Lescher & Mahoney

Lescher & Mahoney was an American architectural firm from Phoenix, Arizona.

Peoria High School, Peoria, Arizona. 1921–22.

Temple Beth Israel, Phoenix, Arizona. 1921–22.

United Verde Hospital, Jerome, Arizona. 1926–27.

Orpheum Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona. 1927–29.

Brophy College Chapel, Phoenix, Arizona. 1928.

John G. Whittier School, Phoenix, Arizona. 1929.

Phoenix Title and Trust Building, Phoenix, Arizona. 1930–31.

U. S. Post Office, Phoenix, Arizona. 1932–36.

Irving School, Mesa, Arizona. 1936.

B. B. Moeur Activity Building, Arizona State Teachers College, Tempe, Arizona. 1936–39

Glendale High School Auditorium, Glendale, Arizona. 1939.

Hanny's Store, Phoenix, Arizona. 1947.

Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Arizona State Fairgrounds, Phoenix, Arizona. 1964–65.

History

The firm was established in 1910 by Royal W. Lescher (1882–1957). Lescher practiced alone until 1912, when he took John R. Kibbey (1883–1963) as a partner, forming Lescher & Kibbey.[1]

In 1917 Leslie J. Mahoney (1892–1985) joined the firm as a designer. He was promoted to partner in 1921.[2] The new firm, Lescher, Kibbey & Mahoney, was dissolved in 1922 when Kibbey left to design movie sets in Hollywood. The resulting partnership of Lescher & Mahoney survived until Lescher's death in 1957. However, Mahoney retained the name until his retirement in 1975, when the firm was sold.[1] It was acquired by DLR Group of Omaha. Again, the name was retained and Lescher & Mahoney continued to operate semi-autonomously until 1998, when the firm was fully merged into DLR.[3]

Many of the firm's works are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Selected architectural works

Royal W. Lescher, 1910–1912

• Florence Woman's Club, 231 Willow St., Florence, Arizona (1911)[1]
• Hotel Luhrs, 2 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix, Arizona (1911) – Demolished.[4]

Lescher & Kibbey, 1912–1921

• Buckeye Courthouse, 218 S. 4th St., Buckeye, Arizona (1912)[5]
• Globe High School, S. High St., Globe, Arizona (1913–14)[6]
• White-McCarthy Lumber and Hardware Store, 290 Main St., Florence, Arizona (1914)[7]
• Duncan High School, Stadium Rd., Duncan, Arizona (1915)[8]
• Florence High School, S. Main St., Florence, Arizona (1915–16)[8]
• Mohave County Courthouse, 310 N. 4th St. Kingman, Arizona (1915)
• James S. Douglas, Jr. House, Douglas Rd., Jerome, Arizona (1916)[9]
• Elks Lodge, 650 E. 10th St., Douglas, Arizona (1916)[10]
• Graham County Courthouse, 800 W. Main St., Safford, Arizona (1916)[11]
• Hotel Beale (Remodeling), 325 E. Andy Devine Ave., Kingman, Arizona (1916)
• Little Daisy Hotel, Upper Bell Rd., Jerome, Arizona (1917–18) – Standing but in ruins.[12]
• Maricopa Hall, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (1918–20) – Assisted by Lyman & Place.[13]
• Blome Building, Northern Arizona Normal School, Flagstaff, Arizona (1920)[14]
• George Kingdon House, 200 Lower Bell Rd., Jerome, Arizona (1920)[15]
• Solomon Elementary School, S. Stevens Ave., Solomon, Arizona (1920)[16]
• Union Verde Hospital (First), 123 Hill St., Jerome, Arizona (1920)[17]

Lescher, Kibbey & Mahoney, 1921–1922

• Clubhouse, Phoenix Country Club, 2901 N. 7th St., Phoenix, Arizona (1921) – Demolished.[18]
• El Zaribah Shrine Auditorium, 1502 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona (1921)[19]
• Peoria High School, N. 83rd Ave., Peoria, Arizona (1921–22)[20]
• Temple Beth Israel, 122 E. Culver St., Phoenix, Arizona (1921)[21]
• Jerome High School (Old), 85 Hampshire Ave., Jerome, Arizona (1922–23)[22]
• Scottsdale High School, 7324 E. Indian School Rd., Scottsdale, Arizona (1922–23) – Demolished.[23]

Lescher & Mahoney, 1922–1975

• El Portal Hotel (Maricopa Inn), 20 E. Main St., Mesa, Arizona (1925–26) – Demolished 1975.[24]
• Union Verde Hospital (Second), 200 Hill St., Jerome, Arizona (1926–27)[25]
• Orpheum Theater, 209 W. Adams St., Phoenix, Arizona (1927–29)
• Brophy College Chapel, 4701 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, Arizona (1928)
• Knights of Pythias Building, 829 N. 1st Ave., Phoenix, Arizona (1928)
• Phoenix City Hall, 125 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona (1928–29) – With Edward F. Neild.
• Scottsdale Grammar School No. 2, 3720 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, Arizona (1928)[26]
• John M. Ross House, 6722 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, Arizona (1929)[27]
• Arizona State Building, 1688 W. Adams St., Phoenix, Arizona (1930)[28]
• Phoenix Title and Trust Building, 114 W. Adams St., Phoenix, Arizona (1930–31, 1955)
• U. S. Post Office, 522 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, Arizona (1932–36)
• Wickenburg High School Gymnasium, 252 S. Tegner St., Wickenburg, Arizona (1934)
• Sombrero Ranch in Wickenburg Arizona, 790 W. Bralliar Rd, Wickenburg, Arizona (1936)
• B. B. Moeur Activity Building, Arizona State Teachers College, Tempe, Arizona (1936–39)
• Cottonwood Civic Center, 805 N. Main St., Cottonwood, Arizona (1939)[29]
• Phoenix College, Phoenix, Arizona (1939)[30]
• Denison Kitchell House, 2912 E. Sherran Ln., Phoenix, Arizona (1941–42)[1]
• Palms Theater, Phoenix, Arizona (1945) – With William Pereira – Demolished
• Sciences Building (Discovery Hall), Arizona State College, Tempe, Arizona (1946–48)[31]
• VA Medical Center, 650 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, Arizona (1946–49)[32]
• Hanny's Department Store, 40 N. 1st St., Phoenix, Arizona (1947)
• Central Methodist Church, 1875 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, Arizona (1950)[28]
• Funk's Jewelry Store, Downtown Phoenix, Arizona (1950) – Demolished
• North Union/Prochnow Auditorium, Arizona State College, Flagstaff, Arizona (1951–52)[33]
• St. Joseph's Hospital, 350 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, Arizona (1951–53)[34]
• West Terminal (Terminal 1), Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, Arizona (1951–52) – Demolished.[35]
• First Methodist Church, 5510 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, Arizona (1952)[36]
• Phoenix Public Library (Old), 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, Arizona (1953) – Largely demolished.[37]
• Coffelt-Lamoreaux Housing Development, S. 19th Ave and W. Buckeye Rd, Phoenix, Arizona (1954)[38]
• House and Senate Buildings, Arizona State Capitol, Phoenix, Arizona (1956–60) – With Place & Place.[28]
• Carl Hayden High School, 3333 W. Roosevelt St., Phoenix Arizona (1957)[39]
• Babbitt Hall, Arizona State College, Flagstaff, Arizona (1957)
• Peterson Hall, Arizona State College, Flagstaff, Arizona (1958)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield Building, 311 W. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, Arizona (c. 1958) – Demolished
• Sacred Heart Home for the Aged (now Garfield Commons) 1110 N. 16th St., Phoenix, Arizona (1958-60)[40]
• East Terminal (Terminal 2), Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, Arizona (1959–60) – With Weaver & Drover.[41]
• U. S. Federal Building, 230 N. 1st Ave., Phoenix, Arizona (1959–61) – With Edward L. Varney Associates.[42]
• Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, Arizona (1961)[43]
• Lescher & Mahoney Office, 407 W. Osborn Rd., Phoenix, Arizona (1963)
• Memorial Towers Senior Apartments, 1405 S. 7th Ave., Phoenix, Arizona (1963-64)[44]
• Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Arizona State Fairgrounds, Phoenix, Arizona (1964–65) – With Place & Place.
• American Red Cross Building, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, Arizona (1967)
• Maricopa County General Hospital, 2601 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, Arizona (1967–68) – Will be demolished.[45][46]
• Executive Tower, Arizona State Capitol, Phoenix, Arizona (1974) – With Lew Place and Edward L. Varney Associates.[28][47]

Lescher & Mahoney (DLR), 1975–1998

• Douglas County Public Library, 1625 Library Ln., Minden, Nevada (1982)[48]
• Highland Executive Park, 4701 N. 24th St., Phoenix, Arizona (1983)[49]
• Laguna Elementary School, E. Lakeview Dr., Scottsdale, Arizona (1986)[26]
• Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida (1986–90)
• Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers, Florida (1989–91)
• L. P. Frans Stadium, Hickory, North Carolina (1992–93)
• ADX Florence, Fremont County, Colorado (1993)[50]
• CMC-NorthEast Stadium, Kannapolis, North Carolina (1994–95)
• Phoenix Art Museum (Expansion), 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, Arizona (1994–96) – With Tod Williams Billie Tsien[51]
• George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, Florida (1994–96)
• UPMC Park (previously Jerry Uht Park), Erie, Pennsylvania (1994–95)
• Desert Mountain High School, E. Via Linda, Scottsdale, Arizona (1995)[26]
• Reo Grande County Courthouse Annex, 965 6th St., Del Norte, Colorado (1997)[52]

References

1. Denison Kitchell House NRHP Nomination. 1994.
2. Architect and Engineer Feb. 1921: 109.
3. "Architecture firm shortens name". http://www.csbj.com/. 11 Sept. 1998. Web.
4. Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer 29 July 1911: 13.
5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-05-25. Retrieved 2010-10-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
6. Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer 29 Nov. 1913: 21.
7. Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer 20 Dec. 1913: 19.
8. Engineering and Contracting 9 June 1915: 33.
9. "Jerome Photo Gallery". http://azstateparks.com/. n.d. Web.
10. American Contractor 27 Nov. 1915: 17.
11. American Architect 29 Dec. 1915: 8.
12. Engineering News-Record 29 Nov. 1917: 224.
13. Nequette, Anne M. and R. Brooks Jeffery. A Guide to Tucson Architecture. 2002.
14. Southwest Builder and Contractor 20 Feb. 1920: 17.
15. Southwest Builder and Contractor 21 May 1920: 18.
16. Southwest Builder and Contractor 23 Jan. 1920: 14.
17. Southwest Builder and Contractor 7 May 1920: 12.
18. Southwest Builder and Contractor 22 April 1921: 44.
19. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
20. Southwest Builder and Contractor 27 May 1921: 45.
21. Southwest Builder and Contractor 12 Aug. 1921: 20.
22. Southwest Builder and Contractor 21 July 1922: 34.
23. Engineering and Contracting 19 July 1922: 24.
24. Colorado Manufacturer and Consumer 1925: 3.
25. Colorado Manufacturer and Consumer 1925: 24.
26. Sydnor, Douglas B. Images of America: Scottsdale Architecture. 2010.
27. John M. Ross House NRHP Nomination. 2000.
28. A Guide to the Architecture of Metro Phoenix. 1983.
29. Farley, Glenda. "1917: U. V. X. to Build Hotel in Jerome; The Little Daisy Hotel". http://verdenews.com/. 7 Oct. 2012. Web.
30. "Phoenix College Buildings and Murals – Phoenix Arizona". http://livingnewdeal.org/. n.d. Web.
31. Engineering News-Record 1946: 184.
32. Engineering News-Record Oct. 1946: 198.
33. Engineering News-Record 1951: 74.
34. Western Architect and Engineer Dec. 1951: 35.
35. Architect and Engineer 1959: 35.
36. Architect and Engineer 1952: 45.
37. Engineering News-Record 1953: 20.
38. "Coffelt-Lamoreaux National Register Historic District « Heritage Consulting Group | Historic Tax". Retrieved 2021-01-20.
39. "Modern Phoenix: The Neighborhood Network". modernphoenix.net. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
40. "Staff Report" (PDF).
41. Engineering News-Record 1959: 79.
42. Architectural Forum 1959: 55.
43. Engineering News-Record 1961: 139.
44. "Webb Spinner, 1963-1964" (PDF).
45. Engineering News-Record 1967: 105.
46. Haldiman, Philip. "Maricopa Medical Center to be razed, rebuilt; and other MIHS projects". http://roselawgroupreporter.com/. 4 May 2015.
47. Architectural Forum 1977: 285.
48. High Roller 1982: 10. Nevada Library Association.
49. "Webb Spinner, 1979-1983" (PDF).
50. Noel, Thomas J. Buildings of Colorado. Vol. 2. 1993.
51. Metropolis 1994: 27.
52. "Rio Grande County | US Courthouses". Retrieved 2021-01-20.