Main Post Office (former) – Reno NV

City:
Reno, NV

Site Type:
Post Offices, Federal Facilities

New Deal Agencies:
Federal & Military Operations, Work Relief Programs, Treasury Department, Civil Works Administration (CWA)

Designer:
Frederick DeLongchamps

Site Survival:
Extant

Description

The Reno Main Post Office no longer occupies this building and has moved to a location on Vassar Street.  The original post office (the subject of this post) was sold to a local development group in August 2012 and, after extensive and careful renovations, is now being leased as a “modern workspace” for businesses.

“Designed by Frederick DeLongchamps in 1932, this post office is one of the best examples of Art Deco design, specifically Zig-Zag Moderne, in Nevada. MacDonald Engineering constructed the building, with the assistance of the Civil Works Administration (CWA), one of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal programs. The post office, which also housed a variety of Federal agencies, opened for business in 1934…

Although standard building plans had been developed for post offices, commissioned architects were allowed, where practicable, to give individual treatment to the exterior details. DeLongchamps achieved this with exceptional skill and artistry. The exterior is pale green terra cotta incised to resemble quarried stone. The aluminum panels over the entrances salute transportation and are integrated with patriotic and American Indian motifs in the interior. The first-floor lobby has spectacular highly ornamented, dark marble walls highlighted with cast aluminum. Until the area was enclosed in order to house the HVAC units, the central portion of the ceiling was a large skylight. A fourth floor was originally planned but never built. The two upper floors of offices opened onto the open area created by the skylight. Situated along the Truckee River, with a large park-like lawn in front, the post office in downtown Reno is one of the most attractive buildings in Nevada. The Postal Service still occupies this building.”   (www.nps.gov)

 

Source notes

https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/nevada/usp.htm
https://www.newsreview.com/reno/how-the-new-deal-built/content?oid=664643

Location Info


50 South Virginia St.
Reno, NV 89501

Coordinates: 39.524769, -119.81169

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.