Paducah City Hall, South Fifth Street, Paducah

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Paducah City Hall was commissioned to the archi- tectural firm of Edward Durell Stone in October, through the efforts of the Paducah McCracken County Development Council and local architect Lee Potter Smith, whose firm of Lee Potter Smith and Associates served as associate architects with Mr, Stone's office. Note: See page 2 for historical reference. HAAS, w.. 6pO PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History 1. (a) Design commissioned - October - see exhibit (b) Groundbreaking, construction started 20 June (see notice to proceed) documentation exhibit (c) Construction completed - January, - see exhibits 2.

Architects and Engineers Design Architect and Architect of Record Edware Durell Stone New York, New York - see exhibit ^, and drawings Associate Architect Lee Potter Smith and Associates Paducah, Kentucky Consulting Engineers Edward T. Hannan and Associates Paducah, Kentucky 3. Contractor Seth E. Giem and Associates Memphis, Tennessee ^h Paducah, Kentucky - Kerr manager William H. Hudson, superintendent Kalamazoo, Michigan See list of subcontractors, exhibit t . HAQS Mo. 4. Original Plans and Specifications Drawings and specifications are on file at the office of the associate architect for the project and Associates Broadway Paducah, Kentucky The building has not been altered since its con- struction. See exhibit for description and refer to drawings. 5.

No alterations or additions have been made. B. Historical Context The Paducah City Hall was constructed under the adminis- tration of Mayor Robert C. Cherry (3 times mayor of the city). The city commissioners at that time were Albert Karnes, C. Winston Gholson, A.B. Fendley and John Hornsby. The city manager was Raleigh L. Brockman and corporation council was H. Warren Middleton. Funding for the project was provided by a general revenue bond, a block grant from Urban Renewal and Community Development Agency and a federal grant from the Accelerated Public Works Program (APW-KY-44G). The proj ect was built in accordance with the accompanying drawings with the exception of the exterior facing mater- ial and the anodized aluminum entrances and window frames.

Due to cost overrun the italian travertine on the exterior was changed to exposed aggregate panels and the anodized frames were changed to painted metal.

Part Xi. Architectural Information City Hall

Paducah, Kentucky The Paducah City Hall designed by Edward Durell Stone, Architect, New York City, associated with Lee Potter Smith and Associates of Paducah, Inc., is a classic structure done in a contemporary manner. It occupies a complete city block and contains square feet of floor space. The building is three stories in height with a ground floor 180 feet square and recessed approximately 6 feet below grade housing the police department, official parking, mechanical rooms and storage. The first and second floors are 120 feet square and contain city offices, commission chambers and supporting facili- ties. The first and second floors are surrounded by a podium which is 220 feet square and extending 30 feet out from the building walls.

15 feet of this 30 feet is roofed at the second floor ceiling line and forms a portico with 20 columns supporting the roof. The structure is reinforced concrete throughout with an exposed aggregate panel exterior finish. Windows and doors are steel and all glass is gray tinted. Interior partitions are finished in plaster or wood paneling depending on the particular space and all office spaces have floors of either inlaid battleship linoleum or carpeting as the case may be. All ceilings except the central court which is 60 feet square and covered by a high skylight, are of mineral acoustical tile with recessed fluorescent lighting. The heating, ventilating and air conditioning system is a dual ducted air system using electricity as a fuel with a heat pump providing both cooling and heating.

The completion of construction was in June, "The building will serve the city offices adequately both in size and permanence for forty to fifty years." SITE: As shown on the drawings, the site is a full city block development and the original design included a plaza and fountain to be developed on the adjacent city block across 5th Street to the west, which would visually connect the city hall to the McCracken County Courthouse block bounded by 6th and 7th Streets and Washington and Clark Streets. The cost of the plaza develop- ment prohibited its construction at the time the city hall was built but was later constructed in The concept was developed by Edward Durell Stone's office but was developed and designed by landscape architects Scruggs and Hammonds located in Lexington, Kentucky.

The plaza and fountain now sits in the center of the government complex with city hall on the east side, the county courthouse on the west side and the public library on the north side. HAGS hk. KK~\7o PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A. Architectural Drawings and Specifications All drawings, specifications, design and construction files are on record in the office of the associate architect, and Associates, Broadway, Padueah, Kentucky B. N/A C. Bibliography 1. and Associates - Architect's dead files 2. Architecture of Paducah and McCracken County by Camille Wells 3. City of Paducah Engineering Department D. N/A E.

Exhibit A - search for an architect Exhibit B - response to search Exhibit C - architect's qualifications Exhibit D - bid tabulation Exhibit E - list of subcontractors Exhibit F - project cost information Exhibit G - notice to proceed Exhibit H - execution of contract Exhibit I - ground breaking Exhibit J - substantial completion Exhibit K - final completion Exhibit L - completion of design phase Prepared by J. Patrick Kerr, Architect J. Patrick Kerr, Architect A.I.A 126 South Second Street P.O. Box Paducah, KY Photographs by Curtis & Mays Studio 628 Broadway Paducah, KY