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Vivian B. Smith

{{Short description|American architect (1886–1952)}}

{{Infobox architect

|name = Vivian B. Smith

|image = File:Vivian B. Smith, architect.png

|image_size =

|caption = Vivian B. Smith, {{Circa|1924}}

|nationality = American

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1886|7|8}}

|birth_place = Ocean City, New Jersey, U.S.

|death_date = {{Death date and age|1952|12|6|1886|7|8}}

|death_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

|practice =

|significant_buildings=

|significant_design =

|awards =

}}

File: Ocean City City Hall NJ.JPG in Ocean City, New Jersey, designed by Smith & Henderer in the Beaux-Arts style and completed in 1915.]]

Vivian B. Smith (1886–1952) was an American architect from Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Life and career

Smith was born July 8, 1886, in Ocean City, New Jersey, to Lewis S. Smith and Hannah (Holmes) Smith. After his schooling, he went to Philadelphia, where he worked for Charles L. Hoffman and other architects."Vivian B. Smith" in [https://books.google.com/books?id=2tYMAAAAYAAJ South Jersey: A History, 1664-1924] 3, ed. Alfred M. Heston (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1924): 220-221.

In 1907, he returned to the coast to work for architect Harvey J. Shumway, an architect who had practiced in Atlantic City since 1895.John F. Hall, [https://books.google.com/books?id=pZE-AAAAYAAJ The Daily Union History of Atlantic City and County] (Atlantic City: Daily Union, 1900): 502. After Shumway's death in December 1909, Smith opened his own office in Atlantic City in January.

In 1913 he, in association with Ocean City architect Earle M. Henderer, submitted an entry in the competition to design the new Ocean City City Hall, which they won. When construction began in 1914 they formed a formal partnership, Smith & Henderer, which lasted until at least 1916. The Beaux-Arts city hall would garner Smith early acclaim, and he would use images of the building in his later advertisements.[https://books.google.com/books?id=I5gNAQAAIAAJ American Catholic Quarterly Review] 43, no. 169 (January 1918) Though best known for his hotels and public buildings, Smith's largest work was the designing and supervision of Belcoville in Weymouth Township in 1918. This was a planned community of five thousand people for workers of the Bethlehem Loading Company, a World War I-era munitions plant operated by Bethlehem Steel. Smith practiced in Atlantic City for over twenty-five years, well into the Great Depression.

Smith joined the American Institute of Architects in 1921.[https://aiahistoricaldirectory.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/AHDAA/pages/37069463/ahd1042013 Vivian B. Smith], AIA Historical Directory of American Architects. He was the first Atlantic City architect to be a member of the organization.

Personal life

Smith was married twice, first to Ella Dawson, who died in 1919,"Mrs. Ella Dawson Smith" in [https://books.google.com/books?id=Bkc0AQAAMAAJ Musical America] 29, no. 21 (March 22, 1919): 51. and second to Josephine Cross. He had a son with his first wife, and two daughters with his second. Smith and his family lived in Ventnor City, New Jersey.

Death

Smith died December 5, 1952, in a hospital in Philadelphia, at the age of 66."Vivian B. Smith" in New York Times, December 6, 1952, 21.

Legacy

Smith's buildings were designed in the popular revival styles of the day, including the Beaux-Arts, Colonial Revival, and Gothic Revival styles. He also adopted more eclectic styles for some buildings, like the Spanish Colonial Revival for the Flanders Hotel and Music Pier in Ocean City or the Venetian Gothic for the Freeman Building in Atlantic City. These were uncommon in the northeast, where they usually appeared at resorts.

At least five buildings designed by Smith have been listed in the United States National Register of Historic Places.

Architectural works

Gallery of architectural works

{{Gallery

|title=|align=center

|File:Ocean City, N.J., Jan. 7, 2013 -- Hurricane Sandy flooded the first floor of City Hall, built in 1914, resulting in offices on that floor to relocated until reconstruction is finish - DPLA - 21ec39e6a5e640f9cfc87097aa5c7cf5.jpg

|Ocean City City Hall, Ocean City, New Jersey, 1914-15

|File:Atlantic City Skyline from Garden Pier 1917.jpg

|Breakers Hotel (center right), Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1915-16

|File:Belcoville Post Office NRHP.JPG

|Belcoville Post Office, Belcoville, New Jersey, 1918.

|File:Segal Building.jpg

|Segal Building, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1920

|File:Flanders Hotel OC NJ.jpg

|Flanders Hotel, Ocean City, New Jersey, 1922-23

|File:Ocean City HS Old entrance.JPG

|Surviving entrance of the Ocean City High School, Ocean City, New Jersey, 1924

|File:Ventor NJ city hall.jpg

|Ventnor City Hall, Ventnor City, New Jersey, 1928

|File:Ocnjmusicpier.JPG

|Ocean City Music Pier, Ocean City, New Jersey, 1929

|File:The Senator, circa late 1930s - early 1940s.png

|The Senator, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1930

}}

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Vivian B.}}

Category:1886 births

Category:1952 deaths

Category:Architects from New Jersey

Category:20th-century American architects

Category:People from Ocean City, New Jersey

Category:People from Atlantic City, New Jersey

Category:People from Ventnor City, New Jersey