U.S. Post Office, Court House and Custom House

About this property

Alexander Pirnie Federal Building is a historic post office, courthouse, and custom house located at Utica, Oneida County, New York. It was named for Congressman Alexander Pirnie in 1984. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. It remains in use as a courthouse for the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. The U.S. Post Office, Courthouse, and Custom House in Utica occupies a full block bounded by Broad Street on the north, John Street on the east, Catherine Street on the south, and Franklin Street on the west. Located on the edge of downtown, the limestone-and-brick building is separated by an elevated viaduct which dominates the site. Its simple classicized detailing sets it apart from the many Victorian buildings in downtown Utica. Constructed in 1928 and 1929, the three-story building rises above a slightly raised basement and is an excellent example of Starved Classicism. The height of the building from first floor level to courtroom parapet is about 58 feet. The basement, first floor, and second floor are approximately square in plan and the third floor is U-shaped. The walls of the building are clad with buff-colored brick, except for the base and center front which are clad in limestone. All of the windows are double hung. The original wood sashes have been replaced with bronze anodized aluminum units. The Broad Street facade is 166 feet long and is divided into eleven bays. The base course serves as a plinth for two-story Corinthian pilasters which mark the bays and support an entablature which extends the full length of the facade. Inscribed in the center of the frieze are the words "Post Office," "Court House," and "Custom House." The two front entrances, at opposite ends of the north elevation, have granite steps bounded by limestone-clad cheek walls. Around the doorway are fluted Tuscan-order pilasters and an entablature. The facade is topped by a simple cornice and a pitched slate roof. Limestone and brick elevator penthouses rise from the pitched roof at each corner. The John Street (side) facade faces east and is 161 feet long divided into thirteen bays. The base is limestone and the first through third floors are brick. An entablature, continuing around from the front, separates the second and third floors. The facade is topped by a slate-covered pitched roof. The northernmost bay reflects the front corner, as both edges of the bay have limestone quoins, and above this bay is the elevator penthouse. The Franklin Street (side) facade on the west is nearly identical to the east facade except that the rear six bays of the third floor extend up above the pitched roof to allow for the additional height of the courtroom. The cornice at the eave line extends across this facade, and at the top of this section is a parapet.

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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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