Partners: network

Harold Wallace Adams, Frederick Theodore Ahlson, Manson Otis Bennett, Henry A. Birner, William Frederick Buursma, David Milton Checkley Sr., James Joseph Chiarelli, Edward Leonard Cushman, G. R. Cysewski, Arthur Edwards, Alfred Hans Fast, William Henry Fey, John Graham Sr., John Graham Jr., Francis W. Grant, Alvin Berton Harrison, James E. Jackson, John Theodore Jacobsen, Robert Merrill Johnson, Howard A. Kinney, Roderick R. Kirkwood, Joseph F. Moodie, Albert William Nelson Jr., Edward Thomas Osborn, Lionel Henry Pries, John Francis Havergal Thompson Ridley, John Abram Rohrer, Maurice Sullam, Paul Albert Thiry Sr., Nathan Wilkinson Jr., Charles Noel Wortman, Henry Clayton Young

Active 1910-1986

Firm Notes

Headquartered in Seattle, WA, architect John Graham, Sr., (1873-1955), began John Graham and Company in 1910, at a high point of building in the Puget Sound region. Like the Detroit firm of Albert Kahn, Graham's firm designed both industrial plants and office towers, growing steadily in 1910s and 1920s. The 1930s were a lean period, but business exploded after World War II. The company, under the leadership of John Graham, Jr., (1908-1991), grew to become one of the United States' largest architectural/engineering firms, becoming a leader in shopping center and retail design (its Northgate Shopping Center of 1948-1950 being a landmark) and a popular producer of office, hotel and apartment towers. It became one of the earliest full-service design firms, integrating architectural, engineering, planning, interior design, project management and construction supervision services under one roof. Writing c.1970, the Graham firm reflected on its growth: ""More than 50 million square feet of buildings have been designed by John Graham and Company over the past 15 years, and most of this space have been incorporated into large, multi-faceted, commercial developments. The company has constantly expanded to keep pace with the scope of its projects. The staff, working out of offices in Seattle and New York, now numbers more than 250 persons. It includes architects, urban planners, civil, structural, electrical and mechanical engineers, traffic and highway specialists, store planners, interior designers and graphic artists." (See John Graham and Company Architects Planners Engineers [Seattle: John Graham and Company, c. 1970], n.p.)

In 1963, the Seattle Times wrote: "The Graham Company maintains its two main offices in Seattle and New York. Until 1955, all work was handled through the Seattle office." (See "Needle Honor: Future Beckons Beyond Plaque," Seattle Times, 02/18/1963, p. 4.)

In 10/1958, the Graham firm added two Senior Partners, Manson O. Bennett (1912-2005) and Jack L. Follett (1916-1972, who supervised the New York office of John Graham and Company), and three Junior Partners, Nathan Wilkinson, Jr., a Seattle architect, Roderick Kirkwood, an engineer in the Seattle office, and Henry A. Birner, an engineer in the New York office. At the same time, eighten employees were elevated to Associates of the firm. They included: James E. Jackson, Director of Design; Alan Gerard, Director of Store-Planning; Alfred H. Fast and Alvin B. Harrison, Project Architects; Joseph F. Moodie, Project Manager; Anthony P. Burzenski, Civil Engineering Director; Howard Leuschen, Structural Engineering Director, Gerald R. Cysewski, Traffic and Highway Engineering Director; John G. Arges, Specifications-and-Contracts Director; Gilbert E. Tucker, Construction-Supervision Director; and Herbert W. Lunn, Comptroller. In addition, employees in branch offices were also promoted: Delmer P. Wright, Toronto; Worthen Paxton, New York; George Cooley, New York; Fred C. Wright, New York; James D. McWalters, New York; Milton H. Edelman, New York; and Lloyd H. Neereamer, New York. (See "Graham Co. Adds Partners, Associates," Seattle Times, 10/05/1958, p. 39.)

In 11/1963, Bennett was one of eight Senior Partners of John Graham and Company, along with John Graham, Jr., AIA; J.L. Follett, AIA; A.B. Harrison, RA; N. Wilkinson, Jr., AIA; J.E. Jackson, RA.; R.R. Kirkwood, PE; and H.W. Leuschen, PE. (These names were on promotional materials put out by the Graham Office.)

In the 1960s, John Graham and Company produced many large-scale planning documents for various commercial and governmental clients. These reports drew on the firm's long experience and wide expertise in architecture and engineering. For the City of Seattle, for example, it prepared a Technical Report on the Seattle Central Waterfront Development (Seattle: John Graham and Company, 1965).

In 1970, the firm maintained its office at 1426 5th Avenue in Downtown Seattle, WA. In 1972, John Graham and Company had its Honolulu, HI, offices at 410 Atkinson Drive. (See Honolulu, Hawaii, City Directory, 1972, p. 177.)

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported in its issue of 03/19/1984: "John Graham and Co., Seattle's oldest and largest architectural, planning and engineering firm, has moved to new offices at the Sixth and Pike Building, 520 Pike St." (See "Companies & People," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 03/19/1984, p. B10.) The firm designed the Sixth and Pike Building, completing supervision of its construction in 1983.

John Graham, Jr., led the company from 1946-1986, following his father's retirement. Omaha, NB-based Dana, Larson, Roubal Associates (DLR) merged with John Graham and Company on 05/19/1986, creating "DLR Group / John Graham Associates." This title lasted from 1986-1998, when the Graham name was dropped.

PCAD id: 476