Sedgwick County Engineering Building – Wichita KS

Description

This Sedgwick county public building was partially constructed by the WPA in 1941:

“The west portion was constructed by the WPA, a Federal New Deal work relief program, to house the county’s engineering department. The east portion, a materials barns, was constructed prior to 1935. The Art Deco WPA addition underwent a renovation in 2003.

…A one-story brick building with barrel vaulted roof and parapet ends dates from at least 1935. In 1941, a two story building housing the engineering department for the county was constructed by the WPA at a cost of $42,000. The WPA portion utilized a simplified Moderne style, with rounded corner on the southwest featuring tall vertical fenestrations with glass blocks, and regularly spaced bands of windows on both stories. The horizontal design emphasis is continued with the slightly recessed cornice at the flat roof.”   (KHRI)