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-   -   Most Beautiful City Halls In North America (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158521)

delts145 Nov 29, 2008 12:41 PM

I agree Jeff, Mexico City's is a stunner.

Mexico City

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/180/4...17cd5df7_b.jpg
by Esparta http://flickr.com/photos/esparta/404023488/sizes/l/

RLS_rls Nov 30, 2008 12:56 AM

Yeah I was pretty blown away by that one. No one seems too interested in it either...

delts145 Dec 6, 2008 1:05 PM

City Hall - Bella Roma - Couldn't resist posting a little dab of Italy amongst the thread. A little something Italian is always a good thing.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/55/11...31356199_o.jpg
by L. Michael Roberts

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/43/11...230d106e_o.jpg
by L. Michael Roberts

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/37/11...8101fd22_o.jpg
by L. Michael Roberts

The tower of the City Hall of Rome on the Campidoglio on the Capitoline hill where the Temple of Jupiter Great and Best use to stand.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2072/...d821fce8_o.jpg
by Inb1956

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3048/...a1e73a66_b.jpg
by Lady Birchwood

Godess of Roma - Rome City Hall
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/...70091928_b.jpg
by Lady Birchwood

This is what the Mayor of Rome can see from his office in Palazzo Senatorio, which has been Rome's city hall since the 11th century.
It's the Roman Forum and the lower part of Palatino hill.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/...57ef241c_b.jpg
by marcohilo

.

antinimby Dec 6, 2008 2:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirrus (Post 3902886)
I have mixed feelings about NY's municipal building skyscraper. I'll take it over any of these modernist buildings, but the proportions are bad compared to better traditional buildings.

I don't think so at all. Have you ever seen it in person?

No offense to Scruffy, but that pic of the Municipal Building isn't very good and doesn't do it any justice.

Quote:

Beaux Arts is just really hard to pull off in skyscraper form. It's more suited to horizontal buildings than vertical ones.
I'm not so sure about that. The beloved (but now demolished) Singer building was both a Beaux Arts and a skyscraper and did so beautifully:

http://www.techno-science.net/illust...Building_1.jpg

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GON/singer1908.jpg

RLS_rls Dec 7, 2008 3:49 AM

Wow those are some pretty exclusive pics delts. Mayor of Rome's office? How the Hell did you pull that off?

Chriss Dec 8, 2008 2:51 AM

While my favorite is Philadelphia, of course, I thought a more recent photo of Montreal might be welcome too. Here are two that I took in the summer of 2007:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1429/...867a71.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1129/...00411f.jpg?v=0

delts145 Dec 8, 2008 3:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evilon Doomm (Post 3958054)
Wow those are some pretty exclusive pics delts. Mayor of Rome's office? How the Hell did you pull that off?

I wish I could take credit, but I'm not the photographer. It's amazing the quality and occasional odd finds that you can encounter on flickr.

Oh, and my apologies for including a European city hall. When it comes to Italy, I just couldn't resist.

Alxx611 Dec 9, 2008 9:10 PM

Perhaps not beautiful or classic, but interesting at least

Mobile,Alabama Government Plaza.




http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...n/DSCN1081.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...n/DSCN0517.jpg




Old city hall that acts as a city museum today:
http://www.clickscondo.com/museum_ext_cut.jpg

plinko Dec 9, 2008 10:14 PM

This is NOT Mexico City's 'city hall'. It's the Palace of Fine Artes (Palacio de Bellas Artes) - an opera house.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/180/4...17cd5df7_b.jpg

The city administration building is called Palacio de Ayuntamiento and is on the south side of the Zocalo. The city government has been located there since 1526 (though the building is much newer than that - built between 1714 and 1921) You can see it on the right hand side of this picture:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...dom/MEX217.jpg

jaga185 Dec 9, 2008 10:29 PM

I was about to say something about Mexico's "city hall". Anyway, I really like Salt Lake's, very pretty.

delts145 Dec 10, 2008 2:07 PM

Thanks for that correction Plinko. I don't know why the original photographer posted it as City Hall. Oh well, it's a nice opportunity to see a beautiful building that we're not that familiar with.

delts145 Dec 24, 2008 1:49 PM

A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season Everyone

Salt Lake City - Christmas tree being lifted up onto the outdoor balcony of City Hall
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/3...4c836f06_b.jpg
by mag3737

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Cirrus Dec 24, 2008 3:03 PM

antinimby:

Yes, I have seen NY muni bldg in person. Individually the pieces are all very nice, but they don't fit together well at all. The shaft is far too wide for the spire, for example.

As for Singer, I agree it is excellent. I didn't say Beaux Arts *can't* produce good skyscrapers, only that is difficult to do so. The architect of the Singer was a very talented fellow.

mainstreet Dec 24, 2008 6:58 PM

If I had to rank them...

1. Philadelphia
2. Milwaukee
3. New York
4. Salt Lake City
5. Buffalo

Speaking of art-deco, the city hall of Columbus, Ohio is fairly art-deco and very well done too:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-city-hall.jpg

Meanwhile, Cincinnati's city hall is kind of similar to Salt Lake City's with the turrets and everything:
http://www.bikeroute.com/NationalMay...i/cityhall.jpg

Cleveland's is just a good ol' fashioned American public building, could just as easily look like a Museum or a Train Station:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._City_Hall.jpg

delts145 Jan 3, 2009 6:56 AM

I just knew that this would be a nice one. Santa Barbara is one of my favorite towns.

City Hall - Santa Barbara, California
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3088/...b6e0573d_o.jpg
by Emil Cenzato
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LMich Jan 3, 2009 8:51 AM

I really like Columbus' city hall. It's a very well done piece of the style.

I also liked the roof of the old Detroit City Hall. Unfortunately, it quickly became way too small for a city busting at the seams:

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...y=1;view=image
WSU Virtual Motor City Collection

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...y=1;view=image
WSU Virtual Motor City Collection

And, it looked even better when finally cleaned of soot.

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...y=1;view=image
WSU Virtual Motor City Collection

I think the tower left a lot to be desired, though.

Grand Rapids old city hall was a stunner. It was a Richardsonian Romanesque in style:

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...y=1;view=image
WSU Virtual Motor City Collection

TANGELD_SLC Jan 5, 2009 6:36 AM

:previous: Is it demolished now?

delts145 Jan 11, 2009 4:31 PM

City Hall - Sacramento, California
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3102/...6010a475_b.jpg
by K.W. Hectaman

Clocktower detail
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/...61c512b5_b.jpg
by Papa Mikey

Details
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/109/3...a42c2c72_o.jpg
by pixelflex

New City Hall Annex, directly in back of historical City Hall
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2229/...78f0a20f_b.jpg
by ARamos

delts145 Jan 11, 2009 5:00 PM

Metro Salt Lake City - Small Town American Beauty, Newly restored City Hall - American Fork, Utah

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gjA76Ubpd...ericanfork.jpg
afdailyphoto

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gjA76Ubpd...dailyphoto.jpg
afdailyphoto

American Fork Canyon, Indicative of American Fork's slice of Salt Lake City's beautiful urban scenery
http://www.willieholdman.com/images/large/12180615.jpg
by Willie Holdman

The restored belfry will soon be placed on the new roof of the reconstructed City Hall.
http://deseretnews.com/photos/3117617.jpg

City restores details of building's small-town past

By Susan Whitney
Deseret Morning News


In the application for the National Register of Historic Places, the American Fork City Hall is described as having a "provincial yet earnest manner." These days, Juel Belmont can't remember exactly who wrote those words. The City Hall made it onto the National Register back in 1994, so the application was prepared a dozen years ago, and several people helped write it. Over the years, lots of folks have worked to save the building.

http://deseretnews.com/photos/3121733.jpg
Belmont says Wilson Martin may have been the one to notice the building presents itself in a "provincial yet earnest manner." Or it may have been Roger Roper who wrote those words.
But most likely, Belmont says, she herself wrote them. "Because buildings are speaking to me all the time," she says.
Of course buildings do go silent once they are torn down — and Belmont can recite a list of historic buildings in American Fork whose voices she will never hear again. The Carnegie Library, the LDS Tithing Office, Chipman's Mercantile, the old high school ... "I've certainly lost a lot more than I've saved," she says.
http://deseretnews.com/photos/3117606.jpg
This summer, however, she can celebrate. The restored City Hall will reopen in a month or so. It is the largest success to date for the American Fork Historic Preservation Commission.
The Salt Lake firm of Cooper Roberts Simonsen Architects is in charge of the restoration, and architect Allen Roberts recently showed the Deseret Morning News through the building. Roberts says the cost is coming in at less than $1 million. He notes that, at $100 a square foot, the restoration costs significantly less than new construction of a comparable building.

http://deseretnews.com/photos/3117655.jpg
The hall was well worth saving, Roberts says. "It was built in 1903 and is probably one of the oldest continuously used city halls in the state."
The City Hall sits just north of Main Street, next to the 1894 Harrington School. The old Community Presbyterian Church is across the way. This part of town has been the ecclesiastic and government center since the 1850s, when American Fork was first farmed and platted. Juel Belmont is the chairwoman of the American Fork Historic Preservation Commission. Church and government often shared offices in the small towns of the Utah Territory. (That must have made life easier for people like Leonard Harrington, who served simultaneously for 29 years as American Fork's mayor, postmaster and LDS bishop.) After Utah became a state in 1896, even small cities and counties built separate structures for their government offices.
The blueprints for the 2 1/2-story American Fork City Hall were drawn up by James Pulley, for which he charged $50. The building measures 50 feet by 50 feet. The east and west sides are identical, framed by Romanesque arches. The foundation is made of limestone, and the walls are masonry, faced in red brick. When it was first built, the hip roof sported a belfry with Queen Anne trimmings.
Beginning in 1916, the building was painted white. It was sandblasted in 1977, which restored its original color but also removed a portion of the brick, leaving it open to more rapid weathering. At that time, too, mortar was repaired with caulking.
In 1959, the belfry was removed. Some say it had to go so air conditioning could be installed. Roberts says another reason the belfry may have been removed is that belfries are heavy and the roof may have been starting to sag. Interior remodelings in 1959 and 1977 further obscured the original features. Several original doors and windows were removed. Other windows were covered or painted shut.
Still, the City Hall is structurally sound for a building of its period, Roberts adds. When the restoration began, he found no cracks in the walls or foundations. The original stairs were still in good condition, as were the newel posts. The majority of the original windows were still in place. Some of the windows on the second floor had been blocked. Renovators took down the false ceilings and restored it to one big room. This restoration includes seismic upgrades, a renovated secondary staircase and a new roof, designed to support the belfry. The 1977 caulking has been replaced with limestone mortar. Windows have been restored. The restoration has resulted in a building that is 467 percent better insulated, according to the architects.
Contractors took down the false ceilings and discovered that much of the original tin ceiling was still in place. They discovered patches of the original paint, in dark Victorian gold and black, and they found a deep green, as well — probably from the '20s, Belmont speculates. The bell tower's original tin finial was found in the attic, and carpenters used it to design a replica.
Roberts believes people will say "wow" when they first walk into the upper floor. For as long as anyone can remember, the square second floor was divided into tiny offices with low ceilings. Now it is one big room again, with more than 20 tall windows and with bead board and millworked moldings and other pretty details.
The City Council will meet in this room, which can hold at least 100 people. The space will also be used for small concerts and receptions. In addition, the American Fork Arts Council, which will have offices on the first floor, will use the second floor for classes.
Belmont can't help but think everyone who stands in this sunny, high-ceilinged space will hear a whisper from the past. If they don't, there is always the bell. If they hear nothing else, people will hear the bell.
When the belfry was taken down, the Daughters of Utah Pioneers were given the bell, and they placed it in a park. Under their bylaws, Belmont says, they can't give the bell back to the city, but they can allow it to be placed in a new location. Thus in a week or so, the newly constructed replica of the belfry will go atop the City Hall, and the old bell will be placed inside and will ring once again.
Kim Raff, Deseret Morning NewsA craftsman works on one of the Victorian Romanesque windows at American Fork City Hall. A new generation will mark its days with that bell, just as Belmont's mother's generation did. Belmont says her mother, Lois Peters Andersen, told of listening for the bell every morning as she walked to school. If the bell rang before she got to the river, she knew she'd be late.
Belmont's mother passed away this June. So Belmont is especially glad today's schoolchildren will be able to know the City Hall and its bell and its charm. She will think of her mother on the day City Hall reopens — new again, after 103 years.

Sources: Utah History Encyclopedia

PEORIA Jan 11, 2009 9:55 PM

Peoria City Hall

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._City_Hall.JPG

(above image from wikimedia.org)

http://www.illinois-history.gov/imag...ity%20Hall.jpg

(image from www.illinois-history.gov)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._side_view.JPG

(above image from wikimedia.org)

http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarkin...9622183111.jpg

(above images from img.groundspeak.com/waymarking)

Dimension Jan 13, 2009 3:03 AM

Buffalo City Hall
http://www.travelandtransitions.com/..._city_hall.jpg
http://www.brynmawr.edu/cities/archx...pk/artdec1.jpg
http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarkin...409544bd96.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/55/17...5e401e.jpg?v=0
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_bS0rC5hUmVs/R_...s/100_3134.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_l-vudykMTfg/Rz...l+Entrance.JPG

Future Mayor Jan 13, 2009 3:55 PM

There truly are some amazing city halls around the country. That is one thing I like to do when I visit other cities is to go see city hall. I of course of a little biased to Salt Lake City's, considering it's going to be my future office and all. I also love Philly's, it is a site to behold in person and it feels like it really is the heart of the city when you are near it.

TANGELD_SLC Jan 14, 2009 5:29 AM

I dunno what it is but Peoria's City Hall just does it for me. I love it! :tup:

delts145 Jan 15, 2009 5:41 AM

I like the color of the stone allot that was used for Peoria. Also the detail work on the stone is very attractive.

Capsule F Jan 16, 2009 6:46 AM

Philly's is the ebst hands down. Buffalo's is wonderful. I like dallas's modern building. Since I just saw it, Peoria's trumps the small city hall category.

delts145 May 8, 2009 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevena07 (Post 4230572)
Salt Lake City and County Building

I went on a tour of the C&C building with my housemates on Saturday for "Celebrate the City."

Best Pictures toward the end

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3379/...747f4367_b.jpg

The building was originally constructed by free masons between 1891 and 1894 to house offices for the city and county of Salt Lake and replace the Salt Lake City Council Hall and Salt Lake County Courthouse, both erected in the 1860s.


First Floor-
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3597/...f5c2c961_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3382/...b693bef0_b.jpg

Construction of the building was riddled with controversy. During the late 1800s and early 1900s the City and County Building was the symbol of non-Mormon citizens' open defiance of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3578/...26b0ecab_b.jpg

It was designed to rival the Salt Lake Temple as the city's architectural centerpiece. It is even thought that the building's clock tower and statues were designed to mimic the temple's spires and statue of the angel Moroni. Construction began in February on State Street at about 100 South.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3352/...abb7c819_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3537/...63494119_b.jpg

For nebulous reasons, construction was halted that November after only the foundation had been laid. The mostly non-Mormon city council questioned the buildings plans which had been completed during the People's Party reign, and wavered on how to proceed. The LDS church, via its mouthpiece the Deseret News, complained that the Liberals were wasting taxpayer money.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3602/...6726a449_b.jpg

Ultimately, the original plans and site for the building were scrapped and the whole project was moved to the building's current location at Washington Square. The Deseret News claimed this move served the City Council, which owned property around the site and would profit from increased land values. Nonetheless construction on new plans began by late 1891. The cornerstone was laid July 25, 1892.


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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3579/...cd8bd0ff_b.jpg

The architectural firm of Monheim, Bird, and Proudfoot designed the Richardsonian Romanesque building. Henry Monheim, a local architect since the 1870s, and George W. Bird and Willis T. Proudfoot of Wichita, Kansas established the firm in 1891 specifically to design the building. Their firm won a building design contest against fourteen other submissions.

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3645/...766bce61_b.jpg

The building was monstrously over budget. Estimated by the firm at $350,000, the winning contractor bid $377,978, but by the building's dedication on December 28, 1894, it had cost nearly $900,000. Complicating matters was the Panic of 1893 which cut Salt Lake City and County revenues nearly in half. As a result of this, plans for large stained glass windows for the building were discarded.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3598/...5cfef193_b.jpg

Although now used exclusively by Salt Lake City government, the building originally served many functions. Salt Lake County offices called the structure home until the 1980s when the County elected to build a new complex at 21st South and State Street.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3563/...4a256080_b.jpg

The building served as Utah's Capitol from when statehood was granted in 1896 until the present Utah State Capitol was completed in 1915. The Salt Lake City and County building also housed Salt Lake's first public library and contained courtrooms, including one that condemned organizer Joe Hill to death amid international attention in 1914.

Basement/ Base Isolators

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3303/...c650595a_b.jpg

From 1973 to 1989 the building was exhaustively renovated and repaired with an eye toward historical accuracy. This was done in concert with a seismic upgrade called base isolation that placed the weak sandstone structure on a foundation of steel and rubber to better protect it from earthquake damage.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3414/...88cf17b8_b.jpg

The Building was the first in the world to use Base isolators.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/...c8742c90_b.jpg

Old foundations
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3602/...087167ac_b.jpg

This tunnel is used to bring the heating, air conditioning, water ect to the building. All utilities are located across the street at the City Library. Tunnel is also used to take prisoners back and forth.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3393/...623d2752_b.jpg

Second Floor-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/...07aa5886_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3539/...7d5b975f_b.jpg

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/...48336161_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/...5c255bdf_b.jpg

Matheson Court House, across the street
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The City Library, and towards the University of Utah.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3628/...4fdf96d9_b.jpg

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The north side features a depiction of the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition which entered Utah in 1776 and named many of the state's physical features. Gargoyles, eagles, sea monsters, beehives, Masonic icons, suns, and other symbols dot the building's rich exterior.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3638/...dc85389b_b.jpg

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Mayors Office
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A amazingly detailed safe.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3351/...cbf30ab0_b.jpg

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FourthFloor-

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The Salt Lake City and County Building's central clock tower is topped with a statue of Columbia and rises 256 feet (78 m) from the ground. The building's primary axis runs north-south, and large entrances mark each cardinal direction. On the south wing (over the Mayor's office) is a bronze statue of the goddess Justice.

Fifth Floor-
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3662/...5da8f1b6_b.jpg

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The Salt Lake City Mascot, The Hippogriff
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3552/...46959888_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3385/...c5b27405_b.jpg

Skyline Shots from the building.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3414/...ea1e3da3_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/...3c3689ef_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3416/...12759bb7_b.jpg

Inside the Clock Tower.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/...cd4bce33_b.jpg

Wasatch Mountains, sorry my friends head got in the way
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Quote:

Originally Posted by stevena07 (Post 4238609)

Pic by Stevena07

John Martin May 11, 2009 1:36 AM

Mmm, the interior just doesn't do it for me. Those are some interesting views from the roof though.

seaskyfan May 11, 2009 2:07 AM

Philly's still my favorite. Nice that it's been fixed up - when I was living there in the late 80s the hallways stank of urine.

Buffalo is also great.

Boston City Hall is a fascinating building with a horrible relationship to the surrounding city. The worst thing about it in my opinion is the three story brick wall separating it from Congress Street and Quincy Market. The City Hall Plaza is based on some wonderful Italian squares but is unusable most of the year because of the climate (the wind blowing in from the Harbor will cut right through you in the winter).

Swinefeld May 11, 2009 1:15 PM

Very interesting thread. Thanks to all of the contributers.

Favorite: Philadelphia (ok, I'm biased. So sue me. ;) )

Least Favorite: New Orleans. Has all of the charm of a warehouse and a bad warehouse at that.

I also enjoyed Sacramento's and Salt Lake City's.

BTW, here is a picture of Philadelphia's Old City Hall built in 1791, used prior to the construction of the Second Empire structure at Broad and Market. It was actually home to the Supreme Court until 1800.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...elphia_USA.jpg
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

ls1z28chris May 15, 2009 7:28 PM

Atlanta:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3548/...0b5e1824_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3558/...0abc7f2b_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3621/...06e1b450_b.jpg

delts145 May 17, 2009 3:27 AM

Compilation of Springtime in Downtown Salt Lake City - Link: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=168604

Springtime at dusk, City Hall
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2409/...00d6730e_o.jpg
Caleb Mitchell

.

bearflagger May 17, 2009 4:52 AM

here are some shots of San Jose city hall, the first major city hall in the US to be built in the 21st century (Richard Meier designed):


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/16...ed5c1cb9_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/16...ed5c1cb9_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/30/56...ae7429da_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/30/56...ae7429da_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/45/17...bbf785c1_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/45/17...bbf785c1_b.jpg

and City Hall turned into an art exhibit at 01SJ, a local art festival:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/73/21...43f04f80_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/73/21...43f04f80_b.jpg

ls1z28chris May 17, 2009 7:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bearflagger (Post 4253988)
here are some shots of San Jose city hall, the first major city hall in the US to be built in the 21st century (Richard Meier designed):

Thanks for sharing. Though I'm not sure if I'm a fan... :sly:

LMich May 17, 2009 7:21 AM

I really like Bay City, Michigan's City Hall

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/4...cedb818d_b.jpg
wxman1952

Richardsonian Romanesque really does something, for me.

Samthelima Aug 25, 2009 2:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdrianXSands (Post 3827541)
boston city hall


kallmann mckinnell + wood


absolutely wonderful public space



http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._City_Hall.JPG
wiki

Joke?

mainstreet Aug 25, 2009 9:10 PM

Probably... but then again, I'll have to admit, in the history of brutalism, it is one of its nicest, most innovative buildings. That's not really saying much, I like the original city hall much much better, but still, it could be worse.

What it replaced:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ollay1880s.jpg

The original Boston City Hall:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ldCityHall.jpg

kool maudit Aug 25, 2009 9:22 PM

adrian again attempts to elevate himself through sheer counterintuitiveness.

breathesgelatin Aug 26, 2009 2:25 AM

I've always loved the city hall of Statesville, NC. Statesville is the county seat of Iredell County, NC, where I grew up. It is Richardsonian Romanesque. It was also featured in the movie "Leatherheads" as the supposed Chicago city hall. It's the scene where they meet with the football commissioner. The hotel that George Clooney, Renee Zellwegger, et al stayed in was the Vance hotel, which is right across the street. I had a hard time finding good images of it.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2666/...af0461be_b.jpg
source - lumierefl on flickr: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2666/...af0461be_b.jpg

perfectshotphotographers on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/perfect...rs/3623689736/

NC State Library images: http://images.lib.ncsu.edu:8180/luna...e-City-Hall,-S

I love Austin's city hall too, although the guitar in front of it on the first picture in this thread makes me gag. I hate those stupid things.

texcolo Aug 26, 2009 2:28 AM

San Jose's city a hall is nice.

mrnyc Aug 28, 2009 9:39 PM

cleveland has a grand and interesting early city hall history.
thx to coolcleveland blog:

Cleveland City Hall

Cleveland’s current City Hall was developed as part of the 1903 Group Plan of governmental buildings built along the various Malls tucked in between East Sixth and Ontario Avenue. City Hall was placed in perfect symmetry with the county courthouse at the north end of the Mall. Designed by J. Milton Dyer, the city hall has an arcaded ground story, a 2-story Tuscan colonnade, and a central entrance bay characteristic of the Beaux-Arts style.

http://amadeo.blog.com/repository/890416/3762768.jpg

The Great Hall gave that imposing entrance to a public building that is so lacking anymore.

http://amadeo.blog.com/repository/890416/3762773.jpg

the “progressive mayors” of Cleveland and perhaps one of the most famous Mayor’s in the U.S., Tom Johnson never worked in the current City Hall. Prior to the this facility, the City of Cleveland in 1875 started leasing the Case Block Building, then located on the north corner of East Third and Superior until the new City Hall was dedicated on July 4th, 1916. However, the Case Block was an impressive building in its own right.

http://amadeo.blog.com/repository/890416/3762781.jpg

But the most amazing City Hall was the one never built. In 1895 the voters of Cleveland approved a Beaux Arts designed building to be built on the northern quadrants of Public Square. The most eloquent component of its design was the enormous arch spanning over Ontario Avenue for street cars to pass through safely. It was a most amazing and jaw-dropping design. :stunned:

http://amadeo.blog.com/repository/890416/3762795.jpg

Unfortunately, after one week of the official ground-breaking the protests from numerous Clevelanders (after voting approval on the project), it was decided not to continue and Cleveland had to wait another twenty years before it received a new City Hall.

Prahaboheme Sep 12, 2009 4:10 AM

Orlando City Hall -- newer, but nice:

http://www.floridatrend.com/img.aspx...l.jpg&size=460

SpawnOfVulcan Sep 12, 2009 5:14 AM

Personally I like Philadelphia's the best. In Alabama...

A lot of people for some reason don't like the Mobile City-County Admin. Building, but I love it.

Mobile, AL

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3022/...bcaee1d3_b.jpg
jimmywayne

Birmingham, AL's isn't too bad

http://blog.al.com/jkennedy/2009/03/cityhall.jpg
AL.com

Tuscaloosa, AL's is in the old U.S. Post Office Building, I've always like it

http://s3.amazonaws.com/activerain-i...6889762617.jpg
Localism.com

Opelika, AL, located in the nicer part of the Auburn area

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3163/...27bde87c_b.jpg
libby lyn

mainstreet Sep 13, 2009 3:05 AM

Birmingham's is very nice, perfect height, simple, just art-deco enough.

I've always thought Stratford, Ontario's city hall was really nice:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._City_Hall.jpg
Source: wikipedia

Kurtman Jan 27, 2010 1:43 AM

These may not be the most beautiful in North America, but I like them


Albany, NY

http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/a...yHallSmall.jpg


Schenectady, NY

http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/a...yHallSmall.jpg


Cohoes, NY

http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/a...yHallSmall.jpg

hammersklavier Jan 27, 2010 2:24 AM

I'd forgotten about this thread, which looks like a neat place to post my Philly City Hall pics.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_lx0hh_qeHX0/Sw...ight%20006.JPG
Dilworth Plaza at night. This is the small square carved out of two former blocks on the west side of City Hall.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_lx0hh_qeHX0/Sw...ight%20010.JPG
City Hall's west façade. Or a small part of it, anyway.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_lx0hh_qeHX0/Sw...ight%20012.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_lx0hh_qeHX0/Sw...ight%20017.JPG
City Hall's east façade, looking towards the north from Juniper Street.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_lx0hh_qeHX0/Sw...ight%20018.JPG
The south façade, lit only by light being reflected off of it.

sopas ej Jan 27, 2010 2:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delts145 (Post 4004457)
I just knew that this would be a nice one. Santa Barbara is one of my favorite towns.

City Hall - Santa Barbara, California
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3088/...b6e0573d_o.jpg
by Emil Cenzato
.

This is actually the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, though it is indeed a beautiful building. You can climb up into the tower (which I've done) and see a very nice view of the city with all the red tile roofs, it really does look like a Mediterranean town from the tower.

sopas ej Jan 27, 2010 2:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delts145 (Post 3846115)

Actually, this used to house San Diego's City Hall but is now the San Diego County administration building. San Diego's current city hall is in a 1960s modernist building (which is quite ugly IMO; there are plans to build a new city hall in its place). I do like this building, though. When it was first built, half of it was occupied by City offices and the other half was occupied by County offices.

QuarterMileSidewalk Jan 27, 2010 3:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prahaboheme (Post 4452152)
Orlando City Hall -- newer, but nice:

I like!

sopas ej Jan 27, 2010 3:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delts145 (Post 3827387)
City Hall, San Francisco
http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicv/vfiles4635.jpg
by Mike Hofmann

A little too flamboyant for my taste, the SF City Hall is indeed a beautiful building. I actually like the interior better than the exterior.

And I guess one person's treasure is another person's trash; I think I read somewhere that Frank Lloyd Wright was heard to have said something along the lines of "San Francisco needs another major earthquake to knock down that City Hall," he of course being an early Modernist.

pj3000 Jan 27, 2010 4:08 AM

Pittsburgh City County Building - not so beautiful to my eyes, but some people like a massive imposing structure

http://fatherpitt.files.wordpress.co...uilding-02.jpg


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