User:JPRiley/Stull

Donald Leroy Stull was born March 16, 1937 in Springfield, Ohio to Robert Stull, a foundry worker, and Ruth Callahan Stull, née Branson. He developed an interest in architecture after working on construction sites with his uncle, a mason. He was educated at the Ohio State University and Harvard University, graduating from the latter in 1962 with an MArch. At Harvard he met architect Walter Gropius and worked for the firm he led, The Architects Collaborative, and after graduation he worked for Samuel Glaser Associates. Both of these firms were at work on the John F. Kennedy Federal Building at the time of his employment.Bryan Marquard, "[https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/12/30/metro/donald-l-stull-pioneering-architect-ruggles-mbta-station-harriet-tubman-house-dies-83/ Donald L. Stull, pioneering architect of the Ruggles MBTA station and Harriet Tubman House, dies at 83]," Boston Globe, December 30, 2020. Accessed February 15, 2024.

In 1966 Stull left Glaser to establish his own practice, Stull Associates. This was the first Black-owned architectural firm in Boston. Early on he developed a specialty in the design of affordable housing, which would be a mainstay of his practice. This housing was typically for housing authorities and various urban-focused development organizations, which led to larger public projects in an era of large-scale urban redevelopment. Stull and his associates developed an approach to these projects that focused on maintaining existing neighborhood character and minimizing displacement.[http://www.grahamfoundation.org/grantees/6446-stull-lee-black-architecture-vision-for-an-infrastructural-city Stull & Lee: Black Architecture Vision for an Infrastructural City] In 1972, after the cancellation of the Southwest Corridor highway, Stull Associates was retained to propose alternate uses for the unused right-of-way.Viola Osgood, "Highway fight looms in Roxbury," Boston Globe, February 27, 1972, 32. After the decision to use the right-of-way for a subway line covered by a linear park, the firm was placed in charge of planning the project. They assigned the design of the park and individual stations to other firms, while retaining the design responsibility of Ruggles, one of three large intermodal stations on the new line. The station and park were completed in 1988 and 1990, respectively. For this work the firm was awarded a Presidential Design Award from the National Endowment for the Arts.Keith N. Morgan, Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009): 145. Stull Associates' Blackstone Elementary School (1975) in Boston and the former Jackie Robinson Middle School (1977) in New Haven were the first municipal projects in those cities to be assigned to a Black architect.Elizabeth Mills Brown, [https://www.google.com/books/edition/New_Haven_a_Guide_to_Architecture_and_Ur/9no2loQlCeEC?hl=en&gbpv=0 New Haven: A Guide to Architecture and Urban Design] (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1976): 56.

Proir to establishing Stull Associates, Stull had never worked alongside another Black architect. As the owner of his firm, he made a point to assemble a diverse staff, providing a springboard for women and members of ethnic minorities in the historically white and male architectural profession. One of these was M. David Lee, a Harvard graduate student who Stull hired as a summer intern in 1969. After his graduation in 1971 Lee joined the firm full time and was later made a principal. In 1984 he became a named principal when the firm was reorganized as Stull & Lee. In a 1989 article on Stull & Lee in the Boston Globe, the partners described their successes and difficulties as Black architects. Said Lee, "[b]eing a Black firm has worked both ways ... [w]e have had access to public sector projects driven by affirmative action goals. On the other hand, we have had to tell engineers: 'Don’t just call us when you need minority representation on your project. Call us when you just want quality work.'"Teresa M. Hanafin, "Black architectural firm builds on success," Boston Globe, August 27, 1989, A41.

In the 1980s and 1990s Stull & Lee completed a new campus for the Roxbury Community College (1988) and the Boston Police Department headquarters (1997). They also, in collaboration with Wallace Floyd Design Group, prepared guidelines and concept designs for the highway ventilation structures for the Big Dig. The design for the structures themselves were prepared by architects at TAMS Consultants. The first of these to be designed and completed was Ventilation Building 7 over the Ted Williams Tunnel, which was awarded the Harleston Parker Medal of the Boston Society of Architects in 1999 as well as honors from the American Institute of Architects. Cost overruns resulted in design elements from Ventilation Building 7 being repeated in the other structures.Robert Campbell, "Big Dig cuts take air out of vent no. 7 honor," Boston Globe, August 31, 2000, D1.Keith N. Morgan, Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009): 215. Stull & Lee grew to have 60 employees before the Great Recession, which neccesitated a downsizing to only 10. Stull retired in 2014, after which Lee took over management of the firm.Robin Washington, "[https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2018/11/29/designs-on-boston-david-lee-has-made-a-lasting.html Designs on Boston: David Lee has made a lasting mark on the city]," Boston Business Journal. November 29, 2018. Accessed February 15, 2024.

Amongst other awards, Stull received a Distinguished Alumni Award from Ohio State University in 1970 and was awarded an honorary degree from the Boston Architectural College in 2011. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects and was elected a Fellow in 1981.

Stull was married and had three children. He died November 28, 2020 at home in Milton, Massachusetts at the age of 83.

• 1969 – Unity Bank and Trust Company offices, 416 Warren St, Roxbury, Boston"Stull, Don" in American Architects Directory (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1970): 892.
• 1970 – Cochituate Cooperative Homes, 1-37 Interfaith Ter, Framingham, Massachusetts"The real estate mart," Boston Globe, September 20, 1970, B41.
• 1970 – Presidential Courts, 223 Pearl St, Stoughton, Massachusetts"Mid-income housing plan gets funds," Boston Globe, March 31, 1970, 13.
• 1971 – 100 Centre Plaza, 100 Centre St, Brookline, Massachusetts"Report: new Back Bay skyscraper," Boston Globe, April 5, 1970, B58.
• 1971 – Village Park, Village Park Rd, Amherst, MassachusettsAnthony J. Yudis, "School versus neighborhood," Boston Globe, September 17, 1972, A41.
• 1972 – Hill Homes Cooperative, 454-484 Hancock St, Springfield, Massachusetts"Hub firms get awards for design," Boston Globe, October 20, 1974, A47.
• 1974 – 1550 Beacon Plaza, 1550 Beacon St, Brookline, Massachusetts"MHFA lends $4.5 million for Brookline elderly units," Boston Globe, February 4, 1973, A55.
• 1974 – Algonquin Heights, Algonquin Ter, Plymouth, Massachusetts"$4.2 million for Plymouth development," Boston Globe, FApril 16, 1972, 48A.
• 1974 – Inman Square Apartments, 1221 Cambridge St, Cambridge, Massachusetts"$2.9 million loan to Cambridge coalition," Boston Globe, January 14, 1973, 10B.
• 1974 – Harriet Tubman House,{{efn|name=Demolished|Demolished.}} 566 Columbus Ave, BostonKeith N. Morgan, Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009): 144.
• 1975 – Blackstone Elementary School, 380 Shawmut Ave, BostonKeith N. Morgan, Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009): 137-138.
• 1976 – Rutland Road Plaza, 60 E 93rd St, BrooklynNorval White, Elliot Willensky and Fran Leadon, [https://www.google.com/books/edition/AIA_Guide_to_New_York_City/t0gj61QSgk8C?hl=en&gbpv=0 AIA Guide to New York City] (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010): 740.
• 1977 – Jackie Robinson Middle School,{{efn|name=Demolished}} 150 Fournier St, New Haven, Connecticut
• 1978 – Jack Satter House, 420 Revere Beach Blvd, Revere, MassachusettsAnthony J. Yudis, "Lots and Blocks," Boston Globe, January 2, 1977, B6.
• 1979 – Casa Maria Apartments, 130 Endicott St, Boston"Whither church property?," Boston Globe, April 27, 1975, D16.
• 1980 – Marcus Garvey Gardens, 44 John Eliot Sq, Roxbury, Boston"161 units of housing started in Roxbury," Boston Globe, July 8, 1979, D1.
• 1985 – Council Tower, 2875 Washington St, Roxbury, BostonAnthony J. Yudis, "High hopes resulted in new Roxbury tower," Boston Globe, October 26, 1985, 37.

• 1988 – Dawson-Longley Apartments, 400 Massachusetts Ave, BostonSarah Snyder, "A South End dispute over building design," Boston Globe, January 28, 1986, 17.
• 1988 – Roxbury Community College campus, Roxbury, BostonKeith N. Morgan, Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009): 243-244.
• 1988 – Ruggles station, Ruggles St, Roxbury, BostonKeith N. Morgan, Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009): 187.
• 1990 – Park Place by the Bay, 915 NW 1st Ave, Miami
• 1991 – United States Post Office, 55 Roxbury St, Roxbury, BostonJohn King, "Post office to put stamp on Roxbury," Boston Globe, August 9, 1989, 50.
• 1994 – Ruggles Center, 1135 Tremont St, Roxbury, BostonShay Studley, "Ruggles Center project to begin," Boston Globe, July 22, 1992, 24.
• 1997 – Boston Police Department headquarters, 1 Schroeder Plaza, Roxbury, BostonKeith N. Morgan, Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009): 243.
• 1997 – Massport Ventilation Building 7,{{efn|name=Massport|Designed by TAMS Consultants from preliminary designs by Stull & Lee and Wallace Floyd Design Group.}} Harborside Dr, East Boston, Boston
• 2003 – Orchard Gardens K-8 School,{{efn|name=Orchard|Designed by Todd Lee of Todd Lee Clark Rozas with Stull & Lee as associate architects.}} 906 Albany St, Roxbury, BostonKeith N. Morgan, Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009): 249.
• 2005 – MassBiologics laboratories, 460 Walk Hill St, Mattapan, BostonThomas C. Palmer Jr., "Lab facility planned in Mattapan," Boston Globe, June 21, 2002, D1.
• 2005 – Savin Hill station, 121 Savin Hill Ave, Dorchester, Boston

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