Watson Memorial, Devonport

Watson memorial
in grateful remembrance
of
Alexander Richardson Dickey Watson
who was born at North Head Devonport
and spent the early years of his
life in this district and whose generous
bequest enabled the seawall
along this foreshore to be erected.

March 1936

Wilbur J Cohen Federal Building, Washington DC

Originally built as the Social Security Board Building in 1939 (designed by Louis A Simon, Supervising Architect and Charfles Z Klauder, Consulting Architect) this large Federal building in Washington DC went through a series of name changes as various health-related departments became tenants until 1988 when the building was named in honour of the first professional employee of the Social Security Board and the former Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW), Wilbur J Cohen.

The four main entrances bear reliefs related to some aspect of Social Security.

The north entrance (above) has "The Growth of Social Security" by Henry Kreis while the relief at the east entrance is "The Benefits of Social Security", also by Kreis.

The remaining two entrances have reliefs by Emma Lu Davis. "Family Group" at the south entrance and "Unemployment Compensation" (above) at the west entrance.

First Church of Christ Scientist, Berkeley

It's not Deco but the First Church of Christ Scientist in Berkeley, California is a masterpiece of architecture. The church was designed by Bernard Maybeck and opened in 1910.

City Hall Leadlight Windows, Montreal

Leadlight windows at Montreal, City Hall

J Kitchen & Sons, Port Melbourne

The former administration building of J Kitchen & Sons in Ingles Street, Port Melbourne has been boarded up for more than five years and it's fair to say those years haven't been kind to this mid-1920s building. Just about all the windows are broken and the facade is covered with graffiti.

There is some hope on the horizon with Dr Jeanne Shaw and Sophie Fenton planning to open a school in the building in the next few years and I was lucky enough to tag along when they toured the building this morning.

It's not the first time I've been inside this building. I've been inside once before in May 1996 when Unichema, as Kichen's had become by that time, still used the building as offices. You can read a bit about the building in this 2009 post.

Unsurprisingly, the interior is not in very good shape at all. Vandals have done their work and some of the floor has been lifted to allow the removal of asbestos.

But it's still interesting to compare my photos from 1996 with the building today and have a peak at a few places I didn't get to on my first visit.

Front Staircase

The Main Office (from the balcony)

The Director's Office

In 1996, I didn't make it into the Social Hall but here's what it looked like when it was opened from Kitchen's in-house magazine Advance in October 1925 compared with this morning.

A highlight came in a strange little room on the roof of the main building with this homage to Rinso.

M&D Shapiro Hardware, New York City

To to show there is some modest Deco in New York City. Here's M&D Shapiro Hardware in Bleecker Street.

St Michael's Pumphouse, Toronto

I don't know a lot about this building. It happens I'd rather get a photo or three than find out what the building is. I think it was part of a school.

95-97 Broadway, Boston

Possibly a former commercial/industrial building converted to apartments at 95-97 Broadway, Boston, MA.