Raymond F. Almirall
| Raymond F. Almirall | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1869 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | 1939 (aged 69–70) |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Practice | Ingle & Almirall; R. F. Almirall; Almirall & Cusachs |
Raymond F. Almirall (1869–1939) was an American architect of the Beaux-Arts period, practicing in New York City.
Early life and education
Almirall was born in New York City, in 1869. He studied architecture at Cornell University and at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
Career
In 1896, he established an architectural firm in New York City with John W. Ingle, Ingle & Almirall.[1] The firm lasted until the end of 1900, when Almirall opened an independent office.[2] In the mid-teens, Almirall made Philip Alain Cusachs a member of his new firm, Almirall & Cusachs, which lasted into the 1920s.[3]
Almirall's work often incorporated the latest architectural techniques including structural steel, reinforced cement and reinforced concrete.[4]
In 1909, Almirall designed what might have been his masterpiece, the Beaux-Arts classical style Brooklyn Central Library which was expected to be a major example of the City Beautiful architectural style in that city. But money was short, and construction did not begin for several years. Soon after, money ran out and only the west wing wall was actually built. In 1937, the project was renewed and the New York firm of Githens & Keally was hired to redesign the building in the Modern Classical style. Almirall’s original scheme was abandoned in favor of the new one and the redesigned library was completed in 1941.[5]
Almirall also designed several large churches for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. One of these, the Mortuary Chapel at Calvary Cemetery, Long Island City, New York, was described at the time of its construction as ‘’the Most Remarkable Mortuary Chapel in America’’.[6]
He was one of the very few American architects of his day to design a Cathedral in a foreign country. His byzantine styled Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kingston, Jamaica, which contains a "broad, clearly articulated facade" and a large concrete dome. In his book Hagia Sophia, 1850-1950: Holy Wisdom Modern Monument, author Robert S. Nelson compares the Cathedral to the Hagia Sophia.[7]
Almirall also designed most of the buildings for the Seaview Hospital in Staten Island, New York, which at the time of its construction was the largest tuberculosis hospital in the world where many of the successful treatments for this disease were to be created. Today this hospital is a ruin.
Architectural works
Ingle & Almirall, 1896-1900
- 1897 - Binghamton Municipal Building, 79 Collier St, Binghamton, New York[8]
- 1897 - St. Dominic R. C. Church, 93 Anstice St, Oyster Bay, New York[9]
- 1898 - Binghamton Savings Bank Building, 99 Collier St, Binghamton, New York[10]
- 1898 - St. Patrick R. C. Church, 39-38 29th St, Long Island City, New York[9]
- 1899 - R. C. Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, 104-11 37th Ave, Corona, Queens, New York[11]
- 1899 - St. Patrick R. C. Church, 235 Glen St, Glen Cove, New York[9]
- 1900 - R. C. Church of the Guardian Angel, 2978 Ocean Pkwy, Brooklyn, New York[12]
Raymond F. Almirall, 1901-c.1915
- 1903 - Pacific Library, 25 4th Ave, Brooklyn, New York[13]
- 1904 - Chi Psi Lodge, 200 Church St, Middletown, Connecticut[14]
- Burned in 1912.
- 1905 - Decauville Garage, 1743-1745 Broadway, New York, New York[15]
- Demolished.
- 1905 - Municipal Lodging House, 432-438 E 25th St, New York, New York[16]
- An early version of the modern homeless shelter. Demolished.
- 1905 - Seaview Hospital, 460 Brielle Ave, Staten Island, New York[17]
- 1905 - St. Michael's R. C. Church, 352 42nd St, Brooklyn, New York[18]
- 1906 - Fordham Hospital, Southern Blvd, Bronx, New York[19]
- Demolished.
- 1906 - Park Slope Library, 431 6th Ave, Brooklyn, New York[20]
- 1906 - Public Bath No. 7, 227 4th Ave, Brooklyn, New York[20]
- 1908 - Bushwick Library, 340 Bushwick Ave, Brooklyn, New York[21]
- 1908 - 49 Chambers (Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank Building), 49–51 Chambers St, New York, New York[20]
- 1908 - R. C. Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, North St, Kingston, Jamaica[22]
- 1910 - Chapin Home for the Aged, 16501 Chapin Pkwy, Jamaica, New York[23]
- Demolished.
- 1913 - Eastern Parkway Library, 1044 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, New York[24]
- 1915 - R. C. Church of the Nativity, 20 Madison St, Brooklyn, New York[25]
Almirall & Cusachs, from c.1916
- 1916 - Notre Dame Home for the Aged, 660 183rd Ave, Bronx, New York[26]
- 1917 - Central Brooklyn Public Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, New York[27]
- Partially built and then renovated.
- 1920 - R. C. Church of the Nativity (Addition), 20 Madison St, Brooklyn, New York[28]
- 1926 - 386 Park Ave S, New York, New York[29]
References
- Back to citation Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide 11 Jan. 1896: 41.
- Back to citation Brickbuilder Dec. 1900: 260.
- Back to citation Progressive Architecture 1931: 775.
- Back to citation Flower and Fifth Avenue hospital New York Medical College (Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Library, 1867), p.4.
- Back to citation http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/central/branch/history.jsp Brooklyn Central Library
- Back to citation Henry Haven Windsor, ed. Popular Mechanics: an Illustrated Weekly Review, Volume 12, Issues 1-6 (Chicago, Illinois: 1909), p.292-293.
- Back to citation Nelson, Robert S. Hagia Sophia, 1850-1950: holy wisdom modern monument. pp. 190, 191.
- Back to citation Engineering News 18 March 1897: 98.
- Back to citation occurrence 9.0 Back to citation occurrence 9.1 Back to citation occurrence 9.2 Russell, Daniel E. "The Bells of St. Patrick's". Glen Cove, NY: City of Glen Cove, n.d.
- Back to citation Engineering News 16 June 1898: 205.
- Back to citation Engineering Record 29 July 1899: 210.
- Back to citation Engineering Record 15 Sept. 1900: 262.
- Back to citation White, Norval and Elliot Willensky. AIA Guide to New York City. 2010.
- Back to citation Potts, David P. Wesleyan University, 1831–1910: Collegiate Enterprise in New England. 1992.
- Back to citation Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide 16 Sept. 1905: 429.
- Back to citation Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide 19 Aug. 1905: 314.
- Back to citation Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide 21 Oct. 1905: 610.
- Back to citation Gabrielan, Randall. Postcard History Series: Brooklyn. 1999.
- Back to citation City Record 11 May 1906: 4528.
- Back to citation occurrence 20.0 Back to citation occurrence 20.1 Back to citation occurrence 20.2 Dolkart, Andrew. Guide to New York City Landmarks. 2009.
- Back to citation Library Journal Dec. 1908: 525.
- Back to citation Nelson, Robert S. Hagia Sophia, 1850-1950: Holy Wisdom Modern Monument. 2004.
- Back to citation American Contractor 20 Aug. 1910: 46.
- Back to citation American Contractor 20 Sept. 1913: 55.
- Back to citation Engineering and Contracting 28 April 1915: 43.
- Back to citation Bridgemen's Magazine July 1916: 433.
- Back to citation Domestic Engineering 11 Nov. 1916: 203.
- Back to citation American Contractor 18 Oct. 1919: 45.
- Back to citation "Manhattan NB Database". http://www.metrohistory.com/. Office for Metropolitan History, n. d. Web.
External links
- Raymond F. Almirall works. Held by the Department of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.