User:Elkman/Old Federal Building

US Post Office / US Federal Office Building 212 3rd Ave S MPLS, MN 55401

Significant locally

Late 19th/Early 20th century revivals Significant: 1912-1915

15/47922/498088

Completed in 1915, Neoclassical Revival Raised basement, three-story main mass, single-story wings north/south/west Symmetrical facade, Corinthian order columns, window and door openings topped with round and/or flat arches with keystones Granite on all facades except west, which is brick Primary facade - east elevation, three stories (looks like two with a raised basement)

Original drawings were dated to 1911, revised 1912 and 1913 Produced by the office of the Supervising Architect, approved by James Knox Taylor 1936 - converted from a postal facility to a federal office building, interior post office facilities were completely removed 1959 - rear "wagon court" walls were removed, parking lot was added 1970 - bomb damage repaired, east entrance rebuilt

Good example of Neoclassical Revival, most prominent example in downtown Minneapolis Neoclassical Revival was featured in the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1892-1893 - a unifying style Also complemented the Gateway Park and Pavilion James Knox Taylor advocated Beaux Arts classicism - supervising architect from 1897 to 1912 1913-1914 - Public Buildings Act directed the Treasury to economize costs, build standard buildings

First post office was Ard Godfrey's sawmill, 1847 First on west side was at 2nd Ave and High Street 1873 - was located in City Hall, until completion of the federal building in 1889 (Romanesque Revival, on First Avenue between Second and Third Streets - also contained district court and other federal offices) Planning for a new post office began in 1907 - Washington/2nd/3rd streets and 2nd Avenue Not a first choice because Washington Avenue had low-rent hotels and cheap saloons, but the land was cheap and it was located near the Milwaukee Road depot

1926 - they were talking about renovation, but by 1929 they wanted a new postal facility The one on the river was completed in 1934; building began to house federal offices like IRS and Treasury Has also housed other federal agencies