egg-and-dart carvings.</p><br>
<p>A sandstone water table caps the foundation wall. Deeply cut pilasters define the bays on the first story and terminate in Doric capitals at a flat entablature that forms a belt course between the first and second stories. On the second and third stories, the pilasters rise to the base of the low-pitched roof and terminate in simplified Corinthian order capitals. A cornice composed of stone brackets and dentils sits atop the pilasters. The building is topped by an octagonal cupola pierced by windows flanked by engaged pilasters and topped with bracketed pediments. The copper-clad mansard roof features oval windows accented with decorative stone surrounds with keystones. In 1986–1987, a $1.15 million exterior restoration and copper roofing project was completed.</p><br>
<p>The interior features an original cast-iron staircase adjacent to the eastern entrance. It is highlighted by a continuous iron balustrade with a wooden railing and decorative newel posts. The original postal lobby, once stretching the length of the building along the north facade, was completely removed by 1959–1960 renovation work, but was restored in 2008 under the First Impressions Initiative of the USA General Services Administration (GSA). The initiative uses historic building outlease funds to reclaim the architectural integrity of altered entrances and lobbies. Utilizing historic photos, GSA recreated the original lobby volume, architectural details, and ornamentation, reestablishing the building as a community landmark.</p><br>
<p>On upper stories, the stair lobbies open to corridors leading to offices and courtrooms. The corridors retain wood wainscoting, moldings, and trim with classical details around the doors and windows. Crown molding extends along the ceiling. The remaining interior spaces of the original building and addition have been renovated over the years to accommodate new office uses.</p><br>
<p>The materials and design of the one-story rear addition, built in 1932–1933, generally match the original building. The west elevation continues the rusticated pilasters and projecting belt course, but is terminated by a flat, stone parapet at the second-story level.</p><br>
<h2>History</h2><br>
<p>1873–1877: Federal Building and USA Courthouse constructed</p><br>
<p>1932–1933: Addition constructed</p><br>
<p>1974: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>1986–1987: Exterior restoration and copper roof project completed</p><br>
<p>2007–2008: Postal lobby restored by GSA</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 526 Water Street</p><br>
<p>Architects: Alfred B. Mullet; James A. Wetmore</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1873–1877; 1932–1933</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Sandstone and limestone</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Classically detailed facade; Octagonal cupola with mansard roof; Stone cornice with carved brackets; Original cast iron staircase</p><br>
<p>The United States Courthouse and Post Office, also known as Federal Courts Building, is a historic courthouse and post office located at Kansas City in Jackson County, Missouri. It was formerly the courthouse of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>Acting as a point of departure during the great migration to the West, Kansas City experienced phenomenal urban growth and development during the early years of the twentieth century. By 1930, the citys increasing population warranted a new federal building to replace an existing post office and custom house. The 1930s New Deal programs, created to generate employment during the widespread economic downturn of the Great Depression, provided funding for construction of new federal buildings nationwide. Responding to Kansas Citys need for a larger, more efficient building, the program funded a new USA Post Office and Courthouse in 1935. The buildings construction, from 1938 to 1939, symbolized the ideals of the progressive public works projects. As one of the New Deals last major construction projects of the 1930s, the USA Post Office and Courthouse provided modern space to accommodate the burgeoning presence of the federal government in Kansas City.</p><br>
<p>The buildings architectural design was produced by the prominent local architecture firm Wight and Wight, whose distinguished civic work includes the Jackson County Courthouse (1934), City Hall (1937), and the Municipal Courts Building (1938). These projects, including the USA Post Office and Courthouse, represent Wight and Wights shift from the Classical Revival, which previously dominated federal architecture, toward the Moderne movement that was beginning to emerge nationwide during the 1930s. The Courthouse&#39;s abstracted classicism with Art Deco references embodies this stylistic transition.</p><br>
<p>In 1952, the building received national attention when Thurgood Marshall represented the plaintiff of the Swope Park Swimming Pool desegregation case. As the first major desegregation case in Kansas City, the deliberations stirred the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement.</p><br>
<p>Plans have been made to renovate the entire building to accommodate new, nonfederal tenants as part of an upcoming outlease program. The USA Post Office and Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse artfully embodies the Art Modern style that was becoming increasingly influential by the late 1930s - a time when many federal architects experimented with abstracted classical motifs combined with a reduction in architectural ornament. The building&#39;s flat planes of Indiana limestone are nearly devoid of classical ornamentation, which is limited to the punctuated regular rhythm of elongated bays.</p><br>
<p>Encompassing a full city block along Grand Avenue, each of the four sides of the immense ten-story edifice is similar in design, divided into three horizontal sections. The facades (west elevations) three-story base rises with smooth walls pierced by elongated bays enclosing the first- and second-story windows, which are divided by decorative spandrels. Each bay is pierced by paired punched windows separated by limestone mullions at the third story. A series of wide granite steps with bronze handrails leads from Grand Avenue to the three central bays enclosing the entrances. The striking dark texture of the cast-bronze door framing and grill work above exhibit restrained classical detailing, and contrast with the light tones and smoothness of the pale-gray Indiana limestone walls.</p><br>
<p>The upper stories are set back from the base at each elevation, rising five stories in similarly planar limestone walls. The fifth story echoes the fourth-story fenestration and creates the building&#39;s middle section by an elegant string course of Greek fretwork. The bays above are elongated to enclose eleven bays of four-story stacked fenestration, with each window divided by decorative aluminum spandrels repeated from the base. Above the ninth story is a wide entablature, composed of a blank architrave and frieze, and a simple cornice.</p><br>
<p>The interiors retain their original design and continue the spare ornamentation with emphasis on fine materials and abstracted geometric motifs. The vestibule is clad in marble upon a black granite base and features original bronze sidelights flanking each doorway and adjacent recessed wood-paneled telephone niches. The T-shaped central lobby is finished with multicolor terrazzo floors, golden-veined Genevieve marble for the walls, and high plaster ceilings. The cream-colored terrazzo is bordered with black and green terrazzo cross bands to reflect the geometric patterns of the ceiling beams. Marble pilasters detailed with Greek fretwork divide the walls into three bays, while four freestanding, rectangular marble-clad columns dominate the central space. The former postal lobby has similarly refined materials of marble pilasters and terrazzo flooring, with marble wainscoting at the service windows.</p><br>
<p>At the east side of the central lobby, molded marble surrounds with black granite plinth blocks enclose a bank of six elevators. The north and south lobby walls contain marble-framed double doors with panelized details; these doors lead to the main stairwells, where flights of pink marble stairs and brass railings ascend to the north and south lobbies.</p><br>
<p>Four historic courtrooms, located on the fourth and sixth floors, exude modernity with elegant finishes, making them the most historically significant spaces within the building. The courtrooms are nearly identical, rising two stories and featuring leather-covered doors, light and dark cork-tile flooring, pink-granite baseboards, and wood-paneled wainscoting. Pilasters divide the space into regular bays, rising to support wood trim and plaster crown moldings. The recessed ceiling panels contain two original brass pendant lights and a large circular aluminum air grille, and are divided by wide beams adorned with gold-leaf paint finishes. The courtrooms are windowless, relying on advanced lighting and an air-conditioning system, considered to be state-of-the-art when the building was completed.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1935: Congress appropriates $3,300,000 for the construction of the new USA Post Office and Courthouse building.</p><br>
<p>1938: The ceremonial cornerstone is laid and construction begins under the supervision of local architects Wight & Wight.</p><br>
<p>1939: The building opens for business.</p><br>
<p>1952: Thurgood Marshall represents the plaintiff of the Swope Park Swimming Pool desegregation.</p><br>
<p>2007: The building was listing on the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Wight & Wight</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1938-39</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 811 Grand Blvd.</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Art Moderne</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Indiana Limestone over steel and cast-in-place concrete</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Exterior bronze ornament; Historic courtrooms</p><br>
<p>The Richard Bolling Federal Building is a United States federal building located at 601 East 12th Street in Kansas City, Missouri. Completed in 1965, the building is bordered by East Twelfth, East Thirteenth, Locust, and Holmes streets in the Central Business District in Kansas City. The building was named for Congressman Richard Walker Bolling in 1994. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.</p><br>
<h2>History</h2><br>
<p>In the years following World War II, the federal government grew rapidly and the changing needs of the federal workforce required office buildings designed to meet new challenges. Mechanized mass-production techniques for building components and increased familiarity with innovative construction materials and technologies provided architects with new ways to create functional and cost-efficient buildings. Structural steel, glass, and concrete became widely used building materials. At the same time, the American public was receptive to new, unprecedented architectural forms and ideals. Throughout the United States, federal architecture was less ceremonial, monumental, and ornate than public buildings from previous eras, and for the first time government buildings began to resemble private architecture.</p><br>
<p>The design of the new Kansas City federal building was the product of a joint-venture collaboration of four firms: Voskamp and Slezak, Everitt and Keleti, Radotinsky Meyn Deardorff, and Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff. Voskamp and Slezak of Kansas City was the lead firm in the project. Construction began in 1962, and was completed in 1965. The site occupies two full blocks and contains a tall office tower, a low building, and a landscaped plaza. Many architects used this combination of built components for federal building design during the 1950s and 1960s, possibly in emulation of the Headquarters of the United Nations. In 1994, the building was rededicated in honor of Congressman Richard Bolling (1916-1991), who represented Missouri&#39;s 5th congressional district from 1949 to 1983. Bolling was a member of the Committee on Rules and greatly influenced congressional reform in the 1970s.</p><br>
<p>As of 2015, 16 federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration, USA Army Corps of Engineers, and Health and Human Services, occupy the building. The building has also served as a courthouse for the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The building contains 1.2 million gross square feet, the most out of any other building in the midwest, pairing a tall office tower with a long, low building arranged around a central plaza. The dominant feature of the site is the 18-story office tower with a flat roof. Using Modern-era materials, the building has a fire-proof steel frame. The two primary elevations are faced with glass panes and aluminum panels that alternate in a checkerboard pattern. The glass is tinted gray and the aluminum panels are slightly concave with a large X pattern located within each plate. The two narrow end walls are devoid of fenestration. These angular elevations are faced with variegated granite. The long, low building is set slightly off-center of the tower. Long vertical strips of aluminum tube cladding are original to the building, but sections of it were removed and reinstalled in a wave pattern during the 2000 renovations. A large bronze Great Seal of the United States with an eagle motif signifies the building&#39;s federal use.</p><br>
<p>The interior features public spaces finished in high-quality materials. Marble piers are present in the main lobby, while marble paneled walls are in the elevator lobby. Dark granite tiles cover the floors of both areas. Public art is an integral element of both the interior and exterior of the building. A large mural titled The Movement of Time from Redman to Truman (1967) by Frederick Conway is located in the lobby. A bas-relief stone sculpture called The Builders (1966) by Costantino Nivola forms the exterior base of the Twelfth Street elevation.</p><br>
<p>The USA General Services Administration (GSA) initiated several projects to improve the building. BNIM Architects developed designs for the facility that included a new entry pavilion, corridor renovations, and plaza improvements. Completed in 2003, the renovations to the building and plaza were part of GSA&#39;s First Impressions initiative, which strives to improve the entrance experience for both tenants and visitors. The architects designed a new entrance lobby on the Twelfth Street elevation. A covered walkway leads to a new two-story, glass-enclosed entrance pavilion and lobby that is connected to the lower building, but also provides access to the office tower. The glass pavilion has a flat roof that is supported by four white columns. This new entrance serves to visually connect the large tower to the Civic Center at Twelfth and Locust streets.</p><br>
<p>Renovations to the plaza integrated security features into the design with the installation of new flagpoles, benches, and planters. A black granite reflecting pool visually extends the black terrazzo floor of the lobby. In 2004, BNIM Architects, along with J.E. Dunn Construction, received an Honor Award from the Kansas City chapter of the American Institute of Architects for these renovations and alterations. The jury praised the architects&#39; design, which reestablishes the connection between the federal building and its larger urban setting. BNIM Architects also received a 2004 GSA Design Award for its innovative entrance and landscape plans that incorporate state-of-the-art security while maintaining a welcoming atmosphere.</p><br>
<p>A separate project by Helix Architecture Design was later initiated to provide a complete modernization and renovation of the building, including new lighting systems and total replacement of heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical systems. This project was set to span ten years, at an estimated cost of $250 million.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1961-1965: Building designed and constructed</p><br>
<p>1966: The Builders installed</p><br>
<p>1967: The Movement of Time from Redman to Truman installed</p><br>
<p>1994: Building rededicated to honor Congressman Richard Bolling</p><br>
<p>2002: GSA commences 10-year, $250 million renovation</p><br>
<p>2002-2003: New entry pavilion and plaza improvements completed</p><br>
<p>2004: BNIM Architects receives AIA Honor Award</p><br>
<p>2021: Added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)</p><br>
<h2>Attribution</h2><br>
<p>The Mike Mansfield Federal Building and United States Courthouse is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the District of Montana, located in Butte, Montana. Completed in 1904, the building was expanded from 1932 to 1933.</p><br>
<p>It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as U. S. Post Office. It has also been known as Federal Building and USA Court House. It is a contributing building in the NRHP-listed Butte Historic District.</p><br>
<p>The building was renamed in 2002 to honor Michael Joseph Mansfield (1903–2001), a USA representative and senator.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The building has a colorful history that spans more than 100 years. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the frontier town of Butte was a vibrant copper-mining center, attracting numerous immigrant groups and becoming a "melting pot" of the frontier. Butte became the site of the government&#39;s fourth largest immigration office and consequently needed a federal building.</p><br>
<p>The building, which was constructed to serve as a combined courthouse and post office, was designed by Supervising Architect of the United States Treasury Department James Knox Taylor, who was noted for designing many post office buildings between 1897 and 1912. The cornerstone of the building was laid in May 1903. The building was constructed for a cost of $300,000, and was dedicated on December 8, 1904. At that time, it was within a block of several mines and dozens of wood frame lodging and commercial buildings. After the building opened, the elaborate courtroom was the site of numerous naturalization ceremonies as thousands of immigrants became citizens.</p><br>
<p>One of the most dramatic incidents in Butte history occurred in the courtroom on May 21, 1924, during Prohibition, which outlawed the sale, manufacture, or transportation of liquor. John OLeary, a convicted bootlegger, began shooting a gun wildly about the crowded courtroom before turning it on himself. OLeary survived, and no one else was injured. One bullet hit the bench, narrowly missing the judge, and a bullet hole in the upper portion of the side rear courtroom door remains.</p><br>
<p>The Mike Mansfield Federal Building and USA Courthouse is located within the Butte National Historic Landmark district, which was designated in 1961. When the National Historic Preservation Act was passed in 1966, the district was also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 1979, the building was listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places. The building was renamed to honor Mike Mansfield, one of Montana&#39;s most notable and beloved statesmen, in 2002.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The building is located within an area that was once the core of Butte&#39;s bustling business district and is also close to local mining activity. Early drawings indicate the presence of tunnels and mine shafts on the building site. Architect James Knox Taylor expertly adapted the building design to the sloping terrain.</p><br>
<p>Constructed between 1903 and 1904, the building is an excellent example of the Renaissance Revival style of architecture, which was popular during the Victorian era. One hallmark of the style that is present on the building is the rusticated first story, which consists of smooth blocks of terra cotta with deep, horizontal grooves between the blocks. Other typical features include the roof balustrade and the use of corner blocks called quoins. The architect chose the Renaissance Revival style to display the governments taste and refinement; the massing and materials lend a sense of permanence to the structure and assert the federal governments presence in Butte. The building was constructed of fireproof materials in accordance with a local ordinance that was passed after a fire in 1879 destroyed numerous wood-frame buildings in the town.</p><br>
<p>The facade of the Mike Mansfield Federal Building and USA Courthouse is arranged symmetrically and has a projecting central pavilion. The facade features exceptionally high-quality materials. The entrance steps and the basement elevations are composed of coursed, cut granite. The first story is faced with pale terra cotta and is topped by a belt course that encircles the building. Bricks on the second and third stories are laid in a pattern called Flemish bond that consists of alternating headers and stretchers. Many of the decorative components of the building are executed in terra cotta and include the quoins, the elaborate entablature that tops the building, the roof balustrade, and the central cartouche (scrolled, oval ornament). An eagle ornament above the main entrance expresses the federal presence in Butte.</p><br>
<p>The interior of the building also features high-quality materials. The most impressive space is the courtroom, which dominates the second and third stories. The courtroom doors are solid oak, as is the hand-carved judge&#39;s bench. Tall windows are topped with round arches and flanked with marble pilasters (attached columns). The vaulted ceiling displays decorative plaster, adding to the stateliness of the space.</p><br>
<p>The Copper Street lobby, which features marble wainscot, is another important interior space that retains original finishes. An ornate stairway that extends from the basement to the third story is a focal point of the interior. The stairway&#39;s treads are rose-colored marble. Terrazzo flooring is found throughout the building, although some areas have been covered with other types of floor covering. Other portions of the interior contain polished white Vermont marble baseboards, wainscot, and pilasters.</p><br>
<p>The building originally had a U-shaped footprint, but was enlarged in 1932 and 1933. The addition was designed by James A. Wetmore, Acting Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department at that time. Wetmore&#39;s addition respects both the design and materials of the original portion of the building. The addition more than doubled the usable square footage of the building. In 1965, the post office moved out of the building, and the Main Street lobby was altered substantially. Subsequent interior alterations occurred in 1992, when much of the first floor was modernized for new tenants.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1879: Butte incorporated</p><br>
<p>1903-1904: Federal Building and USA Courthouse constructed</p><br>
<p>1932-1933: Building addition constructed</p><br>
<p>1961: Butte National Historic Landmark district designated</p><br>
<p>1965: Post office vacated and Main Street lobby altered</p><br>
<p>1966: Butte historic district listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>1979: Federal Building and United States Courthouse individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>1992: Interior remodeled</p><br>
<p>2002: Building renamed to honor Montana statesman Mike Mansfield</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 400 North Main Street</p><br>
<p>Architects: James Knox Taylor; James A. Wetmore</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1903-1904 1932-1933</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Individually listed in National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Located within the Butte National Historic Landmark District and the Butte National Register of Historic Places district</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Granite Terra Cotta Red Brick</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Formal facade Courtroom with decorative plaster and marble details</p><br>
<h2>Attribution</h2><br>
<p>The Federal Building, USA Post Office and Courthouse, Missoula, Montana, is a building housing various services of the United States federal government. Built between 1911 and 1913, an expansion initiated in 1927 and completed in 1929 allowed the building to serve thereafter as a courthouse of the United States District Court for the District of Montana. The building was again expanded in the 1930s, and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>Missoula began as a small village in the 1860s, but grew quickly when it became a hub of the Northern Pacific Railroad in the 1880s. By the start of the 20th century, it was an important regional trading center for western Montana, northern Idaho, and eastern Washington.</p><br>
<p>Because of the growing population and the subsequent need for services, Missoula was selected as the location for a federal building. In 1907, the government purchased four lots along Cedar Street, which was later renamed Broadway Street, for $19,850. The Supervising Architect of the Treasury, James Knox Taylor, designed the new building, and construction commenced in January 1911. The building opened in 1913, and the original tenants were the USA Postal Service and the USA Forest Service. The Daily Missoulan called the building "a handsome structure, an ornament to the city."</p><br>
<p>As Missoula continued to grow, additional space for federal functions was needed. In 1927, James A. Wetmore, acting supervising architect of the USA Treasury Department, designed an extension and an annex to the original building to house judicial functions. Construction was completed in 1929, and the building hosted its first session of USA District Court on December 5, 1929. Despite the increase in space, the building required another enlargement in the 1930s. Designed by Louis A. Simon of the USA Treasury Department, the second annex was dedicated on October 13, 1937.</p><br>
<p>The building, which has served as the headquarters for the Northern Region of the USA Forest Service since 1914, was the location of the investigation into the tragic 1949 fire at Mann Gulch in the Helena National Forest. Thirteen firefighters, who were members of an elite USA Forest Service team known as the smokejumpers, died when the blaze blocked their escape route. The 1952 film Red Skies of Montana was based on the Mann Gulch fire, and one of the scenes features the Federal Building, USA Post Office and Courthouse.</p><br>
<p>The majority of postal functions moved out of the building in 1974, but a small post office remains. Numerous federal agencies occupy the building today. The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The district court now meets in the Russell Smith Courthouse, across the street.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The Federal Building, USA Post Office and Courthouse is located on a block bounded by Broadway, Pine, and Pattee streets, near the central business area. The original architect, James Knox Taylor, designed the building in the Italian Renaissance Revival style of architecture, which was commonly used for federal building design throughout the country. Its classically inspired design conveyed the dignity of the federal government.</p><br>
<p>The building is three stories in height and utilizes a steel-frame and reinforced-concrete structural system. Despite the additions of the annexes, the building presents a cohesive appearance because both additions were designed to be compatible with the original building. The foundation is clad in smooth-faced granite, and limestone ashlar covers the principal facade and side elevations. The rear elevation is clad in economical buff-colored brick.</p><br>
<p>The building displays many character-defining features of the Italian Renaissance Revival style of architecture. Deep ribs in the limestone define the first story. The symmetrical facade features arched entrances. Prominent limestone window surrounds on the second and third stories are another common feature. The upper stories are defined by a series of two-story pilasters (attached columns) that have Corinthian capi-tals with ornate acanthus leaf patterns. A carved ornamental eagle on the 1929 annex conveys the federal significance of the building.</p><br>
<p>The original building is separated from the 1929 expansion by a narrow connector topped with a glass-enclosed atrium, which the USA Forest Service originally used as a greenhouse. A single-story addition housing conference rooms was added in 1952 and is the last enlargement.</p><br>
<p>The post office lobby, which is part of the original building, retains many historic features and finishes. The floors are covered in gray terrazzo set within a gray marble border. The marble extends up the wall to form wainscot. Above the wainscot, the walls are covered with plaster and feature pilasters similar to those on the exterior. A dentil (rectangular block) course encircles the lobby. The ceiling is covered with painted plaster panels divided by beams. Original bronze pendant light fixtures and sconces illuminate the space. Original oak doors remain.</p><br>
<p>The 1937 annex lobby also retains many original features. The floor is covered with panels of alternating light and dark marble that are arranged on a 45-degree angle with the lobby walls. The walls are covered with deep beige marble, and each contains a centrally placed arched opening. The walls are trimmed in dark gray marble at the base, while a molded wood cornice with a dentil course tops the space. The plaster ceiling features a decorative circular medallion from which a bronze pendant light descends.</p><br>
<p>The arched opening on the west leads to an exit that is framed with darkly stained wood and contains a fanlight. Decorative bronze medallions flank the exit. To the east, the arched opening leads to an elevator that has original bronze doors and surrounds.</p><br>
<p>Although the courtroom is no longer used for judicial purposes, some original features remain since conversion into office space. Original wood and leather doors are in place. Paneled wood wainscot covers the walls and a painted wood cornice tops the room. Three two-story arched windows are symmetrically placed on the north wall of the courtroom. The molded wood surrounds and mullions are original.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1911–1913: Original building constructed</p><br>
<p>1929: First annex completed</p><br>
<p>1937: Second annex completed</p><br>
<p>1949: Mann Gulch fire investigation</p><br>
<p>1974: Majority of postal functions leave the building</p><br>
<p>1979: Building listed in National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 200 East Broadway Street</p><br>
<p>Architects: James Knox Taylor; James A. Wetmore; Louis A. Simon</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1911–1913; 1927–1929; 1937</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Italian Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Granite and Limestone</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Classical details; Postal lobby</p><br>
<p>The Federal Building, Grand Island, Nebraska is a historic post office, federal office and courthouse building located at Grand Island in Hall County, Nebraska. It is no longer used as a courthouse for the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>In 1859, just two years after they founded Grand Island, Nebraska, German settlers established the community&#39;s first post office. For many years, however, the post office shared space with various commercial establishments. When Congressman George W. Norris secured funding for a new post office building during the early years of the 20th century, Grand Island was one of the last major cities in Nebraska to lack this important type of public building.</p><br>
<p>Supervising Architect of the Treasury James Knox Taylor designed the new post office and federal building in Grand Island, authorizing the final architectural plans in 1908. Workers completed the building, which officially opened on November 26, 1910, at a cost of $108,000. By this time, Grand Island was the third largest city in Nebraska and its economy was thriving.</p><br>
<p>Postal facilities occupied the first floor of the new building, while the second floor held a two-story district courtroom and associated court offices. As its population increased, Grand Island required expanded postal services and additional federal office space. In 1933, local architect Charles W. Steinbaugh designed an addition to the building, which opened in 1935. Two years later, the post office began housing the headquarters for Grand Island&#39;s Works Progress Administration (WPA) district office, a function that it served until 1939.</p><br>
<p>In 1968, the USA Postal Service vacated the building after securing a new facility. The same year, the USA General Services Administration purchased the building and renovated the first floor into office space for federal agencies. Current tenants include the FBI, Bureau of Reclamation, and USA Fish and Wildlife Service.</p><br>
<p>The Federal Building is located in downtown Grand Island, close to the county courthouse and various retail establishments and residential buildings. The Grand Island Federal Building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 to recognize its architectural significance and contribution to community development.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The Grand Island Federal Building is a visually restrained but striking local landmark, occupying the southwest corner of the intersection of West Second and North Locust streets. Supervising Architect of the Treasury James Knox Taylor preferred classically inspired styles, deeming them appropriately dignified for public architecture. The Federal Building is an example of the Neoclassical architectural style, exhibiting design components derived from Greek, Roman, and Renaissance traditions. Taylor also supported the use of high-quality building materials, ensuring that the buildings constructed under his tenure would have lasting presences in their towns and cities.</p><br>
<p>The two-story Federal Building faces north onto Second Street. It is constructed of buff-colored brick, some of which is laid in decorative herringbone patterns, with limestone trim. The original portion of the building, which is constructed on a limestone foundation, is symmetrical, with the 1935 addition extending to the west. The central block projects slightly, articulating the entrance, which is reached by a small flight of stairs. A large wood door with carved medallions and inset metal grilles is centered in the central block. The first story features three round-arch openings that contain cast-iron frames and transoms with decorative circular, oval, and floral patterns. The arched openings are topped with scrolled limestone keystones flanked by circular medallions. Vertically aligned with the arches on the second story of the facade, three central windows feature small balconets with cast-iron balustrades. The bays are divided by two-story pilasters with stylized capitals. The pilasters support a classical entablature that features an architrave, frieze, and cornice with a dentil course. On the original portion of the building, other openings are rectangular and topped by flat arches with limestone keystones. A roofline brick parapet wall with limestone coping and pedestals is on the original portion of the building. A secondary entrance, located on the east elevation, features a limestone surround with a decorative lintel carved with a foliated motif. An original cast-iron light fixture with replacement globe extends from the lintel. The rear elevation contains an original U-shaped light court. The chimney, clad in brick and topped with a limestone cap, extends from the southeastern corner of the low-pitched hipped roof, which is covered with standing-seam metal. The 1935 addition is constructed of buff-colored brick, but lacks the original structure&#39;s decorative classical details.</p><br>
<p>The postal lobby once spanned the length of the facade on the first floor. Although the postal lobby features have been removed, original materials remain. These finishes include the terrazzo and marble floor, and marble and plaster walls. Round-arch openings with wood frames and a vaulted ceiling with original pendant chandeliers dominate the space. An original staircase with dark green marble risers and pink marble treads at the east end of the lobby provides access to the second floor. An ornate cast-iron lamp post atop a marble pedestal and surmounted by a spherical globe is located adjacent to the staircase. On the second floor, the two-story courtroom has been subdivided, but the corridors retain original materials, including terrazzo and marble flooring, plaster walls, and wood doors and frames.</p><br>
<p>Over the course of the buildings history, it has undergone periodic upgrades and renovations, not always in keeping with the structures historic character. In 1979 and 1980, original wood-sash windows were replaced with aluminum windows; however, the windows&#39; original dimensions remain intact. Recently, GSA corrected some prior work that altered historic features. Most notably, the agency removed an inappropriate aluminum door from the Locust Street elevation and installed a replica of the original door.</p><br>
<h2>History</h2><br>
<p>1908 Construction begins</p><br>
<p>1910 Construction completed and building occupied</p><br>
<p>1933-1935 Addition constructed</p><br>
<p>1968 Post office relocates; GSA purchases building and begins renovation</p><br>
<p>1979-1980 Original wood-sash windows replaced</p><br>
<p>2006 Building listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 203 West Second Street</p><br>
<p>Architects: James Knox Taylor; Charles W. Steinbaugh</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1908-1910; 1933–1935</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Neoclassical</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Buff-colored Brick; Limestone</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Arched Openings with Ornate Limestone Keystones; Original Lobby with Historic Finishes</p><br>
<p>The Santiago E. Campos United States Courthouse is a historic courthouse building located at Santa Fe in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. Formerly designated simply as the United States Courthouse, it was renamed for the late District Judge Santiago E. Campos in 2004.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The building had its beginnings as the proposed territorial capitol for New Mexico. In 1848 under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico ceded what is now New Mexico, Arizona, California, Texas, and portions of Colorado, Utah and Nevada, to the United States. The New Mexico territorial government was established two years later. In 1851 Congress appropriated $20,000 and in 1854 an additional $50,000 to construct a "state house" on what is now Federal Plaza.</p><br>
<p>Plans for the building were prepared by the Supervising Architect of the Treasury, Ammi B. Young, perhaps based on sketches by Chief Justice Joab Houghton, a member of the USA Territorial Supreme Court for New Mexico. Construction began in 1853, with the walls rising one-and-one-half stories above the basement by the following year. Construction continued intermittently due to limited funding, lack of competent workmen, and difficulties imposed by the Civil War. As the years wore on, the half-built structure was essentially abandoned.</p><br>
<p>In 1883 the building grounds were chosen as the site for Santa Fe&#39;s "Tertio-Millennial" celebration, and the building shell received a temporary roof. The grounds were cleared and an oval racetrack, about 1/3 mile long, was set up surrounding the site. Indian participants were housed in the first floor during the celebration.</p><br>
<p>The "state house" was finally finished in 1889, although it was never used for this purpose. Instead, at its completion, it was occupied by a land claims court and has housed various federal courts since that time. The territorial capitol building was constructed on another site in Santa Fe between 1895 and 1900. New Mexico became a state in 1912.</p><br>
<p>As the needs of the courts exceeded the building&#39;s capacity, an addition was planned that echoed the original Greek Revival style. This addition was built in 1929-1930 under the direction of Louis A. Simon, Superintendent of the Architectural Section of the Treasury Department. It more than doubled the overall size of the courthouse.</p><br>
<p>The USA Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The courthouse is located adjacent to the Santa Fe Post Office in Federal Plaza. The plaza is enclosed by a stone wall with metal pipe railings that follows the outline of the 1883 racetrack.</p><br>
<p>The Greek Revival courthouse building, originally intended to be the capitol, was constructed in two stages; the first in 1853-1854 and the second in 1888-1889. The Greek Revival style of the original design with prominent pediment and porticos is characteristic of the work of Ammi B. Young, Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department. However, other elements of the design including the roof and second-story window treatments have a character more reminiscent of the Renaissance Revival architectural style of the late 1880s. To the north of the original building is a 1929-30 addition. Both buildings are rectangular, and are oriented parallel to each other, with the addition being slightly smaller than the original building. A two-story vestibule, built at the same time as the addition, connects the buildings at their midpoints. A semicircular projecting bay on the vestibule&#39;s east elevation encloses an elegant, interlocking cantilevered stairway.</p><br>
<p>The courthouse walls are of rough stone quarried in the Hyde Park area of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, while details such as quoins and lintels are of dressed stone from the hills of Cerrillos, a small town about eighteen miles southwest of Santa Fe. Both buildings are two stories tall and have the same symmetrical layout. The north and south elevations of both structures are articulated by nine bays, while the shorter east and west elevations are three bays wide.</p><br>
<p>The south elevation of the original building recalls the Greek Revival style, as interpreted in the 1880s. The classical entrance with fluted Doric order pilasters and elaborate entablature replaced the original in 1929-1930. The arched windows above have ornamental stone trim. A broad pediment surmounts the center section of the elevation. Porticos with Ionic columns mark the east and west entrances, though only the one over the west entrance is original. (The east portico was constructed with the 1929-1930 addition). The windows of the first floor are of simple rectangular design; in the unfinished 1853-1854 structure, these window openings had segmental arches. The second-story windows are arched with elegant cut-stone moldings in the original building and rubble stone detailing in the addition. A copper-clad bracketed cornice supports the low-pitched, hipped copper roof.</p><br>
<p>In an 1884 ceremony attended by about 5,000 people, a sandstone obelisk erected by the Grand Army of the Republic was unveiled at the main entrance of the building. The monument honored Christopher "Kit" Carson (1809–1868), a veteran of the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War.</p><br>
<p>Six murals of landscapes are placed on the walls near the north and south entrances of the original building. Commissioned as a WPA project, they were completed in 1938 by noted Santa Fe painter and designer William Penhallow Henderson, who is credited as a co-founder of the Santa Fe Art Colony and with popularizing the Pueblo Revival style of architecture.</p><br>
<p>A major restoration project undertaken by the USA General Services Administration (GSA) was completed in 2002. The roof and limestone decorative elements were cleaned and repaired. The large bronze doors at the main entrance, which had become blackened over the years, were thoroughly cleaned and polished, returning them to their former brilliance. Differential settlement of the sandstone exterior walls over many years had caused roof framing above Judge Campos&#39; courtroom and offices to pull loose where attached to supporting walls. New steel framing within the attic space, hidden from view, was installed during this restoration to prevent eventual collapse of the roof that otherwise would eventually occur had the timber framing continued to pull apart. Repairs were made to the Kit Carson memorial to correct cracking in the sandstone. GSA was recognized for its stewardship of the USA Courthouse with a State of New Mexico Heritage Preservation Award in May, 2000. The completed project was recognized with a 2002 "Muchas Gracias" historic preservation award from the City of Santa Fe.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1853: Construction begins on the building.</p><br>
<p>1883: The building grounds are selected as the site for New Mexico&#39;s "Tertio-Millennial" celebration.</p><br>
<p>1884: A sandstone obelisk is erected as a memorial to Kit Carson, legendary soldier in the Grand Army of the Republic.</p><br>
<p>1889: Construction is completed.</p><br>
<p>1929-1930: An addition is constructed to the north of the original building.</p><br>
<p>1938: Six murals by William Penhallow Henderson, commissioned by the Public Works of Art Project and completed through the Treasury Relief Art Project, are installed near the north and south entrances.</p><br>
<p>1973: The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>2002: Restoration work on the courthouse exterior and Kit Carson Memorial obelisk is completed.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Ammi B. Young, Supervising Architect of the Treasury; Louis A. Simon, Superintendent of the Architectural Section of the Treasury Department</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1853-1889; two-story addition and connecting vestibule, 1929–1930</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: East end of Federal Place</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Greek Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Rubble stone and variegated limestone</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Cantilevered marble stairway; Kit Carson Memorial obelisk; WPA Murals</p><br>
<p>The Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. Federal Building and USA Courthouse, Wheeling, West Virginia is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia located in the city of Wheeling, West Virginia. Built in 1907, the building still serves its original function, and was renovated and expanded in 1937, and again in 2004. In 1979, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as a contributing building to the Wheeling Historic District.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>In 1849, the first suspension bridge spanning the Ohio River was constructed at Wheeling, providing a new route to the West along the National Road. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad mainline reached Wheeling in 1853, prompting a dramatic increase in population, commerce, and industry. As a result of its proximity to important transportation routes, Wheeling prospered. It served as the capital of West Virginia from 1863 to 1870 and 1875 to 1885. Consequently, Wheeling outgrew the 1859 USA Custom House (now West Virginia Independence Hall) designed by Ammi B. Young. In 1902, federal officials obtained a site for a proposed new structure. The public initially criticized the site selection because it was located away from the center of the city. However, following the 1907 completion of the building, which included a post office, courthouse, and custom house, development soon shifted to the north.</p><br>
<p>The Federal Building and USA Courthouse was constructed under the Tarsney Act of 1893, which allowed the United States Department of the Treasury to hold competitions for the design of select federal buildings with the intention of improving governmental architecture&#39;s quality. The Wheeling federal building, designed in the Beaux Arts Classicism style, set a high standard for architectural excellence. Marsh & Peter, a prominent firm with several Washington, D.C., commissions, designed the building. Wheeling architect Frank Faris served as the local project superintendent.</p><br>
<p>The building has been expanded and altered several times. In 1937, as Wheeling required increased services, architect George W. Petticord designed an addition that complemented the original building&#39;s Beaux Arts character. Completed in 1938, this expansion accommodated a new post office and district courtroom. Petticord, a Wheeling native, also completed plans for a dramatic interior renovation that replaced many original finishes. In 1999, a small wing was added to the rear of the building to create more secure holding and circulation areas for detainees. Most recently, HLM Design with Goody, Clancy & Associates, designed a dramatic glass annex. Completed in 2004, it contains federal agency offices and court-related spaces.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The courthouse is a stately example of Beaux Arts Classicism architecture, providing downtown Wheeling with an elegant building that conveys the federal government&#39;s former dignity. The granite building displays many character-defining features of the Beaux Arts Classicism style, including a symmetrical, monumental facade and paired columns. The first-story stonework is rusticated with incised horizontal bands, contrasting with the smooth blocks of the upper stories. The recessed main entrance is framed by a wide surround, which is in turn encircled by a carved garland. An ornate oval medallion with a garland, acanthus leaves, and a shell motif tops the doorway. Rectangular, first-story windows have flat arches with projecting keystones. A colonnade that features paired Ionic columns with stylized foliated motifs and unusual tassel ornamentation dominates the three central bays of the second and third stories. Small balustrades with urn-shaped members extend between the columns. Large tripartite, multi-pane, double-hung windows are located on the second story between the columns. Spandrels separate the large windows from smaller tripartite windows on the third story. A key motif and centrally placed projecting keystones top the windows. Also on the second story and flanking the colonnade are windows with elaborate semi-circular hoods featuring scrolled brackets supporting oval medallions. Decorative balustrades are located below each window. The columns support a classical entablature that consists of a molded architrave, an incised frieze with an egg-and-dart molding, and a cornice that features a dentil course. A balustrade tops the building.</p><br>
<p>The interior of the original portion contains the postal lobby. Although modified during the 1930s, the lobby remains a significant interior space. The terrazzo flooring forms a checkerboard pattern. Marble pilasters, baseboards, and wainscot and aluminum doors, grilles, and postal service windows are present. The two-story district courtroom has a low-relief plaster ceiling with a simple border. Walnut is used for the wainscoting, judge&#39;s bench, jury box, public benches, and door surrounds.</p><br>
<p>The 1938 addition, built to accommodate a district courtroom, altered the symmetry of the building. The addition uses materials and architectural details that are compatible with the original building. The first-story granite walls are also rusticated, but the second-story window hoods are less detailed than those of the original building. In 1999, a small addition on the rear of the building was constructed to accommodate holding cells and secure circulation. Construction of an 86,900 ft&sup2; annex to house new courtrooms began in 2002 and was completed in 2004 under GSA&#39;s Design Excellence Program. The entrance incorporates a striking glass-curtain wall with twenty-five images of the Great Seal of the United States screened on five-by-five foot glass panels. The remaining exterior walls are constructed of limestone and brick and rest on a granite base.</p><br>
<p>A four-story atrium links the annex with historic portions of the building. The granite wall of the 1938 addition is preserved inside the sun-lit lobby. The limestone flooring is embedded with fossils. Integrated into this space is a sculpture called River of Light by Mikyoung Kim. The artwork features layers of glass implanted with fiber optic rods that slowly change color. The sculpture evokes both the movement of the Ohio River and Wheelings industrial heritage as a glass-making center. Kims work received a 2004 Design Excellence Citation for Art in Architecture from the USA General Services Administration. View from Suspension Bridge, a painting by West Virginia artist Susan Poffenbarger located adjacent to the second-floor elevators, depicts the Ohio River as seen from the suspension bridge.</p><br>
<p>The new second-floor district courtroom overlooks the atrium lobby and contains dark cherry paneling and metal light fixtures. Other spaces include a bankruptcy courtroom, magistrate courtroom, jury assembly room, and offices. The project won Buildings magazine&#39;s new construction award in 2004.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1859 Original USA Custom House constructed</p><br>
<p>1905-1907 Building constructed</p><br>
<p>1938 First addition completed</p><br>
<p>1999 Rear extension added</p><br>
<p>2004 Award-winning annex completed</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 1125 Chapline Street</p><br>
<p>Architects: Marsh & Peter with Frank Faris; George W. Petticord; HLM Design with Goody, Clancy & Associates</p><br>
<p>Construction dates: 1905-1907; 1937–1938; 2002–2004</p><br>
<p>Architectural style: Beaux-Arts Classicism</p><br>
<h2>Attribution</h2><br>
<p>The Federal Building and USA Post Office, Spokane, Washington is a historic post office, courthouse, and custom house building at Spokane in Spokane County, Washington. It is a courthouse for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The Federal Building and USA Post Office in Spokane, Washington, opened in October 1909. It was the first major federal building constructed in the "Inland Empire" that encompasses portions of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. The growing city of Spokane needed a larger post office and space for Federal offices. The federal government acquired the West Riverside Avenue and Lincoln Street site in 1903 for a cost of $100,000. James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department, designed the building in 1906 and 1907. Construction began in 1908 and was completed in 1909.</p><br>
<p>President William Howard Taft visited the building just prior to its public opening in the fall of 1909. He praised the building&#39;s "simplicity, beauty and solidity" In early October, postal workers closed the old facility at Post street and Monroe Avenue and moved records and equipment to the new building in approximately two days with only minimal interruptions to patrons.</p><br>
<p>Only four months after the post office opened, rats were discovered in the basement. To remedy the problem, seven cats were allowed to live in the building, and the postmaster received $18 annually for each cat&#39;s care and feeding. The cats lived in the post office for at least one year, although no one is sure when the rat problem was solved.</p><br>
<p>As Spokane continued to grow and postal activity expanded, city officials realized the need to enlarge the building. The site directly north of the existing building was purchased and an addition was completed in 1941. The addition was designed by Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect of the Public Buildings Administration of the Federal Works Administration.</p><br>
<p>In 1994, a modernization effort was completed. High efficiency lighting, modern elevators, and new HVAC equipment were installed. Important interior public spaces also underwent renovation and restoration.</p><br>
<p>The Federal Building and USA Post Office was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In 2004, the building won The Office Building of the Year Award in the historic category from the Building Owners and Managers Association Northwest Region.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The Federal Building and USA Post Office in Spokane, Washington, skillfully blends elements of two styles of architecture. Beaux Arts Classicism and Second Renaissance Revival were popular styles in the early years of the twentieth century. Both styles were often executed on monumental public buildings and feature rusticated ground floors and balustrades. The building&#39;s architect, James Knox Taylor, was a strong proponent of architecture inspired by Classical forms and ornamentation, which he believed appropriately conveyed the dignity of the federal government.</p><br>
<p>The exterior is finely detailed and proportioned. The symmetrical facade has a granite-faced basement level capped by a granite water table. The first story is clad in rusticated limestone and is dominated by arched openings. Cartouches (scrolled ovals) separate the first and second stories. The second and third stories are covered with smooth limestone and feature prominent Tuscan pilasters (attached columns) between window bays. The facade is topped with an entablature with a smooth frieze and medallions. The cornice contains a dentil course of small squares, a common feature on classical buildings. A parapet wall with a balustrade sits above the entablature.</p><br>
<p>The addition that was completed in 1941 blends harmoniously with the original 1909 building. Louis A. Simon, who designed the addition, appreciated both Modern and Colonial Revival forms of architecture. However, Simon designed the addition using Beaux Arts Classicism and Second Renaissance Revival styles to complement the existing building. Similar massing, material, and architectural details provide continuity.</p><br>
<p>The interior contains several ornate spaces. The first floor of the building contains formal public spaces such as the lobby, elevator vestibule, and main staircase. These areas have impressive proportions and finishes. Marble pilasters, floors, and wainscot; decorative plaster wall panels and coffered (recessed) ceilings; and terrazzo flooring are present.</p><br>
<p>The federal district courtroom and its lobby, which are located on the third floor, underwent renovation and restoration work in 1994. Marble floors and walls are located in the lobby, and the courtroom features rich details such as Ionic pilasters and decorative plasterwork. An oval skylight is set within an oval dome in the courtroom. Original stained oak rails, benches, and desks remain.</p><br>
<p>Offices are on the second and third floors. Wide corridors with terrazzo floors and marble baseboards separate perimeter offices from interior light courts.</p><br>
<p>In addition to the ornate spaces, the building contained a common feature in post offices of the era. The "sneak hole" was a specially constructed, enclosed gallery located above the postal workroom that allowed inspectors to secretly observe the actions of employees through strategically placed peep holes. The "sneak hole" is no longer in use today.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1903: Land at Riverside Avenue and Lincoln Street purchased for new Federal building</p><br>
<p>1909: Building completed and occupied</p><br>
<p>1941: Addition completed</p><br>
<p>1983: Building listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>1994: Renovation and restoration completed</p><br>
<p>2004: Building receives The Office Building of the Year Award</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: West 904 Riverside Avenue</p><br>
<p>Architects: James Knox Taylor; Louis A. Simon</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1909; 1941</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Beaux Arts Classicism and Second Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Limestone; Granite</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Monumental Facade; Ornate First-Floor Lobby; Third-Floor Courtroom with Skylight</p><br>
<p>The Federal Office Building, Seattle, Washington is a historic federal office building located at Seattle in King County, Washington.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>According to local tradition, the Federal Office Building in Seattle is located on the site where city founders A. A. Denny, William Bell, and C. D. Boren docked their boat after making initial surveys of Puget Sound and its harbors in 1851. By the late 1880s, the block had been built up with 1 and 2-story shops and lodging houses, all wood-frame. On June 6, 1889, the Great Seattle Fire, which destroyed more than 64 acre of the commercial district, started in a cabinet shop at the site of the Federal Office Building.</p><br>
<p>The block was quickly rebuilt with a wall of 4-story buildings including the massive Noyes Block, occupied by the Grand Hotel, later known as the Rainier Grand. After the fire downtown Seattle took on a much more metropolitan air, and in 1897 its port became the "Gateway to Alaska" for steamships bearing prospectors bound for Alaska and the Klondike Gold Rush. The citys population burgeoned, and the federal government decided to consolidate the location of its services. In 1928, Congress approved more than $2 million for site acquisition and construction. Officials selected a site bounded by Madison and Marion streets and First and Western avenues. The building was designed between 1930 and 1931 by the Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore. One of the earliest federal buildings in the Art Deco style of architecture, the buildings design was a departure from the more traditional styles of Classical Revival and Beaux Arts Classicism and a step toward more modern architectural styles that were gaining popularity. However, the building retains conventional symmetrical massing and proportion.</p><br>
<p>Construction was completed in 1933 by the Murch Construction Company of St. Louis, Missouri. The building used substantial amounts of aluminum from smelters along the nearby Columbia River. It was the first building in Seattle designed specifically to house offices for the federal government. Among its first tenants were 52 federal agencies, the largest of which was the Department of the Treasury.</p><br>
<p>Today, the building is located among three significant historic areas: Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, and the waterfront. The Henry M. Jackson Federal Building, located across the street, was constructed from 1975 to 1976. In 1979, the Federal Office Building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The Federal Office Building is an exuberant example of Art Deco architecture. One of the earliest Modern styles, Art Deco architecture emphasizes verticality and is heavily ornamented with stylized, geometric motifs. The facade is stepped, with the outer portions rising from six stories to nine stories, while the central tower reaches eleven stories in height. The tower is topped by a ziggurat (stepped pyramid) with a flagpole at its apex. Corner towers rise slightly above the ridgeline.</p><br>
<p>The building is constructed of a steel frame encased in concrete for additional fire protection. The design is also notable for its use of aluminum, which was installed as cast spandrel panels between windows on the third through sixth floors. The panels, which depict either insignia of various federal agencies or decorative geometric designs, were one of the earliest substantial uses of aluminum on a West Coast building.</p><br>
<p>The building rests atop a granite foundation. Smooth terracotta, which lends the appearance of stone, covers the first story and is punctuated by segmental-arch openings on the facade. The midsection is clad in light red brick and is topped by elaborate stylized ornamentation executed in pale terra cotta.</p><br>
<p>On the facade, three centrally located entrances are articulated by vertical pale terra-cotta ornamentation that includes miniature ram and lion heads. A stylized eagle motif is centrally placed above the entrance, and bronze lanterns provide light. Two five-foot-tall, cast-bronze urns, which were relocated from the 1909 Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition, flank the entrance. They feature stylized geometric decorations.</p><br>
<p>Often, the rear elevations of buildings are less visible and therefore less ornamented, but because the rear of the Federal Office Building faces Western Avenue, an important thoroughfare, all elevations are extensively detailed. The building&#39;s cornerstone and two plaques commemorating the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 are located near where the fire began.</p><br>
<p>Interior public spaces are heavily ornamented with Art Deco materials and motifs. Access is gained through the First Avenue entrance into a vestibule with cast-bronze moldings and bronze-and-glass doors which lead to a public lobby and the post office. The public lobby floor is covered with dark red terra-cotta tile with cross strips and baseboards of Tokeen marble from Alaska. Walls are clad in light gray Wilkeson sandstone, and a coffered ceiling tops the space. Several original bronze, reverse-pyramid light fixtures remain in the lobby. A nearby elevator lobby has four elevators with original cast-bronze doors bearing floral Art Deco motifs.</p><br>
<p>At the north end of the vestibule is the USA Post Office, which is reached through an opening flanked by stained oak pilasters (attached columns). The postal lobby, which is nearly unchanged since building construction, is one of the most significant interior spaces. Two original postal service windows are cased in stained oak with simple scroll brackets and carved lintels. The floor is covered in polished, dark red, terra-cotta tile with a coved base molding. Stained oak, tongue-in-groove wainscot reaches a height of three feet around the perimeter of the postal lobby and is capped by a stained oak rail. Above the rail, plaster walls are finished in a heavily stippled texture. Plaster cove molding tops the walls and has a fruit-and-leaf design.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1851: Seattle founders land on Federal Office Building site</p><br>
<p>1889: Seattle Fire starts at Federal Office Building site</p><br>
<p>1931-1933: Federal Office Building constructed</p><br>
<p>1975-1976: Jackson Federal Building constructed</p><br>
<p>1979: Federal Office Building listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 909 First Avenue</p><br>
<p>Architect: James A. Wetmore</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1931–1933</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Art Deco</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Red Brick and Terra Cotta</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Central tower with ziggurat; Art Deco ornamentation</p><br>
<p>The Robert C. McEwen United States Custom House, also known as USA Customshouse, is a historic customshouse building located at Ogdensburg in St. Lawrence County, New York. It was built in 1809-1810 as a store and warehouse. It is a two-story, utilitarian, gable roofed, stone bearing wall structure approximately 60 feet wide and 120 feet long. The Federal government purchased it in 1936 and converted it for use as a customshouse.</p><br>
<p>It is the oldest within the building inventory of the General Services Administration.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>Ogdensburg served as a regional distribution center during the early nineteenth century. Goods were brought to upper New York State via the St. Lawrence River and warehoused here, making the town a trade hub. The USA Custom House building originally served as a store and warehouse. It was known as the Parish Store and Wharf in reference to its first owner, David Parish. Parish, a German financier who immigrated to the United States in 1808, engaged master carpenter Daniel W. Church to oversee construction of the building.</p><br>
<p>In 1811, Congress established the USA Customs District of Oswegatchie (an Iroquois word meaning “at the very outlet”). According to local tradition, the Parish Store housed USA Customs Service functions by 1811 and this arrangement continued for almost sixty years. In 1870, Alfred B. Mullet, Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury, designed a new building to house the custom house and post office. Located at 431 State Street in downtown Ogdensburg, the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 and continues to function as a post office.</p><br>
<p>The George Hall Corporation, a shipping company, owned the Parish Store from 1880 to 1936. Likely due to needs for additional space, in 1928, the USA Customs Service moved back into leased space in the Parish Store. In 1936, the Hall Corporation sold the building to the USA government for $65,000. The building was renamed the USA Custom House. Over the years, the building was used for customs offices, patrol assembly, radio, record, and customs files rooms, a dormitory for immigration officers, and detention facilities. The USA Army, Air Force, and Marines also maintained offices here. Listed in the National Register in 1974, the building was renamed in honor of the late Robert C. McEwen, a USA Congressman, in 1982.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The U. S. Custom House is a fine example of the utilitarian buildings constructed in native limestone in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the Ogdensburg region. Master carpenter Daniel W. Church supervised a group of French Canadian stonemasons who came from Montreal to work on its construction. The original building has excellent proportions (60 feet wide and 120 feet long) giving it a visual sense of lightness. While the original warehouse building began as a simple, unadorned, vernacular building, extensive modifications, undertaken in the 1930s, incorporated Colonial Revival-style elements. These consist of scaled door and window openings with elliptical arches, decorative cornice, dormers, and porch.</p><br>
<p>The buildings core massing and roof remains much the same as when constructed in 1809–1810, save for the addition of shed dormers. At the front (east) facade the USA Custom House is a three-story, side-gabled building. As the site slopes to the west, the basement is exposed on other sides. Constructed of native limestone laid as fieldstone, with quoins at each corner, the buildings load-bearing masonry walls are three feet thick in places. All masonry openings have segmental arches with voussoirs (wedge-shaped stones) of matching limestone.</p><br>
<p>After purchasing the building in 1936, the federal government modified the exterior and interior to reflect the popular Colonial Revival style of the period. Dormers and cornices supported by modillions (scroll-shaped brackets) were added. Most of the large loading doors were partially filled in with limestone and converted to paired windows. In 1958, a simple, one-story portico, similar to one constructed in 1937 and later removed, was added to the north Water Street side of the building. A small limestone addition was built at the southwest corner. These exterior modifications were done with restraint and sensitivity, leaving the character of the building largely intact, while accommodating its new use.</p><br>
<p>The building interior dates entirely from 1937, when a complete remodeling was undertaken at a cost of $125,000 to provide offices for the USA Customs Service. Vestiges of the 1809–1810 structure remain in transverse load-bearing masonry walls, the closets under the eaves of the third floor, and the original beams.</p><br>
<p>Distinctive interior features include the vestibule, lobby and information desk, center stairway, cashier&#39;s office, and public and private collectors offices. From the main entry on the front facade, a small vestibule opens into the lobby. In the lobby are bulletin cases of glass and wood marked “Immigration” and “Customs,” and a wood building directory. A recessed area contains a wood-panel information desk with a hinged gate. In the wall behind the desk, a shallow, elaborately detailed closet was built into one of the original arches in the masonry bearing wall.</p><br>
<p>The first-floor corridor opens off the lobby and is T-shaped, with painted plaster walls and ceiling. There are original (1937) wood baseboards and chair rail with abstracted triglyph (three vertical band) design. The ceilings of the lobby have a molded plaster cornice; the corridor ceilings have a plain cornice band. At the westernmost end of the east-west corridor is a built-in, paneled wooden service counter. The counter is enclosed with a centered operable window, flanked by two fixed windows. This is the original site of the cashier&#39;s office.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1809-1810: David Parish builds a stone store and warehouse on the waterfront</p><br>
<p>1811–1870: USA Customs Service is purported to have occupied the building</p><br>
<p>1880: George Hall Corporation purchases building</p><br>
<p>1928: USA Customs Service relocates to building</p><br>
<p>1936: USA government purchases and renovates building</p><br>
<p>1974: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>1982: Renamed the Robert C. McEwen USA Custom House</p><br>
<p>2009: Building celebrates bicentennial</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 127 North Water Street</p><br>
<p>Architect: Master Carpenter Daniel W. Church</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1809–1810</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Vernacular / Colonial Revival</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Primary Material: Limestone</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Three-feet-thick limestone bearing walls; Segmental-arched windows and doors; Wood cornice with modillions</p><br>
<p>The Federal Building and Post Office is a historic main post office, courthouse, and Federal office building at 271-301 Cadman Plaza East in the Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. The original building was the Brooklyn General Post Office, and is now the Downtown Brooklyn Station, and the north addition is the courthouse for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York, and is across the street from and in the jurisdiction of the main courthouse of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, the Theodore Roosevelt United States Courthouse. It also houses offices for the United States Attorney, In 2009, the United States Congress renamed the building the Conrad B. Duberstein United States Bankruptcy Courthouse, after chief bankruptcy judge Conrad B. Duberstein.</p><br>
<h2>History</h2><br>
<p>Planning and design for a post office in the then-independent city of Brooklyn, New York, began in 1885. During his three-year tenure (1884–86),</p><br>
<p>Much of the original appropriation for the building was allotted for the purchase of the lot, which is bounded by Cadman Plaza East (then Washington Street), Johnson, Adams, and Tillary streets. After Bells resignation, his design was revised by his successor, William A. Freret, whose final design was a much bolder Romanesque building than Bell had envisioned. Still, some of the more elaborate architectural details of Bells original design, such as larger corner towers, were never executed in the final design.</p><br>
<p>Construction was completed in 1891; interior spaces were finished in 1892 and the building was occupied. Shortly thereafter, three passenger elevators and a mail lift were installed.</p><br>
<p>As the population continued to grow, officials determined more space was needed. Because the original building only occupied the southern half of the lot, the addition extended to the north. In 1930, the Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore, designed a compatible addition in a similar style, which was completed in 1933. Two new courtrooms were added as part of the expansion.</p><br>
<p>The USA General Post Office was designated a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1966 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 1999 the USA General Services Administration (GSA) purchased the building and began extensive renovations that included the addition of new courtrooms and the restoration of historic courtrooms, original windows, numerous site features, and interior and exterior materials. It now houses postal services as well as the USA Bankruptcy Court, the USA Trustee, the offices of USA Probation and Parole and the Offices of the USA Attorney.</p><br>
<h3>Renovation</h3><br>
<p>Between 2010 and 2013 the USA General Services Administration (GSA) oversaw the substantial exterior restoration of the Courthouse, to protect the award-winning interior renovation. The lead architect was Goody Clancy of Boston and the prime contractor Nicholson & Galloway. Lend Lease led the construction management team as a full participant from the initial investigation through construction documentation and construction phase services with respect to historic preservation, value engineering, and commissioning services. The work included restoring or replacing 75,000 ft&sup2; of the granite and terracotta facades, including nearly 16,000 terracotta units, as well as 25,000 ft&sup2; of slate roof and 1,200 wood windows. SUPERSTRUCTURES Engineers + Architects provided commissioning services, which involved individually tracking each element of the building envelope during construction.</p><br>
<p>The project was awarded a GSA Design Award – Citation in Preservation (2016) and the prestigious Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award from the New York Landmarks Conservancy (2014) and the Silver Reconstruction Award from Building Design + Construction Magazine.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The building is an excellent example of Romanesque Revival architecture and is a prominent component of the Municipal Center complex. The original portion of the building is four stories in height and the 1933 addition is seven stories tall. The exterior has remained largely unchanged over time. The lively design of the building contains many character-defining features of the Romanesque Revival style. The central structure contains strong, simple forms with powerful arches dominating the first story. Elaborate dormers, iron roof cresting, steeply pitched roofs, and a tower give the building a picturesque quality.</p><br>
<h3>Facade</h3><br>
<p>The exterior of the building is rich in material, texture, form, and ornament. Semi-circular projections called tourelles protrude from the building. Each level is articulated in a slightly different way and distinguished by belt courses that encircle the building. Round arches of polished granite, which feature rosettes and cable moldings, dominate the first story. The arches spring from carved posts with foliated motifs. Rectangular windows surrounded by contrasting trim are on the second floor, while round-arch openings are on the third floor. The fourth story contains steeply pitched dormers with round-arch windows. A slate-covered mansard roof is topped with ornamental ironwork cresting.</p><br>
<p>The square corner tower rises above the roofline of the original building. Arched openings with semi-circular balconies are topped by an ornate cornice surmounted by a steeply pitched pyramidal roof.</p><br>
<h3>Interior</h3><br>
<p>One of the most significant interior spaces is the atrium. It is located in the center of the 1892 portion of the building and extends from the second to fourth floors. The atrium is enclosed by a three-level loggia. Each level of the loggia is supported by cast-iron columns that are adorned with acanthus and anthemion leaf motifs.</p><br>
<p>The main staircase is in the northeast corner of the original building. A decorative cast-iron balustrade with lantern-style newel posts encases soapstone treads. The stairwell walls are clad in mahogany Tennessee marble wainscot, and the floors are covered with black and white marble tiles laid on the diagonal.</p><br>
<p>The walls of the 1892 courtrooms are also covered with mahogany Tennessee marble wainscot with black soap-stone bands with a marble bead. Large round-arch windows have carved wood mullions and are operated by cast-metal pulls with griffin-head motifs. One of the courtrooms contains a marble and soapstone fireplace, which has a carved leaf pattern and marble mantel. Fireplaces are also in some of the original office spaces.</p><br>
<p>Some interior spaces have been altered over time. During World War II, a skylight and laylight that originally illuminated the postal work floor were covered to comply with black-out laws implemented to protect the country from enemy bombings. In 1980, the monumental lobby of the original building was altered and most features removed. To accommodate the USA Bankruptcy Court and USA Attorneys, GSA began an extensive renovation project in 1999. A U-shaped green-glass and aluminum curtain wall was added to the 1933 portion of the building in 2003, forming an interior atrium that, along with new skylights, admits natural light. GSA also refurbished interior stone, metal, plaster, and wood finishes; restored historic windows and doors; and added three new courtrooms. On the exterior, the cast-iron roof cresting was repaired and historically appropriate street-lights were installed on the site. The design, which was completed by R.M. Kliment & Frances Halsband Architects, received a 1998 Design Award citation from GSA.</p><br>
<p>The James T. Foley United States Courthouse is a stone Art Deco federal courthouse, located on Broadway  in downtown Albany, New York, United States. Built in the 1930s, it was included in 1980 as a contributing property when the Downtown Albany Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2020 it was listed on the Register individually as the United States Post Office, Court House, and Custom House.</p><br>
<p>The building houses courtrooms and chambers of the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, offices of the districts USA Attorney, and the local offices of several federal law enforcement agencies. For 60 years after its construction it served as Albanys main post office as well. It was designed and constructed under the supervision of consulting architect Electus Darwin Litchfield and built by the Kenny Brothers Construction Company.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>In 1930, Congress allocated $3.325 million for the Secretary of the Treasury to purchase a site and construct a new federal building in Albany, New York, to house a post office, courthouse, and custom house. The following year, the government chose a location on the southeast corner of Broadway and Maiden Lane and subsequently demolished several existing buildings to prepare the site for new construction. The Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury selected the prominent local architectural firm Gander, Gander & Gander to design the building under the Public Buildings Act of 1926, which gave treasury officials the option of hiring private architects for federal projects. Norman R. Sturgis served as associate architect. Notable New York City architect Electus Darwin Litchfield, who began his career with the renowned firm of Carrère and Hastings before establishing his own practice, served as consulting architect on the project and contributed major design concepts and aesthetic refinements. The architects designed the building in the Art Deco style, which was simultaneously Modern and decorative. When discussing the building, the architects used the term "modern classical" to describe their innovative design, instructing observers to "Squint your eyes, look in perspective and note the classical proportions of the building--minus columns and entablature."</p><br>
<p>The architects completed their plans in 1931 and the following year, the government awarded the construction contract to Kenny Brothers, Inc., of New York City. Prominent officials and the public gathered for a cornerstone-laying ceremony on August 18, 1933, and construction was completed in 1934, for a cost of $3,325,000 ($1,510,000 for the site and $1,815,000 for construction). The building had an exterior bridge connecting the nearby rail station with the post office, which occupied the entire first two floors.</p><br>
<p>In 1980, the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing building to the Downtown Albany Historic District. In 1988, it was renamed to honor Judge James Thomas Foley (1910-1990), who President Harry Truman appointed to the Northern District of New York in 1949. Foley served the federal courts for forty years, including a period as chief judge from 1963-1980 and senior judge from 1980 until his death.</p><br>
<p>The post office vacated the building in 1995. Current tenants include the USA District Northern Division of New York State, USA Bankruptcy Courts, United States Marshals Service, USA Customs and Border Protection, and the FBI.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The courthouse is an excellent example of Art Deco architecture, which incorporated sleek Modern forms while retaining ornate yet stylized decorative elements. The architects utilized high-quality materials on both the interior and exterior. The walls rest on a Bethel White granite base and are faced with Vermont Eureka marble above the water table. The building is built around two light courts that admit natural light into the interior. Vertical bands of windows with aluminum muntins emphasize the height of the five-story building. Black structural glass spandrels separate the windows on the facade.</p><br>
<p>The facade, which faces west on Broadway, contains two entrances, each topped with an eagle that is more than eight feet tall and carved from a seventeen-ton Vermont marble block by New York City sculptor Albert T. Stewart, who also received the commission for the building&#39;s frieze. Artist Benjamin Hawkins created ornate aluminum screens titled Departments of Government located behind the eagles. The screens contain stylized motifs representing the Departments of Navy, Agriculture, Labor, Army, Post Office, Commerce and Revenue, as well as images of the courts, thirteen stars representing the original colonies, and the New York state seal. A bas-relief frieze encircles the building on three elevations: the west facade contains images of postal service activities, the north elevation shows customs duties, and the south elevation illustrates the mission of the courts. To make the carvings visible to street-level viewers, Stewart created figures approximately eight feet tall and executed at a depth of nearly three inches.</p><br>
<p>Typical of the Art Deco style, the architects designed an opulent interior. Six marble types, including St. Genevieve Golden Vein, Rose, Champlain Black, Eagle Grey Tennessee, Eagle Pink Tennessee, and Verde Antique, are used on the richly appointed interior walls and floors. Ceilings are ornate plaster with medallions and stepped molding covered with aluminum leaf. Entrance vestibules lead to public lobbies with marble walls. Marble mosaic medallions are inset in the north and south lobby floors. A gilded plaster ceiling medallion of the United States Seal is centered in the lobby and framed by step moldings covered with aluminum leaf and gold stars.</p><br>
<p>Marble pilasters divide the main lobby into nine bays, each articulated with a ceiling mural. Artist Ethel M. Parsons painted the oil-on-canvas murals in 1935, depicting each of the seven continents as well as the North Pole and the United States. Interspersed with the murals are plaster plaques by Italian artist Enea Biafora Portraying famous Americans, including Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington, as portrayed on the earliest USA postage stamps. With the exception of the murals, the ceiling is covered with aluminum leaf. Four original black marble writing desks are centered in the main lobby.</p><br>
<p>Throughout the building, in both public and private spaces, intricate wood inlay designs adorn the ceiling and wall trim. Each of the five floors contains two elevator lobbies with adjacent public staircases. The stairs have treads and landings of Eagle Grey Tennessee marble with Champlain black marble risers. Cast-aluminum railings, also designed by Biafora, contain stylized motifs related to the functions of the building, including an airplane and scales of justice.</p><br>
<p>The two original courtrooms retain many original finishes and features. Both feature elaborate ornamentation on the wood walls and plaster ceilings. Courtroom No. 1, used for District Court proceedings since its construction, has Oregon maple burl paneling with exotic wood inlays and decorative aluminum grilles. The Courtroom Lobby retains original radiator grilles, bronze Art Deco light fixtures, and marble floor and walls. Two black-and-gold marble benches provide seating. Courtroom No. 2 features walnut burl veneer walls and Art Deco wall sconces.</p><br>
<p>When the post office vacated the building in 1995, much of their original workspace on the first and second floors was transformed to accommodate new uses, including renovated office space and the installation of a new courtroom.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1930 Congressional funding for new federal building allocated</p><br>
<p>1932 Construction begins</p><br>
<p>1934 Building completed</p><br>
<p>1980 Building listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of Downtown Albany Historic District</p><br>
<p>1988 Building renamed to honor Judge James Thomas Foley</p><br>
<p>1995 USA Postal Service vacates the building</p><br>
<p>The Gus J. Solomon United States Courthouse is a federal courthouse located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Completed in 1933, it previously housed the United States District Court for the District of Oregon until the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse opened in 1997. The Renaissance Revival courthouse currently is used by commercial tenants and formerly housed a USA Postal Service branch. In 1979, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places as USA Courthouse.</p><br>
<h2>Construction</h2><br>
<p>The federal courthouse was designed by Portland architect Morris H. Whitehouse between 1929 and 1931, and built by Murch Construction. Construction on the seven-story structure began in 1932, with the laying of the cornerstone occurring in August. The Solomon Courthouse contains eight courtrooms in its 117,000 ft&sup2; of space.</p><br>
<p>Architecturally, the Solomon Courthouse is Renaissance Revival on the exterior and Art Deco on the interior. On the exterior are Doric pilasters that adorn the symmetrical façade, along with classical triglyphs and metopes that alternate in the sandstone frieze. Cornices top the frieze with an egg-and-dart pattern, while a distinct Art Deco floral pattern surrounds the exterior. With an open courtyard in the middle, only the first floor covers the entire block. The building is topped with a flat roof that contains a parapet wall and with decorative gutters.</p><br>
<p>Materials used on the courthouse include bronze as accents, a light colored gray sandstone on the exterior, marble on the interior along with plaster and oak. Marbles include Pink Kasota Fleuri, Red Nebo Golden Travis, and Brown Nebo Golden Travis used in the entryway. Other details include a bas-relief sculpture honoring Oregon casualties in World War I, a large marble eagle sculpture, and white-marble sculpture called Ventana al Pacifico (1989) created by Manuel Neri.</p><br>
<p>Two courtrooms located on the sixth floor of the building demonstrate the architectural adornment of the courthouse&#39;s interior. These spaces use marble for trim and on the faces of the courtroom clocks, contain leather covered doors, oak cornices, and coffered ceilings. Additionally, these courtrooms contain almost full-length windows, oak shutters, Corinthian columns, and bronze lamps among other details.</p><br>
<h2>Use</h2><br>
<p>After completion, the building housed both the United States District Court for the District of Oregon and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Portland duty station. The Ninth Circuit moved to the nearby Pioneer Courthouse in 1973, and the District Court left for the new Hatfield Federal Courthouse in 1997. In 1988, the courthouse was renamed in honor of judge Gus J. Solomon after he died in 1987. In 1979, the courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Until 1984 the building also housed a post office on the first floor and in the basement. This space was then remodeled for use by the District Court. In 2004, with the remodeling of the Pioneer Courthouse and removal of the post office at that location, a postal branch was re-opened at the Solomon Courthouse. In the mid-1990s the Multnomah County Court explored the possibility of leasing the courthouse from the federal government to use in addition to the Multnomah County Courthouse, but the plans were later canceled.</p><br>
<p>Currently the courthouse is used for a variety of tasks, including new citizen swearing-in ceremonies. Other non-court uses have been as a scene for a local play, and as a setting for a courtroom scene in the Hollywood movie The Hunted. Plans called for the federal bankruptcy court of Oregon to move into the building along with the Internal Revenue Service after renovations. There have been proposals to use the building as the headquarters for a proposed Twelfth Circuit Court of Appeals to be created from a split of the Ninth Circuit.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The oldest sections of Portland are centered west of the Willamette, and the courthouse is located in this area. Commonly referred to as the New Courthouse to distinguish it from nearby Pioneer County Courthouse (1869), the courthouse has housed such government offices as the downtown post office, the USA District Court, the USA Court of Appeals, and offices for the USA Secret Service and branches of the military.</p><br>
<p>Whitehouse, a native Portland architect, developed the plans for the courthouse from directives formulated by federal agencies, with Jules Henri de Sibour of Washington, D.C., as the consulting architect and James A. Wetmore, the Supervising Architect of the Treasury.</p><br>
<p>Ninety-two percent of all contract money available for labor and materials went to Portland and Seattle area firms, providing an economic boost to the region. In August 1932, the cornerstone was laid. Included in a metal box within the stone were five Portland daily newspapers, historic documents relating to the building, and a photograph of Whitehouse and the partners of his architectural firm. Construction proceeded smoothly, and a little more than a year later, in September 1933, the new federal courtrooms were officially opened.</p><br>
<p>In 1989, the Courthouse was given its current name to honor Gus J. Solomon, a judge who served the USA District Court for 37 years — longer than any other judge in Oregon.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The Gus J. Solomon USA Courthouse occupies an entire block, covering approximately 40,000 square feet. The massive building contains a full first floor only; the central interior space opens into a light court, giving the upper stories of the building a square plan with a hollow center. The exterior of the building is faced with a veneer of light gray Wilkeson sandstone, described as "hard in texture and impervious to water," from Washington State. Characterized in a 1933 Oregonian article as "looming, immense, and impressive," the Courthouse retains its original character.</p><br>
<p>Designed in the Renaissance Revival style, the building is a study in formalism with touches of Art Deco details. The symmetrical facade is accented with classically inspired details such as the Doric pilasters and the evenly spaced fenestration pattern. Prominent Renaissance Revival details include the rusticated entry level, multi-pane steel casement windows, and the belt course that separates the first level of the building from upper stories. A sandstone frieze with alternating classical triglyphs (groups of three vertical bands) and metopes (interstitial spaces) with Art Deco stylized floral patterns wraps the building. Topping the frieze is an egg-and-dart pattern beneath a moulded cornice. The flat roof features a parapet wall surmounted with scrolled cheneaux (ornamental gutters).</p><br>
<p>Bronze details are used throughout the Courthouse, most notably on doors, decorative grilles, flagpole bases, and handrails. Principal entrance is gained through the central doorways on the Main Street facade. A repeating star-in-circle motif surrounds the doors, and a garland pattern stretches across the lintel. Surmounting the center door is an Art Deco-inspired eagle with outstretched wings. A modern white marble figurative sculpture by artist Manuel Neri is located east of the main entrance.</p><br>
<p>Interior public spaces are richly appointed with lavish use of various types of marble. The floor of the foyer is of Brown Nebo Golden Travis marble, veined with natural gold. Surrounding trim is of Pink Kasota Fleuri and Red Nebo Golden Travis marbles. Handsome bas-relief figures memorializing Oregonians who fell in military service in World War I decorate the end walls. The foyer is topped by a plaster cornice and ceiling.</p><br>
<p>Other impressive interior spaces are the two USA District Courts on the sixth story. Brown Nebo Travis Gold marble was used for trim and clock faces. Main doors are covered in leather; walls, cornices, and desks are oak. The decorative coffered ceiling, rosettes, and wall panels are plaster. Nearly full-height windows with oak shutters are located on the exterior walls. Ornate bronze heating grilles, Corinthian columns and pilasters, and glass and bronze lamps are suitably dignified details for the courtrooms.</p><br>
<p>The post office, which occupied the basement and first floor of the site, moved to other quarters temporarily in 1984. It then closed on January 25, 2011. The original post office spaces were then renovated for use by the USA District Court. Today, the building retains its original character and many original materials and features. The Gus J. Solomon USA Courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Morris H. Whitehouse</p><br>
<p>Construction dates: 1932–1933</p><br>
<p>Landmark status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 620 SW Main Street</p><br>
<p>Architectural style: Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary materials: Steel frames, reinforced concrete, and sandstone veneer</p><br>
<p>Prominent feature: Art Deco interior</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1928: Congress allocates $500,000 for the acquisition of a site and $1,500,000 for the construction of the new Federal Courthouse.</p><br>
<p>1929-31: Morris H. Whitehouse, a local Portland architect, designs the USA Courthouse.</p><br>
<p>1949: President Truman appoints Gus J. Solomon to the USA District Court.</p><br>
<p>1979: The USA Courthouse is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1984: The USA Courthouse undergoes extensive renovations, and the USA Post Office relocates to another location.</p><br>
<p>1989: The USA Courthouse is renamed to honor Judge Gus J. Solomon.</p><br>
<h2>Attribution</h2><br>
<p>The Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and United States Courthouse, commonly referred to as the Solomon Building, is a historic post office and courthouse located at Chattanooga, Tennessee in Hamilton County, Tennessee. The courthouse serves the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as USA Post Office. It was designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon and Reuben Harrison Hunt with watercolor murals by Hilton Leech.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and USA Courthouse was constructed in 1932–1933 as the USA Post Office and Courthouse. Designed jointly by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon and Reuben Harrison Hunt (1862–1937), it was Hunt&#39;s last major work, coming at the end of a career that spanned more than five decades. Hunt designed every major public building constructed in Chattanooga between 1895 and 1935. He was also the architect of local churches, hospitals, and private office buildings, as well as similar public and private buildings throughout the South.</p><br>
<p>Chattanooga&#39;s Post Office and Courthouse was built as part of an expanded federal construction program, undertaken in the 1930s under the direction of Supervising Architect Louis A. Simon. This program resulted in the construction of new post offices and courthouses throughout the United States and provided employment to many architects, engineers, artists, and construction workers. The Post Office and Courthouse cost approximately $493,000.</p><br>
<p>In 1938 the building was recognized by the American Institute of Architects as one of the 150 finest buildings constructed in the previous twenty years in the United States, and it was featured in an AIA photographic exhibit in America and Europe.</p><br>
<p>Prominent USA District Court cases have been heard in the building. In 1960 the filing of a major civil rights lawsuit, Mapp et al. vs. the City of Chattanooga Board of Education, initiated the desegregation of the citys public schools. It was also the site of Jimmy Hoffas 1964 conviction for jury tampering.</p><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, as part of a thematic nomination of the most significant buildings of Reuben Harrison Hunt.</p><br>
<p>The General Services Administration assumed ownership of the building in 1981 and renamed it in honor of Joel "Jay" W. Solomon, a Chattanooga native and Administrator of GSA from 1977 to 1979. The main Chattanooga Post Office has relocated, but the building still houses federal courts and offices.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and USA Court-house stands in the central business district of Chattanooga. Facing Georgia Avenue and across from Miller Park, it occupies half a city block. The building is a notable example of the Art Moderne style as employed for government buildings in the 1930s. The form and details recall the classicism of earlier government architecture but take a stylized form here seen in sleek lines, a vertical emphasis, and plant, animal, and geometric decorative motifs. Several of the motifs, such as eagles and stars, evoke patriotic associations that are particularly appropriate for a federal building. The five-story building has a steel structure clad in white marble. Two penthouses are set on projecting towers at the northwest and southwest corners.</p><br>
<p>On the west (main) elevation, end pavilions project from the towers. These flank a 13-bay central section with 13 three-story windows groups, recessed behind marble pilasters with fluted inner panels. A banded beltcourse running between the fourth floor and the parapet features a pattern of stars and eagles carved in low relief.</p><br>
<p>The building&#39;s main entrances are set in the end pavilions. These are approached by wide steps of granite, with tiered cheek walls. Both upper cheek walls have stylized eagles carved into their corners. In each pavilion the paired and single entrance doors are surmounted by a curving window bay that rises four stories. Both are flanked by angled reveals, adorned with alternating fluted segments and foliate-motif plaques.</p><br>
<p>The rear of the building is dominated by a five-story central section, flanked by one-story pavilions built to house the post office work floors. Carved panels above the window bays feature stylized eagles and shields.</p><br>
<p>The building has elegant interior features and finishes consistent with the Art Moderne style while incorporating motifs suitable for a federal building. The entrance foyers and the lobby have their original chandeliers and marble walls and inlaid marble floors in chevron and star patterns. The lobby ceiling is bordered with bands set with stars. The entry foyer ceilings take the form of shallow domes set with a stylized star pattern. The lobby contains the original postal sales windows with ornate aluminum grilles and fittings, as well as original postal counters. Dark-veined marble staircases with ornate metal railings lead to the upper stories from the entrance foyers. The Mail Carrier, a cast-aluminum sculpture by Leopold Scholz, was installed in the postal lobby in 1938.</p><br>
<p>The ceremonial courtroom is located on the third story. The courtroom lobby has marble walls and a terrazzo floor with an inlaid seal of justice. The courtroom is paneled in oak enhanced by decorative aluminum grilles. The judges bench is a masterpiece of cabinetry. A mural called "Allegory in Chattanooga" curves behind the judges bench. Installed in 1937, it was painted by Hilton Leech under the auspices of the Treasury Department&#39;s Section of Painting and Sculpture. The mural illustrates the history of the city through the New Deal era and includes a transmission tower symbolizing the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), headquartered in Chattanooga from its inception in 1935.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1932–33: The Federal Building and Courthouse is constructed at an approximate cost of $493,000.</p><br>
<p>1938: The building is named one of the 150 best modern buildings (built since 1918) in the United States by the American Institute of Architects.</p><br>
<p>1960: A civil rights lawsuit is filed in Federal District Court initiating a court-ordered desegregation plan for Chattanooga&#39;s public school system.</p><br>
<p>1964: In one of the courthouse&#39;s most notorious trials, Jimmy Hoffa is convicted of jury tampering.</p><br>
<p>1980: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of nomination focusing on buildings of Chattanooga architect Reuben Harrison Hunt.</p><br>
<p>1981: The USA General Services Administration acquires the building and renames it for former GSA Administrator Joel W. Solomon.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Reuben Harrison Hunt</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1932–1933</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 10th Street and Georgia Avenue</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Art Moderne</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: White marble with aluminum details</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Projecting entrance pavilions with carved eagles; courtroom mural by Hilton Leech, entitled "Allegory in Chattanooga"</p><br>
<p>The Howard M. Metzenbaum USA Courthouse is a historic courthouse and post office building located on Superior Avenue in downtown Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Its west side faces Public Square and its north side faces The Mall. It was formerly the Federal Building and USA Courthouse and also known as Old Federal Building and Post Office.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The Howard M. Metzenbaum USA Courthouse, also known as the Federal Building and USA Courthouse, is a monumental anchor to Clevelands Civic Mall. Fronting the Mall and Public Square, it was the first building erected under Clevelands 1903 Group Plan, which illustrates the urban planning ideals of the City Beautiful movement.</p><br>
<p>New York architect Arnold W. Brunner (1857–1925) designed the building under the direction of Supervising Architect of the Treasury James Knox Taylor (1857–1929). It is one of 35 buildings constructed during Taylor&#39;s tenure (1883–1912) that were designed by independent architects commissioned by the USA Treasury Department under the Tarsney Act. The 1893 Act authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to use private architects, selected through competitions, to design Federal buildings. As a process, it manifested the growing demand for greater architectural standards for public buildings and opened the way for additional appropriations to maintain those standards.</p><br>
<p>As the first building erected under the Group Plan, the federal building was the model for later structures. The Group Plan proposed that local and federal government buildings be placed around a grand Mall. Embraced from the late 19th century into the first decades of the 20th century, the City Beautiful movement had its beginnings with the monumental planning and predominately classical architectural style of the 1893 Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Celebrated architect Daniel Burnham, who was instrumental in promoting the nationwide adoption of City Beautiful Movement principles, served as a member of the design team that produced the Group Plan. Arnold W. Brunner, working as an independent architect, and John Merven Carrère, of the prominent New York firm of Carrère and Hastings, also served on the team. The Federal Building formed one half of the Malls termination at Superior Avenue. Cleveland&#39;s Public Library (1925), forming the other half of this terminus, emulates the Federal Building in scale, mass, and general overall appearance.</p><br>
<p>The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. On May 27, 1998, the building was officially renamed in honor of USA Senator Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The Howard M. Metzenbaum USA Courthouse is one of Cleveland&#39;s great monumental public buildings, skillfully illustrating the strong, classical characteristics of Beaux-Arts architecture. The five-story, granite-faced building was constructed between 1903 and 1910. The building covers the entire city block bounded by Rockwell Avenue on the north, Superior Avenue on the south, East Third Street on the east, and Public Square on the west.</p><br>
<p>Inspiration for the design of this Beaux Arts building came from the Place de la Concorde in Paris as well as the work of French architect and theorist Francois Blondel. The resulting design presents a rusticated first floor and 42 ft Corinthian order columns and pilasters on each elevation. These massive columns and pilasters define the sequence of window bays on the second, third, and fourth stories. Rusticated stone-arched windows with carved keystones adorn the first story. The more ornate second-story windows are capped with classically inspired pediments and balustraded sills. The third- and fourth-story window openings have molded surrounds and bracketed sills. Screening the fifth floor is an expansive entablature capped by a balustraded parapet that rises nine feet. A low-hipped, standing-seam copper roof crowns the building with attic dormer windows facing the interior light court. The parapets are adorned with shields and carved stone eagles at the building&#39;s corners.</p><br>
<p>The main entrance to the building is centered on the Superior Avenue facade. Granite steps lead to three rusticated stone arches once fitted with cast bronze doors and ornate bronze lanterns hang from cast bronze brackets. The original doors have been replaced.</p><br>
<p>Flanking the primary entrance are two important sculptures executed by the famed sculptor Daniel Chester French (1850–1931). Jurisprudence is located on the Public Square corner, while Commerce sits at the corner of East Third Street and Superior Avenue. Jurisprudence is personified by a mother figure clasping her baby while a criminal crouches in chains. Commerce is depicted as a female figure holding a model ship in one hand while her other arm rests on a globe representing the opportunity for world trade. At her right is Electricity, symbolized by a female figure holding a magnet catching electrical sparks. Steam, located to her left, is represented by a male figure grasping a wheel.</p><br>
<p>On the interior, the grand main lobby dominates the first floor as it runs east to west across the entire length of the building. The floors, walls, and vaulted ceiling of the lobby are surfaced with marble. Original chandeliers illuminate the space. The postal service windows are located along the lobby&#39;s north wall. Marble stairs wrap around three sides of the elevator shafts, located at the east and west ends of the public lobby. Cast-bronze, spread-wing eagles standing on globes appear over each pair of elevator doors. Corner offices in the upper floors are adorned with impressive murals depicting significant events in the history of Cleveland. Among the magnificent artworks are City of Cleveland Welcomes the Arts by Will Hicok Low (1853–1932), and the Battle of Lake Erie by Rufus Fairchild Zogbaum (1849–1925). Murals in the ceremonial courtrooms on the third floor are The Common Law by Henry Siddons Mowbray (1858–1928), and The Law by Edwin Howland Blashfield (1848–1936).</p><br>
<p>A major renovation project to restore public spaces and modernize the mechanical systems was initiated in 2002. Although the primary activities of the USA District Court system have moved to the new Carl B. Stokes Federal Court House Building a few blocks west, the ceremonial courtrooms in the Metzenbaum Courthouse will continue to be used for public hearings and proceedings. New client agencies moving into the renovated building will include the USA Bankruptcy Court, the Office of the USA Trustee, and the USA Marshals Service.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1893: Passage of the Tarsney Act permits the Federal Government to hire private architects through competitions.</p><br>
<p>1902: The 1858 federal building is demolished to allow for the construction of a new USA Post Office, Custom House, and Courthouse building.</p><br>
<p>1903: The Cleveland Group Plan is presented; construction of the new federal building begins under direction of New York architect Arnold W. Brunner.</p><br>
<p>1905: May 20, 1905 - cornerstone is laid</p><br>
<p>1910: Construction is completed.</p><br>
<p>1911: Building is dedicated</p><br>
<p>1934: The main USA Post Office moves out of the building.</p><br>
<p>1939: Building is cleaned</p><br>
<p>1950: The USA General Services Administration initiates alterations and construction of additional courtrooms.</p><br>
<p>1966: Air conditioning is installed, building is cleaned</p><br>
<p>1974: The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1998: The building is renamed in honor of USA Senator Howard M. Metzenbaum of Ohio.</p><br>
<p>2002: Extensive rehabilitation and modernization of the building to better serve new client agencies.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Arnold W. Brunner</p><br>
<p>Construction dates: 1903-1910</p><br>
<p>Landmark status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 201 Superior Avenue, NE</p><br>
<p>Architectural style: Beaux-Arts</p><br>
<p>Primary materials: Gray granite</p><br>
<p>Prominent features: Exterior sculptures "Jurisprudence" and "Commerce" by Daniel Chester French; ceremonial courtrooms</p><br>
<p>The Jose V. Toledo Federal Building and United States Courthouse is a historic post office and courthouse located at Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is a courthouse for the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. It is also the site for oral argument before the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, when that court sits in Puerto Rico.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The courthouse was designed to provide suitable accommodations for important government offices and to demonstrate the commitment of the United States to the Island of Puerto Rico. From the initial settlement of San Juan, this harbor side site has been critical to the city&#39;s defense and economic development. Initially, portions of the site contained a Spanish fortification, the Bastion de San Justo del Muelle, which was built in 1639 (shortly after the city was invaded by the Dutch) and remained in place until 1897. The southern portion of the site contained a building that was likely a Spanish custom house constructed during the 1830s.</p><br>
<p>In 1898, the USA Government took possession of Puerto Rico and established a presence on the island. When the United States established a governance structure for Puerto Rico in 1900, the need for public buildings became apparent.</p><br>
<p>The structure is composed of two distinct but connected buildings. The first building of the complex was designed between 1906 and 1908 by the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Department of the Treasury, led by James Knox Taylor. Constructed between 1911 and 1914, it was the islands first significant federal building. In 1936, an addition was proposed to accommodate New Deal programs created in response to the Great Depression. Congress authorized the expansion the same year, and plans were completed by the Department of the Treasurys Public Buildings Branch under Supervising Architect Louis A. Simon in 1938. Construction of the addition was completed in 1940. It is a substantial building that was designed independently of the earlier building, although the two are physically connected on the south facade of the 1914 building.</p><br>
<p>In 1986 the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and on the Puerto Rico Register of Historic Sites and Zones in 2000. In 1999 the building was renamed for Jose Victor Toledo. Toledo (1931–1980) served as a justice and chief judge in the USA District Court, District of Puerto Rico, from 1970 until his death a decade later.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The three-story, 1914 section of the courthouse displays a sophisticated and harmonious blend of the Spanish Colonial Revival style with classically inspired forms and details that reflect both the indigenous architecture of Puerto Rico and the prevalent style used on federal government buildings of the era.</p><br>
<p>The U-shaped structure sits on a foundation of concrete piers and wood piles. Constructed on a site that slopes north to south toward the harbor, it consists of a partially excavated basement, two floors with loggias, and a set-back third floor capped with a Spanish-tile roof.</p><br>
<p>The raised basement is finished with rusticated granite, while the upper floors are constructed of brick and concrete and finished in stucco. The north elevation features a centrally placed, projecting, multi-curved parapet and flanking entry portals. The loggias, hallmarks of the Spanish Colonial Revival Style, provide ventilation and shelter from the weather. The openings are segmentally arched with projecting keystones topping the openings. Classically inspired pilasters divide the openings and are skillfully combined with wrought-iron balusters that are located on the second level. Windows are covered with wrought-iron grilles. The clay tile roof with wide overhanging eaves reflects indigenous architectural influence. Supported by paired brackets and set over the building&#39;s ornamental cornice, the eaves provide relief from the hot sun and protect the building from rain.</p><br>
<p>The 1940 building connects with the earlier building on the south elevation. It covers the buildings original grand terraced harbor side entrance and most of its main facade. The simple Streamline Moderne-Art Moderne tower is characteristic of much government architecture of the late 1930s. It contains minimal decorative detailing, but its massing contributes strongly to the buildings visual prominence. Rectangular in plan and six stories in height, the 1940 building is constructed of cast-in-place, reinforced concrete. Two towers capped with handsome, four-ton, bronze lanterns, flank the building and extend above the six-story main edifice.</p><br>
<p>Significant interior spaces of the Jose V. Toledo Federal Building and USA Courthouse include, in the 1914 building, a marble-trimmed entrance lobby with a Spanish-inspired white marble imperial staircase, and public corridors of salt-glazed brick with cast-iron ventilator grilles designed to keep the building comfortable in the tropical Puerto Rican climate. The 1940 addition includes a fifth-floor ceremonial courtroom with decorative tile wainscoting and a diamond-pattern cornice. Original 1940s furnishings have been recreated.</p><br>
<p>In 1996 the USA General Services Administration (GSA) commenced a meticulous restoration following the recovery of approximately 16,000 artifacts that were discovered during preliminary archaeological work on the site. The exterior was restored to its 1940 appearance. Historically significant areas were identified for restoration or replacement. The second-story loggia, closed in the late 1940s or early 1950s, was reopened. The six-foot eaves, removed in 1958, were reconstructed. Original ceremonial spaces were restored. The building was reinforced to withstand earthquakes. Wherever possible, original architectural materials were reused rather than replaced, preserving the integrity of the building.</p><br>
<p>In March 2000 the Society for History in the Federal Government awarded the John Wesley Powell Prize for Excellence in Historic Preservation to GSA for the rehabilitation and restoration work conducted at the building. In 2002 the project received two awards: the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairmans Award for outstanding federal preservation achievement, and the American Institute of Architects New England Charters Honor Award.</p><br>
<p>In 2009, GSA began remodeling of the postal spaces for the bankruptcy court support activities and judges chambers, using the architectural firm Perkins Eastman of Pittsburgh and the construction firm Fe-Ri Construction of San Juan.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1900: USA establishes a formal government presence on Puerto Rico and realizes the need for government buildings.</p><br>
<p>1911-1914: Construction of the USA Post Office and Courthouse occurs.</p><br>
<p>1938-1940: A major addition is constructed.</p><br>
<p>1940s-1960s: Various renovations occur.</p><br>
<p>1986: The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1996: Restoration work commences.</p><br>
<p>1999: The building is renamed the Jose V. Toledo USA Post Office and Courthouse.</p><br>
<p>2000: The restoration project earns the John Wesley Powell Prize for Excellence in Historic Preservation from the Society for History in the Federal Government.</p><br>
<p>2002: Restoration earns Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairmans Award and American Institute of Architects New England Chapters Honor Award.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architects: James Knox Taylor / Louis A. Simon, both Supervising Architects of the Treasury Department</p><br>
<p>Major Restoration Architects & Retrofit: Finegold Alexander & Associates</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1911-1914; 1938–1940</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: The block bounded by Calle Recinto Sur, Calle Tanca, Calle Commercio, and Calle San Justo</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Spanish Colonial Revival style with classical form and details; Art Moderne</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Brick and concrete covered with stucco; cast-in-place concrete</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Twin towers topped by bronze lanterns; two-story wraparound loggia; two-tiered overhang</p><br>
<p>The Lewis F. Powell Jr. United States Courthouse, also known as the USA Post Office and Customhouse, is a historic custom house, post office and courthouse located in Richmond, Virginia. Originally constructed in 1858, it was for decades a courthouse for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. A new federal district courthouse opened in 2008, but the Powell Courthouse still houses the Fourth Circuit. The United States Congress renamed the building for Supreme Court justice Lewis F. Powell Jr., in 1993. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as USA Post Office and Customhouse.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The courthouse is one of only two buildings in the historic core of Richmond to survive the devastating 1865 fire that marked the evacuation of the Confederate Army during the last days of the Civil War. It is the oldest courthouse in GSA&#39;s inventory. Constructed as the USA Custom House, Post Office and Courthouse, the original portion of the building was completed in 1858 to designs of Ammi B. Young, then Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department. The building received additions that were completed in 1889, 1912, and 1932, all three of which hewed closely to the imposing Italianate forms that characterized the original building.</p><br>
<p>The building played a significant role in the American Civil War when the Congress of the new Confederate States of America selected Richmond as its capital. The courthouse provided offices for Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Following the conflict, the federal government reoccupied the building. Then, in 1866, the Grand Jury of the United States District Court met on the third floor and indicted Davis for treason. Davis returned to the courthouse in 1867 for a hearing, but was granted amnesty and never stood trial.</p><br>
<p>Pressure to enlarge the courthouse began in the first decade of the 20th century, when the antitrust policies of President Theodore Roosevelt and associated legislation created an expansion of judicial oversight. In 1910, construction began on a massive expansion of the courthouse, which increased the size of the original building twelve-fold. Matching wings on the east and west were constructed between 1910 and 1932. An Art Deco Annex was constructed in 1935–36 adjacent to the courthouse.</p><br>
<p>In 1993, by which time the building housed only judicial functions, President Bill Clinton dedicated the building as the Lewis F. Powell Jr. United States Courthouse in honor of the retired Associate Justice of the USA Supreme Court Lewis F. Powell Jr., a native Virginian.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The building is an impressive example of the Italianate architecture that became popular in this country during the third quarter of the 19th century. Originally sited in the middle of the block between Tenth and Eleventh Streets, the two primary facades of the courthouse faced Main and Bank streets. Constructed between 1855 and 1858, the original block of the courthouse was designed by Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department Ammi B. Young. Five round arches formed an arcade marking the entrance on Main Street, and a heavy granite portico of three arches, reached by three granite steps, fronted the Bank Street entrance, which was set back from the property line. The three-story exterior of the courthouse was clad in ashlar granite on the first floor and ashlar limestone on the second and third floors. The remaining elements of the original construction can still be seen on the lower levels of the Bank and Main street facades, including the Main Street arcade and the Bank Street portico.</p><br>
<p>The Courthouse exhibits an early use of iron as a structural material in a federal building. As noted in a letter from Secretary of the Treasury James Guthrie, the use of "wrought iron beams and girders" in federal building construction at that time was "wholly new." The structural system employed groin vaults to support upper floors, with cast-iron columns supporting beams and girders.</p><br>
<p>The 1887–89 additions to the building, completed under the direction of Supervising Architect Mifflin E. Bell, consisted of one-by-one-bay wings attached to each of the building&#39;s corners, giving the courthouse an I-shaped plan. The Bank Street facade, including its portico, was moved forward to the property line, and a classical pediment added to the Main Street entrance.</p><br>
<p>Federal courts expanded the range of their oversight at the beginning of the twentieth century, requiring an expansion of court facilities. The Richmond courthouse was enlarged in 1910–12 and 1930–32, expanding to fill the entire city block. Once again the designs emanated from the Office of the Supervising Architect under James Knox Taylor for the earlier addition, and under James A. Wetmore for the latter. The enlargement called for demolition of the courthouse interiors, the addition of a fourth floor and expansion to Tenth and Eleventh streets. While maintaining the general features of the original design, stylistic changes evolved in the additions: the cornice was extended along Bank and Main streets with restrained classical motifs to encompass the new wings, and the Italianate windows were replaced with windows featuring semicircular transoms. So precisely was the work carried out that today it is nearly impossible to distinguish between the four phases of construction.</p><br>
<p>The courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. By 1991, the USA Postal Service had vacated the building and only judicial functions remained. The courts undertook a master plan for the renovation and preservation of some of the most significant spaces within the original building, hoping to restore the finishes to their 1858 appearance. The first phase of the work, which took place in 1996–99, included the restoration of a part of the Greek Revival Main Street Lobby and office space on the third floor.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1855–1858: The Custom House, Post Office and Courthouse is constructed to designs produced in Office of Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department, headed by Ammi B. Young.</p><br>
<p>1887–89: One-story wings are added at building corners under direction of Supervising Architect Mifflin E. Bell.</p><br>
<p>1910–12; 1930–32: The courthouse is expanded to fill the entire block.</p><br>
<p>1969: The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1991: The USA Postal Service vacates the building.</p><br>
<p>1993: President William J. Clinton dedicates the courthouse as the Lewis F. Powell Jr. USA Courthouse, after the former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.</p><br>
<p>1996–99: The Main Street Lobby and third floor offices undergo renovation.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architects: Ammi B. Young; Mifflin E. Bell; James Knox Taylor; James A. Wetmore</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1855–58; 1887–89; 1910–12; 1930–32</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 1000 East Main Street</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Italianate</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Steel, granite, and limestone</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Bank Street porticoes, restored Main Street lobby, 1910 Courtrooms</p><br>
<p>The Ronald N. Davies Federal Building and USA Courthouse is a historic post office and federal office building located at Grand Forks in Grand Forks County, North Dakota, United States. It is a courthouse for the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota. Also and historically known as USA Post Office and Courthouse, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places under that name.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The building was among the first monumental civic buildings in Grand Forks. Originally completed in 1906, the building was envisioned to be a majestic Post Office and Federal Courthouse at a time when Grand Forks was achieving increasing prominence in the agricultural hub of the Red River Valley. The city&#39;s existing post office, housed in an 1870s log cabin, had become obsolete and rising political and business influences demanded a more monumental and permanent post office and courthouse. The new Federal building was sited at the north corner of Fourth Street and First Avenue in the downtown business district.</p><br>
<p>James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department, was responsible for the building&#39;s Beaux-Arts Classical design. The building inspired similar architecture for the adjacent enclave of Classical Revival buildings, including City Hall and Central High School.</p><br>
<p>In 1936, the demand for more space prompted the construction of a three-story addition to the rear of the building, designed by Louis A. Simon of the Supervising Architect&#39;s Office. The addition harmonized modern infrastructure with the original architecture by using like materials and details. The new configuration included passenger elevators and a light well to illuminate the first-floor work areas.</p><br>
<p>In 1964, when the USA Postal Service moved out of the building and into a new, larger facility, interior renovations remodeled the first floor into offices, adding a new stair tower to the north side of the building.</p><br>
<p>In 2001, the building was renamed after Federal District Judge Ronald N. Davies, pursuant to legislation sponsored by Senator Byron Dorgan, and signed into law by President Bill Clinton the previous year. Judge Davies served in the municipal courts in Grand Forks from 1932–40, and was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as the USA District Court Judge of North Dakota. Davies presided over the Stromsodt v. Parke-Davis and Company case in 1966, a case that involved a damage suit against one of the nation&#39;s largest pharmaceutical manufacturers, and, while on temporary assignment, "made a monumental decision to desegregate schools in Little Rock, Ark" in 1957.</p><br>
<p>The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The Ronald N. Davies Federal Building and USA Courthouse reflects James Knox Taylors mannered use of classicism to create an imposing architectural statement of the Federal Governments presence in Grand Forks. The building is a three-story, rectangular, masonry structure of yellow brick and limestone detailing that creates one of the most prominent displays of Beaux-Arts Classicism in the city. Federal Government architects embraced classicism during the early twentieth century as a method of symbolizing democratic ideals of government and power. The distinctive style is exemplified in the building&#39;s symmetry, central emphasis, and classical ornamentation.</p><br>
<p>On the facade, the most elaborate decorative features are reserved for the centralized three-bay section. Like the secondary elevations, the facade is composed of three horizontal zones. A rusticated base of alternating bands of limestone and brick courses is differentiated from the smooth limestone walls of the upper stories, which form the middle zone. The upper stories are articulated fenestration framed by colossal Tuscan order pilasters. The third zone is defined by the entablature, including a blank frieze surmounted by a heavy dentil molding, projecting cornice, and balustraded parapet, composed of alternating balusters with raised panels. A large festooned cartouche at the parapet is a crowning feature of the central bay&#39;s vertical axis.</p><br>
<p>Refined Beaux-Arts embellishments accentuate the facade&#39;s key features. The main entrance is prominently centered and framed by a segmental arch bedecked by a keystone and festooned swags, and banded pilasters, which support an "audience balcony" above.</p><br>
<p>The interior public spaces are monumental in scale and classical in detail. The first-floor entry lobby, while reduced in size from its original configuration, retains its 16 ft ceiling, featuring a cast-plaster cornice, moldings, soffits, and modillions. Marble adorns the walls and window sills. A central marble staircase with a richly ornamented cast-iron balustrade ascends from the first-floor lobby to the upper floors. The second- and third-floor finishes are generally unchanged from their original condition, consisting of white marble wainscoting and green marble base and trim. Second- and third-floor public corridors have coved ceilings with cast-plaster picture moldings at the spring line.</p><br>
<p>The courtroom - with monumental proportions - represents a dignity apropos of its function as a Federal courthouse. Its coffered, 24 ft ceiling features dentil molding, modillions, and plaster acanthus leaves and buds that grace each coffers perimeter. The walls are divided by wood wainscoting surmounted by raised plaster panels with molding surrounds. Windows extend upwards from the wainscoting and are partially trimmed on three sides with cast-plaster acanthus leaves matching those on the ceiling. From its earliest period, the courtroom has been carefully preserved. When the judges bench and jury boxes were relocated from the east to the west wall in 1936, the alterations to the wainscoting, plaster ceiling details, and the wall panels were painstakingly matched to existing 1906 finishes.</p><br>
<p>Because few older buildings in the city&#39;s central business district have survived unmodified, the Ronald N. Davies Federal Building and USA Courthouse stands as an unusual example of a monumental structure essentially unaltered. As it has for the past century, the building today represents the Federal presence and stands as a visual focus and historic architectural antecedent in downtown Grand Forks.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1905-06: The Post Office and Federal Courthouse in Grand Forks is constructed.</p><br>
<p>1927: Designs are made for the building&#39;s rear addition, providing more space for USA Postal Service offices.</p><br>
<p>1936: The rear addition is completed and opened to the public.</p><br>
<p>1964: The USA Postal Service moves to a new, larger facility. Major renovations convert the existing workspaces into offices.</p><br>
<p>1976: The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>2002: The building is named after Federal District Judge Ronald N. Davies.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architects: James Knox Taylor; Louis A. Simon</p><br>
<p>Construction dates: 1905-06; 1936</p><br>
<p>Landmark status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 102 North 4th Street</p><br>
<p>Architectural style: Beaux-Arts</p><br>
<p>Primary materials: Yellow brick masonry, limestone</p><br>
<p>Prominent features: Beaux-Arts exterior ornament, Historic Courtroom with original 1906 detailing.</p><br>
<p>The Federal Building and USA Courthouse, also known as USA Courthouse, Sioux Falls, is a historic federal office and courthouse building located at Sioux Falls in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. The building is still in use as a federal courthouse, being the seat of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota. The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The monumental Romanesque USA Courthouse in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, embodied and validated the federal governments faith in westward expansion. The USA Government purchased a two-lot parcel dedicated to the construction of a Federal building in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on July 22, 1891. South Dakotas first senator, Richard Pettigrew, introduced a bill to fund the structure, recommending that native Sioux quartzite be used for its construction. Willoughby J. Edbrooke, Supervising Architect of the Treasury and architect for the original portion of the building, designed it to house a post office on the entry level and a courthouse on the second floor. Originally constructed between 1892 and 1895, the building was expanded in 1911 and again in 1931.</p><br>
<p>In the early 1890s, South Dakota was a young state that had recently witnessed a major conflict between the USA Army and Native Americans at the Wounded Knee Massacre. The construction of a Federal building at Sioux Falls was intended to create a sense of stability and permanence among the newly arrived settlers.</p><br>
<p>Since its construction, the federal building has been a landmark in the downtown area, where it occupies most of an entire city block. In May 1995, the Centennial Observance of the building was held to celebrate 100 years of service to the federal government. During the celebration, the building was rededicated and a historical marker, provided by the Minnehaha County Historical Society, was unveiled. At the same time, the building was officially renamed as the USA Courthouse. Historic memorabilia, photographs, and art were displayed throughout the building.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The original 1892-1895 building was a two-story structure with an attic and basement built in the Romanesque style. Popularized by master architect Henry Hobson Richardson in the late 19th century, the Romanesque style was widely emulated by other architects throughout the nation. The character-defining Romanesque features of the USA Courthouse, an excellent example of the style, include handsome, wide (Romanesque) arches; rough-hewn stone finishes accented with smooth stones; and heavy, monumental massing.</p><br>
<p>The exterior walls are primarily of rose-colored quartzite (also known as jasper), which was shipped by train from nearby Jasper, Minnesota. Like granite, quartzite is durable with a similar texture and workability. Unlike granite, however, the surface of quartzite has a slightly translucent appearance. A smoothly finished quartzite that looks much like terracotta was used for the trim and voussoirs (wedge-shaped stones in the arches).</p><br>
<p>Belt courses encircle the building, delineating the interior floors. A distinctive cornice, which echoes the arched shape of the windows on the first and second stories, is topped by a slate roof. The roof form is primarily hipped, crossed by central gable parapet-wall dormers and terminated at each end with octagonal turrets. Entrance to the building is gained through a large, central Romanesque arch on the Phillips Street facade.</p><br>
<p>In 1911, under James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the Treasury, the building was extended 30 feet to the east, and the third floor was added. Substantial interior alterations, compatible with the original design, were also completed. The post office lobby was extended, and a new marble stair was placed in the southwest portion of the original building, replacing the turret stair. An elevator was installed adjacent to the stair lobby. The new public hallways, lobbies, and stairs featured marble baseboards, treads, and landings, and terrazzo with a marble border served as flooring.</p><br>
<p>In 1931, a two-story wing with a full basement was added to the rear (east side) of the building under the direction of the Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore. Like the 1911 alterations, this addition was sympathetic to the original building. The same quartzite stone was used, and cornice and fenestration patterns found in the existing structure were repeated in the addition. Handsome decorative elements and finishes in these areas included marble wainscot and trim, marble and terrazzo flooring, and brass elevator doors and frames. The basement and first floor are organized around a central corridor flanked with offices. The second and third floors have offices located around the perimeter as well as within the central core of the building. The large, second-floor courtroom, and another on the first floor, remain.</p><br>
<p>Interior modernizations have occurred during the course of the building&#39;s history, including alterations made in 1968 when the post office relocated to another building. However, many features remain, including the 1911 iron and marble stairs, the oak-paneled courtroom, and two small vaults with mural scenes painted on the doors.</p><br>
<p>In 1974, the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1892-1895: The building is constructed.</p><br>
<p>1895: Judge Alonzo J. Edgerton is appointed as the first judge to occupy the courthouse.</p><br>
<p>1911-1913: The first major addition, including a 30-foot extension to the east and a complete third story, is constructed.</p><br>
<p>1931-1933: A two-story wing is added to the rear.</p><br>
<p>1968: The post office relocates, resulting in interior and exterior modifications.</p><br>
<p>1974: The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1995: The building&#39;s centennial celebration occurs.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architects: W.J. Edbrooke, with additions by James Knox Taylor (1911) and James A. Wetmore (1931)</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1892–1895, 1911–1913, 1931</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: Corner of Phillips and Twelfth Streets</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Romanesque</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Jasper quartzite</p><br>
<p>Prominent Feature: Romanesque design elements, such as arched openings and stone finishes</p><br>
<p>The United States Custom House is a historic United States federal government building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built between 1932 and 1934 to the Art Deco designs of the architectural firm of Ritter & Shay, the building occupies an entire block between Second, Chestnut, and Sansom Streets and the former Exchange Place in the heart of the oldest section of the city. Its south and west sides border Independence National Historical Park.</p><br>
<p>At 17 stories and 287 ft tall, the massive building towers above other nearby historic buildings of the shipping, financial, and commercial quarter. The building currently houses federal offices for the USA FDA, Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, National Park Service and U.S Customs and Border Protection agencies.</p><br>
<p>The building was rehabilitated in 1991–93 and underwent a major renovation in 2010–13. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 25, 2011.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The United States Custom House in Philadelphia is a product of the great federal building projects of the Depression era. Begun in December 1932 under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a massive federal unemployment relief program, it opened on November 10, 1934, having cost over $3.5 million. Distinguished by richness of materials, by the quality of its design, and by a decorative program by a major local artist, the USA Custom House is a fitting architectural monument to Philadelphias status as one of the nations largest ports.</p><br>
<p>The growth of Philadelphia as a prosperous center of industry at the turn of the 20th century resulted in a greatly increased number of ships entering and leaving the port. As the USA Customs Service expanded to fulfill its duties, it outgrew its home since 1845 in the renowned Second Bank of the United States building, which was designed by William Strickland and completed in 1824.</p><br>
<p>The new USA Custom House documents the social and economic history of the early 1930s — vividly illustrating the WPAs role in combating unemployment through large-scale building projects that employed local craftspeople, suppliers, and manufacturers while providing workers with a fair wage. In an effort to stimulate the economy following the stock market crash of 1929, Congress passed a bill appropriating funds for the USA Custom House in Philadelphia. The buildings construction helped spur the local economy by directly employing more than 4,000 workers for two years. Construction of the USA Custom House was the initial component of an early urban redevelopment plan that ultimately spread to include the creation of Independence National Historical Park and the revitalization of Society Hill.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The final major work by Ritter & Shay, one of the most prominent architectural firms in Philadelphia, the new building respected its historic 18th-century neighborhood through the use of classical details on the broad, low base. However, it also reflected its own time with a bold, setback Art Deco tower with sheer surfaces and a tapered silhouette.</p><br>
<p>The USA Custom House occupies an entire city block in the heart of Philadelphia&#39;s Historic District between Second, Chestnut, American, and Sansom Streets. It rises 17 stories from its base to its lantern. The 264 ft&sup2, three-story base is clad in limestone with decorative aluminum details and steel casement windows. The classically inspired base is highly responsive to the surrounding Georgian and Federal architecture. Semicircular metal bas-relief panels depicting American industry, commerce, and trade are set beneath the arched door openings of the main entrance.</p><br>
<p>Set back from the base&#39;s perimeter, the tower rises in a cruciform plan, and is built of red brick with limestone trim and double-hung wood windows. The building culminates nearly 300 feet above the ground in an octagonal lantern (based on the ancient Lantern at the Greek Island of Rhodes) of white high-relief terra cotta with decorative side grilles and handsome limestone eagles. The lantern, the apex of which housed a powerful light, originally burned logs and crude oil to produce a bright flame by night and dark smoke by day. A 30-space garage was part of the original basement design.</p><br>
<p>The interior was the result of an extraordinary collaboration among Brandywine School artist George Harding, architect Howell Lewis Shay, and Philadelphia Museum of Art director Fiske Kimball (who recommended Harding). Hardings significant mural program consists of a series of 31 separate panels in the vestibule, elevator lobby, and rotunda area. The selection of ornamental motifs, based entirely on nautical vignettes and images of commerce, underscore the buildings function. Ships, planes, conch shells, seahorses, and reclining Neptunes in George Hardings murals are all representative of the buildings function next to one of the world&#39;s largest freshwater ports.</p><br>
<p>The first floor follows a strong axial plan that focuses on a three-story rotunda with an elaborate plasterwork ceiling and adjacent light wells. A coffered plaster dome, supported by eight fluted serpentine marble columns, caps the striking three-story rotunda. Each coffer essentially consists of a large gold shell, and the frieze has eight panels showing the winds as depicted in Greek mythology. On either side of the main north–south corridor are spectacular circular stairs that rise under small secondary domes and provide access to offices on the second and third stories.</p><br>
<p>Although it appears to be in the center of the building, the rotunda is located in the front portion of the USA Custom House and cleverly disguises the loading docks, which comprise nearly half of the first floor.</p><br>
<p>The USA General Services Administration completed an extensive restoration of the USA Custom House in the early 1990s. The three-year project included conservation of original surface finishes, upgrading mechanical and lighting systems, and ensuring access for the disabled. The building is once again fully occupied, and annual energy costs have been reduced 60 percent.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>The following are significant events in the history of the United States Custom House.</p><br>
<p>1789: On July 31, the USA Customs Service is established.</p><br>
<p>1845: The USA Customs Service moves into the Second Bank of the United States.</p><br>
<p>1932: The Economy Act reduces the building&#39;s budget, necessitating the substitution of limestone for the originally proposed marble trim.</p><br>
<p>1934: The USA Customs Service moves into current building at Second and Chestnut Streets.</p><br>
<p>1984: The building is listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, 12/31/1984</p><br>
<p>1991: The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Independence National Historical Park Historic District.</p><br>
<p>1991–1993: The USA General Services Administration undertakes a major restoration and renovation of the structure.</p><br>
<p>2010–2012: The building undergoes a major renovation.</p><br>
<p>2011: The building is listed separately on the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>The USA Custom house is a historic custom house in Portland in Multnomah County, Oregon. It was constructed to house offices of the United States Custom Service. It was built in 1898–1901 and is listed on the USA National Register of Historic Places. It is slated to become the second Portland location of Industrious, a coworking space provider, in Spring 2022.</p><br>
<p>The building was used for filming as the exterior of the Portland Police station in the NBC series Grimm.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>Fueled by Portlands economic development during the late 19th century, the USA Custom House was constructed to accommodate the citys burgeoning prosperity and status. In 1875, the USA Custom Service first established a presence in Portland, moving into the newly constructed USA Post Office, Courthouse, and Custom House building (now known as the Pioneer Courthouse). As the city outgrew the space, a new Federal building was planned to house the Custom Service and additional courtrooms. In 1898, construction began on the present USA Custom House, reaching completion in 1901.</p><br>
<p>The building was designed in the office of James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department, and constructed under the supervision of architect Edgar M. Lazarus. Lazarus is known for his designs for the Vista House at Crown Point and the Agricultural Palace for the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition (no longer extant). Together, Taylor and Lazarus brought the new Custom House to fruition in a style inspired by the English Renaissance architecture of the 17th and 18th centuries, with similarities to the mannered style that characterized London architect James Gibbs&#39;s public architecture.</p><br>
<p>In 1938, the east and west wings gained fourth floors to accommodate additional office space. In 1968, when the USA Custom Service moved into the Old Post Office Building at 511 NW Broadway, the North Pacific Division of the USA Army Corps of Engineers occupied the building, until they moved to a new location in December 2004. The building&#39;s scale and distinguished design aesthetically enhances its neighborhood and serves as an anchor on the margin of the North Park Blocks, a row of seven blocks originally intended as open space in the late 19th century. In 1970, upon the recommendation of the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission, the City Council designated the USA Custom House as a Historic Landmark. In 1973, the USA Custom House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<h3>Current Use</h3><br>
<p>After the US Custom was vacated in 2004 the Custom House was considered for an International School though ultimately this was determined not to be feasible and the Property was put up for auction. After an extended process the Property was purchased at auction by Eastern Real Estate LLC in March 2012 with a bid of $4.74 million, with the sale finalized in October 2012. In April 2015, WeWork announced plans to expand to Portland, leasing the Custom House for use as shared office space. In conjunction with WeWork&#39;s leasing the entire Custom House building the Property was renovated in phases and WeWork opened for business in 2017. The property was intricately restored under the dedicated guidance of local architect, Dick Kirschbaum, of GBD Architects. Eastern Real Estate sold the Property in Q4 2017 to a new owner. WeWork left the Customs House location in 2021, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the massive protests in response to the murder of George Floyd, and the situation regarding homeless people in downtown Portland.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>Portland&#39;s USA Custom House is a large edifice, encompassing a full block bounded by NW Broadway, Everett and Davis Streets, and Eighth Avenue, near the downtown. The four-story building is symmetrical, H-shaped in plan, featuring pavilions extending to the north and south from the central mass. An elegant one-story granite loggia of five tall, arched openings with rusticated walls and a scrolled parapet encloses the entry courtyard and opens onto Eighth Avenue and the North Park Blocks beyond.</p><br>
<p>The USA Custom House is an exemplary display of the Italian Renaissance Revival style of architecture, exhibiting Baroque and Mannerist features. The building&#39;s first-story walls are brick masonry sheathed in light-gray granite, with rusticated joints and quoins at the corners, and are pierced by window and door openings headed with articulated semicircular arches. A continuous granite stringcourse carved with Vitruvian scrolls and a balustrade above divide the first and second floors. The upper stories are composed of Roman brick with terra-cotta detailing and crowned with a dentil cornice molding supported by scrolled consoles. The flanking pavilions are capped with slate-covered pyramidal roofs, prominently featuring two ornamental vent stacks clad in terra cotta atop a rusticated stone base.</p><br>
<p>A distinctive feature that evokes the interpretative style of the mid-16th-century Italian Mannerist architecture is the ornamentation of the fenestration. This is most prominent with the second- and third-story windows’ display of the "Gibbs surround," which is characterized by keystones and spaced blocks surrounding large windows. Here, this motif is composed of terra-cotta displaying bead and reel decoration, elaborately carved quoins, keystones, and Doric order moldings. Framing the second- and third-story bays of the north and south pavilions are two-story engaged Corinthian columns, supporting a continuous architrave, which is capped with a dentiled cornice and a parapet of alternating brick panels and open balusters.</p><br>
<p>Italian Renaissance Revival finishes and details are reflected on the interior spaces of the Custom House. Arched doorways, marble-clad piers, and beams with classical plaster moldings define the three bays of the first-floor entry vestibule, extending into the first- floor lobby where they are articulated with groined vaults and paneled arch soffits. Marble wainscoting continues around the room and extends to the spring line. Each story&#39;s lobby is similarly treated, but using ascending classical orders – Doric on the first floor, Ionic order on the second, and Corinthian order on the third.</p><br>
<p>A grand cast-iron stairway extends from the center of the first floor to the fourth floor, featuring marble treads, double balusters with spiral and acanthus ornamentation, paneled stringers and soffits, and a molded oak handrail. Originally, windows at the landings opened into a light court, which was covered with solid panels in 1949, leaving the oak framing and trim intact. The existing vestibule and main stair lobbies are well-preserved spaces which remain as the most detailed and significant areas in the building.</p><br>
<p>Typically, the office spaces include plaster finishes with oak baseboards, chair rails, and picture moldings. Although initial plans in 1897 called for two-story courtrooms in the large spaces at each end of the central wing at the third floor, these were omitted from the design after construction began in 1900. While the courtroom spaces were simplified, their large, central skylights in the paneled ceilings above were retained. The interiors were rehabilitated in 1977, removing obtrusive firewalls that had been installed in the stairwells. In 1992, GSA undertook an extensive exterior preservation project to clean, repair, and restore the historic building to its original condition.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1898-1901: The USA Custom House is constructed.</p><br>
<p>1901: The building is opened.</p><br>
<p>1937-1939: The north and south pavilions gain a fourth floor.</p><br>
<p>1968: The USA Custom Service moves into the old Post Office Building, and the USA Army Corps of Engineers becomes the primary tenant.</p><br>
<p>1970: The building is designated as a Portland Historic Landmark.</p><br>
<p>1973: The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1977: The interiors are rehabilitated.</p><br>
<p>1992: An extensive GSA exterior preservation project renews masonry work, windows and courtyard entry doors.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: James Knox Taylor and Edgar Lazarus</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1898–1901; 1937–1939</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Portland Historic Landmark; Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 220 NW Eighth Avenue</p><br>
<p>Floor Area: 99,742 sq.ft</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Italian Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Granite, Roman brick, terra-cotta</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Mannerist exterior detailing, featuring "Gibbs Surrounds&quot cast-iron staircase</p><br>
<p>The United States Post Office and Courthouse, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is a historic post office, courthouse, and Federal office building built in 1912 and located at Oklahoma City in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. It previously served as a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, and of the United States Court of Appeals, briefly housing the Eighth Circuit and, then the Tenth Circuit for several decades. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It continues to house the Bankruptcy court for the Western District of Oklahoma. The building includes Moderne and Beaux Arts.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The United States Post Office and Courthouse was the first monumental structure in Oklahoma City and served as an anchor for future federal development. Plans for the construction of the building began in 1903 when Congress appropriated funds for a downtown facility. Due to the regions rapid growth, original funding was insufficient and additional money was allotted in 1906, 1908, and 1910. It was the first federal building constructed in Oklahoma, which became a state only five years prior to the buildings 1912 completion.</p><br>
<p>As a courthouse, the building housed the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. In 1926, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit began using the building, until the Courts of Appeals were reorganized in 1929, and Oklahoma was placed in the Tenth Circuit. The Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit met here from 1929 until 1962.</p><br>
<p>Two important cases were decided in this building. George "Machine Gun" Kelly, a notorious outlaw of the Prohibition era, was found guilty of kidnapping Oklahoma City oilman and millionaire Charles F. Urschel. Kelly was sentenced in 1933 to life in prison and sent to Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. Kellys trial was the first in the nation to allow sound and picture equipment in a federal courtroom. In 1949, the case of McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents was heard. The courts decision desegregated graduate schools in Oklahoma.</p><br>
<p>The building is part of a Federal complex that included a separate courthouse constructed in 1959 and the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. In April 1995, a terrorist bomb destroyed the Murrah building causing tragic injuries and fatalities. Portions of the USA Post Office and Courthouse, most notably the tower, were damaged by concussions from the blast. Repairs were made to windows, ceiling tiles, and lights. Today, the site of the bombing is the Oklahoma City National Memorial. A new federal building is located several blocks north of the USA Post Office and Courthouse.</p><br>
<p>The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 1992, the USA General Services Administration completed a restoration of significant interior spaces. The restoration was recognized with awards from the Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office and the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Although the post office relocated in 1966, the building continues to function in its historic capacity as a federal courthouse and office building.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>This landmark building was designed the Office of the Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department under James Knox Taylor. The building was constructed in 1912 in the Beaux Arts Classicism style. This style of architecture was commonly used for important public buildings from the end of the 19th century until the early years of the 20th century. The building&#39;s symmetry, monumental form, balustrade, and pilasters (attached columns) are characteristic of Beaux Arts Classicism. The original portion of the building is three stories tall and faced with limestone. Pediments, arched openings, and shallow balconies are other notable components of the facade. The roof is covered with red tiles.</p><br>
<p>The original building was enlarged on two separate occasions. In 1919, an addition that doubled the building size was constructed on the west side of the original building. The Office of the Supervising Architect was once again responsible for the design, which was executed in the Beaux Arts Classicism style to blend with the original portion of the building. The facility was enlarged again in 1932 when another addition was completed. Both additions were carried out by the Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore. This second addition, located on the western end of the 1919 portion, once again respected the Beaux Arts Classicism of the earlier portions. As part of the 1932 expansion, a centrally placed tower was added over the 1919 addition. The tower features stylized decorative motifs that are characteristic of Art Deco architecture, which emphasizes the verticality of the design and incorporates Classical forms while minimizing ornate elements.</p><br>
<p>The interior is as impressive as the exterior. In 1992, the USA General Services Administration restored major public spaces to their original splendor. The lobby, which runs the length of the building, contains a barrel-vaulted ceiling with arched openings that contain geometric, metal grilles. Also in the lobby, the patterned tile floor, green-and-gold starburst ceiling stencils, brass chandeliers, and bronze elevator doors were restored. Elaborate ceilings in the courtrooms, some of which contain skylights with grilles, were refurbished. An ornamental painted ceiling was added to the ninth-floor courtroom. Although the ceiling was shown as part of the architect&#39;s original design, it was not executed during construction in 1932.</p><br>
<p>Two murals near the main entrance were painted in 1935 as part of the Works Progress Administration program. Covered up during modernization work, the murals have since been restored. One depicts a Postal Service Pony Express rider seal, and the other is an image of the Great Seal of the United States.</p><br>
<p>The first floor lobby contains two paintings by James D. Butler that were installed in 1993. "Sunset Near the Chisholm Trail" symbolizes the cowboy heritage and agricultural significance of Oklahoma. "A View Near Tahlequah, Cherokee County" symbolizes the state&#39;s Native American legacy and natural beauty.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1903: Initial plans made for a post office building in the Oklahoma Territory</p><br>
<p>1907: Oklahoma statehood</p><br>
<p>1912: USA Post Office and Courthouse completed</p><br>
<p>1919: First Addition to the original building completed</p><br>
<p>1932: Second addition, including the Art Deco tower, completed</p><br>
<p>1933: George "Machine Gun" Kelly trial</p><br>
<p>1949: McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents case decided</p><br>
<p>1974: USA Post Office and Courthouse listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>1992: Restoration of the building completed</p><br>
<p>1995: Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombed</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 215 Dean A. McGee Avenue</p><br>
<p>Architects: James Knox Taylor; James A. Wetmore</p><br>
<p>Construction dates: 1912; 1919; 1932</p><br>
<p>Restoration: 1992</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Beaux Arts Classicism with Art Deco Tower</p><br>
<p>Primary Material: Limestone</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Art Deco Tower; Restored First-Floor Lobby</p><br>
<p>The William O. Douglas Federal Building is a historic post office, courthouse, and federal office building located at Yakima in Yakima County, Washington. It is a courthouse for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Renamed in 1978, it was previously known as USA Post Office and Courthouse, and is listed under that name in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The first post office in Yakima opened in 1885. By 1910, federal officials selected a location for a new post office and courthouse building in the town. Designed by Supervising Architect of the Treasury James Knox Taylor, the building is Yakimas premier example of Second Renaissance Revival style architecture. To celebrate the grand buildings opening in June 1912, Postmaster W.L. Lemon hosted an open house and employees led citizens on tours. The building&#39;s first tenants included the post office, federal courts, USA Marshals, Reclamation Service, Land Office, and Weather Bureau. The first court case was tried in the building in July 1912.</p><br>
<p>In 1926, a single-story annex was added to the rear of the building. In 1939, Supervising Architect of the Treasury Louis A. Simon designed three-story wings that extended the north and south elevations to the east; Simon also demolished and replaced the 1926 annex with a single-story addition that connected the wings. Construction was complete by 1940. In 1987, the architectural firm of Paddock & Hollingbery designed a two-story, brick-faced infill addition that was built on the existing rear addition. At the same time, interior spaces were renovated and restored, and the building&#39;s mechanical systems were upgraded to current standards.</p><br>
<p>In 1978, Congress passed a resolution to rename the building to honor Justice William O. Douglas, who served on the Supreme Court from 1939, when he was nominated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, until his retirement in 1975. Although born in Minnesota, Douglas grew up in Yakima. With a term of more than 36 years, Justice Douglas remains the longest-serving justice in Supreme Court history. The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The monumental William O. Douglas Federal Building is an excellent example of Second Renaissance Revival architecture, a classically inspired and dignified style that conveyed the stability of the federal government.</p><br>
<p>The nearly square, three-story structure features concrete spread footings, a steel frame, reinforced concrete floors, and exterior brick walls that are faced in high-quality granite and limestone. The symmetrical facade faces west onto South Third Street and first story is clad with deeply incised rusticated New Hampshire granite. This first-story articulation is a character-defining feature of Second Renaissance Revival architecture. A belt course divides the first and second levels. Smooth Indiana limestone panels clad the upper stories. Recessed bays flank a central, seven-bay, projecting pavilion. The street level is dominated by a series of regularly spaced round-arch openings containing both double-hung sash windows and entry doors, all of which feature fanlights. Radiating voussoirs surround each of the arched openings. Recessed entrances are located at each end of the projecting pavilion, and the entry stairs are flanked by tall, cast-bronze pedestal lamps topped with spherical globes. Articulated voussoirs capped with pediments top the pavilions second story flat-arch windows. Textured consoles featuring anthemia leaves support the pediments gable returns. Projecting window sills are supported by brackets that flank simple rectangular panels. Smaller square windows with prominent scrolled keystones are aligned above the second-story windows. Upper story windows are separated by two-story engaged Ionic order columns that form an impressive colonnade that dominates the central upper bays of the facade. The colonnade supports an unadorned architrave and frieze that are surmounted by a molded cornice with prominent modillion blocks. A parapet with a classical balustrade tops the building.</p><br>
<p>The architects of subsequent additions successfully designed them to be compatible with the existing building. The wings, added in 1940, extend to the east on both the north and south elevations and employ similar materials and design tenets. However, instead of modillion blocks, a convex molding is in place on the wings&#39; cornice. South wing walls are clad in buff-colored brick. The 1987 infill uses a similar brick finish.</p><br>
<p>Interior spaces retain many original materials and features. Although no longer a tenant, the post office originally occupied the first floor. Large round-arched postal windows with oak frames and sash remain in the postal lobby. Bronze postal lock boxes featuring Greek key patterns also allude to the spaces prior use. Floors are covered in terrazzo with dark marble borders. The baseboard and wainscot are grey Vermont Light Cloud Rutland marble, while remaining wall surfaces are covered in plaster. A coffered ceiling tops the lobby and features pendant lights that date to 1940. A marble staircase is located at the lobbys south end.</p><br>
<p>The two-story, second-floor courtroom also retains some historic features. Details include original oak panel doors with classical surrounds, wainscot, baseboards, plaster walls with classically inspired panel molding, and ornamental plaster ceilings. Second-floor corridors have plaster walls with marble baseboards and oak chair rails. Square 1940 light fixtures remain.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1910 Yakima selected as site for new federal building</p><br>
<p>1912 Building completed</p><br>
<p>1926 One-story annex added to east elevation</p><br>
<p>1940 Annex demolished and wings and rear addition built</p><br>
<p>1978 Building named to honor Justice William O. Douglas</p><br>
<p>1979 Building listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>1987 Two stories added to rear addition and interior restored</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 25 South Third Street</p><br>
<p>Architects: James Knox Taylor; Louis A. Simon; Paddock & Hollingbery</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1911-1912; 1940; 1987</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Second Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Limestone; Granite</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Monumental, Classical Facade; Second-Story Ionic Colonnade; Former Postal Lobby with Historic Finishes</p><br>
<p>The Federal Building is a historic post office, courthouse and custom house on Kennedy Plaza in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It is a courthouse for the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. It was built in 1908 by Clarke & Howe of limestone and steel and has a courtyard in the center.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>In 1900 the rapidly growing city of Providence began pressing Rhode Island&#39;s congressional delegation and officials in Washington about the need for a new federal building to replace the USA Customshouse. Congress was ultimately persuaded, in 1902, to appropriate $1 million for a post office, courthouse and custom house. In return, the city donated a site across from City Hall, at the eastern end of Exchange Place, to the federal government. The transfer was completed July 7, 1902.</p><br>
<p>The following year, the USA Treasury Department held a national design competition that attracted ten entries. The local firm of Clarke & Howe was unanimously selected as the winner. The jury, which consisted of James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the Treasury, and several other prominent architects, remarked that the design was "an artistic building, excellently planned for its purpose," and that it would be "an ornament to the city of Providence." It was one of 35 federal buildings contracted to architectural firms under the provisions of the Tarsney Act of 1893. The Act authorized the Treasury Secretary to use private architects, selected through competition, to design Federal buildings and reflected a growing demand for greater architectural standards for public buildings.</p><br>
<p>Contractors Horton and Hemenway began construction in 1904—only two years after passage of the first omnibus public buildings law, which significantly changed the federal construction process. Construction was closely monitored by the Supervising Architect&#39;s Office with monthly progress photographs and building material samples sent to Washington. Construction required relocating railroad tracks and bridging the Providence River. Completed in 1908 at a cost of about $1.3 million, the Providence Post Office, Court House and Custom House was hailed as one of the finest federal buildings outside Washington.</p><br>
<p>Customs and postal functions were relocated over the years and the building was turned over to the USA General Services Administration in 1961. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Extensive renovation and restoration activities have been undertaken, most notably in the late 1970s and again in 1999–2001. The exterior of the Federal Building and USA Courthouse is virtually unchanged, and the lobby and two major courtrooms have been restored.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>Located at the east end of Kennedy Plaza (formerly known as Exchange Place), in downtown Providence, the Federal Building and USA Courthouse is a notable example of the Beaux Arts style. The design seems to owe aspects of its form and detail to the New York Custom House (1900–1907), designed by Cass Gilbert. Completed in 1908, it is a five-story, rectangular structure, faced in New Hampshire granite over a steel frame, with a rusticated base. The building is almost perfectly on axis with the Second Empire style Providence City Hall (1873–1874) at the opposite end of the plaza, and was designed to complement it in style and massing.</p><br>
<p>The building is seven bays wide on the east and west sides and twelve bays long on the north and south sides. The east and west facades are dominated by central projecting pavilions. Each pavilion is articulated by four, three-story Corinthian order columns flanking window openings and linked by balustrades. At the second story, French windows are framed by engaged Doric columns and topped with sculptured swags and cartouches. Arched openings, enriched by keystones and swags, encompass the double-height windows that light the interior courtrooms at the third story.</p><br>
<p>The north and south sides of the building are less ornate. Above the rusticated base are a series of tripartite window openings flanked by colossal Corinthian pilasters. A heavy balustrade rises above the fourth-story cornice. It runs around all four sides, partially concealing the fifth story and the batten-seam lead-coated copper roof.</p><br>
<p>Two groups of allegorical statues, designed by J. Massey Rhind of New York, flank the major entrances on the building&#39;s west side. The marble statues are twice life-size, and each consists of a central seated figure with smaller figures on either side. The group on the right represents "the Nation as Sovereign Power," flanked by Justice, and Law and Order; the one on the left depicts Providence as Independent Thought, flanked by Industry and Education.</p><br>
<p>The main lobby, located inside the west entrance, extends the width of the building. Finished in Indiana limestone, it has a 24 ft, groin vaulted and coffered ceiling that is detailed with rosettes. The ceiling remains among the building&#39;s most distinctive features. The curving main staircase opens off the south end of the lobby and leads to the upper stories.</p><br>
<p>Perhaps the most impressive interior space is the double-height chamber of the Federal District Court, located on the third floor above the west entrance. The walls are paneled in oak set behind paired colossal columns supporting an entablature topped by a vaulted ceiling with an elliptical stained-glass skylight. The main entrance, on axis with the judge&#39;s bench, is framed by pilasters carrying a broken segmental pediment, set on beautifully carved consoles. At the center of the pediment is an eagle, carved in oak, above a wreath with crossed flags and fasces.</p><br>
<p>The courtroom of the Equity Court is on the east side of the third floor. While somewhat smaller than the courtroom of the District Court, it is also a double-height space. The walls are similarly paneled in oak and set behind fluted columns and pilasters that support an entablature at the ceiling level.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1893: Passage of the Tarsney Act permits the Federal Government to hire private architects through competitions.</p><br>
<p>1900: Providence City Council meets with states congressional delegation and Washington officials to discuss the citys need for a new federal building.</p><br>
<p>1902: Congress appropriates $1 million for construction, and the City Council transfers the site to the federal government. The first omnibus public buildings law is passed.</p><br>
<p>1903: Competition design by Providence architectural firm of Clarke & Howe is unanimously selected.</p><br>
<p>1904–1908: The Providence Post Office, Court House and Custom House is constructed.</p><br>
<p>1961: The building is turned over to the USA General Services Administration and renamed the Federal Building and USA Courthouse.</p><br>
<p>1972: The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>Late 1970s: Interior renovation and restoration work completed.</p><br>
<p>1999–2001: Building modernization includes systems replacement, new District Courtroom, seismic retrofitting and restoration work.</p><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse is a historic post office and courthouse located at Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina. The building and its annexes serve the federal court for the Charleston Division of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.</p><br>
<p>The building, completed in 1896 in the Renaissance Revival style, was designed by Charleston architect John Henry Devereux using gray granite from Winnsboro, South Carolina. The design includes a square tower, balustraded balconies, rusticated base and quoins, great double doors, and high and broad steps, meant to resemble an Italian Renaissance palace.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse in Charleston, South Carolina, is located on the southwest corner of Meeting and Broad streets at the intersection known as the "Four Corners of Law." On the northwest corner, a 1792 courthouse represents the role of county government in Charleston. City Hall, built in 1802 on the northeast corner, symbolizes the presence of municipal government. Finally, St. Michael&#39;s Episcopal Church, built between 1752 and 1761, signifies divine law as a component in community life when the Anglican Church was the established church of the community.</p><br>
<p>The Charleston Post Office is one of the oldest in the United States, having been established by George III in 1740, during the provisional colonial governorship of William Bull.</p><br>
<p>In 1887, Congress authorized funds for construction of the current post office. South Carolina architect John Henry Devereux designed the building. He had immigrated as a young child with his family from Ireland. He started work as a plasterer and later studied with a leading architect. He became an architect and builder of churches and public buildings in South Carolina&#39;s Lowcountry. In 1885, Devereux was appointed as Superintendent of Construction and Repairs of the USA Treasury Department, which then managed public buildings. It was in this capacity that he designed the USA Post Office and Courthouse. He selected the Second Renaissance Revival style to convey the grandeur associated with public architecture at that time.</p><br>
<p>Construction of the building was not finished until 1896; a gala viewing complete with a German band took place. Completed for a cost of $500,000, the building is credited with playing an important role in the downtown revitalization of Charleston at the end of the 19th century.</p><br>
<p>The building was individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, and is also within the boundaries of the National Historic Landmark Charleston Historic District.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse is an excellent example of Second Renaissance Revival architecture. This style conveyed the dignity of government and was often used for civic buildings during the late nineteenth century. Some of the hallmarks of the Renaissance Revival style found on the building include a prominent cornice, balustrades, and quoins (corner blocks). Belt courses, another common feature, encircle the building at each level.</p><br>
<p>The building is clad in granite quarried from Winnsboro, South Carolina. On the first story, the granite is finished in rock-faced coursed blocks that are slightly darker in tone than the smooth blocks used on the remainder of the building. The quoins also have a rough finish.</p><br>
<p>Openings on the first story are arched, which is another characteristic of the Second Renaissance Revival style. The second story features rectangular window openings topped with prominent triangular pediments and flanked with pilasters (attached columns). The pilasters are paneled on the bottom, but fluted with parallel, vertical, linear grooves on the top. This pattern continues on pilasters found in the interior lobby. Windows on the third floor are flanked with plain pilasters, but have molded trim above the openings.</p><br>
<p>Pediments with dentils (square blocks) are centrally located on the top story of the street-front facades. A prominent corner tower that ascends a full story above the rest of the building is located at the confluence of Meeting and Broad Streets. The uppermost story of the tower contains a series of arched windows. The tower is topped with an open balustrade.</p><br>
<p>The interior contains opulent public spaces, which were restored in 2002. Like the dignified exterior, the interior splendor indicates the importance of public buildings at the end of the nineteenth century. The postal lobby on the first floor appears much as it did when the building opened in 1896. Rich finishes include red Brazilian marble wainscot and floors, and mahogany walls at the sales and box areas. The grand staircase is ornately finished. The same red Brazilian marble is used on the runners and wainscot, but the risers and the railing are ornamented brass. The prominent brass newel posts are topped with finials and connected by mahogany railings. Ornate brass designs with geometric, curvilinear patterns and rosettes are beneath the railings. Massive plaster columns are painted in a faux marble technique to emulate the red marble and rest on hexagonal brass bases. The magnificent effect of these high-quality finishes is distinctive to the Victorian era.</p><br>
<p>The courtroom on the second floor features many handsome original details, most notably carved woodwork. The room has carved mahogany wainscot and elaborate mahogany window surrounds. A carved mahogany panel with floral and patriotic motifs, including a shield with stars and stripes, is located directly behind the judge&#39;s bench. Oil portraits of past USA District judges hang on the walls. On the second and third floors, many original wood-panel doors with mahogany pilasters remain.</p><br>
<p>In 1922, a modest, single-story, gray concrete addition for service functions was added to the south side of the building. The Hollings Judicial Center was also added to the south side in the 1980s.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1887: Funding for new Federal building authorized</p><br>
<p>1896: Construction completed</p><br>
<p>1922: Addition completed</p><br>
<p>1974: USA Post Office and Courthouse listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>1980s: Hollings Judicial Center added</p><br>
<p>2002: Interior restoration</p><br>
<h2>Bibliography</h2><br>
<p>The United States Customs House and Court House, also known as Old Galveston Customhouse, in Galveston, Texas, is a former home of custom house, post office, and court facilities for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, and later for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Completed in 1861, the structure is now owned and operated by The Hodge Law Firm.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The building symbolized the importance and prosperity of Galveston which was Texas leading seaport and commercial city during the nineteenth century, and the port where most of the imported commercial goods entered the state. The citys business community was primarily concerned with wholesale commerce, and furnished the trade goods for all of Texas, the Indian Territory, and parts of Louisiana and New Mexico. With rising revenue from customs receipts, the United States Congress approved funds in 1855 for a new USA custom house.</p><br>
<p>Original plan and construction: In 1855 the USA Congress appropriated the sum of $100,000 to build a Custom House building for Galveston, Texas. Plans and specifications were prepared by the supervising architect of the office of Construction of the USA Government Treasury Department who was at that time Ammi Burnham Young. Several bid submissions were required before the Department secured the proper degree of formality of presentation and on the third bidding date, February 12, 1857, the contract was awarded to the contractors, C.B. Cluskey of Washington and E.W. Moore of Galveston. Their bid was for $869,723.93 This began a series of difficulties and problems that beset the whole building history of the Custom House.</p><br>
<p>Supervising Architect of the Treasury Ammi Burnham Young produced the original design for the building in 1857. Public officials immediately rejected Youngs three-story design on the grounds that it lacked sufficient space. A new scheme by Charles B. Cluskey (1805–1871) and E.W. Moore (1810–1865) was accepted in 1859. Their design was based on Youngs concept, but provided additional space for the Custom Service and Post Office.</p><br>
<p>The building was begun in 1860 and completed in 1861. The Boston firm of Blaisdell and Emerson built it in 114 days, an unprecedented accomplishment at the time. The extensive use of fireproof cast iron was revolutionary then and likely accounted for the building&#39;s survival from the 1885 Galveston fire. During the Civil War, the Confederate Army occupied the building. In 1865 it was the site of the ceremony officially ending the war in Galveston. The USA Government resumed occupancy that year after making extensive repairs. It served as a courthouse for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas from 1862 until 1891, and was then retired from court service for a time.</p><br>
<p>According to the Historical Marker Database, before construction began on the USA Custom House in 1957, the three lots where the USA Custom House sits, were bid multiple times, the contract was negotiated multiple times, the building design was also changed multiple times. The Historical Marker Database describes the layout of the newly built federal building as the post office in the west part of the ground level with the custom house in the east part and the court, the clerks and marshal on the upper floor. Historical Marker Database notes that On March 17, 1861 the work on the USA Custom House was taken over by the United States Government and the building was nearly complete when Texas seceded from the Union. Historical Marker Database reports that during the battle to capture Galveston, the USA Custom House was impacted by a nine inch shell, fired by the Federal fleet, which passed through a wall but did not explode. When Federal troops captured Galveston in 1862, the Federal troops did not occupy the USA Custom House.</p><br>
<p>Significant alterations were made in 1917, when the General Services Administration added courtrooms and judicial offices to the second floor of the USA Custom House, which then became the Federal Courthouse, serving the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. This location would later become the seat of the Galveston Division, after congress added a second judgeship in the 1930s. The building continued to serve as a courthouse until 1917, and housed offices for federal agencies throughout the twentieth century. The courthouse function was replaced in 1937 by the Galveston United States Post Office and Courthouse. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. In 1998 the Galveston Historical Foundation signed a cooperative agreement with the USA General Services Administration that permitted the Foundation to lease and rehabilitate the building for its headquarters.</p><br>
<h2>Building Juneteenth history</h2><br>
<p>According to the Helen Hall Library’s Juneteenth Section, General Order No. 3 was read at, in addition to other locations, the USA Custom House by General Gordon Granger as he marched through Galveston, Texas with approximately two thousand Federal Soldiers.</p><br>
<h2>Historic building photos</h2><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The USA Custom House in Galveston is a simply detailed Classical Revival, two-story, brick building located near the waterfront in Galveston. The most notable features are the projecting double gallery on the west facade and the inset double galleries on the longer, north and south facades. The exterior walls are hard-fired, red-brown bricks with tan bricks used as accents around the corners and doorjambs. The prominent location at the southeast corner of Twentieth and Post Office (Avenue E) Streets emphasizes its importance to Galveston&#39;s shipping-based economy.</p><br>
<p>Nearly all the original decorative elements on the exterior of the building are cast iron including columns, cornices, balustrades, dentils, entablatures, and window architraves. These elements from the specifications and designs of the original architect Ammi B. Young, were made in New York City and shipped to Galveston. The first-story galleries have Ionic columns set on a granite base. An entablature extends completely around the building separating the first and second floors. The piano nobile is larger in height, and the galleries contain taller, Corinthian columns and a cast-iron balustrade. A classically inspired balustrade caps the building.</p><br>
<p>The interior of the building is H-shaped in plan and was originally designed to provide space for the Customs Service and the Post Office. Extant original elements include the elaborate cast-iron, double-return stair leading to the second floor. The stair&#39;s ornamental newel posts have an acanthus motif and fluted shafts set on octagonal bases. The cast-iron risers are pierced with a circular fret design.</p><br>
<p>In 1917 the USA Custom House was converted for use as a Federal courthouse and a courtroom was created on the second floor. The USA Custom House survived the Civil War and various disasters including the 1885 Galveston Fire, the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900, Hurricane Carla in 1967, and a boiler explosion in 1978 that resulted in the closing of the second floor for almost two decades. Although these events required extensive repairs and renovations, the USA Custom House&#39;s fireproof construction ensured the survival of its most significant stylistic elements.</p><br>
<p>In 1998 a public-private partnership was established between the USA General Services Administration and the Galveston Historical Foundation to allow for the restoration of the building by the Galveston Historical Foundation for use as its headquarters and historic preservation resource center. Assisted by private donations, the careful and sensitive rehabilitation included the removal of 1960s dropped ceilings, the restoration of the second floor, and the removal of the non-original interior wood shutters. The Galveston Historical Foundation formally moved into the refurbished USA Custom House in June 1999.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1857–1859: Supervising Architect of the Treasury Ammi B. Young produces the original design for the USA Custom House.</p><br>
<p>1860–1861: USA Custom House is constructed based on the redesign by local superintendents Charles B. Cluskey and E.W. Moore.</p><br>
<p>1865: Occupied by the Confederate Army, the building is the site of the ceremony ending the Civil War in Galveston. The USA Customs Service resumes occupancy.</p><br>
<p>June 19, 1865: General Order No. 3 read at the United States Customhouse and Courthouse by General Granger.</p><br>
<p>1900: The USA Custom House is damaged by the Galveston Hurricane.</p><br>
<p>1917–1918: A courtroom is created on the second floor for use by the Federal Courts.</p><br>
<p>1967: Following the repair of extensive damages caused by Hurricane Carla, the building is formally rededicated on June 17.</p><br>
<p>1970: The USA Custom House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1978: A boiler explosion damages the building and the second floor is closed.</p><br>
<p>1998–1999: A public-private partnership results in the restoration and use of the building by the Galveston Historical Foundation.</p><br>
<p>July 2023: Shaun & Natalie Hodge purchase the 1861 Courthouse and Customhouse and begin the process of restoring the building for the use of the Hodge Law Firm, PLLC.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architects: Original design by Ammi B. Young, Supervising Architect of the Treasury</p><br>
<p>Revised, executed design by Charles B. Cluskey and E.W. Moore, and David Watson Architect and Associates.</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1860–1861</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 502 Twentieth Street</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Classical Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Brick and cast iron</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Two-story galleries</p><br>
<p>The Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and United States Courthouse is a historic courthouse, federal office, and post office building located in Downtown San Antonio in Bexar County in the USA state of Texas. It was formerly the USA Post Office, Federal Office Building and Courthouse. It is the courthouse for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas. It holds a prominent location on Alamo Plaza, across from the Alamo. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as San Antonio USA Post Office and Courthouse.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The building was a product of the Federal Public Works programs enacted to relieve widespread unemployment during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Its construction accomplished several goals—generating employment, housing all federal agencies in a single building, and streamlining San Antonio&#39;s quickly expanding postal needs.</p><br>
<p>Prominent local architect Ralph Haywood Cameron (1892–1970) designed the building in association with renowned Philadelphia architect Paul Philippe Cret under the direction of the Office of the Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department. Both Cameron and Cret studied at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Cameron, a native Texan who also designed the Dewitt County Courthouse, went on to become one of the leading Beaux-Arts architects of south Texas, and Cret was nationally recognized as one of the foremost practitioners of the style. A ceremonial cornerstone was laid for the new federal building in 1935. Construction was completed in 1936, and the building officially opened in 1937. At that time, the first floor and basement were air-conditioned, a new technology that had not been installed in the any other post office in the country.</p><br>
<p>Shortly after the buildings completion, noted artist Howard Cook painted an epic 16-panel fresco mural in the entry lobby; it is regarded as one of the showpieces of the federal mural program. Cook was selected from among 185 artists in a national competition conducted by the Treasury Departments Section of Fine Arts. In 1999, art conservators restored the mural to its original brilliance.</p><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse is located in the Alamo Plaza Historic District. In 2000, the building was individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It was renamed the Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and United States Courthouse in 2004 to honor Judge Hipolito Frank Garcia (1925–2002).</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>A skillful example of Beaux-Arts classicism, the USA Post Office and Courthouse is indicative of the federal government&#39;s goal of expressing democratic ideals through classically derived architecture featuring grand scale, symmetry, and refined details. The six-story building encompasses an entire city block and is constructed of steel and concrete clad in rich local materials—Texas Pink granite and Texas Cream limestone. The building is polygonal in plan, centered on a central light court. Its facade (south elevation) emphasizes a centrally recessed porch behind a screen of six monumental Ionic columns, rising to support an entablature that continues all around the building.</p><br>
<p>At the first story, the principal approach is created by broad steps of Texas Pink granite spanning the width of the building, leading to three arched entrances with keystones, alternating with four rectangular windows with decorative metal grilles. Limestone masonry walls are articulated by chamfered joints, rising to an overhanging stringcourse. The limestone walls of the upper stories are smooth in contrast, but are also divided into seven bays, featuring rectangular windows at the second story, and elongated fenestration formed by vertically stacked windows at the third and fourth stories. Above the entablature, the attic (sixth) story is similarly clad in smooth limestone veneer with rectangular fenestration flanked by flat pilasters. At the edge of the low-pitched mansard roof, six decorative stone acroteria (urn-like ornaments) are aligned with the pilasters and columns below.</p><br>
<p>On the interior, the Beaux-Arts tradition of grand entrances and circulation areas is boldly expressed by the entry and postal lobbies rich architectural detail and ornamentation. The entry lobby is distinguished by a series of bracketed entryways capped by blind arches with egg-and-dart moldings. Light-colored St. Genevieve marble covers the walls up to the springing course. The most vibrant feature is Howard Cooks outstanding 16-panel mural, "San Antonios Importance in Texas History." The mural is a fresco, a technique of paint applied directly over wet plaster, and spans 750 ft&sup2, making it one of the largest frescoes in the nation. Cooks mural evokes historical events in Texas, including the arrival of the first Conquistadors, the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence, and the arrival of the railroad.</p><br>
<p>The postal lobby features its original bronze and glass-topped tables, with 41 bronze sales window-boxes capped by a continuous band of fretwork and divided by marble Doric pilasters that rise to a wide dentiled cornice. The floors are Tennessee Golden Veined Pink marble, with dark cedar-colored marble bases, and light-colored St. Genevieve marble for the wainscot. Original bronze light fixtures grace the lobby in a variety of decorative motifs depicting eagles and shields.</p><br>
<p>The ceremonial courtroom, located in the south wing of the third floor, is a light-filled two-story space, featuring six bronze pendant chandeliers and dark-stained wood for the wainscot and all of the built-in furniture, including the original judges bench, witness stand and clerks desk. Tall, painted pilasters extend from the wainscot to a wide ornamental plaster entablature. The judge&#39;s bench is framed by an arched niche enriched with wide, intricately decorated plaster ornament, moldings, and gilding, contributing to the impressive character of the room.</p><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse retains its character-defining details and craftsmanship, and continues to convey its significance as an excellent example of a monumental Beaux-Arts-style public building in San Antonio.</p><br>
<h2>Artwork</h2><br>
<p>In 1937, New Mexican artist Howard Cook won a national mural competition sponsored by the Treasury Department&#39;s Fine Arts Section to paint a 750 square foot fresco in the lobby of the Federal Building.</p><br>
<p>"San Antonio&#39;s Importance in Texas History" was completed in May 1939 at a cost of $12,000. The 16 frieze panels depict the history of San Antonio.</p><br>
<p>The southern wall depicts the exploration and initial settlement of the area. On the left, Spanish conquistadors follow Native American guides. In the neighboring image, Franciscan friars oversee Native American slaves in the construction of the missions. The third image depicts trade in San Antonio Plaza with Canary Island settlers. To the right, townspeople celebrate Mexico&#39;s independence from Spain and the arrival of Mexican soldiers. Next to that image, pioneers led by Stephen F. Austin encounter indigenous communities. At the far right of the southern wall, Ben Milam dies in the arms of Samuel Maverick after capturing San Antonio.</p><br>
<p>The western wall includes scenes from the Battle of the Alamo. At left, William Travis—flanked by James Bowie on the left and David Crockett on the right—draws a line in the dirt in an appeal for volunteers to defend the fort. To the right, Mexican soldiers lay siege to the Alamo.</p><br>
<p>The northern wall begins at left with a scene from the Battle of San Jacinto. Mexican General Santa Anna stands with Sam Houston. A surgeon tends to Houstons leg with "Deaf" Smith at his side. To the right, the 1st Congress of the Republic of Texas convenes with Houston turning over his sword and assuming the role of President. Ministers of Houstons first cabinet are pictured, including Austin, David Burnett, Lorenzo de Zavala, Mirabeau Lamar, Thomas Rusk, Juan Seguin, Smith, and William Wharton. The neighboring panel depicts tensions between settlers and the Comanche. In a scene from the Council House Fight, tribal chiefs return a child hostage while concealing weapons beneath their blankets. Further to the right, the United States flag is raised in a depiction of annexation. This scene is accompanied by images of the land rush and colonization. At the right side of the north wall, the first locomotive arrives in San Antonio and is met by a torchlit procession. Near the corner, a Confederate flag alludes to Texas&#39; involvement in the Civil War.</p><br>
<p>The eastern wall depicts the development of the Texas economy. Cowboys, vaqueros, cattle, rice and cotton fields, as well as an oil gusher all illustrate the role of natural resources in the growth of the state.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1932: Congress appropriates funds for the USA Post Office and Courthouse.</p><br>
<p>1935-36: The building is constructed.</p><br>
<p>1937: The building is ceremonially opened.</p><br>
<p>1937-39: Howard Cook designs and executes the fresco mural, "San Antonio&#39;s Importance in Texas History."</p><br>
<p>1999: Cook&#39;s mural is restored.</p><br>
<p>2000: The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>2004: Renamed Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and United States Courthouse</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Ralph Haywood Cameron and Paul Philippe Cret</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1935-36</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Located in the National Register of Historic Places; listed in the Alamo Plaza National Register Historic District</p><br>
<p>Location: 615 East Houston Street, San Antonio, TX 78205</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Beaux-Arts</p><br>
<p>Primary Material: Texas Cream limestone, Texas Pink granite, steel and concrete</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Howard Cook&#39;s 16-panel fresco mural; ceremonial courtroom</p><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse is a historic government building located in Laredo in Webb County, Texas. It previously served as a custom house and a courthouse for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. It continues to serve as a post office.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>Founded on the Rio Grande by a Spanish settler in 1755, the city of Laredo became part of Mexico in 1821. In 1840, Laredo was named capital of the Republic of the Rio Grande during a rebellion that Mexico soon quashed. Laredo&#39;s allegiance remained with Mexico until 1845, when the United States annexed Texas and the Mexican–American War subsequently began. In 1848, under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the two governments established the Rio Grande as the boundary between the United States and Mexico, making Laredo part of the United States. The following year, postal service in Laredo began.</p><br>
<p>During the late-19th century, Laredo entered a period of economic prosperity stimulated by the railroad, coal mining, and irrigated farming. The population tripled, and with this growth came a demand for government services. As Laredo became known as the gateway to Mexico, the federal government began preparations to construct a new post office, courthouse, and custom house. James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the Treasury, designed the Neoclassical-style building. Early plans included an eight-foot-high wall that would have surrounded the building. After the public protested this restrictive component of the design, Taylor removed it. Groundbreaking commenced in 1905 and employees occupied the building, which cost $650,000 to construct, in 1907. In 1935, the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury, then overseen by Louis A. Simon, designed an addition to the building to accommodate the growing space needs. The addition doubled the size of the building, which now occupies an entire city block. In 1962, the customs service vacated the building.</p><br>
<p>In 2004, a new federal courthouse was built to accommodate District and Magistrate court functions. The historic building continues to serve as a post office and federal courthouse, and contains office space for the USA Department of Justice.</p><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 for its historical and architectural significance.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse, a significant local landmark in Laredo, is an excellent example of the Neoclassical style of architecture. It is located at 1300 Matamoros in downtown Laredo, two blocks from City Hall and the Webb County Courthouse. The building displays many character-defining features of the Neoclassical style, which was commonly used in federal building design during the early-20th century because it conveyed a strong and dignified governmental presence. Constructed predominantly of limestone on the exterior, the building also employs high-quality materials such as terrazzo and marble on the interior. The street level of the south-facing, symmetrical facade is dominated by a series of round-arched openings that together form an arcade. Scrolled keystones top each arch. The rusticated limestone on the first story distinguishes the ground level from the smooth upper floors. On the second story, the area beneath a prominent central portico features three arched doorways separated by pilasters. The doorways are slightly recessed and are surrounded by decorative molding and surmounted with ornate carvings. Each carving includes an articulated keystone beneath an oval medallion crowned with a shell motif called a coquillage. Cornucopias of fruit and leaves flank the medallion. A dentil course tops each doorway. Large multi-pane tripartite windows occupy the third story. At the eastern and western ends of the facade, glazed, multi-pane doors on the second story have segmental arched openings with articulated surrounds and keystones. The doorways lead to small balconets that feature scrolled, cast iron railings. Windows on the third story are rectangular and feature surrounds similar to those on the second-story doors.</p><br>
<p>The projecting central portion of the upper stories contains a classical portico with a pediment supported by four, two-story Roman Doric order columns. The frieze contains triglyphs, incised patterns commonly paired with Doric columns, which alternate with paterae, circular medallions that occupy the spaces in the frieze called metopes. The tympanum, or triangular area of the pediment, contains a single, large, centrally placed patera that is flanked with a foliated pattern. Mutule blocks, another Doric detail, line the tympanum. Delicate cast-iron railings occupy the spaces between the columns. While the remaining elevations of the building are less ornate, they contain many classical features, including the incised first story and arched openings.</p><br>
<p>The dignified appearance of the exterior is carried through the interior. The postal lobby, which remains in use, has terrazzo floors. Plaster walls are decorated with marble baseboards and wainscoting and iron grilles featuring a square-and-x motif are located above postal boxes on some walls. The plaster ceiling is crowned by a molded cornice with dentils. The elevator lobby also features terrazzo flooring and decorative cast-iron elevator enclosures. A marble staircase that connects the second and third levels has a scrolled, cast-iron balustrade that terminates in a floral-motif pilaster.</p><br>
<p>The postal workroom remains in its original location at the center of the postal lobby corridors. The original walls, piers, and columns are clad in vertical wood wainscot with wood cap and base moldings on the lower portions with plaster above. However, the space has been altered to accommodate public service counters and additional postal boxes.</p><br>
<p>The courtrooms have been altered over time. The second-story courtroom was previously partitioned for office space, but converted back to a single room in 1972, although neither the furniture nor the finishes were restored. The third-floor courtroom retains its original plan. The cornice, doors, windows, radiator enclosures, and bench remain, although other original finishes have been removed or covered.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1849 – Postal service established in Laredo after it becomes part of USA</p><br>
<p>1905–1907 – Building constructed</p><br>
<p>1935 – Addition constructed</p><br>
<p>2001 – Building listed in the National Register of Historic Places as Laredo US Post Office, Court House and Custom House</p><br>
<p>2004 – District and Magistrate courts relocate</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 1300 Matamoros</p><br>
<p>Architects: James Knox Taylor; Louis A. Simon</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1905–1907; 1935</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Neoclassical</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Limestone</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: First-floor Arcade; Portico with Roman Doric Columns</p><br>
<p>The United States Customhouse is a historic custom house located at Houston in Harris County, Texas.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>The USA Custom House occupies an entire block in the central business district of Houston, Texas. It was built as a post office and courthouse between 1907 and 1911 and later converted to use as the custom house. During this period, urban post offices often shared a building with courts and other federal offices. Houston competed unsuccessfully with Galveston during the latter portion of the 19th century, until the 1900 hurricane, the deadliest natural disaster in United States history, devastated Galveston. The risk to businesses, particularly shipping, caused many companies to move their facilities to the safer, sheltered port of Houston. By 1910, seventeen railroads moved passengers and freight to and from Houston. As Houston grew, the demand for postal facilities and other federal services increased and a new building to house them was needed.</p><br>
<p>The Supervising Architect of the Treasury James Knox Taylor designed the building in the Second Renaissance Revival style. Federal buildings constructed during this era used classical revival styles almost exclusively. Taylor&#39;s philosophy was that public buildings should be pleasant to look at, convey dignity appropriate to the federal government, and that they should be designed to permit a utilitarian interior arrangement. Construction began in 1907, and on December 1, 1911, thousands of Houstonians came to tour the building during its grand opening celebration.</p><br>
<p>The building was originally constructed to house the federal district court, a post office, and other federal offices. The increasing number of federal offices in Houston necessitated the 1931 addition. The courthouse operated in the building until 1962, the same year that the post office vacated a portion of the space originally allocated to it. Renovation of those spaces prepared them for other uses. The building has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1974.</p><br>
<p>When this building was constructed, it was the only monumental Second Renaissance Revival building in Houston and one of the larger downtown buildings. It replaced a three-story polychromatic Moorish post office built in 1889, which had been unlike any other building in Houston at the time. Today, especially to the south, this building is surrounded by modern skyscrapers.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The USA Custom House in Houston occupies the city block bounded by San Jacinto, Carolina, Capital, and Rusk streets, with the facade facing northwest onto San Jacinto Street. It is a well-executed example of the Second Renaissance Revival architectural style, as evident in the arched first-story windows, rusticated stonework with deep joints, emphasis on the horizontal plane, and the stately appearance of the building. The classical origins of the style are manifested in the symmetry of the building and the shapes and motifs used to embellish both the exterior and interior. The main portion of the building has three stories with a full basement and the wings have four stories. The building has a copper Mansard roof, and interior light wells flank the area that began as the two-story courtroom.</p><br>
<p>Exterior cladding on the building is primarily granite, though a portion of the east elevation is clad in brick. The horizontal rustication of the first floor, entry bays, and quoins is characteristic of the architectural style. There are eleven bays in the main, or west, elevation. The T-shaped building has single-story wings on either side of the base of the T. These wings, and the wings that create the T shape, are all part of the 1931 addition. The addition omitted the first floor rustication, but is otherwise consistent with the architectural style of the original building. Each of the first floor windows and the doors are arched. There are belt courses between the first and second stories, and above the third-story windows. An elaborate entablature, including a dentil molding, cornice, medallions, and a simple frieze, encircles the building, topped by a decorative parapet that includes both a pedestal and balustrade.</p><br>
<p>The main entry doors are in the west elevation, in the second and tenth bays. Stone steps provide access to the entrances, each of which is flanked by freestanding ornamental metal lampposts. Each entrance projects outward from the vertical surface of the building. Above each door is a pair of ionic order columns joined by a decorative balustrade. Between each of the two pairs of columns are two windows separated by an oval cartouche. A triangular pediment with an eagle signifies that this is a federal building. Floral designs within the triangle top each of these entries.</p><br>
<p>Constructed as a post office and courthouse, the building originally included postal facilities on the first floor, offices around the perimeter of the upper floors, and a central two-story courtroom. The south and west corridors on the first floor both retain their original terrazzo and gray marble floors. The lobby features terrazzo floors, marble baseboards, tongue and groove wood paneling, and plasterwork above the windows and on the beams with raised gold-painted laurel wreaths and geometric patterns. The current post office occupies only a portion of the space originally designed for it. The wood floor and vaults are original, as are some doors and windows leading to internal corridors. The second and third floor hallways retain their terrazzo and marble flooring. When use of the building as a courthouse ceased, the courtroom was converted into offices. Offices and other internal spaces were modified as their uses changed.</p><br>
<h2>History</h2><br>
<p>1907-1911: Building constructed</p><br>
<p>1931: Addition constructed</p><br>
<p>1962-1963: Renovation of building when USA Courts and post office relocate</p><br>
<p>1974: Building listed in National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 701 San Jacinto Street</p><br>
<p>Architects: James Knox Taylor; James A. Wetmore</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1907–1911; 1931</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Second Renaissance Revival</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Limestone, brick, and granite</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Elaborate frieze; Classical pediments featuring granite eagles; Grey terrazzo marble floor, coffered ceiling</p><br>
<p>The USA Forest Service Building is a historic building within the Ogden Central Bench Historic District in Ogden, Utah, United States, owned by the United States federal government. Located at 507 25th Street, it is listed as a Historic Federal Building , and was constructed during the years 1933&ndash;1934. Its primary task was to provide offices for the USA Forest Service Intermountain Region, the Experimental Station, and the Supply Depot. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.</p><br>
<h2>Significance</h2><br>
<p>The Ogden architectural firm of Hodgson & McClenahan began the project in 1932, while construction began in 1933. Murch Brothers Construction, of St. Louis, Missouri, finished construction in 1934.</p><br>
<p>The Forest Service Building was one of the first buildings built under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Its construction was a result of the government&#39;s desire to stimulate growth during the Great Depression. As the earliest Federal building in Ogden, it paved a way for what has become the largest employer in Ogden.</p><br>
<p>The building is a fine example of the Art Deco building style. This style incorporates detailed decorative surfaces that include stepped silhouettes and geometric detailing. It is one of three buildings in Ogden that adhere to this style, all of which are included in a National Register Thematic Nomination "Ogden Art Deco Buildings." The State of Utah placed a historical marker in the main lobby to acknowledge this significance.</p><br>
<p>The offices of the USA Forest Service have remained operational to the present day. The Internal Revenue Service and the USDA Office of General Counsel also share offices in the building. Because of the unique nature of the building, it has become a well-known landmark. Few modifications have been made to the building and it has been well maintained over the years.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>In 1908, the USA Forest Service selected the city of Ogden as the location for its district headquarters. Ogden was chosen over Salt Lake City because it had more favorable railroad rates, more local amenities, and a stronger business community. Design and construction work on the headquarters building did not begin until the 1930s. The building, located on the southeast corner of the inter-section of Twenty-fifth Street and Adams Avenue, was one of the first in the nation to be funded by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was the largest agency of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt&#39;s New Deal program, which was designed to stimulate the economy during the Great Depression.</p><br>
<p>Federal officials awarded the design contract to the local architectural firm of Hodgson & McClenahan. Working under the supervision of federal construction engineer Clement J. Gerber and Acting Supervising Architect of the Treasury James A. Wetmore, Leslie Hodgson developed design concept sketches and partner Myrl McClenahan produced working drawings. Both men were noted for their perfectionism and concern with detail. The resulting building is an innovative example of the Art Deco style of architecture, which Hodgson & McClenahan popularized in Ogden. In late 1932, Murch Brothers Construction Company of St. Louis, Missouri, received the contract to construct the building and on-site work began in January 1933.</p><br>
<p>The building quickly became a local landmark, due in large part to its remarkable appearance in a largely residential area. In addition to its architectural merit, the building helped to establish Ogden as an important center of federal activity. Since its construction, only minimal alterations have been made to the building, resulting in a very high level of architectural integrity. Original storage areas were renovated into offices between 1939 and 1940, and roofing was replaced and skylights removed in 1963.</p><br>
<p>The USA Forest Service Building was first listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 as part of the Ogden Art Deco Buildings Thematic Resources Nomination, which recognizes the town&#39;s significant Art Deco architecture. In 2006, the building was individually listed in the National Register. The USA Forest Service continues to utilize the building to house its Ogden Ranger District, Office of General Counsel, and Intermountain Research Station staff.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The building is a skillfully executed example of the Art Deco style of architecture, which features a Modern appeal, vertical emphasis, and stylized ornamentation. Distinctive stepped, linear forms and silhouettes recur in components of the building, as do Art-Deco motifs such as chevrons, sunbursts, and zigzags. The four-story building is clad in brick that is darker tan in color at the base and gradually transitions to lighter tones of beige at the upper stories. In order to achieve the desired color gradation, the architects employed eight shades of brick and were actively involved in the placement of the masonry. The mortar and terra-cotta detailing match the brickwork and enhance the progressive shading.</p><br>
<p>The building has a rectangular footprint at the basement and first story levels. The second through fourth stories are constructed within a U-shaped light court to allow natural illumination of the interior. The reinforced-concrete frame structure is enclosed in a brick and terra-cotta curtain wall and rests on a grey granite foundation made of blocks from the Raymond Granite quarry in California. A terra-cotta water table with a matching gray glaze tops the foundation. The first and second stories are visually separated by a terra-cotta stringcourse with geometric and floral patterns.</p><br>
<p>The symmetrical facade, which faces Twenty-fifth Street, has slightly recessed bays at either end. The facade is dominated by regularly spaced windows with aluminum mullions. Tall brick pilasters emphasize the building&#39;s verticality. The window openings are topped by terra-cotta spandrels with sharply molded projecting vertical apexes. The spandrels also feature zigzag motifs and stylized foliated decorations. The flat roof contains a centrally placed three-story penthouse tower with a glass-topped greenhouse used for agency studies and experiments. The penthouse is executed with the linear stepped pattern and features terra-cotta trim with chevrons. A tall brick chimney, which displays the same skillful color gradation, is located at the southeast corner of the building.</p><br>
<p>Access to the interior is gained through the main central entrance, which contains a recessed doorway articulated by a wide, incised surround. Above the doorway, a panel identifying the building as a USA Forest Service facility is flanked by two carved, stylized eagles. The service&#39;s insignia, which includes a tree superimposed on a shield, is located on each side of the panel. Two Art Deco street lamps with a stepped pattern flank the entrance and feature sunburst and chevron ornamentation. The main entry doors are glass with etched nickel-bronze frames and handles with a stepped, rectilinear arrangement.</p><br>
<p>The interior spaces are richly ornamented, a typical feature of the Art Deco style. The vestibule and main lobby are identically detailed. Utah Golden Travise marble covers the walls and Verde Antique marble forms the baseboard. The walls are topped with an elaborate cast-plaster crown molding that is an Art-Deco interpretation of the traditional egg-and-dart motif. A metallic silver glaze covers the molding. The cornices replicate the stepped pattern found throughout the building. Centrally placed silver foil appliques adorn the ceilings. The central staircase, which is accessed from the lobby through an arched opening with stepped, rectilinear forms, is clad in the same marble found in the lobby and has wood handrails with octagonal cross sections. Similar arched openings lead from the lobby to the east and west corridors. The walls of the corridors retain the original wood wainscot cap with the ubiquitous stepped profile. While sections of flooring have been replaced or covered, select areas retain original rubber tiles that were laid in a tri-color diamond pattern.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1908 USA Forest Service establishes regional headquarters in Ogden</p><br>
<p>1932 Ogden architectural firm Hodgson & McClenahan designs building</p><br>
<p>1933-1934 Building constructed</p><br>
<p>1983 Building listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Ogden Art Deco Buildings Thematic Resources Nomination</p><br>
<p>2006 Building individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 507 Twenty-fifth Street</p><br>
<p>Architects: Hodgson & McClenahan</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1933-1934</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Art Deco</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Buff-colored Brick; Terra Cotta</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Striking, Stepped Art-Deco Profile; Stylized Art-Deco Motifs</p><br>
<p>The Owen B. Pickett USA Custom House is a historic custom house building located at Norfolk, Virginia</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>Located near the waterfront in downtown Norfolk, the Owen B. Pickett USA Custom House is a testimony to the importance of commerce and trade in the city. The activities of the Norfolk Customs Service, one of the inaugural Customs offices in the nation, were initially located in various rented quarters until an official USA Custom House was completed in 1819.</p><br>
<p>As early as 1850 plans were developed to replace the first USA Custom House with a larger building that could also be used to accommodate the main USA Post Office. The history of Norfolk&#39;s present USA Custom House began when the USA Congress authorized funds for the construction of the building in 1850. A prominent site in downtown Norfolk at Main and Granby Streets was purchased in 1852 for $13,500. Supervising Architect of the Treasury Ammi B. Young (1798–1874) produced a design based on precepts of classical Roman architecture. Historians of the period anticipated that when completed, the USA Custom House "was to be one of the most imposing and showy buildings in the city." Construction began in 1853 with John H. Sale serving as construction superintendent for the USA Treasury Department. The Post Office moved into its new quarters in 1857, though the building was only partially finished. The cost of the building upon completion in 1858 was reported to have reached $204,000, almost twice the original estimate.</p><br>
<p>With the exception of a brief period of Confederate occupation (April 1861 to May 1862), this building has housed the USA Customs Service for over 135 years. The impressive Roman Temple form and the continued presence of the Customs Service in this building are constant reminders of the city&#39;s long and vital history in the pursuit of world trade.</p><br>
<p>In 1970 the USA Custom House in Norfolk was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 2001, the building received a Norfolk Design Award and was renamed in honor of USA Representative Owen B. Pickett of Virginia.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The Owen B. Pickett USA Custom House is one of the last examples of a federal building using the Roman temple form. Monumental in scale, the rectangular block stands three stories in height. It is constructed of granite from Blue Hill, Maine, rusticated at the ground floor with smooth ashlar on the upper two floors.</p><br>
<p>The primary facade of the building displays the high-style characteristics of Roman architecture with sweeping steps leading to the pedimented portico. The two-story portico, capped by an enclosed pediment with modillions, is composed of six full-height, fluted granite columns, each capped by cast-iron capitals designed in the Corinthian order. Centered under the projecting portico is a pair of entrance doors flanked by elongated windows embellished with granite surrounds. Single-leaf entry doors at the corners of the ground floor were originally designed as separate male and female entrances to the Post Office lobby. Window openings, placed between the strong vertical forms of the Corinthian pilasters, pierce the symmetrically fenestrated side elevations of the building. The openings are embellished with molded granite surrounds, pedimented lintels, flat arches, and bracketed sills. The building is richly adorned by a classically inspired cast-iron entablature with frieze, modillions, and molded cornice.</p><br>
<p>Cast-iron columns, girders, and beams form the interior structural system of the USA Custom House. Brick arches support the spaces between the girders. Square columns are integrated with wood stud partitions and finished with plaster. Cast-iron-detailed capitals are ornamented with a simplified leaf motif derived from the Corinthian order modified to incorporate the Virginia tobacco leaf as a prominent feature. A ten-foot-wide corridor with original ceramic tile flooring begins at the main entrance and runs the entire length of the building, terminating at the main stair at the south end. The cast-iron circular stair with ornamental open risers has a wrought-iron balustrade and mahogany handrail.</p><br>
<p>On October 22, 1858, The Southern Argus reported that the nearly completed USA Custom House was designed with "large, airy, admirably planned and furnished with a view to good taste and convenience; indeed the arrangements are all in accordance with a superior plan, and the workmanship is faithfully executed." Offices flank the main corridors of both the first and second floors. Original features extant throughout the Custom House include marble tile flooring in the corridors, plaster walls, vaulted ceilings, fireplaces, and wood flooring in the offices.</p><br>
<p>Since the completion of the USA Custom House in 1858, various alterations have been made. Between 1901 and 1912, the Office of the Supervising Architect under James Knox Taylor oversaw alterations including the installation of new double-hung wood sash windows. A single-story addition at the rear of the building, constructed in 1935 under the direction of the Office of the Supervising Architect under James A. Wetmore, continues the original design in style, scale, and finish. The rusticated limestone masonry of the addition continues the coursing and rhythm of the original building, although the interiors are more modest in detailing.</p><br>
<p>The custom house was closed between 1996 and 2000 for a renovation project costing $3 million.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1850: The USA Congress authorizes funds for the construction of anew USA Custom House in Norfolk.</p><br>
<p>1852: The site is purchased and construction begins under the direction of Supervising Architect Ammi B. Young.</p><br>
<p>1858: Construction of the USA Custom House is completed.</p><br>
<p>1861-1862: The USA Custom House is occupied by the Confederate States of America.</p><br>
<p>1901-1912: Alterations are made under the direction of James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect of the Treasury.</p><br>
<p>1935: An addition to the rear of the building is designed under the administration of Supervising Architect James A. Wetmore.</p><br>
<p>1970: The USA Custom House is listed in National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1996-1999: The building undergoes rehabilitation and restoration.</p><br>
<p>2001: The building receives a Norfolk Design Award and is renamed in honor of USA Representative Owen B. Pickett of Virginia.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Ammi B. Young, Supervising Architect of the Treasury</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1852-1858</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 101 East Main Street</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Classical Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Gray granite</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Portico interior columns with tobacco leaf motif capitals</p><br>
<p>The USA Courthouse & Federal Office Building, Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a post office, Federal office, and courthouse building located at Milwaukee in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. It is a courthouse for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>When Milwaukees Federal Building and USA Courthouse was constructed in 1892–99, it epitomized the revolutionized mail handling that had followed the introduction of postal stamps in 1847. By the end of the 19th century, added postal services included registered mail, street letter boxes, and free mail delivery. When an existing, 1859 post office became inadequate for the postal services growing needs, Congress was persuaded to fund a new, larger building in 1889. It included multiple federal agencies under one roof—housing the USA Postal Service, Courts and Customs Service. Today, the District Courts are the only original tenant remaining in the building.</p><br>
<p>The massive granite edifice is a city landmark within the historic district known as Juneautown and the first ward organized from land owned by Solomon Juneau, Milwaukees founder and first mayor. The building is surrounded by notable and contemporaneous historic buildings, including the Milwaukee Club (1883), The Pfister Hotel (1893), and the Northwestern National Insurance Building (1906). The Federal Building and USA Courthouses imposing Richardsonian Romanesque architecture presented a break from the classical style that dominated Government buildings for most of the 19th century. Designed by Willoughby J. Edbrooke, Supervising Architect of the USA Treasury Department, the style was popularized by renowned architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose use of the Romanesque Revival began to penetrate the Midwest during the 1880s. Edbrookes predecessor, James G. Hill, supervising architect during the late nineteenth century, was the first federal architect to abandon classical forms. Under Hills influence, federal structures often featured lofty towers that were visible from long distances during the period when few buildings rose above ten stories.</p><br>
<p>From 1929 to 1932, construction of a large addition extended the building southward. The addition was raised to seven stories eight years later. In 1989 -96, GSA completed a major renovation and restoration project, which restored the historic interiors to their original brilliance while incorporating modern office needs.</p><br>
<p>In 1972, the building was designated a Milwaukee City Landmark, and in 1973, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>Milwaukee&#39;s Federal Building and USA Courthouse is a five-story structure, sturdy and picturesque, handsomely detailed, and admirably maintained. Filling the entire city block bound by Michigan, Jackson, and Jefferson Streets, with its facade facing Wisconsin Avenue on the north, the building is an excellent example of Romanesque Revival architecture, featuring a robust display of stone massing and heavy Roman arches. Walls of dark- and light-gray Mount Waldo granite rise to a steeply pitched hipped roof pierced by a variety of gabled projections. A soaring tower framed by pinnacles rises from the center of the facade, terminating in an arcaded belfry and a high pyramidal roof.</p><br>
<p>The facade is broken into recesses and projections, creating a dynamic composition punctuated by an arcaded entrance on the first level and Roman arches over the second- and third-story fenestration. Massive stone forms are relieved with fine decoration. The first story provides the greatest display of Romanesque ornament, featuring highly carved moldings and decorative stonework surrounding the main entrance. The building&#39;s corners are rounded by tall pinnacles with alternating bands of smooth and textured stone and are capped by conical roofs with layered trim. The upper-story walls are smooth, accented with thin, textured stringcourses, rising to gabled dormers that incorporate Romanesque leaf ornament, gargoyles, and finials.</p><br>
<p>Like the facade, the east and west elevations are ornamented and symmetrically balanced, prominently featuring a projecting gable with a variety of arched fenestration. The 1929-32 addition to the south adds a massive eight-story block at the rear of the original structure. Although its walls are clad in granite and include arched fenestration to match the original building, the extension is distinguished by its flat roof, flattened elevations, and reduced ornamentation.</p><br>
<p>Interior spaces on the first through fifth floors are arranged about a vast central atrium capped by an iron-and-glass skylight. The illuminated space was originally an open light well and is now used for many public events. Within the atriums large volume, columns, marble wainscoting, oak crown molding, stenciled designs, and plaster ceiling moldings have been restored to their original finishes and colors. Although the first storys original ceiling was removed to open the room to the light well above, its steel structural members were retained to recall the rooms original configuration as the postal workspace. The buildings corridors, stair halls, and lobbies are adorned with multicolored marble mosaics, oak paneling, and decorative plaster ceilings. The interiors of the 1929-32 addition match the materials and colors used in 1899, harmonizing with the original interior design.</p><br>
<p>The two-story historic USA District Courtroom, located on the third floor, is richly detailed with carved oak paneling and trim on the walls and ceiling. Historic paint finishes have been carefully conserved to their original hue. Fine Romanesque detailing embellishes the arches over the doors, windows, and the judges bench. Centered between the two doorways is the rooms original ladies&#39; balcony, entirely finished in oak.</p><br>
<p>A massive seven-year restoration project begun in 1989 revived the building to its original condition. The work involved extensive materials research to determine original paint colors and decorative patterns for the walls and ceilings, including the original hand-painted-and-stenciled designs in a trompe-l&#39;œil effect (an artistic illusion of realism). Interior finishes and fixtures were restored, while the exterior stone and brickwork was conserved and repaired. Renovations created more comfortable work spaces and energy-efficient HVAC systems. Through the effort of many collaborators, the building remains one of the most venerable displays of architecture in the Milwaukee area.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1892-99 The USA Post Office, Courthouse, and Custom House is constructed.</p><br>
<p>1929-32 An addition to the south substantially increases the building&#39;s size. 1940 Two floors are added above the south addition.</p><br>
<p>1972 The building is designated a Milwaukee City Landmark.</p><br>
<p>1973 The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.</p><br>
<p>1989-96 The building is extensively restored and renovated.</p><br>
<p>2017-19 The building&#39;s historic granite façade, stone cornice, gutters at the turrets, and the balcony above the north entrance are restored.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Architect: Willoughby J. Edbrooke</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1892–1899; 1932; 1940</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Milwaukee City Landmark; listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Location: 517 East Wisconsin Avenue</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Romanesque Revival</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Pale gray Mount Waldo granite</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Tower; atrium; Romanesque detailing; oak-paneled courtroom</p><br>
<p>The Joseph F. Weis, Jr. USA Courthouse is a Beaux Arts-style building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US. It is a courthouse for the Western District of Pennsylvania, a United States district court. Until 2015, the building was known as the US Post Office and Courthouse-Pittsburgh.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>As the steel industry boomed in Pittsburgh during the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the population of the city grew. New residents required federal services, so Pittsburgh native and Secretary of the Treasury Andrew W. Mellon helped to allocate funds for a new federal building in his hometown. Mellon supported the construction of a building that would represent the rise of Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania to national political and economic prominence.</p><br>
<p>The New York architectural firm of Trowbridge & Livingston designed the building under the auspices of Supervising Architect of the Treasury James A. Wetmore. Construction commenced in 1931 but stopped shortly thereafter due to a labor dispute. The strike ended and construction resumed on June 8, 1932. The building was erected over the rail line in order to eliminate transporting mail to and from stations. It was completed and opened to the public on October 13, 1934 amid much fanfare, as was typical for federal building dedications during the Depression era, when federal buildings were symbols of hope for economic recovery and social stability. The Western District of Pennsylvania gaveled in its first court session in the building on November 7, 1934. Referred to as the New Federal Building until 1964, when another federal building was built across the street, it was the city&#39;s main postal distribution center until the majority of postal functions moved to a new facility in 1983. General Services Administration (GSA) acquired the building the following year.</p><br>
<p>During the 20th century, the building underwent several significant interior alterations, which included the addition of new courtrooms and the removal of the train tracks. Renovations that began in 2002 involved the modernization of existing courtrooms and the installation of six new courtrooms and judges chambers to accommodate the growing needs of the courts. Lobby spaces were restored, and the buildings exterior was cleaned and re-pointed.</p><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse is a contributing building in the Pittsburgh Central Downtown Historic District, which was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Ten years later, the building was individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the US Post Office and Courthouse-Pittsburgh. The renovation design received a citation at the 2001 GSA Design Awards Ceremony. In 2015, the building was renamed for Joseph F. Weis Jr., a judge in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.</p><br>
<p>The Grant Street Station Post Office, which had been in the Seventh Avenue section of the building since its opening, closed permanently at 2:00 p.m. EST on Saturday Afternoon, February 15, 2014. Glenn A. Walsh, who had leased a post office box in this Post Office for more than 25 years, was the last member of the general public in the Post Office at the time of closing.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The USA Post Office and Courthouse occupies the entire block bounded by Seventh and Grant streets and the Pennsylvania Railroad. The most significant exterior elevation faces Grant Street and contains the primary entrance to the courtrooms and offices.</p><br>
<p>The building was designed in the Stripped Classical style of architecture, which was commonly used for government buildings during the late 1920s and early 1930s. It is a refined style that conveys the dignity and stability of the federal government, which was particularly important during the Great Depression. It does not, however, contain excessive or exuberant ornamentation that was deemed inappropriate for a somber period in American history. It was one of the last classically inspired buildings to be constructed in Pittsburgh before Moderne architecture became popular.</p><br>
<p>The building contains two distinct masses. The first mass is four stories in height and originally housed the postal facilities. The second mass is set back slightly and includes the fifth through eleventh floors, which contain courtrooms, jury rooms, judge&#39;s chambers, and other offices.</p><br>
<p>The Post Office and Courthouse has a steel frame clad in granite on the lower levels, while the upper stories are faced in limestone. The lower portion of the building is covered in rusticated blocks that provide an appropriate foundation for the tall arched window and door openings that dominate each elevation. Massive carved limestone eagles above the entrances convey the federal importance of the building. The upper stories feature pilasters (attached columns) topped with circular medallions.</p><br>
<p>High-quality metals such as bronze and aluminum, which were commonly incorporated in federal buildings constructed during this era, were used on doors, window frames, window sash, and grilles. These original features remain in place throughout the building.</p><br>
<p>The building has undergone several renovations and alterations to its interior. In the 1960s and 1970s, before the post office vacated the site, original finishes in some portions of the interior were covered or removed. Some office spaces were finished with modern materials and part of the main post office area was sheathed in drywall in 1975. However, many public spaces remain intact. The south lobby at Grant Street is two stories. Walls are covered with pink Alabama marble and a marble dentil course encircles the room. Floors are covered with gray marble, while decorative coffered plaster ceilings top the space. Mouldings surrounding the bronze and glass doors contain ornate rope and garland designs. Original custom glass light fixtures remain in the lobby.</p><br>
<p>Other important public spaces include stair and elevator lobbies and corridors. Walls are generally clad in marble wainscot, and floors are covered in terrazzo. The plaster ceilings are less ornate than those found in the ground-floor lobby. Staircases have original brass handrails. The first floor contains an elaborate groin vaulted, terra cotta ceiling with gold-leaf trim, now visible from the main lobby.</p><br>
<p>The original courtrooms are among the most notable interior spaces in any historic public building in Pittsburgh. Five ceremonial courtrooms are located on the sixth and eighth floors. Each courtroom is two stories in height with wood-panel walls, decorative plaster ceilings, and ornamental lighting. During the Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt stimulated the economy through public works and other government expenditures. Three murals were commissioned for the courtrooms under the Treasury Section of Painting and Sculpture and installed in 1936 and 1937: Steel Industry by Howard Cook; Pittsburgh Panorama by Stuyvesant Van Veen; and Modern Justice by Kindred McLeary. A 1972 survey found that Modern Justice had been removed. It remains lost today.</p><br>
<p>The 2002 to 2006 modifications included glazed additions to house new courtrooms within the existing light courts. The General Services Administration commissioned Brian Shure and Lia Cook to create new works of art. Shures three murals depict contemporary Pittsburgh from a variety of vantage points. Cooks work, a textile painting depicting images of children, combines hand weaving techniques with computer technology.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1931-1934: Building constructed and occupied</p><br>
<p>1960s-1990s: Various alterations to interior spaces</p><br>
<p>1984: GSA acquires the building from the USA Postal Service</p><br>
<p>1985: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Pittsburgh Central Downtown Historic District</p><br>
<p>1995: Individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>2002-2006: Renovations and repairs to interior and exterior spaces, including the addition of six new courtrooms</p><br>
<p>2015: The courthouse was renamed after the death of Pittsburgh-born appellate judge Hon. Joseph F. Weis Jr.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 700 Grant Street</p><br>
<p>Architects: Trowbridge & Livingston; Shalom Baranes Associates</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1931-1934; 2002–2006</p><br>
<p>Floor Area: 805,397 sq. feet</p><br>
<p>Floors: 14</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places and a contributing building within the Pittsburgh Central Downtown Historic District</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Stripped Classical</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Granite and Limestone</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Original lobby with decorative finishes; Elaborate courtrooms with murals</p><br>
<h2>In popular culture</h2><br>
<p>a/k/a Tommy Chong</p><br>
<p>American Greed "Cybercrime"</p><br>
<p>The David W. Dyer Federal Building and USA Courthouse, formerly known simply as the USA Post Office and Courthouse, is an historic United States Post Office and federal courthouse of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida located at 300 Northeast 1st Avenue in Miami, Florida. Built in 1931 of limestone, it is the largest such structure in South Florida.</p><br>
<p>The building was listed in the USA National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In 1997, it was renamed to honor David W. Dyer, a former Chief Judge of the Southern District who was appointed to the circuit court in 1966.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>In 1887, railroad and real estate tycoon Henry Flagler hired the renowned New York architectural firm of Carrere & Hastings to design the Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida. The hotel&#39;s Mediterranean Revival design was so successful that it influenced numerous Florida architects and became the principal aesthetic in the Miami area from the mid-1910s into the 1930s.</p><br>
<p>In 1926, a devastating hurricane decimated southern Florida, prompting Congress to appropriate more than $2 million for a new courthouse in Miami in 1928. The Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury selected the highly regarded architectural partnership of Phineas Paist and Harold D. Steward. In the 1920s, Paist had been one of primary architects for developer George E. Merrick, for the Miami suburb of Coral Gables. Designing the building between 1930 and 1931, Paist and Steward blended classically inspired Renaissance Revival forms and design elements with Mediterranean ornamentation.</p><br>
<p>Paist and Steward developed two sets of plans, each to be built upon a poured concrete and steel structural frame, ensuring the new federal building would resist hurricane-force winds. The first envisioned using imported marble and bronze, while the second was to use aluminum and a local coralline limestone, a lithified coral quarried at Windley Key near Key Largo and called Keystone. The government opted to clad the building in Keystone, reasoning that local materials added to the regional appeal of the building. Construction commenced in 1931 and the opening ceremony was held on July 1, 1933. It remains the most monumental Keystone structure in South Florida.</p><br>
<p>When it opened, the building housed all Miami-area federal agencies with the exception of the Weather Service. The USA Postal Service vacated the building in 1976. It was occupied by federal courts and various federal agencies until 2008. It is contained within Federal Courthouse Square, a two-block area that includes two other courthouses. On May 12, 2016, neighboring Miami Dade College signed a $1 a year, 115-year lease of the building for use as class rooms and lecture halls.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>The building is an example of Mediterranean Revival architecture that combines Renaissance Revival elements with regional Florida architectural features. The building, which is faced in Keystone, is three stories in height, with the third story set above a widely projecting entablature on the north, east, and south elevations.</p><br>
<p>The facade, which has a slightly projecting central bay, faces east onto First Avenue and is dominated by a colonnade composed of regularly spaced engaged Corinthian columns supporting the classical entablature crowning the second story. Cast-aluminum casement window frames have embossed repeating chevron patterns. Spandrel panels depicting scenes from Floridas history are above the second storys arched windows.</p><br>
<p>The bays adjoining the colonnade feature paired Corinthian pilasters. Bas relief medallions containing classical figures in profile decorate lintels. The central parapet features a carved marble frieze incorporating a large eagle, flanked by a repeating motif of pelicans supporting heraldic shields. The entrances at the ends of the facade have surrounds of carved Floridene buff marble. The north and south elevations feature two-story Corinthian pilasters evoking the facades colonnade. Ornate mascarons (carved faces) are found on the buildings exterior.</p><br>
<p>The north and south elevations are dominated by central pavilions with bays separated by evenly spaced two-story engaged columns, placed singly and in pairs. An annex is attached to the west elevation. The building&#39;s shallow hipped roof is covered with terra-cotta tiles, typical of the Mediterranean Revival style.</p><br>
<p>Interior spaces are equally elaborate and incorporate eleven different types of marble. Entry vestibules with arched openings lead to the main lobby, where marble covers floors and forms wainscot. Marble pilasters have striking gilt capitals. An inset, multi-colored marble star pattern adorns the center of the floor. Original aluminum and glass chandeliers hang from the painted and gilt wood-and-plaster coffered ceiling. Marble postal tables retain original lamps and inset cast-brass grilles.</p><br>
<p>The double-height ceremonial District Courtroom is another significant space with well-preserved original details, including the carved wooden judges bench, jury box, witness stand, and clerks desk. Decorative details include fluted pilasters, rosettes, and carved plaques with floral rinceaux. At the walls, seven feet of paneled wood wainscot is located beneath scored plaster. Marble Ionic pilasters divide the window openings.</p><br>
<p>The mural Law Guides Florida Progress completed by artist Denman Fink in 1941 is located above the judges bench and is flanked by two pairs of Ionic marble pilasters. The mural depicts the positive impact of justice guiding Floridas economic development. Fink included a likeness of himself as a draftsman and a likeness of architect Phineas E. Paist, with whom he worked in Coral Gables, as a chemist. The coffered ceiling features rosettes, stars, and shells.</p><br>
<p>Other significant artwork in the courthouse includes two striking cast-stone lunettes by Yugoslav-born American artist Alexander Sambugnac. Executed in 1938, the low-relief panels portray two allegorical figures representing themes of the spirit of justice and are placed on the lintels above the leather-covered doors. Love and Hope shows a young woman playing the lyre, while Wisdom and Courage depicts a seated figure gazing at a tablet of the law.</p><br>
<p>The interior brick courtyard admits light into the building while also providing a beautiful outdoor space commonly found in Florida architecture. A two-story loggia with a vaulted ceiling and columns surrounds the courtyard on three sides. Keystone pilasters support arched lunette windows above the public lobbys paired French doors. Quoins (corner blocks) and Doric columns add decorative elements to the space. The courtyards interior walls are unplastered brick, as are the exterior walls that face toward the courtyard from the north, east and south wings. The loggia&#39;s plaster walls and ceiling are ornamented with the multi-colored Frescoes in Courtyard, added by artist David Novros in 1984. An original postal marble writing table with an elaborate pedestal occupies the west side of the courtyard.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1928 Congress appropriates money for new federal courthouse in Miami</p><br>
<p>1930-1931 Architects Paist and Steward design building</p><br>
<p>1931-1933 Building constructed</p><br>
<p>1940 Denman Fink&#39;s Law Guides Florida Progress mural completed</p><br>
<p>1983 Building listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>1997 Building renamed to honor Judge David W. Dyer</p><br>
<p>2016 Miami Dade College signs 115-year lease of the building.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 300 Northeast First Avenue</p><br>
<p>Architects: Phineas E. Paist and Harold D. Steward</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1931-1933</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Mediterranean Revival</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places</p><br>
<p>Primary Material: Keystone</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Elaborate Classical Facade; Interior Courtyard and Galleries; Ceremonial Courtroom</p><br>
<h2>Attribution</h2><br>
<p>The Lafayette Building, also known as Export-Import Bank Building, is a federal government office building at 811 Vermont Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. Completed in 1940, it was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2005. It is currently home to the Export–Import Bank of the United States and to offices of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.</p><br>
<h2>Building history</h2><br>
<p>In 1938, the Lafayette Building Corporation was established with the purpose of constructing a building at Lafayette and Fifteenth streets in Washington, D.C. The corporation intended to privately develop the building that would then be leased to the federal government, making this an unusual speculative venture. The group retained the Chicago architectural firm Holabird & Root to design the building, which included some of the first uses of underground parking and central air-conditioning in the city. Holabird & Root invited a former employee, Washington architect A.R. Clas, to participate in key components of the design. Clas, who also worked for the federal government before starting his own firm, was likely critical in securing the commission. The architects selected the Stripped Classical style for the design of the Lafayette Building. The cornerstone was laid in 1939 and construction was completed a year later. Architectural Forum praised the design as a good example of "an observance of the classic formula with the elimination of accompanying detail."</p><br>
<p>While commercial enterprises occupied the street-level retail spaces, finance-related agencies leased the remaining portions of the building. Original tenants included the Federal Loan Agency, Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), RFC Mortgage Company, Disaster Loan Agency, Federal National Mortgage Authority, Export-Import Bank of Washington, and the Elective Home and Farm Authority, all established during the New Deal era. The building is significant for its historical association with both the Federal Loan Agency and the RFC, which were critical agencies involved in financing the mobilization of American industries during World War II. Jesse Holman Jones, who served as the chairman of the RFC until 1939 when he was appointed Federal Loan Administrator, maintained an office in the Lafayette Building, monitoring RFC activities even after he was appointed to the Cabinet as Secretary of Commerce in 1940, a position he retained until his retirement in 1945. Jones was called the second most important man in American government, after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and the building is significant for its association with Jones&#39;s prominent career.</p><br>
<p>In 1947, the federal government assumed ownership of the Lafayette Building. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior in 2005.</p><br>
<h2>Architecture</h2><br>
<p>Although developed by a private corporation, the restrained exterior appearance of the Lafayette Building is typical of federal buildings erected during the Great Depression and World War II years, when government officials and architects agreed that elaborate ornamentation on public buildings represented unnecessary costs. Stripped Classical buildings feature little ornamentation and blend classical forms and high-quality materials from earlier eras with Modern design tenets. The Lafayette Building retains a high level of architectural integrity on both the interior and exterior, appearing much as it did upon its completion in 1940.</p><br>
<p>The Lafayette Building is in a prominent location in Washington, D.C, facing both Lafayette Square and McPherson Square, one block from the White House. It occupies two-thirds of an irregularly shaped block bounded by Vermont Avenue and Fifteenth, I, and H streets and has an unusual footprint that is shaped like a lowercase E. The building is twelve stories in height, with the top two stories set back behind a terraced balcony. A granite retaining wall creates a narrow strip for plantings.</p><br>
<p>The Lafayette Buildings steel frame is encased with concrete and brick, collectively selected by the architects for their fireproof qualities. The first story of the building, which contains retail space, is clad in black granite, while the upper levels are faced with smooth light grey limestone on the street-front elevations. Less costly brick faces the alley and courtyard elevations. Regularly spaced square windows with one-over-one, double-hung configurations dominate all elevations and are slightly recessed to avoid interruption of the wall plane. Bronze is used liberally on the first two stories, forming spandrels that divide the first and second levels, window frames, entrance doors, shop fronts, and select railings. Simple recessed panels at select ends of the building run the full height of the main mass and suggest plain classically inspired pilasters. A parapet wall with a deeply recessed mortar joint tops the tenth story and forms the terrace edge that contains the buildings upper two stories.</p><br>
<p>The principal entrance consists of four pairs of deeply recessed bronze and glass doors centrally located on the Vermont Avenue elevation. Above the entry are tall bronze-framed windows with fixed lights, each surrounded by flush black granite panels and separated by three, two-story granite piers. Projecting limestone frames surround the third-story windows aligned above the entrance.</p><br>
<p>The architects designed the interior spaces to be reserved yet dramatic. The entrance lobby is both one and two stories in height and forms an irregular polygonal footprint with walls that splay outward. The space is defined by piers sheathed in black Alberene, a type of soapstone, and grey marble covers the walls. Recessed cove lighting illuminates the lobby. The first floor elevator lobbies are lit by a luminous rear wall. The elevator doors have a satin bronze finish with fluted horizontal bands.</p><br>
<p>Three important rooms directly associated with the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) are located on the eleventh and twelfth floors. These rooms convey a feeling of reserved richness, using high quality materials with spare decorative elements. The director&#39;s office suite, once occupied by Jesse Holman Jones, features knot pine paneling that is now painted. The modernization project of 2011 to 2016 stripped the paint off the Knotty Pine and restored the luster of highly polished and stained original knotty pine in Phase One of construction. The board room walls are covered in Appalachian oak paneling, while walnut paneling covers the conference room walls. Floors of all three rooms historically were covered in carpeting.</p><br>
<p>Other interior spaces employ high-quality materials. Simply elegant, they lack ornate decorative elements. Throughout the interior, walls are clad with polished white Alabama marble panels to a height of seven feet with plaster finishes above. Baseboards and door trim are black Alberene. Floors are covered with cream-colored terrazzo with inset panels and circles of black Alberene and grey terrazzo that mark important corridor junctions. Water fountains set in large, recessed, circular marble panels with Alberene frames are among the most prominent interior features.</p><br>
<h2>Significant events</h2><br>
<p>1938 Lafayette Building Corporation established</p><br>
<p>1940 Lafayette Building construction completed</p><br>
<p>1940-1945 Jesse Holman Jones, Chairman of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, occupies the director&#39;s suite</p><br>
<p>1947 Federal government assumes ownership of the building</p><br>
<p>2005 Building designated as a National Historic Landmark</p><br>
<p>2011 to 2016 Phase One and Phase Two of MAJOR renovation to entire building: All new power plant, new AC chiller system, rain harvest tank, green roof, solar panels, security upgrades, sidewalk scape - Achieving Leed Gold after completions 2017.</p><br>
<h2>Building facts</h2><br>
<p>Location: 811 Vermont Avenue, NW</p><br>
<p>Architects: Holabird & Root, A.R. Clas</p><br>
<p>Construction Dates: 1939-1940</p><br>
<p>Architectural Style: Stripped Classical</p><br>
<p>Landmark Status: National Historic Landmark</p><br>
<p>Primary Materials: Limestone, Granite, and Brick</p><br>
<p>Prominent Features: Restrained Facade; Early Use of Underground Parking and Central Air Conditioning</p><br>
<p>The Batavia Club building, built originally as the Bank of Genesee, is on the corner of East Main  and Bank streets in Batavia, New York, United States. It is a brick Federal style building from the 1830s, one of the few remaining examples in New York of a commercial building in that style from that period.</p><br>
<p>Of the two extant works in New York of Rochester architect-builder Hezekiah Eldredge, it is the less restrained, serving as a bank and a residence for the cashier. The Batavia Club purchased the building in 1886 and used it for many years. In 1973, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. After the club moved out in 2000, it became the Seymour Place facility of GO ART!, the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.</p><br>
<h2>Building</h2><br>
<p>The building is on the intersections northeast corner. On the other corners, there are more modern commercial buildings, as on both sides of East Main. To the northwest is the Genesee Country Malls large parking area. Two blocks to the west is Batavias city hall and the Genesee County Courthouse Historic District, the collection of government buildings at downtowns western edge.</p><br>
<p>The former clubhouse is an L-shaped two-story three-by-five-bay brick building on a stone foundation with a stepped gable roof. Two chimneys rise at the east and west ends. A one-story cement block kitchen addition is built on the north (rear) of the main section, replacing an earlier kitchen wing. The rear has two sections, the three-bay west elevation of the main block and a two-bay rear projection.</p><br>
<p>All windows have plain stone sills and lintels. On the south (front) facade, they are additionally flanked by paired wooden colonettes. The main entrance, with sidelights, is similarly decorated and topped with a heavy wooden bracketed flat-roofed hood. The small front yard has a wooden fence with wide square recessed-paneled columns.</p><br>
<p>At the front, and on the rear extension, the roofline is marked by overhanging eaves with a dentilled soffit. On the side elevations a parapet with the chimneys rises above the roofline. The six-over-six double-hung sash windows have just the sill and lintel. Above them, in the gable field, is a wide fanlight and "SEYMOUR PLACE" in metal lettering on the west side. The main block&#39;s northern window has been converted into an entrance with four-paned glass transom. Stairs and a wheelchair ramp lead to it from the north.</p><br>
<p>Inside, the central hallway divides a living room, formerly the banking room and now an art gallery, on the west from a dining room (also used as a gallery on occasion) with two fireplaces running the length of the building to the east. The woodwork, such as the stairs and mantels, is original and well-maintained.</p><br>
<p>In the rear are the kitchen facilities, with some past fire damage evident, a bar and storage space. The upstairs rooms are plainer. Largely unused during the club&#39;s ownership, they are today office space for the arts council.</p><br>
<h2>History</h2><br>
<p>In the early 19th century, Batavia was the headquarters of the Holland Land Company, owners of the Holland Purchase that became Western New York. As the region&#39;s largest settlement at the time, it was an ideal place for a bank, and thus the Bank of Genesee was established in the city in 1829. For a year it operated from the local mansion of its first president.</p><br>
<p>The new bank bought the location of the current building in 1830. Hezekiah Eldredge and his partner, Joshua Driscoll of Lockport, were commissioned to design a building. They had designed banks in Driscolls hometown as well as Buffalo, where one of the banks directors was also on the board of the Genesee and may have helped them get the assignment. It was to be home to the bank&#39;s cashier as well.</p><br>
<p>Six thousand dollars ($ in contemporary dollars) was budgeted for construction. After going well in excess of that budget, Driscoll and Eldredges building was finished the following year. The high cost may have been the result of paying some of the regions best craftsmen high hourly wages to produce a building far less restrained than the Lockport Bank building, the only other work of Eldredge&#39;s that remains in the region (now a contributing property to the Lowertown Historic District).</p><br>
<p>The bank sold the building to the club in 1886, four years after it was organized. It made such alterations as were necessary for the purposes of using the building as the headquarters of a fraternal organization. The most significant was moving the main entrance to the south facade, facing Main Street.</p><br>
<p>In 1966, a fire damaged the original kitchen wing, and the current cement-block wing was built as a replacement. Urban renewal in the 1970s demolished the surrounding buildings, leaving the club as the only remaining 19th century building in the neighborhood.</p><br>
<p>GO ART!, the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, moved in two years later. In 2008, the group received a grant from the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to renovate and restore the building. Upon the completion of work in 2010, it was renamed Seymour Place in memory of a local couple, longtime benefactors of the center, who had contributed much of the matching funds to make the $320,000 project possible. Work done at that time exposed the basement&#39;s original dirt floors, as well as a safe on rollers the center has not been able to open. GO ART! uses the building for art exhibits and performances, and makes the space available to community groups for meetings. It is also rented for events such as wedding receptions and showers.</p><br>
<p>The Mansion at Fort Chiswell, also known as the McGavock Mansion and Fort Chiswell Mansion, is a historic home located at Fort Chiswell near Max Meadows, Wythe County, Virginia. It was constructed in 1839–1840, by Stephen and Joseph Cloyd McGavock, and is a two-story, Greek Revival style brick dwelling. The front facade features two-story diastyle portico composed of two provincial Greek Doric order columns supporting a pediment. It has a steep gable ends with slightly projecting end chimneys and one-story Italianate bracketed porches. It has a two-story rear ell with a frame gallery and an attached a one-story brick kitchen. It is a private residence, available for tours and events.</p><br>
<p>It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.</p><br>
<p>The Richmond Memorial Library is located on Ross Street in Batavia, New York, United States. It is an 1880s stone structure in the Richardsonian Romanesque style designed by Rochester architect James Goold Cutler.</p><br>
<p>His design was strongly inspired by several libraries in Massachusetts that Richardson himself had recently built. It was commissioned by local philanthropist Mary E. Richmond, wife of Dean Richmond, in 1889, as a memorial to her youngest son, Dean Richmond Jr. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.</p><br>
<h2>Building</h2><br>
<p>The library is located on the west side of Ross Street approximately 200 ft north of East Main Street (New York state routes 5 and 33). The neighborhood, just east of the commercial core area of downtown Batavia, is predominantly residential, with some institutional structures. Resurrection Parish Catholic church is to the southwest and another large brick building is to the northwest. Further to the northeast is one of Batavia&#39;s schools; St. James Episcopal Church, also on the Register, is a half-block to the east. The terrain is level and some mature trees grow in the front yards and along lot lines.</p><br>
<p>The building itself consists of the original building and a larger modern addition in its rear. The older section is a one-and-a-half-story L-shaped structure of sandstone in a random ashlar pattern, mostly grey with local red Albion stone as trim. Both sections have a steeply pitched gabled roof, with the projecting main entrance pavilion, off-center to the north, creating a cross-gable. At the northeast corner is an octagonal tower with conical top sheathed in copper and finial. A chimney rises from the south end.</p><br>
<p>Steps lead up to the wide round segmental arch on low imposts, a particularly Richardsonian detail, which shelters the recessed main entrance. Inscribed in the stone above are ornate letters reading "Richmond Memorial Library". Above that are three small, narrow round-arched windows with some decorative stonework and a narrower, smaller window in the gable apex. Five deeply recessed sash windows with leaded glass transoms fill out the facade to the south end. The north gable has a similar set of round-arched windows in its apex.</p><br>
<p>Inside, the reading room occupies most of the long wing. Behind an arch at the south end is a fireplace. Oak wainscoting extends halfway to the ceiling, from which an iron chandelier hangs.</p><br>
<h2>History</h2><br>
<p>Dean Richmond Jr., died in his youth. His mother chose a piece of property near the family mansion as the site of a library to be built in his memory and donated to the city. She commissioned a design from James Goold Cutler, a builder and businessman who had invented the mail chute and later mayor of Rochester.</p><br>
<p>Cutler consciously emulated several Romanesque libraries that had been built in recent years by Henry Hobson Richardson in the suburbs of Boston. Several of those had also been built in memory of a member of the family of a wealthy local philanthropist. Most prominent among those is the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy, the pattern for the Richmond Library.</p><br>
<p>Like the Crane Library, today designated a National Historic Landmark, the Richmond Library employs a similar face of two-toned sandstone in a random ashlar pattern with a battered foundation, with a steep gabled roof. The entrance pavilion of both buildings is very similar, with the large arch and tripartite narrow windows. Turrets of similar height are also nearby. Inside, the Richmond has the oblong reading room with fireplace that characterizes Richardsons libraries. The only notable difference is in the front facades remaining fenestration—the Crane Library has what Henry-Russell Hitchcock described as a "curiously modern" strip of windows, while Cutler&#39;s are more conventional for the time.</p><br>
<p>At the time of its construction, only the east (front) facade of the Richmond Library was done in stone. The north face&#39;s exposed brick was covered in matching sandstone when that wing was expanded in 1911, and the rear elevations remained brick until the modern wing was built. Inside, the only significant change was the addition of stacks to the reading room in 1900 as the library expanded.</p><br>
<h2>The library today</h2><br>
<p>The library is governed by a five-member board of trustees elected by residents of the Batavia City School District. All serve five-year terms; one is elected a year. The board meets the second Monday of each month.</p><br>
<p>The library&#39;s mission statement is "to continually assure access to resources and services that meet the educational, informational and recreational needs of its community in a safe and comfortable environment". It is open every day except Sundays and holidays, with earlier closing hours on Fridays and Saturdays. In addition to services for children and teens it offers classes for adults interested in genealogy.</p><br>
