High School Mechanical Arts Building (former) – Park City UT

Description

A Mechanical Arts building was added to the former Park City High School in 1935-36, with funding from the federal Public Works Administration (PWA).  The old high school was built in 1928 in brick Collegiate Gothic-style and is now the Park City Library and Education Center.  The former Mechanical Arts building was done in a stripped-down, Moderne version of the high school and is now privately owned.

The former high school, including the Mechanical Arts building, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.   The NRHP nomination quotes a Park City newspaper report on the inauguration of the Mechanical Arts building, giving the following details on the structure:

“The high school mechanical arts shop was built at a cost of about $15,000. Like the … high school built ten years ago, it is fireproof throughout. In design and material it harmonizes with the high school building. This shop is the last word in Industrial Arts housing. It contains one large room for general shop classes, a drawing room, toilet and locker rooms, paint and storage room. It is equipped with tools, benches and machinery for woodwork, cold and hot metal work, and auto-mechanics. Translucent glass is used in all windows. The drawing room is equipped with individual drawing tables and stools. Other special rooms are furnished with appropriate appliances. The shop is heated from the high school heating plant.”

There is a 3-bay garage in the back in the same low key Moderne/Gothic style as the Mechanical Arts building and appears to have been part of the original project.