Reid & Reid

Last updated
Reid & Reid
Hotel-Del-Coronado-Beach-cropped.jpg
Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California
Practice information
Partners Watson Elkinah Reid
William Sterling Hebbard
Founders James W. Reid
Merritt J. Reid
Founded1879
Dissolved1932
Location San Francisco
San Diego
Evansville, Indiana
AffiliationsReid Brothers
Significant works and honors
Buildings Willard Library
Hotel del Coronado
The Call Building
Fairmont San Francisco
Cliff House

Reid & Reid, also known as Reid Brothers, was an American architectural and engineering firm that was active from 1880 to 1932. [1] Established in Indiana by Canadian immigrants, the firm moved to the West Coast and became was the most prominent firm in San Francisco, California in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. [2] [1]

Contents

Willard Library Willard Library from southwest.jpg
Willard Library
St. Pauls Episcopal Church StPaulsEpiscopalEvansville2019.jpg
St. Pauls Episcopal Church
The Oregonian Building The Oregonian Building circa 1900.png
The Oregonian Building
Grein Building circa1895 Grein Building (BMA 1895).jpg
Grein Building circa1895
Call building before 1938 redesign Call building.jpg
Call building before 1938 redesign
Grand Lake Theater Grand Lake Theater Oakland.jpg
Grand Lake Theater

History

Brothers James William Reid (1851-1943), Merritt Jonathan Reid (1855-1932), and Watson Elkinah Reid (1858–1944) were born in Harvey, Albert County, New Brunswick, Canada, three of the eight children of Lucinda Robinson and William James Reid, a farmer and house joiner. [3] [4] [5] James worked as a house joiner and studied industrial arts at the Lowell School of Practical Design in Boston before attending McGill University in Montreal and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. [5] He also studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris 1874. [5]

before graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. [6] [7] Merritt also graduated from École des Beaux-Arts.,

In the late 19th–century, James and Merritt immigrated to Evansville, Indiana from and worked at the architectural firm of Boy and Brickley. [2] [6] In 1879, they purchased the contracts from Boyd & Brickley and opened Reid Brothers. [2]

One of their early clients was the Terre Haute Railroad which helped develop their reputation. [6] Their most notable work in Evansville is the Willard Library which was executed in the Gothic revival style. [2] [6] Banker Aaron Guard Cloud commissioned two projects with the Reid Brothers: the Cloud State Bank in the Second Empire and French Baroque style and his private home which are both in McLeansboro, Illinois. [6]

In 1886, the brothers moved to the San Diego, California with the client Charles T. Hinde to design the Hotel Del Coronado for the Coronado Beach Company. [6] Although the Coronado Beach Company was not financially successful, the project helped build the West Coast reputation of the Reid Brothers. [6] Their younger brother, Watson Elkinah Reid moved to California and joined the firm around 1888. [2] Watson attended Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada and worked as a house joiner. [4] He served as the supervising architect for the Hotel Del Coronado. [8]

James and Merritt became Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 1889. [6] That same year, Merritt moved to San Francisco to open an office, followed shortly by James. [6] Watson remained in San Diego to run that office. [6] [8] In 1891, Watson was joined by William Sterling Hebbard, an architect who had trained in Chicago. [6]

In 1892, the Reid Brothers were hired to design the Portland, Oregon newspaper's Oregonian Building. It was the first steel-frame building west of Chicago. [6]

In 1894, Mrs. M. L. Selfridge hired the firm to design six houses on the corner of California and Pierce in San Francisco. [6]

Newspaperman Claus Spreckels hired them to design a headquarters for The San Francisco Call in 1895. [6] Architect Charles William Dickey joined the firm's San Francisco office from 1895 to 1896. [9] He was from Oakland but had attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. [9] They also hired draftsman John Walter Dolliver as a designer; draftsman Emile Schroeder Lemme, and architect Albert L. Farr. [10] [11] [12]

Completed in 1897, the Call Building was the tallest building west of Chicago at 315 feet. [6] The top of the Call Building was a four-story dome; there, the Reid Brothers established their new office on the eighteenth floor. [6] The Call Building dominated the San Francisco skyline and became its "most recognizable" landmark. [6] Spreckels continued to work with Reid & Reid for other projects including the Spreckels Car House, several family mansions, and Spreckels Temple of Music, a music stand that Spreckels donated to Golden Gate Park. [6] [13]

In 1892, Watson Reid left the firm and moved back to New Brunswick. Watson Reid was commissioned to build what's known as Victoria Manor, completed in 1893 for Lt. Gov. Abner Reid McClellan. [6] Hebbard then became head of the San Diego office and oversaw its work. [6]

In addition to the Spreckels Temple of Music, Reid & Reid designed the Caretaker's Cottage at Golden Gate Park. [2] [13] In 1908, they also designed a Stadium at the Polo Fields for Golden Gate Park, but the project ended early in the construction phase. [2] Only a small section of the bleachers was constructed. [2]

Reid & Reid was hired to design the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill in 1902. [6] Although damaged by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the hotel opened a year later, on April 18, 1907. [6] They also designed the First Congregational Church, the W. & J. Sloane Building, and two Hale Brothers Co. department stores. [6] They also created the third version of Cliff House. [6]

They also designed many mansions in the Pacific Heights, although many were lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. [6] Two surviving houses located at 2083 and 2099 Pacific were built for Spreckels as wedding gifts for his son. [6] Those survive today, along with 1919 Sacramento, 2770 Broadway, and 2646 Vallejo. [6] Another residential project was the Classical Revival Irwin mansion which was located at 2190 Washington. [6]

Reid & Reid designed numerous movie theaters in San Francisco, including the Alexandria Theatre, the Balboa Theatre, the Coliseum Theatre, the Metropolitan, and the New Mission Theatre. [2] [14] [6] They also designed the Golden State Theatre in Monterey, the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland, the New Sequoia Theater Building in Redwood City, and Sequoia Theatre in Mill Valley, California [15] [16] [17] [18]

In 1929, they designed a 20-unit cooperative apartment building in Russian Hill. [6] James moved into the apartment building, living there until he died in 1943. [6]

When Merritt died on February 4, 1932, James retired and closed the firm. [6]

Selected works

BuildingDatePlaceReference
Willard Library 1877 Evansville, Indiana [19]
Cloud State Bank 1880 McLeansboro, Illinois [6]
Aaron G. Cloud house 1884 McLeansboro, Illinois [6]
St. Paul's Episcopal Church 1886 Evansville, Indiana
Hotel del Coronado 1888 San Diego, California [19]
Grein Building 1889 Evansville, Indiana [19]
Germond Block1890 Spokane, Washington
Oregonian Building 1892 Portland, Oregon [19] [20]
Selfridge houses, 2603 through 2611 California1894 San Francisco, California [6]
Residence, 1919 Sacramento1895 Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California [6]
The Call Building (now Central Tower)1898 San Francisco, California [19]
Spreckels Car House (aka. Geneva Car Barn), 2301 San Jose1899 San Francisco, California [6]
Spreckels Temple of Music, Golden Gate Park 1900 San Francisco, California [13]
Irwin Mansion, 2190 Washington1901 San Francisco, California [6]
Hale Brothers Department Store, 989 Market1902 San Francisco, California [6]
Residence, 2770 Broadway1904 Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California [6]
Spreckels Mansion, 2083 Pacific1904 Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California [6]
Spreckels Mansion, 2099 Pacific1905 Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California [6]
Fairmont San Francisco 1907 San Francisco, California [19]
Merritt Building1907 San Francisco, California
1 Sixth Street1908San Francisco, California [19]
Garfield Building, 938–942 Market Street1908San Francisco, California [21]
W. & J. Sloane Furniture Building, 222 Sutter1908San Francisco, California [6]
222 Sutter Street1909San Francisco, California [19]
Marshall Hale House, 26 Presidio Terrace1909San Francisco, California [2]
Cliff House (third-generation building)1909San Francisco, California
Yeon Building 1911 Portland, Oregon [19]
Hale Brothers Department Store expansion, 901 Market1912 San Francisco, California [19] [6]
The Oregon Journal Building (now Jackson Tower)1912 Portland, Oregon [19]
First Congregational Church1913 San Francisco, California [2]
1915 Merritt Building 1915 Los Angeles, California [19]
New Mission Theater 1916 San Francisco, California [14]
Residence, 2646 Vallejo1917 Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California [6]
The Coliseum Theatre, 745 Clement1918 San Francisco, California [6] [2]
Sweasey Theatre (now Arkley Center for the Performing Arts)1920 Eureka, California [22]
United Building1920 Los Angeles, California [19]
Orpheus Theatre1920 San Rafael, California [23]
Grand Rapids Hotel 1922 Wabash County, Illinois
Alexandria Theatre, 5400 Geary1923 San Francisco, California [6] [2]
Fitzhugh Building1923 San Francisco, California [24]
Metropolitan Theatre, 2055 Union1924 San Francisco, California [6]
Roosevelt Theatre (now Brava Women's Theater Arts)1924 San Francisco, California [25]
Balboa Theatre, 3630 Balboa1926 San Francisco, California [26] [6]
Golden State Theatre 1926 Monterey, California [19] [18]
Grand Lake Theater 1926 Oakland, California [17]
Sequoia Theatre1929 Mill Valley, California [15]
New Sequoia Theater Building 1929 Redwood City, California [16]
La Miranda Apartments, 1100 Union1929 Russian Hill, San Francisco, California [19]
State Theater1931 San Francisco, California
Sebastiani Theatre1934 Sonoma, California [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Exchange</span> Defunct regional stock exchange in California, US (1956–2006)

The Pacific Exchange was a regional stock exchange in California, from 1956 to 2006. Its main exchange floor and building were in San Francisco, California, with a branch building in Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B. Marcus Priteca</span> Scottish architect

Benjamin Marcus Priteca was a Scottish architect. He is best known for designing theatres for Alexander Pantages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Galen Howard</span> American architect

John Galen Howard was an American architect and educator who began his career in New York before moving to California. He was the principal architect at several firms in both states and employed Julia Morgan early in her architectural career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timothy L. Pflueger</span> American architect

Timothy Ludwig Pflueger was an architect, interior designer and architectural lighting designer in the San Francisco Bay Area in the first half of the 20th century. Together with James R. Miller, Pflueger designed some of the leading skyscrapers and movie theaters in San Francisco in the 1920s, and his works featured art by challenging new artists such as Ralph Stackpole and Diego Rivera. Rather than breaking new ground with his designs, Pflueger captured the spirit of the times and refined it, adding a distinct personal flair. His work influenced later architects such as Pietro Belluschi.

S. Charles Lee was an American architect recognized as one of the most prolific and distinguished motion picture theater designers on the West Coast.

Miller and Pflueger was an architectural firm that formed when James Rupert Miller named Timothy L. Pflueger partner. Pflueger, at the time a rising star of San Francisco's architect community, had begun his architectural career with architecture firm, Miller and Colmesnil sometime in 1907, under the tutelage of James Rupert Miller. Together, Miller and Pflueger designed a number of significant buildings in San Francisco, including the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company Building which was the city's tallest skyscraper for four decades.

The Pussycat Theaters were a chain of adult movie theaters, operating between the 1960s and the 1980s. Pussycat Theaters had 30 locations in California and were known for their cat-girl logo. The last one closed in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Arden Thomas</span>

Lee Arden Thomas (1886–1953) was an architect in Bend and Portland, Oregon, United States. He graduated in 1907 from Oregon State University. He completed many projects in Bend, often partnering with local architect Hugh Thompson. His work in that area includes the planning for Bend Amateur Athletic Club Gymnasium (1917–1918), Redmond Union High School, and the Washington School in Corvallis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James W. Reid (architect)</span> American architect

James William Reid (1851–1943) was a Canadian-born American architect of the noted San Francisco firm of Reid & Reid.

Watson Elkinah Reid (1858–1944) was a Canadian architect, a one time member of the California architectural firm, Reid & Reid.

Oliver Marion Rousseau (1891–1977) was an American architect, home builder/contractor, and real estate developer. He worked in the San Francisco Bay Area, in particular the Sunset District of San Francisco, as well as Hayward, California. He came from a family of noted architects and co-founded the architecture firm Rousseau and Rousseau, and later the Marian Realty Co..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baker and Hamilton Building</span> United States historic place

The Baker and Hamilton Building, also known as Pacific Hardware and Steel Company Building and Baker, Hamilton and Pacific Company, is a historic office building and former commercial building built in 1905, and located in South of Market at 601 Townsend Street in San Francisco, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John W. Reid Jr.</span> American architect

John W. Reid Jr. was an American architect. He served as the San Francisco city architect from 1918 until 1930.

Frederick Herman Meyer was an American architect. He was active in the San Francisco Bay Area, and is known for designing the YMCA Hotel in San Francisco. From c.1898 until 1901, Samuel Newsom worked with Meyer, to form the firm Newsom and Meyer in Oakland. Starting in 1902 and until 1908, Meyer entered into a partnership with architect Smith O'Brien to form the form Meyer and O'Brien.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth A. MacDonald Jr.</span> American architect

Kenneth A. MacDonald Jr. (1880–1937) was an American architect, known for his residential and commercial work in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Samuel Newsom was a Canadian-born American architect. Together with his brother Joseph Cather Newsom founded the architecture firm Newsom and Newsom, practicing in Northern and Southern California. Their most celebrated house is the Carson Mansion in Eureka, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fugazi Bank Building</span> 1909 historic building in San Francisco, US

The Fugazi Bank Building, also known as the Fugazi Banca Popolare Operaia Italiana Building, and Old Transamerica Building, is a historic commercial building built in 1909, and located at 4 Columbus Avenue in the Jackson Square Historic District of San Francisco, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colombo Building</span> Historic building in San Francisco, California

The Colombo Building, also known as the Drexler Building or Drexler-Colombo Building, is a historic commercial building built in 1913, and is located at 1–21 Columbus Avenue in the Jackson Square Historic District in San Francisco, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Applegarth</span> American architect (1876–1972)

George Adrian Applegarth was an American architect. Applegarth’s career included designing the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, the Clift Hotel, and projects for the town of Clyde, California. He co-founded the architectural firm, MacDonald & Applegarth.

Charles Marion Rousseau (1848–1918) was a Kingdom of Belgium-born American architect. He was an early architect in the city of San Francisco, California. He co-founded the architecture firm Rousseau and Son, and raised three sons that became noted architects.

References

  1. 1 2 Michelson, Alan. "Reid Brothers, Architects". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. University of Washington. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Western Neighborhoods Project. "The Reid Brothers". Outside Lands. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  3. Michelson, Alan. "Merritt Jonathan Reid". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. University of Washington. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  4. 1 2 Michelson, Alan. "Watson Elkinah Reid". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. University of Washington. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  5. 1 2 3 Michelson, Alan. "James William Reid". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. University of Washington. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 Parry, Dave (2010-11-08). "Architects' Profiles: Pacific Heights Architects #31 - Reid Brothers". McGuire Real Estate. Way Back Machine. Archived from the original on November 8, 2010. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  7. "PCAD - James William Reid". pcad.lib.washington.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  8. 1 2 "Reid, Watson Elkinah | Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada". dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  9. 1 2 Michelson, Alan. "Charles William Dickey". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. University of Washington. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  10. Michelson, Alan. "John Walter Dolliver Sr". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. University of Washington. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  11. Michelson, Alan. "Albert Lincoln Farr". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. University of Washington. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  12. Michelson, Alan. "Emile Schroeder Lemme". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. University of Washington. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  13. 1 2 3 "Speckes' Gift To The Park". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. 25 Feb 1899. p. 7. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  14. 1 2 Melnick, Ross; Haas, Howard B. "Alamo Drafthouse New Mission Cinema in San Francisco, CA - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  15. 1 2 "CineArts Sequoia in Mill Valley, CA - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  16. 1 2 "Fox Theatre in Redwood City, CA - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  17. 1 2 "Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland, CA - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  18. 1 2 "Golden State Theatre in Monterey, CA - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Reid & Reid". Emporis. Archived from the original on February 20, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  20. Demolished in 1950
  21. "San Francisco Landmark 244: Garfield Building". noehill.com. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
  22. Melnick, Ross. "Arkley Center for the Performing Arts in Eureka, CA - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  23. "Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, CA - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  24. Demolished
  25. "Brava Women's Theater Arts in San Francisco, CA - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  26. "Balboa Theatre in San Francisco, CA - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  27. "Sebastiani Theatre in Sonoma, CA - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.

Further reading