Gustave E. Steinback

Gustave E. Steinback
Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Front portal (December 2008)
Born	September 29, 1878 New York City
Died	September 21, 1959 Stamford, Connecticut
Nationality	United States
Known for	Architect

Gustave E. Steinback (1878–1959) was an American architect practicing in New York City in the early and mid twentieth century. He was particularly known as a designer of Roman Catholic schools and churches. His offices were located at 157 West 74th Street in the 1920s, and in Stamford, Connecticut in the 1940s.

Steinback was sent to Germany for his elementary education. He later studied at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, New York City, and later received a B.S. from Columbia School of Architecture in New York City, class of 1900. After graduation, he traveled throughout Europe, spent three years in Germany, and one year in France working for Atelier Bernard.

He claimed at the end of his career to have started his practice in 1903 but this may have been a mistake, as he had earlier claimed 1904 as his first year. In 1904, he entered into a partnership with fellow Columbia graduate Robert J. Reiley. 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.

After the partnership was dissolved, both men went on to lengthy careers designing Roman Catholic churches. He was licensed to practice architecture in New Jersey in 1905, and in New York in 1916, suggesting he only had to get his New York license after his partnership was dissolved with the more successful Reiley. He was an associate of the American Institute of Architects until 1931. He was also a member of the Associated Stamford Architects.

Steinback was active in civic affairs and was for many years a member of the Stamford City Planning Board. He died at Stamford Hospital on September 21, 1959 from injuries sustained when he was struck by an automobile.

Unlike many other of his contemporaries, Steinback continued to work in private practice during World War I, not completing any government service until World War II when he worked on engineering on Stewart's Field and at Rye Lake Airport.