U.S. Post Office & Courthouse - Indiana

Client: General Services Administration

Site: Fort Wayne, Indiana

The U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana is a three-story, limestone-clad building that, along with an associated parking lot, occupies an entire city block. Original construction on the building was completed in October 1932, as part of the Public Buildings Act of 1926. As is common for many public buildings from the 1930s, this building is an excellent example of the Starved Classicism style of architecture. The building has a great deal of elaborately carved Indiana limestone, which was quite common for many Federal Buildings from the 1930s. This particular U.S. Post Office and Court House is part of a body of important public buildings designed and constructed by the Federal Office of the Supervising Architect, led by Louis Simon, which have come to exemplify federal architecture. Our firm’s Historic Structure Report evaluated the architectural and historical significance, and physical condition of the building as part of, the General Services Administration’s proposed renovation of the interior. Our evaluation of the building included materials analysis of historic paint schemes, and identification of historically and architecturally significant details in the original Post Office space, which was to be converted into additional courtroom spaces.