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By Devin Colman
The Montpelier Federal Building is at a critical juncture in its history. Built in 1964 to house the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing resource in the Montpelier Historic District. Its modernist architectural design, however, is viewed by some as anachronistic to Montpelier’s downtown government center. To appreciate this building, it’s important to understand the context within which it was conceived and constructed and not judge it by present-day standards. Tastes and preferences come and go, and buildings once heralded for their design can fall out of favor. With the passage of time, however, these same buildings can be re-evaluated and embraced as significant examples of architectural design and construction.
Consider, for example, College Hall at the former Vermont College of Fine Arts campus in Montpelier. Constructed in 1872, this French Second Empire building was praised in the local press as a “superb building” and a “convenient, commodious and stately hall of science of learning” when it opened.
By 1937, sixty-five years later, the architecture of the once-revered College Hall was described as “the ugly angular style of 1872, with a blunt tower, mansard roof, and arched windows.” It had fallen out of style. This is exactly the moment in which we find ourselves now with the Montpelier Federal Building. It is 61 years old, no longer in fashion, and considered by some an eyesore.
By 1975, however, the French Second Empire had been redeemed as a significant architectural style of the nineteenth century. College Hall achieved listing in the National Register of Historic Places, with documentation describing it as “an outstanding example of French Second Empire style architecture” and “one of the significant architectural landmarks in the architecturally rich City of Montpelier.”
We cannot predict what future generations will value architecturally, historically, or aesthetically. But we do know that the Montpelier Federal Building was designed in an era of national reform focused on improving federal government facilities. Under the leadership of President John F. Kennedy, a special committee led by Assistant Secretary of Labor Daniel Patrick Moynihan devised the “Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture,” which established a three-point policy for new federal buildings:
Designs should “embody the finest contemporary American architectural thought … buildings shall be economical to build, operate, and maintain, and should be accessible to the handicapped.”
“The development of an official style must be avoided. Design must flow from the architectural profession to the Government, not vice versa.”
“The choice and development of the building site should be considered the first step of the design process. This choice should be made in cooperation with local agencies.”
The Montpelier Federal Building embodies all three tenets of the Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture. It is of modernist design and constructed of durable brick and marble, with a reinforced concrete frame. The architect, Julian Goodrich (1922–2010), was born and raised in Montpelier and studied architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design. He established his practice in 1954 in South Burlington and was a leading proponent of modernist design in Vermont. The downtown site of the building placed it near the Vermont Statehouse and state offices and ensured easy access for Montpelier residents.
When the Montpelier Federal Building opened, an editorial in the the Times-Argus newspaper proclaimed that it added “a bit of magnificent splendor to State Street” and that Montpelier residents would soon “hear the praise that Vermonters and visitors alike are bound to express when they behold the fine new federal building.” Like College Hall, it was seen as a beneficial contribution to the community when it opened.
Now, with the fate of the property up in the air, it is essential to remember why and how this building came into being. It is a product of mid-twentieth century federal government efforts to improve public infrastructure and facilities with well-designed, durable, and adaptable buildings. The Montpelier Federal Building presents an excellent opportunity for adaptive reuse in a manner that respects its modernist architectural design while accommodating the improvements necessary for twenty-first century life.
