711 N. Pennsylvania St., Tyndall Armory, 1986

Description: 711 N. Pennsylvania St., Tyndall Armory, 1986
Yes
Tyndall Armory711 North Pennsylvania Street1927Historic Description: The construction of Tyndall Armory for the Indiana National Guard was an integral part of a large-scale City Beautiful scheme developed in downtown Indianapolis in the 1920s by Lawrence Sheridan, executive secretary of the Indianapolis City Plan Commission. In addition to the armory, the plan also envisioned the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza, the American Legion national and state headquarters buildings, and memorial Obelisk and Cenotaph in a five-block area. The building is named for Major General Robert H. Tyndall. An Indianapolis native, Tyndall was orphaned at age twelve. He was a U.S. Army private during the Spanish-American War and rose to the rank of colonel by the time he served with the Rainbow Division in France during World War I. He was one of the founders of the American Legion and served as the national treasurer for that organization. His civilian career was equally impressive. Tyndall had a long-time business association with automobile industrialist Carl G. Fisher, and was Vice President / Treasurer of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After World War I, he worked for many years as Vice President / Treasurer of American Fletcher National Bank. In 1942, he was elected mayor of Indianapolis and served in that capacity until his death in 1947.Architectural Description: Tyndall Armory is an outstanding example of Florentine influenced Renaissance Revival style. The three-story building, set on a raised basement, was constructed in 1927, and has a seven bay main (west) elevation. Typical of the Renaissance Revival, the rusticated limestone facade is organized into three distinct horizontal divisions through the use of terra cotta string courses and diverse window configurations. The double door entry is topped by an arched transom light. The keystone arch surround is crowned by an elaborate terra cotta medallion depicting the symbol of the United States Eagle. First floor windows are rectangular and are covered with heavy iron bar grid. The extended height of the second floor accommodates two bands of windows; large, thirty-light casement windows capped with fanlights under pairs of narrow eight-light casement windows. The third floor fenestration features splendid limestone surrounds topped with flat molded limestone lintels (the central bay window replaces the flat lintel with a pediment). The facade is replete with elaborate polychromatic terra cotta. The first stringcourse features garland bedecked urns; the second course has plaques representing symbols of the various service branches; the frieze band above the third floor alternates five point stars with fasces. The building is crowned by three diminutional eagles adorning a molded cornice line projecting over dentil brackets. The terra cotta details are the work of Estonian-born, architectural sculptor Alexander Sangernebo, who resided in Indianapolis.St. Joseph Historic Area Preservation Plan, 1991
Armory
Origin: 1986
Source: http://iuidigital.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/HT/id/3456
Collection: Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission Image Collection
Rights: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Copyright: In Copyright
Geography: Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, United States, http://sws.geonames.org/4259418/, 39.76838, -86.15804
Subjects: Architecture--Indiana--Indianapolis
Built environment
Historic districts
Renaissance Revival
stone
brick
terracotta
modillions
arches
keystones
stringcourses
fanlights

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