Salvation Army Headquarters (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
Encyclopedia
The Salvation Army Headquarters, later known as the Seton Center, was a former historic structure in St. Paul
, Minnesota
. Deemed eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places
(NRHP) in February 1983, owner opposition prevented it from being officially listed. Despite protests by preservationists, the building was demolished by its owner in January 1998.
architecture. The symmetrical facade incorporated the clean lines, geometric patterns and decorative motifs that characterized that particular phase of the Art Deco style. These included setback and stepped patterning, contrasting light and dark colored building materials and an overall vertical orientation. The walls used a cream-colored pressed brick that contrasted with brownish-gray tiles. The vertically aligned windows were set in black metal window frames and divided by black metal spandrel
s. The dominant feature was the centrally located entrance, which was highlighted by extending the central bay up above the roofline and surrounding the entrance with tile in a step pattern that created a ziggurat
effect typical with the style. At the top, the entire wall stepped back to enhance the geometric patterning of the design. A cornerstone
on the east side of the facade read: "Erected to the Glory of God and Good of Humanity, A.D. 1931."
In addition to using the Zigzag Moderne style, the building's design was notable for its used of glazed architectural terra-cotta
, a machine-made material developed in the late 1920s. Its construction was a part of a short building boom (1929–31) of Art Deco buildings in St. Paul, which included the Saint Paul City Hall and Ramsey County Courthouse
, Saint Paul Women's City Club
and others.
Over the years, the main facade of the building remained mostly intact. Only the original Salvation Army sign and flagpole holder were removed. An addition was added to the west side wall in 1962 to provide storage and connect the building to the adjacent hospital.
in 1865 and established its first American office in 1876. The office in St. Paul was formed in 1887. The structure was commissioned by The Salvation Army
in 1929 and designed by architect Albert C. Fehlow in the Zigzag Moderne style of Art Deco. Fehlow was employed by the Chicago headquarters of the Salvation Army and would go on to design four more buildings employing similar materials throughout the Midwest.
At the time the building was constructed, The Salvation Army was trying to establish itself as a modern organization and thus selected to employ a fashionable, progressive style for their headquarters. A few years previous, the organization's headquarters in New York City
(1929) was also built in an Art Deco style. The style was considered ideal because it was new and had a futuristic look without any reference to traditional ecclesiastic or public architecture.
The Salvation Army Headquarters was completed in 1931 at a cost of $25,000. During the Great Depression
, the organization was very active in providing services to the needy. It also served as a Sunday school
for children. The building was sold in 1957 and the organization moved to a different headquarters in 1958. It was purchased by the neighboring St. Joseph's Hospital
for use as a pre-natal clinic and offices. St. Joseph's Hospital is the oldest hospital in Minnesota. At the time, the building's name was changed to the Seton Center.
In April 1981, the Heritage Preservation Commission of the City of St. Paul nominated the Seton Center for official designation as a Heritage Preservation Site. The Ramsey County Historical Society and State Historic Preservation Office subsequently nominated the building for listing on the NRHP was made in October 1981. On February 24, 1983, the National Park Service
determined that the Salvation Army Headquarters was eligible for the NHRP; however, because the building's owner, St. Joseph's Hospital, filed an objection to the listing, the building could not be listed.
In 1988, the hospital, which was then owned by HealthEast Care System
, announced plans for a new building on the site, however the plans fell through and the building was not demolished. However, in late 1996, HealthEast announced plans to demolish the structure because of its maintenance costs and a lack of suitable use. In November 1996, the company announced it would be willing to sell the building or its notable facade for $1 to anyone willing to assume the cost of dismantling and moving it. Because the company wished to retain ownership of the land for future development, the offer was only for the building itself and not the site. The St. Paul Heritage Preservation Commission opposed the demolition, but because it had no official local or national historic designation it had no legal authority to stop a demolition. At the time of the proposed demolition, HealthEast had plans to close the adjacent St. Joseph's Hospital and redevelop the area; the hospital still exists as of 2010. In March 1997, the Minnesota Historical Society
sent a letter to HealthEast offered assistance in aiding in finding new uses for the structure and noted that moving a historic building often severely compromises its historic integrity. In addition, they noted that, if listed on the NRHP, the building could qualify for federal preservation tax benefits. HealthEast hired an architect in 1997 to look for reuse possibilities, but it was determined that such a restoration and adaptation would be too costly to be feasible for the hospital. By January 16, 1998, no one had taken up HealthEast's offer to buy and move the structure. The building was demolished later that month.
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Deemed eligible for listing on 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...
(NRHP) in February 1983, owner opposition prevented it from being officially listed. Despite protests by preservationists, the building was demolished by its owner in January 1998.
Structure
The Salvation Army Headquarters was a -story, three-bay structure in the Zigzag Moderne phase of Art DecoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
architecture. The symmetrical facade incorporated the clean lines, geometric patterns and decorative motifs that characterized that particular phase of the Art Deco style. These included setback and stepped patterning, contrasting light and dark colored building materials and an overall vertical orientation. The walls used a cream-colored pressed brick that contrasted with brownish-gray tiles. The vertically aligned windows were set in black metal window frames and divided by black metal spandrel
Spandrel
A spandrel, less often spandril or splaundrel, is the space between two arches or between an arch and a rectangular enclosure....
s. The dominant feature was the centrally located entrance, which was highlighted by extending the central bay up above the roofline and surrounding the entrance with tile in a step pattern that created a ziggurat
Ziggurat
Ziggurats were massive structures built in the ancient Mesopotamian valley and western Iranian plateau, having the form of a terraced step pyramid of successively receding stories or levels.Notable ziggurats include the Great Ziggurat of Ur near Nasiriyah, Iraq; the Ziggurat of Aqar Quf near...
effect typical with the style. At the top, the entire wall stepped back to enhance the geometric patterning of the design. A cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
on the east side of the facade read: "Erected to the Glory of God and Good of Humanity, A.D. 1931."
In addition to using the Zigzag Moderne style, the building's design was notable for its used of glazed architectural terra-cotta
Glazed architectural terra-cotta
Glazed architectural terra-cotta is a ceramic masonry building material popular in the United States from the late 19th century until the 1930s, and still one of the most common building materials found in U.S. urban environments...
, a machine-made material developed in the late 1920s. Its construction was a part of a short building boom (1929–31) of Art Deco buildings in St. Paul, which included the Saint Paul City Hall and Ramsey County Courthouse
Saint Paul City Hall and Ramsey County Courthouse
The Saint Paul City Hall and Ramsey County Courthouse, located at 15 Kellogg Boulevard West in Saint Paul, Ramsey County in the U.S. state of Minnesota is a twenty-story Art Deco skyscraper built during the Great Depression era of high unemployment and falling prices...
, Saint Paul Women's City Club
Saint Paul Women's City Club
The St. Paul Women's City Club is a 1931 Art Deco Streamline Moderne-style Mankato limestone clubhouse which provided a dining room, assembly rooms, dressing rooms, and bedrooms for members and guests of the club, in Saint Paul, Minnesota...
and others.
Over the years, the main facade of the building remained mostly intact. Only the original Salvation Army sign and flagpole holder were removed. An addition was added to the west side wall in 1962 to provide storage and connect the building to the adjacent hospital.
History
The Salvation Army, an international religious and charitable organization, was founded in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1865 and established its first American office in 1876. The office in St. Paul was formed in 1887. The structure was commissioned by The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
in 1929 and designed by architect Albert C. Fehlow in the Zigzag Moderne style of Art Deco. Fehlow was employed by the Chicago headquarters of the Salvation Army and would go on to design four more buildings employing similar materials throughout the Midwest.
At the time the building was constructed, The Salvation Army was trying to establish itself as a modern organization and thus selected to employ a fashionable, progressive style for their headquarters. A few years previous, the organization's headquarters in 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...
(1929) was also built in an Art Deco style. The style was considered ideal because it was new and had a futuristic look without any reference to traditional ecclesiastic or public architecture.
The Salvation Army Headquarters was completed in 1931 at a cost of $25,000. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the organization was very active in providing services to the needy. It also served as a Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
for children. The building was sold in 1957 and the organization moved to a different headquarters in 1958. It was purchased by the neighboring St. Joseph's Hospital
St. Joseph's Hospital (St. Paul, Minnesota)
St. Joseph's Hospital is a 253-bed hospital located at 45 W. 10th St. in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. It is one of three tertiary hospitals located in St. Paul and the first hospital in Minnesota and currently a member of the HealthEast Care System....
for use as a pre-natal clinic and offices. St. Joseph's Hospital is the oldest hospital in Minnesota. At the time, the building's name was changed to the Seton Center.
In April 1981, the Heritage Preservation Commission of the City of St. Paul nominated the Seton Center for official designation as a Heritage Preservation Site. The Ramsey County Historical Society and State Historic Preservation Office subsequently nominated the building for listing on the NRHP was made in October 1981. On February 24, 1983, the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
determined that the Salvation Army Headquarters was eligible for the NHRP; however, because the building's owner, St. Joseph's Hospital, filed an objection to the listing, the building could not be listed.
In 1988, the hospital, which was then owned by HealthEast Care System
HealthEast Care System
HealthEast Care System is a non-profit health care provider organization located in St. Paul, Minnesota and the surrounding suburban area. It includes four hospitals, 14 clinics, medical tranportation and a variety of other outpatient services. Founded in 1986, it was named one of the top ten...
, announced plans for a new building on the site, however the plans fell through and the building was not demolished. However, in late 1996, HealthEast announced plans to demolish the structure because of its maintenance costs and a lack of suitable use. In November 1996, the company announced it would be willing to sell the building or its notable facade for $1 to anyone willing to assume the cost of dismantling and moving it. Because the company wished to retain ownership of the land for future development, the offer was only for the building itself and not the site. The St. Paul Heritage Preservation Commission opposed the demolition, but because it had no official local or national historic designation it had no legal authority to stop a demolition. At the time of the proposed demolition, HealthEast had plans to close the adjacent St. Joseph's Hospital and redevelop the area; the hospital still exists as of 2010. In March 1997, the Minnesota Historical Society
Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a private, non-profit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849, almost a decade before statehood. The Society is named in the Minnesota...
sent a letter to HealthEast offered assistance in aiding in finding new uses for the structure and noted that moving a historic building often severely compromises its historic integrity. In addition, they noted that, if listed on the NRHP, the building could qualify for federal preservation tax benefits. HealthEast hired an architect in 1997 to look for reuse possibilities, but it was determined that such a restoration and adaptation would be too costly to be feasible for the hospital. By January 16, 1998, no one had taken up HealthEast's offer to buy and move the structure. The building was demolished later that month.