Lescher & Mahoney

Peoria High School, Peoria, AZ. 1921-22.

Temple Beth Israel, Phoenix, AZ. 1921-22.

United Verde Hospital, Jerome, AZ. 1926-27.

Orpheum Theatre, Phoenix, AZ. 1927-29.

Brophy College Chapel, Phoenix, AZ. 1928.

John G. Whittier School, Phoenix, AZ. 1929.

Phoenix Title and Trust Building, Phoenix, AZ. 1930-31.

U. S. Post Office, Phoenix, AZ. 1932-36.

Irving School, Mesa, AZ. 1936.

B. B. Moeur Activity Building, Arizona State Teachers College, Tempe, AZ. 1936-39

Glendale High School Auditorium, Glendale, AZ. 1939.

Hanny's Store, Phoenix, AZ. 1947.

Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Arizona State Fairgrounds, Phoenix, AZ. 1964-65.

Lescher & Mahoney was a noted American architectural firm from Phoenix, Arizona.

History

The firm was established in 1910 by Royal W. Lescher (1882-1957). Lescher was born in Galesburg, Illinois, and his family moved to California soon afterward. He graduated from the Throop Polytechnic Institute in 1902, before working in Los Angeles and Buffalo. In 1908 he came to Phoenix, where he took a job with Thornton Fitzhugh, with whom he remained until 1910. Lescher practiced alone until 1912, when he took John R. Kibbey (1883-1963) as a partner in Lescher & Kibbey.^[1]

In 1917 Leslie J. Mahoney (1892-1985) joined the firm as a designer. He was born in De Soto, Missouri and was educated at Santa Clara College in California. He was promoted to partner in 1921.^[2] The new firm, Lescher, Kibbey & Mahoney, was dissolved in 1922 when Kibbey left to design movie sets in Hollywood. The resulting partnership of Lescher & Mahoney survied until Lescher's death in 1957. However, Mahoney retained the name until his retirement in 1975, when the firm was sold.^[1] It was acquired by DLR Group of Omaha. Again, the name was retained and Lescher & Mahoney continued to operate semi-autonomously until 1998, when the firm was fully merged into DLR.^[3]

Many of the firm's works are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Architectural Works

Royal W. Lescher, 1910-1912

• Florence Woman's Club, 231 Willow St., Florence, AZ (1911)^[1]
• Hotel Luhrs, 2 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ (1911) - Demolished.^[4]
• Administration Building, Arizona State Hospital, Phoenix, AZ (1912)

Lescher & Kibbey, 1912-1921

• Buckeye Courthouse, 218 S. 4th St., Buckeye, AZ (1912)^[5]
• Gilbert Elementary School, 10 S. Gilbert Rd. Gilbert, AZ (1913)
• Globe High School, S. High St., Globe, AZ (1913-14)^[6]
• White-McCarthy Lumber and Hardware Store, 290 Main St., Florence, AZ (1914)^[7]
• Duncan High School, Stadium Rd., Duncan, AZ (1915)^[8]
• Florence High School, S. Main St., Florence, AZ (1915-16)^[8]
• Mohave County Courthouse, 310 N. 4th St. Kingman, AZ (1915)
• James S. Douglas, Jr. House, Douglas Rd., Jerome, AZ (1916)^[9]
• Elks Lodge, 650 E. 10th St., Douglas, AZ (1916)^[10]
• Graham County Courthouse, 800 W. Main St., Safford, AZ (1916)^[11]
• Hotel Beale (Remodeling), 325 E. Andy Devine Ave., Kingman, AZ (1916)
• Little Daisy Hotel, Upper Bell Rd., Jerome, AZ (1917-18) - Standing but in ruins.^[12]
• Maricopa Hall, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (1918-20) - Assisted by Lyman & Place.^[13]
• Curley School, 201 W. Esperanza Ave., Ajo, AZ (1919)
• Blome Building, Northern Arizona Normal School, Flagstaff, AZ (1920)^[14]
• George Kingdon House, 200 Lower Bell Rd., Jerome, AZ (1920)^[15]
• Solomon Elementary School, S. Stevens Ave., Solomon, AZ (1920)^[16]
• Union Verde Hospital (First), 123 Hill St., Jerome, AZ (1920)^[17]

Lescher, Kibbey & Mahoney, 1921-1922

• Clubhouse, Phoenix Country Club, 2901 N. 7th St., Phoenix, AZ (1921) - Demolished.^[18]
• El Zaribah Shrine Auditorium, 1502 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ (1921)^[19]
• Peoria High School, N. 83rd Ave., Peoria, AZ (1921-22)^[20]
• Temple Beth Israel, 122 E. Culver St., Phoenix, AZ (1921)^[21]
• Jerome High School (Old), 85 Hampshire Ave., Jerome, AZ (1922-23)^[22]
• Scottsdale High School, 7324 E. Indian School Rd., Scottsdale, AZ (1922-23) - Demolished.^[23]

Lescher & Mahoney, 1922-1975

• Arizona Citrus Growers Association Warehouse, 601 E. Jackson St., Phoenix, AZ (1924) - Demolished.
• Cartwright School, 5833 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ (1924)
• El Portal Hotel (Maricopa Inn), 20 E. Main St., Mesa, AZ (1925-26) - Demolished 1975.^[24]
• Union Verde Hospital (Second), 200 Hill St., Jerome, AZ (1926-27)^[25]
• J. T. Whitney Funeral Home, 328 N. 2nd Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1926)
• Orpheum Theater, 209 W. Adams St., Phoenix, AZ (1927-29)
• Pay'n Takit No. 5, 1012 N. 7th Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1927)
• Brophy College Chapel, 4701 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ (1928)
• Knights of Pythias Building, 829 N. 1st Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1928)
• Phoenix City Hall, 125 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ (1928-29) - With Edward F. Neild.
• Scottsdale Grammar School No. 2, 3720 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ (1928)^[26]
• John M. Ross House, 6722 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1929)^[27]
• John G. Whittier School, N. 16th St., Phoenix, AZ (1929)
• Arizona State Building, 1688 W. Adams St., Phoenix, AZ (1930)^[28]
• Mohawk Valley School, South Ave. 39 E., Roll, AZ (1930)
• Phoenix Title and Trust Building, 114 W. Adams St., Phoenix, AZ (1930-31, 1955)
• U. S. Post Office, 522 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1932-36)
• Wickenburg High School Gymnasium, 252 S. Tegner St., Wickenburg, AZ (1934)
• Irving School (Old), 155 N. Center St., Mesa, AZ (1936)
• B. B. Moeur Activity Building, Arizona State Teachers College, Tempe, AZ (1936-39)
• Sombrero Ranch, 790 W. Bralliar Rd., Wickenburg, AZ (1937)
• Cottonwood Civic Center, 805 N. Main St., Cottonwood, AZ (1939)^[29]
• Glendale High School Auditorium, 6216 W. Myrtle Ave., Glendale, AZ (1939)
• W. R. Montague House, 5033 N. 6th St., Phoenix, AZ (1939)
• Phoenix College, Phoenix, AZ (1939)^[30]
• Denison Kitchell House, 2912 E. Sherran Ln., Phoenix, AZ (1941-42)^[1]
• Design supervision, Country Club Park, E. Windsor Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1942)
• Palms Theatre, 2612 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1944-45) - Demolished.
• Sciences Building (Discovery Hall), Arizona State College, Tempe, AZ (1946-48)^[31]
• VA Medical Center, 650 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ (1946-49)^[32]
• Hanny's Store, 44 N. 1st St., Phoenix, AZ (1947)
• Central Methodist Church, 1875 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1950)^[28]
• North Union/Prochnow Auditorium, Arizona State College, Flagstaff, AZ (1951-52)^[33]
• St. Joseph's Hospital, 350 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ (1951-53)^[34]
• West Terminal (Terminal 1), Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, AZ (1951-52) - Demolished.^[35]
• First Methodist Church, 5510 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1952)^[36]
• Phoenix Public Library (Old), 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1953) - Largely demolished.^[37]
• House and Senate Buildings, Arizona State Capitol, Phoenix, AZ (1956-60) - With Place & Place.^[28]
• East Terminal (Terminal 2), Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, AZ (1959-60) - With Weaver & Drover.^[38]
• U. S. Federal Building, 230 N. 1st Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1959-61) - With Edward L. Varney Associates.^[39]
• Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ (1961)^[40]
• Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Arizona State Fairgrounds, Phoenix, AZ (1964-65) - With Place & Place.
• Maricopa County General Hospital, 2601 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, AZ (1967-68) - Will be demolished.^[41][42]
• Executive Tower, Arizona State Capitol, Phoenix, AZ (1974) - With Lew Place and Edward L. Varney Associates..^[28][43]

Lescher & Mahoney (DLR), 1975-1998

• Douglas County Public Library, 1625 Library Ln., Minden, NV (1982)^[44]
• Laguna Elementary School, E. Lakeview Dr., Scottsdale, AZ (1986)^[26]
• Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL (1986-90)
• Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers, FL (1989-91)
• L. P. Frans Stadium, Hickory, NC (1992-93)
• ADX Florence, Fremont County, CO (1993)^[45]
• CMC-NorthEast Stadium, Kannapolis, NC (1994-95)
• Phoenix Art Museum (Expansion), 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ (1994-96) - With Tod Williams Billie Tsien^[46]
• George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL (1994-96)
• Jerry Uht Park, Erie, PA (1994-95)
• Desert Mountain High School, E. Via Linda, Scottsdale, AZ (1995)^[26]

References

1. Denison Kitchell House NRHP Nomination. 1994.
2. Architect and Engineer Feb. 1921: 109.
3. "Architecture firm shortens name". http://www.csbj.com/. 11 Sept. 1998. Web.
4. Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer 29 July 1911: 13.
5. http://www.buckeyemainstreet.org/historicalplaces/
6. Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer 29 Nov. 1913: 21.
7. Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer 20 Dec. 1913: 19.
8. Engineering and Contracting 9 June 1915: 33.
9. "Jerome Photo Gallery". http://azstateparks.com/. n.d. Web.
10. American Contractor 27 Nov. 1915: 17.
11. American Architect 29 Dec. 1915: 8.
12. Engineering News-Record 29 Nov. 1917: 224.
13. Nequette, Anne M. and R. Brooks Jeffery. A Guide to Tucson Architecture. 2002.
14. Southwest Builder and Contractor 20 Feb. 1920: 17.
15. Southwest Builder and Contractor 21 May 1920: 18.
16. Southwest Builder and Contractor 23 Jan. 1920: 14.
17. Southwest Builder and Contractor 7 May 1920: 12.
18. Southwest Builder and Contractor 22 April 1921: 44.
19. Staff (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
20. Southwest Builder and Contractor 27 May 1921: 45.
21. Southwest Builder and Contractor 12 Aug. 1921: 20.
22. Southwest Builder and Contractor 21 July 1922: 34.
23. Engineering and Contracting 19 July 1922: 24.
24. Colorado Manufacturer and Consumer 1925: 3.
25. Colorado Manufacturer and Consumer 1925: 24.
26. Sydnor, Douglas B. Images of America: Scottsdale Architecture. 2010.
27. John M. Ross House NRHP Nomination. 2000.
28. A Guide to the Architecture of Metro Phoenix. 1983.
29. Farley, Glenda. "1917: U. V. X. to Build Hotel in Jerome; The Little Daisy Hotel". http://verdenews.com/. 7 Oct. 2012. Web.
30. "Phoenix College Buildings and Murals – Phoenix AZ". http://livingnewdeal.org/. n.d. Web.
31. Engineering News-Record 1946: 184.
32. Engineering News-Record Oct. 1946: 198.
33. Engineering News-Record 1951: 74.
34. Western Architect and Engineer Dec. 1951: 35.
35. Architect and Engineer 1959: 35.
36. Architect and Engineer 1952: 45.
37. Engineering News-Record 1953: 20.
38. Engineering News-Record 1959: 79.
39. Architectural Forum 1959: 55.
40. Engineering News-Record 1961: 139.
41. Engineering News-Record 1967: 105.
42. Haldiman, Philip. "Maricopa Medical Center to be razed, rebuilt; and other MIHS projects". http://roselawgroupreporter.com/. 4 May 2015.
43. Architectural Forum 1977: 285.
44. High Roller 1982: 10. Nevada Library Association.
45. Noel, Thomas J. Buildings of Colorado. Vol. 2. 1993.
46. Metropolis 1994: 27.