William G. Steinmetz
Encyclopedia
William G. Steinmetz, AIA, was an American architect who practiced in New York City
as a founding associate of A.B. Mullet & Company with Alfred Bult Mullett (-1890) and Hugo Kafka
(1843–1913) before the former founded Alfred B. Mullet & Sons, and the later formed William Schickel & Company
Steinmetz worked with noted Boston-architect Paul Schulze
(1827/28-1897) from 1875 to 1876.
(near City Hall, demolished 1939) but was dismissed in early 1877 a few months before a section of the mansard roof
collapsed and killed four workers. Steinmetz had been replaced by Thomas A. Oakshott and "Mullet seized the opportunity to ascribe the accident to the dismissal of Steinmetz. A grand jury investigation into the accident revealed the roof truss had not been property bolted to the framing. Oakshott, neither an architect nor an engineer, was apparently uninformed to the construction or placement of the roof truss." Oakshott was dismissed and replaced by Thomas J. Jackson, an older architect.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as a founding associate of A.B. Mullet & Company with Alfred Bult Mullett (-1890) and Hugo Kafka
Hugo Kafka
Hugo Kafka, AIA, was an Czech-American architect and founding associate of the predecessor firm of Alfred B. Mullett & Sons, as well as William Scheckel & Company; he ran his own firm, Hugo Kafka in the early twentieth century, later renamed Hugo Kafka & Sons.-Life:Kafka was born in 1843 in...
(1843–1913) before the former founded Alfred B. Mullet & Sons, and the later formed William Schickel & Company
Steinmetz worked with noted Boston-architect Paul Schulze
Paul Schulze
Paul Schulze is an American actor best known for portraying Ryan Chappelle on the FOX series 24 from 2001 to 2004 and Father Phil Intintola on HBO The Sopranos from 1999 to 2006....
(1827/28-1897) from 1875 to 1876.
Involvement with Mullet's City Hall Post Office, New York City
In Mullet's firm, Steinmetz was the superintendent of construction of Mullet's famous Second Empire-style New York City Central Post OfficeCity Hall Post Office and Courthouse (New York City)
The City Hall Post Office and Courthouse is a no longer existing building which was designed by architect Alfred B. Mullett for a triangular site in New York City along Broadway in Lower Manhattan, across City Hall Park from New York City Hall. The Second Empire style building, built between 1869...
(near City Hall, demolished 1939) but was dismissed in early 1877 a few months before a section of the mansard roof
Mansard roof
A mansard or mansard roof is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope at a steeper angle than the upper that is punctured by dormer windows. The roof creates an additional floor of habitable space, such as a garret...
collapsed and killed four workers. Steinmetz had been replaced by Thomas A. Oakshott and "Mullet seized the opportunity to ascribe the accident to the dismissal of Steinmetz. A grand jury investigation into the accident revealed the roof truss had not been property bolted to the framing. Oakshott, neither an architect nor an engineer, was apparently uninformed to the construction or placement of the roof truss." Oakshott was dismissed and replaced by Thomas J. Jackson, an older architect.