Carl Mackley Houses
Encyclopedia
The Carl Mackley Houses, also originally known as Juniata Park Housing, is a private apartment complex in the Juniata
neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. Built in 1933-1934 as single-family apartments, it opened in 1935. The project was sponsored by the American Federation of Full-Fashioned Hosiery Workers, with financing by the Housing Division of the Public Works Administration
, of which it was the first funded project. The complex was named for a striking hosiery worker killed by non-union workers during the H.C. Aberle Company strike in 1930.
The complex was designed in the International Style
by Oscar Stonorov
and Alfred Kastner. Since neither designer was a registered architect
, they enlisted Philadelphia architect William Pope Barney (1890–1970) as the architect of record.
The five-building complex covers an entire city block, bounded by Castor Avenue, Bristol, M, and Cayuga Streets. Four of the buildings, of three stories, each contain 71 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, in six different layouts, above underground garages. The fifth building, originally a community center, now houses a laundry. The complex originally featured a swimming pool and wading pool, since filled in, and is now operated by private investors as rental apartments.
The complex was added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places on June 3, 1982, and the National Register of Historic Places
in 1998. It won a Landmark Building Award from the American Institute of Architects
in 2000.
Juniata, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Juniata is a neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia, which is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; however, it is sometimes said to be in North Philadelphia because it lies west of Frankford Creek. Juniata is located south of the Juniata Golf Club in Tacony Creek Park...
neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Built in 1933-1934 as single-family apartments, it opened in 1935. The project was sponsored by the American Federation of Full-Fashioned Hosiery Workers, with financing by the Housing Division of the Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
, of which it was the first funded project. The complex was named for a striking hosiery worker killed by non-union workers during the H.C. Aberle Company strike in 1930.
The complex was designed in the International Style
International style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...
by Oscar Stonorov
Oscar Stonorov
Oscar Gregory Stonorov , was a modernist architect and architectural writer, historian and archivist who emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1929.His first name is often spelled "Oskar".-Early life:...
and Alfred Kastner. Since neither designer was a registered architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, they enlisted Philadelphia architect William Pope Barney (1890–1970) as the architect of record.
The five-building complex covers an entire city block, bounded by Castor Avenue, Bristol, M, and Cayuga Streets. Four of the buildings, of three stories, each contain 71 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, in six different layouts, above underground garages. The fifth building, originally a community center, now houses a laundry. The complex originally featured a swimming pool and wading pool, since filled in, and is now operated by private investors as rental apartments.
The complex was added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places on June 3, 1982, and the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1998. It won a Landmark Building Award from the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
in 2000.
External links
- Carl Mackley Apartments at the National Building Museum
- Carl Mackley Apartment Development at Philadelphia Architects and Buildings
- Application to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...