U.S. Naval Air Station, Paint Shop, 222 East Avenue, Pensacola, Escambia County, FL

Significance: Constructed in 1907 as a paint shop, Building No. 52 played a supportive role for installation operations during the late years of the old Pensacola Navy Yard, and later in support of the health of installation personnel at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola during World Wars I and II. The two-story, brick building was one of a few constructed after the destructive 1906 hurricane, just prior to the closure of the navy yard in 1911. An architect is not listed on available plans, nor is a contractor. Over time, Building No. 52 has been modified extensively to accommodate new and different roles within the shifting mission of the installation. Less than a decade after construction, the facility experienced major interior modification in 1915, when a remodel in support of the expanding aeronautical station turned the paint shop into a dispensary and sick quarters. An addition on the building's southern end was probably built in 1918. In late 1944, extensive remodeling of the building that included enclosure of the porch prepared the building for use as a classroom/repair facility for the Naval Training School's photography school. However, this use was short-lived. By 1951, remodeling that included applying a stucco veneer to the brick facade, the addition of a small utility room extension on the north end, and installation of a porte cochere over the main entrance, occurred in conjunction with the building's conversion into offices for the Industrial Relations Department. The building served in an administrative capacity for the remainder of its useful life. At present, the two-story, load-bearing masonry building features an irregular plan. Distinctive architectural elements include a parapet roof with a corbelled brick cornice topped with a concrete cap. A textured stucco finish covers the original brick exterior walls. Despite modern alterations, the building remains compatible in scale and form with the original design. In addition, many of the exterior modifications, such as the porch, the additions, and the stucco, are now more than fifty years old, and have thus become part of the historic fabric of the building. Building No. 52 is located in the southeastern section of NAS Pensacola, within the boundaries of the Pensacola Naval Air Station Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The National Park Service designated this district as a National Historic Landmark (NHL) in 1976. Neither nomination clearly defines the district's period of significance, although Building No. 52 is identified as an historic resource within the district.
Survey number: HABS FL-490
Building/structure dates: 1907 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 1915 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 1918 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 1944 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 1951 Subsequent Work
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 76000595