Although it is impossible to document this for certain, we believe that one of the busiest architectural firms in early 1900s El Paso was the "Assembly Line" of Perry & Kirkpatrick. It is likely that they *were* the most prolific until Mabel Welch shifted into overdrive in the late 1920s or early 1930s. A creative and fast-paced firm, they acted as Architects, Builders and Real Estate agents for possibly hundreds of smaller "humble" El Paso homes, especially in the decade between 1910 and 1920. In addition to their home building and selling business, they also designed and built commercial structures - most notably the Tri-State Motor Company, where they designed the structure, built it, and then occupied it as owners of the Ford and Firestone dealership! (We recently featured this remarkable, extant building - see https://www.facebook.com/TrostSociety/posts/3193610580756986).
The firm also designed a few El Paso apartment buildings, a couple of which we are featuring today as examples of their work. The first is a U-shaped single story complex, with a pergola-covered central walkway. Located on San Antonio at the Cotton intersection, it is known today as the Camillo Apartments, built for C.S. Pickrell. This is the more creative of the two designs (perhaps - you tell us!), and is quite handsome even today at 106 years old. The cost to erect this Spanish-flavored homestead, which had 20 apartments within, was a cool $32,000 - which is a little over $900,000 today.
The second is a more conservatively styled building erected for William Lambert up in the Sunset Heights Historic District. The Lambert Apartments, also completed in 1915, more reflect the style of its surrounding "wealthy" residences, and fits in quite well. This building was erected for $25,000 for its owner, who lived two doors south of the building. Today, like its sibling the Camillo, the building, located at 1524 Upson, is in pretty good condition considering its advanced age.
The designs created by the firm of Perry & Kirkpatrick are pretty, but pale in comparison to the artistry of the day's dominant firms (Trost & Trost, Kneezell, Gibson & Robertson, Krause, Thorman, Fraser, etc.). Nevertheless they operated very successfully in their niche, and helped make the Sun City what she is today.
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-- Mark Stone, citing period newspaper articles accessed at newspapers.com
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| The 1915 Camillo Apartments. Google Earth Street View accessed 04/14/2021 |
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| The 1915 Camillo Apartments. Google Earth Street View accessed 04/14/2021 |
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| The 1915 Camillo Apartments. Google Earth Street View accessed 04/14/2021 |
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| The 1915 Camillo Apartments. Google Earth Street View accessed 04/14/2021 |
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| The 1915 William Lambert Apartments. Google Earth Street View, accessed 04/14/2021 |
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| The 1915 William Lambert Apartments. Google Earth Street View, accessed 04/14/2021 |
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| The 1915 William Lambert Apartments. Google Earth Street View, accessed 04/14/2021 |
