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Robert J. Reiley

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Robert J. Reiley
BornSeptember 26, 1878[1]
New York City
Died1961
NationalityAmerican
Known forArchitect

Robert J. Reiley, AIA, (1878–1961) was an American architect practicing in New York City in the early and mid twentieth century. He was particularly known as a designer of Catholic churches, schools, and hospitals in the Northeast USA.

Early life and architectural education

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Reiley was born in New York City and was educated in the local public school system.[citation needed] He attended the prestigious Jesuit school, Xavier High School (New York City), and Columbia Grammar School, both college preparatory schools, in New York City.[1] He graduated from the Columbia School of Architecture in 1900 and continued his alumni networking there throughout the rest of his career.[1] Following graduation, he worked the next two years a draftsman in the office of Ernest Flagg from 1900 to 1902 and later as supervisor of construction for Van Vleck and Goldsmith from 1902 to 1903.[1] After a period of European travel and study in Paris from 1903 to 1904, he then entered into a partnership with fellow Columbia graduate Gustave E. Steinback. The firm, known as Reiley and Steinback continued in practice from 1904 through 1913 and was responsible for many buildings for Roman Catholic clients throughout the Eastern United States.[1][2] After the partnership was dissolved, both men went on to lengthy careers designing Roman Catholic churches, with Reiley's firm known as Robert J. Reiley.[1]

Architectural practice

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Robert J. Reiley practiced under his own name from 1913 until 1952 when he took his son, Robert J. Reiley Jr. into partnership and renamed the firm Robert J. Reiley & Associates. His main client remained the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York for which he designed a number of churches and associated structures.[3] His office was located at 50 East 41 Street from the 1920s and 45 West 45th Street in the 1950s.[3] During his career, he was licensed to practice architecture in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia.[1] The firm had a staff of around twenty and banked with the Guaranty Trust Company, Fifth Avenue and 44th Street, New York City.[1]

Several later noteworthy architects began their careers in his office including Louis M. Thorn and Brother Cajetan Baumann, OFM (1899–1969), a Franciscan who was to design many modern buildings mostly for Franciscan clients in the middle part of the 20th century.

Personal life

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Reiley was involved with a number of Catholic organizations. He was the director of the Catholic Camp Association, as well as the Alumni Federation of Columbia University, and Committee Chairman of Catholic Charities. During World War I, he worked on a housing project and during World War II, he designs hospitals and community buildings for service men.[1] Reiley has at least one son, the architect Robert J. Reiley Jr. (born 22 March 1914 in New York City), whom he took into partnership in 1952 renaming his firm Robert J. Reiley & Associates.[1]

Work as Reiley and Steinback (1904-1913)

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Works in New York City as Robert J. Reiley (1913-1952) and Robert J. Reiley & Associates (1952-1961)

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Keating Hall with Edwards Parade in the foreground (Rose Hill campus).
St. Andrew's Church (New York City), designed by Reiley and Maginnis and Walsh; Photographed in 2010

Works elsewhere as Robert J. Reiley (1913-1952) and Robert J. Reiley & Associates (1952-1961)

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References

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Reiley, Robert J. "AIA Architect Roster Questionnaire, 1946, 1953" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2011.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar Robert J. Reiley, AIA Architect Roster Questionnaire, 1946, 1953 Archived 2011-08-13 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 11 January 2011)
  2. ^ a b c d Francis Morrone (Photography by James Iska), An Architectural Guidebook to Brooklyn (Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith, 2001), p.276
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Office for Metropolitan History, "Manhattan NB Database 1900-1986," (Accessed 27 Dec 2010).
  4. ^ "Pamiętnik Parafji Matki Boskiej Szkaplerznej w Bayonne, N.J :: Polish American Pamphlets". content.library.ccsu.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
  5. ^ Our Lady of Angels Website (Accessed 10 January 2011)
  6. ^ Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church Website(Accessed 10 January 2011)
  7. ^ http://bergencountyhistory.org/forums/index.php?topic=1702.0 Some information on St. Michael Novitiate
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