Raymond F. Almirall

Almirall was born in New York City, in 1869. He studied architecture at Cornell University and at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

In 1896, he established an architectural firm in New York City with John W. Ingle, Ingle & Almirall.Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide 11 Jan. 1896: 41. The firm lasted until the end of 1900, when Almirall opened an independent office.Brickbuilder Dec. 1900: 260. In the mid-teens, Almirall made Philip Alain Cusachs a member of his new firm, Almirall & Cusachs, which lasted into the 1920s.Progressive Architecture 1931: 775.

He was a very creative architect for his time and his work incorporated the latest architectural techniques including structural steel, reinforced cement and reinforced concrete [https://books.google.com/books?id=WURNAAAAMAAJ&q=Raymond+F.+Almirall+%22architect%22 Flower and Fifth Avenue hospital New York Medical College] (Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Library, 1867), p.4.

In 1909, Almirall designed what might have been his masterpiece, the Beaux-Arts classical style Brooklyn Central Library which was expected to be a major example of the City Beautiful architectural style in that city. But money was short, and construction did not begin for several years. Soon after, money ran out and only the west wing wall was actually built. In 1937, the project was renewed and the New York firm of Githens & Keally was hired to redesign the building in the Modern Classical style. Almirall’s original scheme was abandoned in favor of the new one and the redesigned library was completed in 1941.http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/central/branch/history.jsp Brooklyn Central Library

Almirall also designed several large churches for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. One of these, the Mortuary Chapel at Calvary Cemetery, Long Island City, New York, was described at the time of its construction as ‘’the Most Remarkable Mortuary Chapel in America’’.Henry Haven Windsor, ed. [https://books.google.com/books?id=qCbZAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22Raymond+F.+Almirall%22+%22architect%22&pg=PA292 Popular Mechanics: an Illustrated Weekly Review], Volume 12, Issues 1-6 (Chicago, Illinois: 1909), p.292-293.

He was one of the very few American architects of his day to design a Cathedral in a foreign country. His byzantine styled Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kingston, Jamaica, which contains a "broad, clearly articulated facade" and a large concrete dome. In his book Hagia Sophia, 1850-1950: Holy Wisdom Modern Monument, author Robert S. Nelson compares the Cathedral to the Hagia Sophia.{{Cite book

| last = Nelson

| first = Robert S.

| author-link =

| year =

| title = Hagia Sophia, 1850-1950: holy wisdom modern monument

| publisher =

| location =

| id =

| pages = 190, 191

}}

Almirall also designed most of the buildings for the Seaview Hospital in Staten Island, New York, which at the time of its construction was the largest tuberculosis hospital in the world where many of the successful treatments for this disease were to be created. Today this hospital is a ruin.

• 1897 - Binghamton Municipal Building, 79 Collier St, Binghamton, New YorkEngineering News 18 March 1897: 98.
• 1897 - St. Dominic R. C. Church, 93 Anstice St, Oyster Bay, New YorkRussell, Daniel E. [https://www.glencoveheritage.com/legacy_site/stpatsbells.pdf "The Bells of St. Patrick's"]. Glen Cove, NY: City of Glen Cove, n.d.
• 1898 - Binghamton Savings Bank Building, 99 Collier St, Binghamton, New YorkEngineering News 16 June 1898: 205.
• 1898 - St. Patrick R. C. Church, 39-38 29th St, Long Island City, New York
• 1899 - R. C. Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, 104-11 37th Ave, Corona, Queens, New YorkEngineering Record 29 July 1899: 210.
• 1899 - St. Patrick R. C. Church, 235 Glen St, Glen Cove, New York
• 1900 - R. C. Church of the Guardian Angel, 2978 Ocean Pkwy, Brooklyn, New YorkEngineering Record 15 Sept. 1900: 262.

• 1903 - Pacific Library, 25 4th Ave, Brooklyn, New YorkWhite, Norval and Elliot Willensky. AIA Guide to New York City. 2010.
• 1904 - Chi Psi Lodge, 200 Church St, Middletown, ConnecticutPotts, David P. Wesleyan University, 1831–1910: Collegiate Enterprise in New England. 1992.
• Burned in 1912.
• 1905 - Decauville Garage, 1743-1745 Broadway, New York, New YorkReal Estate Record and Builders' Guide 16 Sept. 1905: 429.
• Demolished.
• 1905 - Municipal Lodging House, 432-438 E 25th St, New York, New YorkReal Estate Record and Builders' Guide 19 Aug. 1905: 314.
• An early version of the modern homeless shelter. Demolished.
• 1905 - Seaview Hospital, 460 Brielle Ave, Staten Island, New YorkReal Estate Record and Builders' Guide 21 Oct. 1905: 610.
• 1905 - St. Michael's R. C. Church, 352 42nd St, Brooklyn, New YorkGabrielan, Randall. Postcard History Series: Brooklyn. 1999.
• 1906 - Fordham Hospital, Southern Blvd, Bronx, New YorkCity Record 11 May 1906: 4528.
• Demolished.
• 1906 - Park Slope Library, 431 6th Ave, Brooklyn, New YorkDolkart, Andrew. Guide to New York City Landmarks. 2009.
• 1906 - Public Bath No. 7, 227 4th Ave, Brooklyn, New York
• 1908 - Bushwick Library, 340 Bushwick Ave, Brooklyn, New YorkLibrary Journal Dec. 1908: 525.
• 1908 - 49 Chambers (Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank Building), 49–51 Chambers St, New York, New York
• 1908 - R. C. Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, North St, Kingston, JamaicaNelson, Robert S. Hagia Sophia, 1850-1950: Holy Wisdom Modern Monument. 2004.
• 1910 - Chapin Home for the Aged, 16501 Chapin Pkwy, Jamaica, New YorkAmerican Contractor 20 Aug. 1910: 46.
• Demolished.
• 1913 - Eastern Parkway Library, 1044 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, New YorkAmerican Contractor 20 Sept. 1913: 55.
• 1915 - R. C. Church of the Nativity, 20 Madison St, Brooklyn, New YorkEngineering and Contracting 28 April 1915: 43.

• 1916 - Notre Dame Home for the Aged, 660 183rd Ave, Bronx, New YorkBridgemen's Magazine July 1916: 433.
• 1917 - Central Brooklyn Public Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, New YorkDomestic Engineering 11 Nov. 1916: 203.
• Partially built and then renovated.
• 1920 - R. C. Church of the Nativity (Addition), 20 Madison St, Brooklyn, New YorkAmerican Contractor 18 Oct. 1919: 45.
• 1926 - 386 Park Ave S, New York, New York"Manhattan NB Database". http://www.metrohistory.com/. Office for Metropolitan History, n. d. Web.

{{Reflist|33em}}

• Raymond F. Almirall works. [https://library.columbia.edu/locations/avery/da.html/ Held by the Department of Drawings & Archives], [https://library.columbia.edu/locations/avery.html/ Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University].

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Almirall, Raymond F.}}

Category:1869 births

Category:1939 deaths

Category:American ecclesiastical architects

Category:Architects of Roman Catholic churches

Category:Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning alumni

Category:Architects of cathedrals

Category:Architects from New York City

Category:American alumni of the École des Beaux-Arts