Andrew J. Thomas
| Andrew Jackson Thomas | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1875 Manhattan, New York |
| Died | 1965 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Known for | Low-cost apartments with green space |
Andrew Jackson Thomas (1875–1965) was a self-taught American architect who was known for designing low-cost apartment complexes that included green areas in the first half of the twentieth century.
Andrew Jackson Thomas was born on Lower Broadway in Manhattan, New York, in 1875. Thomas was the son of a dealer in oil paintings and diamonds. His mother died when he was twelve. He was an orphan by the age of 13. Thomas spent some time working in the Yukon gold fields, and worked as a rent collector in the Columbus Avenue tenements in New York. He obtained a job as a timekeeper for a building contractor, where he became interested in construction plans. He was able to use his self-taught knowledge to launch a career as an architect.
Thomas became identified with the idea of including gardens in apartment complexes as early as the 1910s. During World War I (1914–1918) the United States Shipping Board set up the Emergency Fleet Corporation to finance expansion of shipyards. Among its responsibilities were building housing for workers. Thomas was among those employed in the housing division. As supervising architect for the Emergency Fleet Corporation, Thomas became expert in finding ways to minimize costs. After the war Thomas was architect for a number of projects for the Queensboro Corporation, including important work in Jackson Heights, Queens. He also worked directly for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. noticed Thomas's work and employed him to design the Dunbar Apartments (1926–1928), a non-profit cooperative for African Americans in Harlem. Thomas later was appointed the New York State Architect. He designed several hospitals, including the Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn. A 1931 story on Thomas said he was "of medium height, bald, and a bit round. Better housing is his religion and he talks about it with the fervor of Billy Sunday." Andrew Jackson Thomas died in 1965.
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