- City:
- Hilo, HI
- Site Type:
- Federal Facilities, Post Offices, Federal Courthouses, Administrative Buildings
- New Deal Agencies:
- Federal & Military Operations, Treasury Department
- Started:
- 1937
- Completed:
- 1938
- Designer:
- Louis A. Simon
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
Designed by Henry O. Whitfield in 1915, the U.S. Post Office and Office Building underwent a large expansion during the New Deal.
“In 1936 the Treasury Department designed two 3-story wing additions for the main (south) side of the building. These were constructed in 1937-38 forming a “U”-shaped peristyle court. These wings have three floors used for office space and contain open circulation balconies on the first and third floors. The exterior walls facing the court contain 2-story columns with doric capitals which support a lanai above. All the roofs are tiled, with ornamental downspouts used in the court. The courtyard, eight steps below the first floor, contains a flag pole, a mosaic-tiled fountain, and two concrete urns. The paved courtyard is opened toward the street. The overall building dimensions are approximately 292′ x 312′.” (NRHP Document)
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It still houses federal functions and Hilo’s Downtown Station post office.
Source notes
https://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/74000708.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Building,_United_States_Post_Office_and_Courthouse_%28Hilo,_Hawaii%29
Site originally submitted by Evan Kalish on December 6, 2013.
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