George B. Post & Sons, Architects

George B. Post (1837-1913) is recognized as a master of modern American architecture.  Instrumental in the birth of the skyscraper, he used innovative building techniques throughout his career to create ever-taller buildings and large interior spaces for public use.

Post was active in civic life and an early advocate of architectural standards.  Although one of the inventors of the modern skyscraper, Post campaigned vigorously for limits on building height to keep skyscrapers from overwhelming the city.

Post's sons -- William S. and James O. -- joined the the firm in 1904 to form George B. Post & Sons.  It was they who designed the Hotel Syracuse after their father's death.

Today, George Post's best known creation is the New York stock Exchange, the nerve center of America's economy.  Located at 8 Broad Street in Manhattan, it was completed in 1903.

The Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle was completed in 1924, the same year as the Hotel Syracuse.  In the late 1970's it, too, was showing its age.  The hotel underwent a multi-million dollar renovation in 1981, reconfiguring the 1,000 guest rooms into 450 larger units.  Today the Olympic Four Seasons is Seattle's only 5-star hotel.

When it was announced that the nation's fourth prestigious Statler Hotel would be built in St. Louis, it was a sign that the city had finally come of age. Construction began in 1917 and the Hotel was completed the following year.

The Statler Hotels were nationally renowned to be the pinnacle of elegance and the St. Louis hotel was be no exception. Among its other amenities, the St. Louis Statler Hotel was the nation's first air-conditioned hotel. It boasted opulent public spaces, including a stunning two-story rooftop ballroom that overlooked the city skyline.

The Hotel operated continuously from 1918 until when it closed in 1987 . It didn't reopen until 2003, following a $300 million investment in renovations and a new 23 story adjoining tower. The restored hotel is part of the America's Center convention complex in downtown St. Louis.

The Winconsin State Capital building was initiated by George Post and completed by his sons in 1917.  Constructed of granite, the Capitol dome is the only granite dome in the United States and also the largest dome by volume.

Other George Post & Sons Designs

To learn more, see George B. Post, Architect: Picturesque Designer and Determined Realist by Sarah Bradford Landau, Monacelli Press, 1998 (ISBN: 188525492X).