440-446 South Convent Avenue (House), Tucson

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ARIZ,10-TUCSO,30/11-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This row of apartments is a brick translation of typical Barrio row houses. Designed by Henry O. Jaastad, Tucson architect between this four-unit building with hip roof relates strongly to its neighbor to the~north, also des igned by Jaastad. Design elements are uniquely Victorian. The plan form reflects Anglo functions with rooms relating to an entry hall. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Pbysical History: 1. Date of erection: ca. 2. Architect: Henry 0. Jaastad. Jaastad was a Norwegian architect who came to Arizona in Responsible for the construction of over 50 schools in Arizona and New Mexico, he opened his architect's office in Tucson in He also served 14 years as mayor of the city. 3. Original and subsequent owners: See chain of title below. Part of Lot 1, Block parcels 15 and 16.

Deed, April 7, recorded in Volume 32, page Manuel and Jesus R. Altamirano to Diego Valencia. Deed, September 23, recorded in Volume page Diego S. Valencia to Ramon L. and Josefa B. Camacho. SOUTH CONVENT AVENUE HABS No. AZ-73-11 ( Page 2 ) Deed, April 20, recorded in Volume page Ramon L. and Josefa B. Camacho to Bernabe Robles. Deed, December 27, recorded in Volume 40, page Estate of Bernabe Robles to Joaquina S. Robles. Deed, July 28, recorded in Volume 99, page 27. Joaquina S. Robles to Bernabe S. Robles, et al. Deed, June 2, recorded in Volume page Bernabe Robles, et al to Joaquina R. Kengla. Deed, June 1, recorded in Volume page Joaquina R. Kengla to Rollings. 4. Builder/Contractor: Manuel "Maestro" Flores.

Flor.es was a well- known Tucson carpenter responsible for the construction of many Tucson dwellings between 5. Alterations and additions: This row of apartments has remained essentially intact, with few alterations. The canvas-covered porch in the rear has been replaced with wood and screen, and the row of fruit trees in the back yard has been removed. B. Historical Context: These apartments were constructed for Diego Valencia and rented by him. Most of the tenants were laborers, Southern Pacific Railroad employees, or employees of local stores. Tenancy was usually no longer than five years, and many of the residents eventually purchased property in the same neighborhood. In Valencia was renting the apartments for $25 per month. Prepared by: Arm.E. Huston Project Historian, Maureen L.

Gerhold Assistant Project Historian, Historic American Buildings Survey September PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFOR.111.ATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: This four-unit brick row building estab- lishes an interesting relationship ~"'ith traditional adobe row structures in the Barrio. Designed between by Tucson architect Henry Jaastad, the building was a modern translation of the contiguous row. SOUTH CONVENT AVEN1JE No. AZ-73-11 (Page 3) 2. Condition of fabric: Elcellent. B. Description of Exterior-: 1. Over-all dimensions: The building measures north-to-south along its east facade and 28' east-to-west along the sides. There is a 7'-deep frame addition to the west rear. 2. Foundations: Stone. 3.

Wall construction, finish and color: The walls are constructed of fired brick and have their natural red color. The east front wall measures thick while other exterior walls measure 9". 4. Structural system, framing: The masonry bearing walls support a lightweight roof-truss system and a floor-joist em. Parti- tions on the interior are framed. 5. Porches, stoops: There is a series of enclosed frame porches along the west rear of the building. Each unit's porch contains a bathroom. 6. Chimneys: There are three chimneys on the building. They are all located along the center line running north and south thrGugh the building. One chimney is located at the center of the north wall, at the exterior wall surface. A matching chimney is situated on the south wall.

A third chimney is located at the center of the buildings just behind the ridge. All chimneys are of exposed brick. The end chimneys measure 1 1 -6 11 x 2 1 -8 11 ; the center chimney measures 1 1 -6 11 x 4 1 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: There are four doorways on the east front facade, each offering entry to a u.11it. Each doorway has a door topped with a transom. The doors were originally composed of a square glass panel over a wood panel. One of the doors is presently a flush door. Another has an oval glass panel over a solid panel. The rear doors are five-panel doors. Their doorways have segmental arched openings. b. Windows: The windows have segmental arched openings also. All windows are of wood double-hung weighted sash with one- over-one lights.

Each unit has two east--facade windows, a..11d two west-facade windows opening onto the rear porch. The north unit, has a single window on the north wall. SOUTH CONVENT AVENUE F..ABS Ho. AZ-73-11 ( Page 4) 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: The roof is hipped and was originally covered with wood shingles. Today it is covered with rolled asphalt. b. Cornice, eaves: There is a 1 1 -6" boxrd cornice. ' c. Dormers: There are four gable vents along the east and west slopes of the hip roof. They have horizontal louvres. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: The floor plans of all units are the same, except that they are mirror images of each other.~. Entrance is into a hall with the living room to one side and a bedroom to the other.

Straight ahead is a kitchen with a bedroom to the side (behind the first bedroom). The bedrooms are separated by a bathroom and clo$et. The rear porches are enclosed. 2. Flooring: The floors are of 72" tongue-and-groove fir. 3. Wall a.11.d ceiling finish: Walls are of plaster on frame a.11.d on brick (exterior) walls. The lower portions of kitchen walls are of plaster scored to resemble tile. Ceilings are of 3~" tongue-arid-groove V boards. 4. Openings: Doorways and windows are trimmed with 5~" flat board trim. There is a 6\" head molding. Doors are of five wood panels. 5, Decorative features and trim: Between the entry hall and living room is a large opening containing two round colums (of no defined Order) , set upon paneled plinths.

The colu.TIJTI.s measure 3\" diameter at the bottom, and taper to 3rr at the top. The columns are 4 1 -2" in height. There is a corner fireplace in the living room. The brick fireplace has a segmental arched opening. There is a wooden mantel and a concrete hearth. 6. Mechanical equipment: The u..11.i ts have standard electrical service and plumbing fixtures. There is no heating system other than the fireplace. D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: The building is located on the west side of South Convent Avenue and is situated at the front property line. The rear yards are enclosed with wood and corru- gated fencing. The yards have no landscape plan, although there are Chinaberry trees in some of the yards. SOUTH CONVENT AVEifv3 HA.BS No. AZ-73-11 (Page 5) Prepared by: Prof.

Robert C. Giebner Project Supervisor Professor of Architecture University of Arizona July PART III. SOURCES OF INFORl"..ATION Building slip, Pima County Assessor's Office Sanborn Fire Insurance Company maps, Tract Books, Pioneer Title Insurance Company (Microfilm, Recorder's records). Tucson City Directories; Oral Interviews: Frank Rivera, 479 Convent Avenue Eliazar Herreras, E. Waverly. PART IV. PROJECT INFORMATION This project was undertaken by the Historic .fl.:merican Buildings Survey (HABS) of the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service's National Architectural and Engineering Record (NP.ER) in cooperation with the Tucson Barrio Association, Inc.

Funds for the project were provided by the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office and the Arizona State Office of Economic Planning and Development. Uncer the direction of Robert Kapsch, Chief of NAER, John Poppeliers, Chief of BABS, a...Dd Kenneth L. Anderson, Principal Architect, the project was completed during the summer of at the HABS field office in Tucson, Arizona by Robert C. Giebner, Project Supervisor (Professor of Architecture, University of Arizona); William Joseph Graha.~, Project Foreman (University of Maryland); Ann E. Huston, Project Historian (California State University, Sacrmnento); Maureen L.

Gerhold, Assistant Historian (Pennsylvania State University); Student Architects Scott Marshall Dolph (University of Arizona); Carol Jean Lemon (Washington State Uni- versity); and Harrison Adam Sutphin (Virginia Tech); and Comprehensive Employ- ment and Training Act (CETA) Summer Youth Employment Program Interns: Maria Ac::-riola (Tucson High School); Ernest Cota; Lupita Lopez (Tucson High School), and .An..Da Trinidad. Photographic records were made for HABS by David J. Kmninsky, Photo- grapher, Roswell, New Mexico. Editing and final preparation of the documentation was carried out in in the HABS Washington Office by William Joseph Graha::., Architect, and Lucy Pope Wheeler, Writer/Editor, of the HA.BS professional staff. #