{{Short description|American architectural firm}} {{Infobox architectural practice | name = Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon<br>Keyes Condon Florance | logo = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | caption = | firm_type = | architects = | partners = David H. Condon {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}; Thomas Eichbaum {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}; Philip Esocoff {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}; Colden Florance {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}; Arthur H. Keyes Jr. {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}; David King {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}; Francis D. Lethbridge {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}; Nicholas Satterlee {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}; Chloethiel Woodard Smith {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}} | founders = Keyes, Lethbridge, Satterlee and Smith | employees = | city = Washington, D.C. | coordinates = <!-- Use {{coord}} --> | affiliations = | founded = 1951 | dissolved = 1997 | awards = | significant_buildings = | significant_projects = | significant_design = | website = }} [[File:Lima - Chancery Office Building - 1979 - 59-OBO-736-PM S 791.jpg|thumb|The former Embassy of the United States in Lima, designed by Keyes & Lethbridge and completed in 1959.]] [[File:Johns Hopkins University SAIS - Rome Building (53822973380).jpg|thumb|The former Forest Industries Building in Washington, D.C., designed by Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon and completed in 1961. Now the Benjamin T. Rome Building of Johns Hopkins University.]] [[File:Tiber Island complex.jpg|thumb|The Tiber Island Cooperative Homes, designed by Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon and completed in 1965.]] [[File:Jackson Graham Building in late afternoon (50713349732).png|thumb|The Jackson Graham Building in Washington, D.C., designed by Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon and completed in 1974.]] [[File:Anacostia Roller Skating Pavilion (9e13ef21-2ef5-4fcd-bc42-97b92bbcfa65).jpg|thumb|The pavilion at Anacostia Park, designed by Keyes Condon Florance and completed in 1977.]] [[File:Anacosta Community Museum.jpg|thumb|The Anacostia Community Museum, designed by Keyes Condon Florance and completed in 1987.]] [[File:1100 New York Avenue NW.jpg|thumb|The 1100 New York Avenue office building in Washington, D.C., designed by Keyes Condon Florance and completed in 1991.]] [[File:Thurman Arnold Building - Washington, DC.jpg|thumb|The Thurman Arnold Building in Washington, D.C., designed by Florance Eichbaum Esocoff King and completed in 1995.]] [[File:Columbus School of Law CUA.JPG|thumb|The Columbus School of Law of the Catholic University of America, designed by Florance Eichbaum Esocoff King and completed in 1995.]] '''Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon''' was an American architectural firm active, under several different names, in Washington, D.C. from 1951 to 1997. It was founded in 1951 as '''Keyes, Smith, Satterlee & Lethbridge''' before splitting into '''Keyes & Lethbridge''' and Satterlee & Smith in 1956. Keyes & Lethbridge became Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon in 1958 and '''Keyes Condon Florance''' in 1975. After two more name changes it reverted to Keyes Condon Florance in 1995 and was merged into SmithGroup in 1997.
==History== Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon was established in 1951 as Keyes, Smith, Satterlee & Lethbridge, the partnership of Arthur H. Keyes Jr., Chloethiel Woodard Smith, Nicholas Satterlee and Francis D. Lethbridge. All four had met working in the office of Berla & Abel, which was known as an incubator for young design talent. They were modernists, and their work adhered to the architectural principles of the modern movement. In 1956 the firm was divided into two new firms, Keyes & Lethbridge and Satterlee & Smith. Smith's firm, which became Chloethiel Woodard Smith & Associates in 1963, was the largest woman-owned architectural practice in the country.<ref>Robinson & Associates, [https://planning.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/op/publication/attachments/DC%20Modern%20Historic%20Context%20Study.pdf DC MODERN: A Context for Modernism in the District of Columbia, 1945-1976], 2009.</ref>
In 1958 Keyes & Lethbridge was joined by a third partner, David H. Condon, and the firm was renamed Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon. In the 1960s the firm developed into the strongest design firm in the district and was well known for large residential and institutional projects. In their designs, the partners adhered to the architectural principles of the modern movement. During this time they completed several award-winning projects, including the Tiber Island Cooperative Homes and the River Road Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, both completed in 1965.<ref name="Nesmith1"/> The firm declined in size in the 1970s, but in 1973 they were joined in partnership by Colden Florance, a former employee.<ref>"Class Notes" in ''Princeton Alumni Weekly'' (May 1, 1973): 32.</ref>
Florance brought into the firm a focus on new project types, especially commercial projects.<ref name="Nesmith1">Lynn Nesmith, "Urban Individualists" in ''Architecture'' (April, 1991): 66-67.</ref> Lethbridge withdrew from the partnership in 1975 and the firm was renamed Keyes Condon Florance. The increase in new projects led to significant growth, and in 1985 four new partners, Thomas Eichbaum, Philip Esocoff and David King, were added. Florance, Eichbaum, Esocoff and King adopted a more pluralistic approach to design than the founders and embraced postmodernism and other contemporary trends. During these years the firm completed many office buildings as well as the conversion of historic buildings into the National Building Museum (1985), the National Museum of Women in the Arts (1987), and the National Postal Museum (1993). In 1991, as Keyes and Condon moved towards retirement, the name of the firm was extended to Keyes Condon/Florance Eichbaum Esocoff King. This was reduced to Florance Eichbaum Esocoff King in 1992.<ref name="Nesmith1"/>
In 1995 Esocoff withdrew from the partnership, and the firm returned to its former name of Keyes Condon Florance.<ref>"Firm Changes" in ''Architecture'' (January, 1996): 35.</ref> In October 1996, Florance and SmithGroup announced plans to merge Keyes Condon Florance into SmithGroup's Washington office, creating the largest architectural office in the city. The merger took effect at the start of 1997. Florance's initial role was as managing director of the office.<ref>"Smith Group, Perkins & Will Acquire Firms" in ''Architecture'' (December, 1996): 34.</ref> He retired in 2011.
==Partner biographies== ===Arthur H. Keyes Jr.=== '''Arthur Hawkins Keyes Jr. {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}''' (May 26, 1917 – June 7, 2012) was born in Rutland, Vermont. He was educated at Princeton University and the Harvard Graduate School of Design, graduating from the latter with a BArch in 1942. He worked for architects Berla & Abel and Burket, Neufeld & DeMars until 1949, when he opened his own office. During World War II he served in the naval reserve.<ref name="AHKJr56">"Keyes, Arthur H., Jr." in ''American Architects Directory'' (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1956): 297.</ref>
Keyes was married in 1941 to Lucille Sheppard and had three children.<ref name="AHKJr56"/> He died in Washington at the age of 95.<ref name="KeyesObit">"[https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/arthur-keyes-architect/2012/06/27/gJQAIsRq7V_story.html Arthur Keyes, architect]," The Washington Post, June 27, 2012. Accessed July 26, 2024.</ref>
===Francis D. Lethbridge=== '''Francis Donald Lethbridge {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}''' (October 5, 1920 – April 17, 2008), was born in Hackensack, New Jersey. He was educated at the Stevens Institute of Technology and Yale University, graduating from the latter in 1946. During World War II he served in the naval reserve. He worked for architects Berla & Abel and Faulkner, Kingsbury & Stenhouse before establishing Satterlee & Lethbridge with Nicholas Satterlee in 1950. The work of Satterlee & Lethbridge included Holmes Run Acres (1951).<ref name="LethbridgeWhosWho">"Lethbridge, Francis Donald" in ''Who's Who in America'', 47th ed. (New Providence: Marquis Who's Who, 1992): 2031.</ref><ref name="LethbridgeObit">Stephani Miller, "[https://www.architectmagazine.com/practice/remembering-d-c-modernist-and-preservationist-donald-lethbridge_o Remembering D.C. Modernist and Preservationist Donald Lethbridge]," Architect Magazine, May 21, 2008. Accessed July 22, 2024.</ref>
As chair of the federal Joint Committee on Landmarks of the National Capital, Lethbridge helped establish the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites.<ref name="LethbridgeObit"/> In 1965 he was also coauthor of the first edition of the ''AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C.'' Upon leaving Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon in 1975 he established an independent practice, Francis D. Lethbridge & Associates, which had a focus on preservation. He retired in 1990.<ref name="LethbridgeWhosWho"/><ref name="LethbridgeObit"/>
Lethbridge was married to Mary Jane Christopher in 1947 and had four children.<ref name="LethbridgeWhosWho"/> He died in Nantucket, Massachusetts at the age of 87.<ref name="LethbridgeObit"/>
===David H. Condon=== '''David Holt Condon {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}''' (March 15, 1916 – July 14, 1996), was born in Pasadena, California and was educated at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating with an AB in architecture in 1939. He served in the naval reserve during World War II, after which he moved to Washington, where he joined the office of Charles M. Goodman, Keyes, Smith, Satterlee & Lethbridge and Ronald S. Senseman before rejoining Keyes & Lethbridge in 1956.<ref name="CondonWhosWho">"Condon, David Holt" in ''Who's Who in America'', 37th ed. (Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1972): 630.</ref>
Condon was married to Sylvia Marquez in 1947 and had two children.<ref name="CondonWhosWho"/> He died at home in Chevy Chase, Maryland at the age of 80.<ref name="CondonObit">Claudi Levy, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1996/07/23/award-winning-architect-david-h-condon-dies-at-80/b8730a3f-cbc2-496f-811c-78f01077fa6f/ Award-winning architect David H. Condon dies at 80]," The Washington Post, July 22, 1996. Accessed July 26, 2024.</ref>
===Colden Florance=== '''Colden l'Hommedieu Ruggles "Coke" Florance {{post-nominals|list=FAIA}}''' (January 24, 1931 – December 28, 2023) was born in Baltimore. He was educated at Princeton University, earning an AB in 1952 and an MFA in 1955. He served in the navy until 1959, when he joined Satterlee & Smith before moving to Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon in 1961.<ref name="CF62">"Florance, C(olden) R(uggles)" in ''American Architects Directory'' (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1962): 218.</ref> He left in 1968 to form the partnership of Florance & Cohalan and later managed a solo practice before returning to Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon.<ref name="CF70">"Florance, Colden l'Hommedieu Ruggles" in ''American Architects Directory'' (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1970): 284.</ref><ref name="FloranceWhosWho">"Florance, Colden l'Hommedieu Ruggles" in ''Who's Who in America'', 43rd ed. (Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1984): 1061.</ref>
Florance was married three times: to Barbara Dale Crosby, Elizabeth Owens and Nancy Griscom. He had three children.<ref name="FloranceWhosWho"/> He died in Washington at the age of 92.<ref name="FloranceObit">"Florance, Colden L'Hommedieu Ruggles Florance (Coke)" in ''The Washington Post'', January 2, 2024.</ref>
==Legacy== Like Berla & Abel before them, Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon and its successors were noted as incubators for young architects. Their most notable alumni were George E. Hartman Jr. and Warren J. Cox, who founded Hartman-Cox Architects in 1965 after leaving the firm, and Hugh Newell Jacobsen, who worked for the firm in 1957–58. Other employees who established successful local and regional practices include Heather Cass of Cass & Associates, Winthrop W. Faulkner, William C. Gridley of Bowie Gridley Architects, and Jack McCartney and Anne McCutcheon Lewis of McCartney Lewis Architects.<ref name="Nesmith1"/>
The partners were recognized by the architectural community for their excellence in design. All of the name partners were elected Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the AIA's highest membership honor.<ref>''The American Institute of Architects College of Fellows History & Directory'' (Washington: American Institute of Architects, 2019)</ref>
==Architectural works== ===Keyes, Smith, Satterlee & Lethbridge, 1951–1956=== * 1954 – Pine Spring development, Fairfax County, Virginia<ref>"Lesson for builders/architects" in ''House+Home'' (November, 1952): 140-147.</ref> * 1955 – Chestnut Lodge therapy building,{{efn|name=Dem|Demolished.}} 500 W Montgomery Ave, Rockville, Maryland<ref>"Seven health buildings" in ''Architectural Forum'' (September, 1955): 132-135.</ref> * 1956 – Robert W. Komer house, Lake Barcroft, Fairfax County, Virginia<ref>"Two-story houses" in ''Architectural Record'' (March, 1956): 176-179.</ref> * 1957 – Embassy of the United States,{{efn|name=Paraguay|Designed principally by Smith.}} Av Mcal Lopez, Asunción, Paraguay<ref name="Loeffler">Jane C. Loeffler, ''The Architecture of Diplomacy: Building America's Embassies'' (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1998)</ref>
===Keyes & Lethbridge, 1956–1958=== * 1958 – Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Congregation,{{efn|name=Belluschi|Designed by Keyes & Lethbridge, architects, with Pietro Belluschi, associated architect. Designed principally by Belluschi.}} 9601 Cedar Ln, Bethesda, Maryland<ref>"Four houses of worship" in ''Progressive Architecture'' (June, 1959): 118-121.</ref> * 1959 – Embassy of the United States (former), Av Garcilaso de la Vega 1420, Lima, Peru<ref name="Loeffler"/>
===Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon, 1958–1975=== * 1959 – Flint Hill development, Bethesda, Maryland<ref>"Every house is a prize winner" in ''House+Home'' (April, 1959): 158-163.</ref> * 1960 – Potomac Overlook development, Bethesda, Maryland<ref>''AIA Journal'' (January, 1960): 56-57.</ref> * 1961 – Forest Industries Building (former),{{efn|name=Rome|Now the Benjamin T. Rome Building of Johns Hopkins University.}} 1619 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>G. Martin Moeller Jr., ''AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C.'' (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012): 212-213.</ref> * 1961 – "House of Wood" (Hoffberger-Goldstein residence), Bethesda, Maryland<ref>"Warmth and Comfort are Modern" in ''Architectural Record'' (Mid-May, 1961): 104-107.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Turrentine |first=Jeff |date=October 21, 2004 |title=Hoo Knew? The Odd Name and Colorful History Behind a Mid-Century's Remodel |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=H1}}</ref> * 1963 – Columbia Plaza development,{{efn|name=Columbia|Designed by Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon, architects, with DeMars & Reay, associate architects.}} 2400 Virginia Ave NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>Pamela Scott and Antoinette J. Lee, ''Buildings of the District of Columbia'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993): 212-213.</ref><ref name="AR63">''Architectural Record'' (September, 1963): 198-199.</ref> * 1965 – River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6301 River Rd, Bethesda, Maryland<ref>"Unforced simplicity for a unitarian church" in ''Architectural Record'' (January, 1967): 129-132.</ref> * 1965 – Tiber Island and Carrollsburg Square developments, 4th St SW, Washington, D.C.<ref>Pamela Scott and Antoinette J. Lee, ''Buildings of the District of Columbia'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993): 242-243.</ref> * 1966 – Carderock Springs development, Bethesda, Maryland<ref>"1967 marketing report" in ''House+Home'' (May, 1967): 88-91.</ref> * 1967 – New Mark Commons development, Bethesda, Maryland<ref>"Townhouses for special markets" in ''House+Home'' (April, 1970): 86-87.</ref> * 1969 – Sunderland Building, 1390 19th St NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>G. Martin Moeller Jr., ''AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C.'' (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012): 203.</ref> * 1970 – Jefferson Tower,{{efn|name=Syracuse|Designed by Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon, architects, with Pederson, Hueber, Hares & Glavin, associate architects.}} 50 Presidential Plaz, Syracuse, New York<ref name="AR63"/> * 1974 – Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Jackson Graham Building,{{efn|name=Alt|Altered.}} 600 5th St NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>G. Martin Moeller Jr., ''AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C.'' (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012): 94-95.</ref>
===Keyes Condon Florance, 1975–1991 and 1995–1996=== * 1977 – Skating pavilion, Anacostia Park, Washington, D.C.<ref>Pamela Scott and Antoinette J. Lee, ''Buildings of the District of Columbia'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993): 276.</ref> * 1980 – Steuart Building, St. Albans School, Washington, D.C.<ref>''Progressive Architecture'' (July, 1980): 64-65.</ref> * 1983 – National Gallery of Art renovation, Constitution Ave NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>Pamela Scott and Antoinette J. Lee, ''Buildings of the District of Columbia'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993): 108-110.</ref> * 1984 – Theodore N. Lerner Hall, George Washington University<ref>"An Entire Block Reformulated" in ''Architecture'' (November, 1984): 64-65.</ref> * 1985 – National Building Museum,{{efn|name=NBM|Designed by Keyes Condon Florance, architects, with Giorgio Cavaglieri, associated architect.}} 401 F St NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>"First Phase of Pension Building Renovation for Museum Finished" in ''Architecture'' (February, 1985): 26-27.</ref><ref>Paul M. Connolly, "In the national interest: A new building museum opens in Washington, D. C." in ''Architectural Record'' (January, 1986): 75-77.</ref> * 1986 – Presidential Plaza, 900 19th St NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>Pamela Scott and Antoinette J. Lee, ''Buildings of the District of Columbia'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993): 228.</ref> * 1987 – Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl SE, Washington, D.C. * 1987 – National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>G. Martin Moeller Jr., ''AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C.'' (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012): 126.</ref> * 1987 – Republic Place, 1776 I St NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>Pamela Scott and Antoinette J. Lee, ''Buildings of the District of Columbia'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993): 226-227.</ref> * 1990 – Office building, 1717 H St NW, Washington, D.C.<ref name="Nesmith1"/> * 1989 – Office building, 750 17th St NW, Washington, D.C.<ref name="Nesmith1"/> * 1991 – Liberty Place, 881 3rd St NW, Washington, D.C.<ref name="Nesmith3">Lynn Nesmith, "Corner Office" in ''Architecture'' (April, 1991): 74-75.</ref> * 1991 – Office building, 2401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>G. Martin Moeller Jr., ''AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C.'' (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012): 171.</ref> * 1991 – Office building, 1100 New York Ave NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>G. Martin Moeller Jr., ''AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C.'' (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012): 127.</ref> * 1992 – King Street Station complex, Duke St, Alexandria, Virginia<ref>Richard Guy Wilson et al., "King Street Station Complex", Alexandria, Virginia, SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/VA-01-AL48. Last accessed: July 22, 2024.</ref> * 1999 – Kansas City Union Station rehabilitation,{{efn|name=KCMO|Designed by Ehrenkrantz, Eckstut & Kuhn and Keyes Condon Florance, associated architects.}} 30 W Pershing Rd, Kansas City, Missouri<ref>Cole Woodcox, "Union Station", Kansas City, Missouri, SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/MO-01-095-0003. Last accessed: July 22, 2024.</ref>
===Florance Eichbaum Esocoff King, 1992–1995=== * 1993 – Exploration Hall, George Washington University Virginia Science and Technology Campus, Ashburn, Virginia<ref>"Campus Generator" in ''Architecture'' (March, 1993): 50-57.</ref> * 1993 – National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, D.C.<ref>"Postal Modern" in ''Architecture'' (November, 1993): 88-95.</ref> * 1993 – Oval Offices, 800 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>G. Martin Moeller Jr., ''AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C.'' (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012): 142.</ref> * 1994 – Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.<ref>G. Martin Moeller Jr., ''AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C.'' (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012): 289.</ref> * 1995 – Thurman Arnold Building, 555 12th St NW, Washington, D.C.<ref>G. Martin Moeller Jr., ''AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C.'' (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012): 119-120.</ref> * 1997 – Time-Life Building, 1940 Duke St, Alexandria, Virginia<ref>Richard Guy Wilson et al., "Time-Life Building", Alexandria, Virginia, SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/VA-01-AL46. Last accessed: July 22, 2024.</ref>
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Architecture firms based in Washington, D.C. Category:Design companies established in 1951 Category:Design companies disestablished in 1997