Category Archives: Architecture

QQA Preservation Conversations Tonight: Architectural Interiors

Posted on by

QQAThe Quapaw Quarter Association’s monthly award-winning Preservation Conversation series continues tonight.

This month  Brent Hull, Owner and President of Hull Historical. Known for award-winning design of exceptional architectural interiors, Hull Historical provides expertise in residential and historic preservation. Trained in the art of museum quality preservation at the prestigious North Bennet Street School in Boston, Brent is the exclusive licensee for the architectural interiors of the Winterthur Museum and Country Estate in Wilmington, Delaware, the original home of H.F. du Pont. Hull is a board member of the Texas Chapter of the ICAA, and recipient of the 2012 NBSS Distinguished Alumni Award.

The program takes place this evening at Curran Hall, 615 East Capitol Avenue. From 5 to 5:30 a reception will take place. The program will run from 5:30 to 6:30.

The Quapaw Quarter Association’s mission is to promote the preservation of Little Rock’s architectural heritage through advocacy, marketing and education. Incorporated in 1968, the QQA grew out of an effort to identify and protect significant historic structures in Little Rock during the urban renewal projects of the early 1960s. Throughout its existence, the QQA has been a driving force behind historic preservation in Greater Little Rock.

 j

April 9 Architeaser

Posted on by

IMG_4812On the anniversary of La Harpe seeing the “Little Rock” for the first time, today’s Architeaser celebrates a building which is located near the Little Rock and looks to the past and the future.

The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce headquarters, located on Markham between Scott Street and the 4 Corners intersection (Markham, LaHarpe, Cumberland, President Clinton).  Designed by the firm Polk Stanley and Yeary (now Polk Stanley Wilcox), the building won awards in 2001 and 2002 from chapters of the American Institute of Architects.

The design evokes both mid-century designs with the buff brick and glass blocks, but also incorporates many contemporary facets of architectural design both inside and outside.

April 8 Architeaser

Posted on by

MannonMainThis is one of the architectural flourishes on this building at 317 Main Street.  Designed by architect George R. Mann, the building was built in 1906 as the flagship of the Gus Blass Department Store.  It operated in that capacity until 1972.  It later served as a bank facility until the late 1990s.  Now it is the anchor of a redevelopment on Main Street.  It is now known as Mann on Main, in tribute to the architect who designed not only this building but many others downtown.

This building is one of Little Rock’s most architecturally significant buildings and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

April 5 Architeaser

Posted on by

IMG_4706The above rounded glass blocks are from the Main Street structure now commonly called the Boyle Building.   Built in 1909 as the State National Bank Building, by 1916 it became known as the Boyle Building.  The 12-story, approximately 100,000 square foot building was designed by Little Rock architect George R. Mann.  It was the tallest building in the state from 1909 until the Donaghey building was completed in 1926.

 

April 4 Architeaser

Posted on by

IMG_4699This two-toned and two-surfaced brick work is an early example of using different surfaces to showcase a building in a fairly simple and inexpensive manner.  This is from the Fulk building at 3rd and Main Streets. The building was built after the February 1900 fire which destroyed parts of South Main Street.

The building is on land that once belonged to Dr. Matthew Cunningham. The first Little Rock Council meeting took place at Dr. Cunningham’s house when it was on this property.

This building is one of several being envisioned for new life as part of the Creative Corridor plan along Main Street.

April 3 Architeaser

Posted on by

ArkGazToday’s Architeaser is a corner of the 1908 Arkansas Gazette building.  Now part of the eSTEM campus, from 1908 through 1991, it was home to the Pulitzer prize winning Arkansas Gazette.

The building was designed by Little Rock architect George R. Mann.  In 1976 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Architeaser: April 2

Posted on by

IMG_4670This is the side view of the second floor balcony of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette building at Capitol and Scott Streets.  It is interesting to note that this is one of the few non-governmental buildings to fly a US flag.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette building was built in 1904 to house the first YMCA program in Arkansas.  The YMCA–Democrat Building was built in 1904. The building was designed by Little Rock architect, Charles L. Thompson, in a Renaissance Revival style. Following the relocation of the YMCA to Broadway in 1928, the building was acquired in 1930 by K. August Engel to house the Arkansas Democrat.  In 1991, the name of the building was changed to reflect the new name of the newspaper.