Father Pitt

Tag: Rieger (C. J.)

  • St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church (1899), Homestead

    Old St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church

    Charles J. Rieger was the architect of this little church with a big tower, which was built in 1899.1 (This is one of the earliest Rieger projects we have found; he had many years of productive work ahead of him.) The congregation must have grown rapidly, because only fourteen years later it moved a block up the street to a larger church. This building was sold to a Hungarian congregation; at some point it ceased to be a church and had a garage door cut into it.

    Cornerstone with Maltese cross and date of 1899
    Canon PowerShot SX20 IS.
    1. Philadelphia Real Estate Record & Builders’ Guide, March 29, 1899, p. 201: “At Homestead, Allegheny county, the vestry of St. Matthews’ Episcopal Church, at a meeting held a few days since, instructed the architect to have all plans and specifications ready by April 4th. Rev. W. J. White Frederick Howden and George Hatcher, committee, Architect Chas. Rieger, Renshaw Building, Pittsburg, Pa., is the architect, and will receive the bids.” ↩︎
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  • Braddock Junior High School

    Braddock Junior High School

    Charles J. Rieger, late in a distinguished career (we first notice him in construction listings nearly forty years earlier), designed this Art Deco palace of education, which was built in 1938. It has been abandoned for years. In a trendy neighborhood, the building would make fine luxury apartments, and it could have a rehabilitation that would make the most of its classy Deco streamlining. This part of Braddock, however, is not likely to require luxury apartments in the near future.

    Braddock Junior High School
    Braddock Junior High School
    Braddock Junior High School
    Braddock Junior High School
    Sony Alpha 3000 with 7Artisans f/1.4 35mm lens; Canon PowerShot SX20 IS.
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  • Joseph Langfitt Mansion, Point Breeze

    509 South Linden Avenue

    It is a legal principle that a man’s home is his castle. The attorney Joseph Langfitt took that principle quite seriously. Charles J. Rieger designed this stony turreted and battlemented mansion for him, which indicates that his client was prospering in his profession when it was built in 1901.

    Front porch
    Turret
    Joseph Langfitt house
    Joseph Langfitt house, left side, including porte cochere
    Canon PowerShot SX20 IS.

    For those who are interested or obsessive enough to care, here is the chain of evidence that identified the architect for us.

    A Hopkins plat map from 1904 shows the house, which does not appear on earlier maps, as owned by M. A. Langfitt.

    Since Langfitt is an unusual name, old Pa Pitt guessed that he might have some luck finding it in construction listings, and indeed his first search in the old reliable Philadelphia Real Estate Record & Builders’ Guide found exactly what he was looking for.

    Record & Guide, March 28, 1900, p. 200.

    Joseph A. Langfitt, attorney at law, has bought a building site on Linden avenue, East end, and will improve it by the erection of a handsome dwelling to cost about $15,000.

    The initials M. A. on the map probably belong to Mrs. Langfitt, since property was often put in the name of the wife. To confirm that this is our Langfitt, we looked in the 1904 Social Register, where we find “Langfitt Mr & Mrs Jos A” at this address.

    Record & Guide, October 24, 1900, p. 687.

    Charles J. Rieger, Smith Building, has prepared plans for a dwelling to be erected for J. Langfitt, and will receive estimates for its construction about November 1st.

    Record & Guide, December 5, 1905, p. 795.

    Charles Rieger, Smith Building,…is receiving estimates for the erection of a stone veneered dwelling to be erected on Linden avenue for Attorney Langfitt.

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  • The Chesapeake and the Chamberlin, Shadyside

    The Chesapeake and the Chamberlin

    A pair of identical apartment buildings, now known by their addresses (5758 Howe and 5754 Howe). They were built in 1908; the architect was C. J. Rieger. Though they have lost their cornices (which, to judge by the size of the scars, must have been elaborate), the rest of the details are well preserved, showing a Renaissance or Baroque style flavored with Art Nouveau.

    Entrance
    Entrance, closer
    Ornament
    Lion’s head
    Female cameo
    Male cameo
    Chesapeake and Chamberlin
    Nikon COOLPIX P100.