Northwest Architectural Archives at the University of Minnesota

02/23/2017

The Cass Gilbert Society presents a talk by Peter O'Toole on Edwin H. Lundie, FAIA (1886-1962) on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at The University Club, 420 Summit Avenue, St Paul, Minnesota at 7 pm.

07/27/2016

Happy Birthday, Edwin Brown!

Edwin Hacker Brown was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1875. He attended Harvard University and graduated in 1896 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He entered Worcester Polytechnic Institute and received a Bachelor of Science degree.

He came to Minneapolis and entered into a partnership with Edwin Hewitt in 1910. During World War I, Brown served in the United States and Europe with the Red Cross. After the war, Hewitt and Brown resumed their partnership.

Brown established the Architects Small House Service Bureau, an organization that eventually became national in scope, and which provided architect-produced plans for inexpensive houses to help alleviate the postwar housing shortage.

Brown died of pneumonia in Minneapolis on April 21, 1930.

excerpted from "Minnesota Architects: a biographical dictionary" by Alan K. Lathrop, 2010.

Hewitt & Brown papers, N42, Northwest Architectural Archives

07/20/2016

“These people are preservationists,” said Claire VanderEyk. “They just don’t know it yet."

Preserve Minneapolis, a nonprofit that VanderEyk volunteers for, recently teamed up with , an Instagram page dedicated to staging meet-ups and organizing an online community. The two organizations hope to introduce a new generation of people to the state’s olden, golden architectural gems and “help spread the preservation gospel,” said VanderEyk.

http://www.startribune.com/instagrammers-and-preservationists-gather-around-minneapolis-old-buildings/382492151/

Instagrammers and budding preservationists are staging meetups to spread the "gospel" of converting and reusing old buildings.

07/13/2016

Happy Birthday, Dale McEnary!

Dale Robert McEnary was born in Minneapolis in 1890. He studied civil engineering at the University of Minnesota from 1908 to 1911, and received a bachelor's degree in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1914. After graduation, he worked in the office of Charles Frost in Chicago, assisting in the design of railroad stations, warehouses, and other types of commercial and institutional structures.

When World War I broke out, McEnary first served in the Quartermaster Corps of the army in Washington, D.C., developing and supervising the construction of buildings for the War Department. In 1919, he returned to Minneapolis as supervising architect of the St. Paul Union Depot, which was designed by Frost.

During the 1920s, McEnary was affiliated with several firms (Frederick Mann, 1921; Walter Wheeler, 1925), before he partnered with Edwin Krafft in 1934. In 1942, McEnary was with C.F. Haglin Construction Company in charge of all local building operations. This apparently was at the same time as he continued to work in his own practice.

McEnary died in Minneapolis on February 27, 1964.

excerpted from "Minnesota Architects: a biographical dictionary" by Alan K. Lathrop, 2010.

McEnary, Krafft, Birch & Kilgore papers, N18, Northwest Architectural Archives

07/04/2016

"The $20 million purchase price accounts for the land acquisition, demolition of buildings and preparation of the site. That cost is expected to be recovered through parking revenue from a ramp adjacent to the stadium...Deferred features include a proposed cafe building, lawn-side terraced seating and a water plaza."

http://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-purchases-the-commons-park-near-u-s-bank-stadium/385128761/

Minneapolis transacted with Ryan Cos. for the proverbial keys to the Downtown East Commons, which is expected to be partly complete in less than a month in its home near U.S. Bank Stadium. The "Great Lawn" is sodded, trees are being planted and lighting soon will be installed at the nearly two-block...

07/01/2016

"On July 18 and 19, the U.S. Department of Transportation will lead a design session with community leaders from Ramsey and Hennepin counties, St. Paul and Minneapolis.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said he was eager to involve communities in rethinking transportation designs.

“Through this challenge, we have the ability to rethink some of our nation’s past transportation choices and improve upon them to design a better future,” Foxx said."

http://www.twincities.com/2016/06/28/st-paul-mn-interstate-94-dale-street-bridge-workshop/

The Dale Street Bridge over Interstate 94 in St. Paul will get a major makeover in 2018. To the west on I-94, a Prospect Park rail-to-trail project could connect that neighborhood to the University…

06/29/2016

"Council members said they are excited about the potential for the city to try new design options on a street that gets heavy traffic from a variety of users headed to businesses, theaters, sporting events and other destinations. The street’s daily traffic mix includes 7,600 pedestrians, 1,500 bicyclists, 8,100 transit riders and 18,600 vehicles."

http://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-planning-16-million-makeover-of-hennepin-avenue/382127951/

Minneapolis is seeking $7 million in federal funding for a $16 million upgrade of one of its busiest downtown streets for easier use by cars, buses, cyclists and pedestrians.

06/27/2016

Happy Birthday, Mark Fitzpatrick!

Mark Fitzpatrick was born in 1866 in St. Paul. He studied architecture at Fordham University, from which he graduated with honors about 1887. He returned to St. Paul, and first appears as supervising architect of the James J. Hill mansion on Summit Avenue (1889-1891), designed by Peabody & Stearns of Boston. This means that Fitzpatrick either already had a reputation or had good connections on the East Coast in order to be given this task by the preeminent firm from Boston.

He was a partner of Charles Joy for a time before setting up his own practice in St. Paul by the turn of the century. He lived and worked in St. Paul the rest of his life, except for a year in Minneapolis (1902-1903). He was also associated with the magazine Western Architect from near its inception throughout its entire publishing history (1903-1940).

Fiztpatrick died on September 27, 1956, in St. Paul.

excerpted from Minnesota Architects: a biographical dictionary by Alan K. Lathrop, 2010.

Mark Fitzpatrick collection, N64, Northwest Architectural Archives

photo: Foundation plan for Factory Building for Guiterman Brothers Men's Apparel (now Frogtown Family Lofts), 653 Galtier Street, St. Paul, 1910, 1917

06/24/2016

Primate House
Como Zoo, St. Paul

Frank Horner papers, N106, Northwest Architectural Archives

06/23/2016

Marine Mammal Exhibit
Como Zoo, St. Paul

Frank Horner papers, N106, Northwest Architectural Archives

06/22/2016

Large Cat Exhibit Schematic Designs
Como Zoo, St. Paul

Frank Horner papers, N106, Northwest Architectural Archives

06/21/2016

"Today Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is operated by the Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department. The zoo features a seal island, a large cat exhibit, a variety of aquatic life, primates, birds, African hoofed animals and a world class polar bear exhibit. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory has two acres under glass with a number of different wings dedicated to a variety of plant life including bonsai trees, ferns, orchids and seasonal flowers. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory also features many outdoor gardens."