The Adams Express Buildings, a 32-story office structure completed in 1912, represent the final major skyscraper projects managed by Francis Hatch Kimball in Manhattan. Born in Kennebunk, Maine, in 1845, Kimball rose to prominence as an architect in New York City during a pivotal era for high-rise urban development and ornamental masonry design.
Early Career and Partnerships
After completing his architectural training in England, Kimball returned to the United States. In 1879, he established a professional connection with Thomas Wisedell. The duo collaborated on the 1882 Casino Theatre located on Broadway. Following Wisedell's death in 1884, Kimball operated his own practice until 1892. That year, he entered a partnership with G. Kramer Thompson, which lasted until 1898. During this period, the firm completed the Empire Building and the Manhattan Life Insurance Building.
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Kimball gained recognition for pioneering the use of ornamental terra-cotta throughout the United States. His application of this material is evident in the design of the Corbin Building and the Montauk Club in Park Slope. In 1897, he completed the Victorian Gothic Catholic Apostolic Church, a project the critic Montgomery Schuyler identified as particularly scholarly work. His influence was sufficient that contemporaries occasionally referred to him as the father of the skyscraper.
Later Projects and Bankruptcy
Following the dissolution of his partnership in 1898, Kimball undertook various commissions. His later works include the 1904 office building at 111 Fifth Avenue, the 1906 Brunswick Building developed with Harry E. Donnell, and the 1906 City Investing Building. He also managed the construction of 37 Wall Street and the Mills Buildings. Despite a prolific output, a 1917 article in The New York Times reported that the architect faced bankruptcy before his death in 1919.
Fast facts
- Born: 1845, Kennebunk, Maine
- Died: 20 December 1919, New York City
- Burial site: Linwood Cemetery, Haverhill, Massachusetts
- Notable partnership: Kimball & Thompson (1892–1898)
- Professional expertise: Terra-cotta ornamentation
- Citizenship: United States
Questions readers ask
What is Francis H. Kimball best known for?
He is primarily noted for his design of skyscrapers in lower Manhattan and his pioneering use of ornamental terra-cotta.
Did Kimball design buildings outside of New York?
Yes, his projects included the Reading Company freight depot in Trenton, New Jersey, and the Reading Terminal Headhouse in Philadelphia.
Achievements
- Notable work: Trinity and U.S. Realty Buildings
- Notable work: Trinity Building
- Notable work: United States Realty Building
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