West (and third) expansion of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
West (and third) expansion of the building. Photo courtesy of Ernest Everett Blevins.
Description
This federal building, formerly known as the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and was originally occupied in 1907. According to the General Services Administration, a three-story, 100-foot extension was constructed to the west side of the building during the New Deal.
“At the date of the second addition, in 1935, the original two-story courtroom was demolished, its materials salvaged, and a new, larger courtroom was added to the west end of the second floor. The new courtroom is distinguished by oak paneled wainscoting, marble baseboards, acoustic stone walls, and a decorative plastered ceiling.” (NRHP document)
The historic structure is now known as the Sydney L. Christie Federal Building and no longer houses postal functions.
The New Deal portion is the third expansion of the building. A fourth “expansion” was built to the west next to but not connected to the original.
Location notes: This historic 1907 building faces 9th Street on the southwest corner of 5th Avenue and 9th Street. The building expanded westward along 5th Avenue, with the third and final expansion dating from the New Deal Era. This portion is located on the west end of the building at the alley way that runs approximately north-south, parallel to 8th Street, and is behind the new multi-level Federal Building (502 Eighth Street). The Federal Building is next to, but not connected to the historic subject building. 5th Avenue is currently US 60.
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Cornerstone of the expansion of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
Cornerstone of the expansion of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
Cornerstone of the expansion of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
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New entrance designed to look the same as the original and previous expansion of the expansion of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
New entrance of the expansion of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
New entrance designed to look the same as the original and previous expansion of the expansion of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
Source notes
National Register Nomination Form: (https://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/82004314.pdf), accessed February 7, 2018.
Site visit, Ernest Everett Blevins, MFA 20 January 2018.
Project originally submitted by Evan Kalish on December 7, 2013.
Additional contributions by Ernest Everett Blevins, February 7, 2018.
We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.
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