Philip Gengembre Hubert
Encyclopedia
Philip Gengembre Hubert, Sr., AIA
, (1830-1911) was a founder of the New York City
architectural firm
Hubert & Pirsson (later Hubert, Pirsson, and Company
, active from c.1870 to 1888, and Hubert, Pirsson, and Haddick, active from 1888 to 1898) with James W. Pirsson
(1833–1888). The firm produced many of the city’s “Gilded Age” finest buildings, including hotels, churches and residences
. In Cincinnati, he taught French by writing his own textbooks, “which were published and widely used in schools of that time.” In 1853, He took up a position at Girard College
in Philadelphia as the first professor of French and history; he moved to Boston and was offered a professorship at Harvard, which he did not accept. He moved to New York in 1865 and took up architecture. “As a young man, he contributed a large number of short and serial stories to magazines—of a versatile turn of mind he took a vivid interest in many things and conversed with keen intellignece and originallity upon politics, social science, invention and literature….”
He moved to New York in 1865 at the end of the American Civil War
and became associated with Pirssson to design six, single-family residences on the southwest corner of Lexington Avenue and East 43rd Street. Upon Pirsson’s death, the firm operated under the name Hubert, Pirsson & Haddick until 1893 when Hubert retired to California
. In retirement, he “took a number of patents upon devices for making housekeeping easy, among which he improved oil and gas furnaces, a fireless cooker, and, during the last six months of his life, he was busy with a device for supplying hot water more quickly and more cheaply….”
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...
, (1830-1911) was a founder of the New York City
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...
architectural firm
Architectural firm
An architectural firm is a company which employs one or more licensed architects and practices the profession of architecture.- History :Architects have existed since early in recorded history. The earliest recorded architects include Imhotep and Senemut . No writings exist to describe how these...
Hubert & Pirsson (later Hubert, Pirsson, and Company
Hubert, Pirsson, and Company
Hubert & Pirsson was a New York City architectural firm, founded by Philip Gengembre Hubert and James W. Pirsson , which was active from c.1870 to 1888. It was later known as Hubert, Pirsson and Company, and Hubert, Pirsson & Haddick from 1888-1898...
, active from c.1870 to 1888, and Hubert, Pirsson, and Haddick, active from 1888 to 1898) with James W. Pirsson
James W. Pirsson
James W. Pirsson, AIA, was an American architect and a founder of the New York City architectural firm Hubert & Pirsson, later Hubert, Pirsson, and Company with Philip Gengembre Hubert, AIA,...
(1833–1888). The firm produced many of the city’s “Gilded Age” finest buildings, including hotels, churches and residences
Life
Hubert was born in Paris to Colmb Gengembre, an architect and engineer who taught him architecture. Hubert emigrated with his parents in 1849 to the United States, first settling in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. In Cincinnati, he taught French by writing his own textbooks, “which were published and widely used in schools of that time.” In 1853, He took up a position at Girard College
Girard College
Girard College is an independent boarding school on a 43-acre campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States.Girard is for academically capable students, grades one through 12, and awards a full scholarship with a yearly value of approximately $42,000 to every child admitted to the...
in Philadelphia as the first professor of French and history; he moved to Boston and was offered a professorship at Harvard, which he did not accept. He moved to New York in 1865 and took up architecture. “As a young man, he contributed a large number of short and serial stories to magazines—of a versatile turn of mind he took a vivid interest in many things and conversed with keen intellignece and originallity upon politics, social science, invention and literature….”
He moved to New York in 1865 at the end of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and became associated with Pirssson to design six, single-family residences on the southwest corner of Lexington Avenue and East 43rd Street. Upon Pirsson’s death, the firm operated under the name Hubert, Pirsson & Haddick until 1893 when Hubert retired to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. In retirement, he “took a number of patents upon devices for making housekeeping easy, among which he improved oil and gas furnaces, a fireless cooker, and, during the last six months of his life, he was busy with a device for supplying hot water more quickly and more cheaply….”
Noted works attributed to him while in Hubert & Pirsson
His most important work was considered the $5 million 12-story Central Park or Navarro Buildings (1882) on Seventh Avenue at Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth Streets.- The Hawthorne, ten-stories co-op
- The Rembrandt, ten-stories co-op
- The Milano, seven-stories co-op
- The ChelseaHotel ChelseaThe Hotel Chelsea, also known as the Chelsea Hotel, or simply the Chelsea, is a historic New York City hotel and landmark, known primarily for its history of notable residents...
(1883), twelve-stories residential hotel - The Mount Morris, nine-stories co-op
- No. 80 Madison Avenue, nine-stories co-op
- No. 125 Madison Avenue, twelve-stories co-op
- The Sevilla (Hotel), Fifty-eighth Street
- The Old Lyceum Theatre at Fourth Avenue and Twenty-third Street
- The Shoreman Hotel, Washington, DC