Chateau Frontenac Apartments

The Chateau Frontenac was an eight-story apartment building constructed from buff brick, with off-white terra cotta details and a hipped roof of green Spanish tile.[3] The building was Mediterranean Revival with some French Gothic accents, and covered an "E"-shaped plan area.[3] The entranceway was through a tile-roofed projecting pavilion (the center leg of the "E") containing a terra cotta fountain with a dolphin motif.[3] The first floor had raised bricks every ninth course or so, giving the appearance of rustication.[4]

Different bonds of brick (including American bond and English bond) were used throughout to add textural interest. Fanlike terra cotta motifs were inserted above second floor windows.[4] Cartouches of terra cotta were placed between the top-floor windows, and decorative terra cotta eave brackets were beneath the roof. Three-sided multi-paned bay windows projected into the courtyard.[3]

The interior of the building originally held 102 apartments. Decorative elements included wood frame moldings and hallway cornices with leaf motifs.[4]

The Chateau Frontenac Apartments was originally designed and owned by architect J. Will Wilson.[3] The Chateau Frontenac was one of several high quality apartment buildings that opened along East Jefferson Avenue in the first few decades of the twentieth century.[4] However, Wilson apparently had financial troubles during the construction of the building, and he was forced to sell the building in 1927.[3] The building had a succession of owners[3] from that time until its eventual demolition.