Kalamazoo Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse

The Kalamazoo Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse federal building and former post office located at 410 W. Michigan Avenue in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.[1]

United States Post Office
Location410 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, Michigan
Coordinates42°17′30″N 85°35′16″W
Arealess than 1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1939 (1939)
ArchitectLouis Simon, Leroy and Newlander, George D. Mason and Co.
Architectural styleArt Moderne
Part ofBronson Park Historic District (ID83000855)
NRHP reference No.100001930[1]
Added to NRHPDecember 26, 2017

History

Construction on Kalamazoo's downtown post office began in the 1930s as part of the New Deal program. The building was designed as a collaboration among Supervising Architect of the Treasury Louis Simon, Kalamazoo architects Rockwell Leroy and Manuel M. Newlander, and George D. Mason and Company of Detroit. Construction was completed in 1939. The building was used as a post office until 1959, when the main post office moved to a new facility on Miller Road. Between 1962 and 1963, the building was renovated to house court and federal office space.[2] As of 2019, it continues to house federal offices, including the U.S. District Court, as well as U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Probation, Pre-trial Services, and Marshals Service.[3]

Description

The Kalamazoo Federal Building is an Art Moderne building constructed of reinforced concrete, with the primary facades clad in Kasota limestone. The Michigan Avenue facade has two primary entrances, one at each end, that incorporate Art Deco metalwork. Between are tall windows separated by fluted piers, giving a vertical component to the strongly horizontal structure of the building.[2]

References
  1. "National Register of Historic Places Program Weekly List: December 29, 2017". National Park Service. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  2. Kalamazoo Local Historic District Study Committee Report for the properties currently included in the Bronson Park National Register Historic District, Kalamazoo historic preservation commission, February 12, 2019
  3. "Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, Kalamazoo". US General Services Administration. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
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