David Hoffman & Co. Records and Drawings

An Inventory of the Collection

Administrative History

David Hoffman, born in Dallas, Texas, graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Texas in 1972. While at the University of Texas he received a Texas Historical Resource Fellowship, sponsored by the Texas Architectural Foundation and the San Antonio Conservation Society, and developed a historical and architectural study for Roma, Texas.

Hoffman began his career with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as the Head Architect for Historic Sites and Restoration Branch. In 1973 Hoffman, along with Wayne Bell and John Klein, founded Bell, Klein and Hoffman (name changed to Bell & Hoffman in 1986). Bell, Klein and Hoffman specialized in the restoration and preservation of historic structures. Acting both as the architects and restoration consultants the firm was able to provide basic architectural services as well as extensive knowledge about adaptive reuse of historic buildings. In later years the firm expanded into "sensitive new design." In 1987 Hoffman established his own firm, David Hoffman & Co., Architects and Consultants. Again, the focus was on historic preservation, with Hoffman serving as the architect and project manager for many of the firm's projects. In addition he conducts physical investigations of historic building fabric to locate and document evidence of original form and detailings, performs cultural resource surveys, and develops historic structure reports.

Return to the Table of Contents

Scope and Contents

The Project Files and General Correspondence series (1972-1998) contains correspondence, designs and plans, specifications, project manuals, research files, photographs, transmittals, contracts, bid documents, proposals, financial documents, meeting notes, product samples, photographic materials (photographs, slides and negatives) and Historic Preservation Certification Applications that documents thirty-seven David Hoffman & Co. projects. The Project Files are arranged numerically by job number. Significant projects represented in these files include the Hermann Hospital Cullen Pavilion in Houston, TX; Austin Woman's Club; 200 Avenue D in Killeen, TX; Littlefield Building/Mall in Austin, TX; Moonlight Towers in Austin, TX; Pioneer Farm in Austin, TX; Praetorian Building in Waco, TX; Austin History Center; University of Texas Master Plan and the Goddess of Liberty Pavilion in Austin, Texas. In addition to project files the series contains General Correspondence files for the years 1987 through 1990.

The Drawings series (1922-1949, 1975-1998) contains 496 architectural drawings representing thirty-eight projects dating from 1987 through 1998. Included are sketches, plans, sections, elevations, details, maps, working drawings, and presentation drawings created by David Hoffman. In addition there are some original architectural drawings dating from 1922 to 1949 are for buildings restored and/or renovated by David Hoffman & Co that were used for reference. Commercial, public and residential designs are represented equally in the collection, with the addition of a few medical and educational projects. Among the buildings included in the drawings series are: Dewitt C. Greer State Highway Building in Austin, TX; Praetorian Building in Waco, TX; Jones Residence in Houston, TX; Sam Houston State University - Peabody Building and Steamboat House in Huntsville, TX; Austin History Center in Austin, TX; Moonlight Towers Restoration in Austin, TX; Hermann Hospital Cullen Pavilion in Houston, TX and Goddess of Liberty Pavilion in Austin, TX.

While there are some projects that are documented by both project files and drawings there are some project files without the corresponding architectural drawings and vice versa. The job numbers listed in the project files are directly transcribed from the file folders donated by the creator. However, the job numbers where inversed when the architectural drawings were cataloged so that the year was represented first. For example, if the creator job number was listed as DH2-95 (second project in the year 1995) it is listed as DH-95002 in the Architectural Archives database.

Return to the Table of Contents

Return to the Table of Contents

Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use

None.

Return to the Table of Contents

Return to the Table of Contents

Related Material

Return to the Table of Contents

Separated Material

Return to the Table of Contents

Administrative Information

Custodial History

There were several donation of both David Hoffman & Co.; Bell, Klein & Hoffman and Bell & Hoffman records by David Hoffman during the 1990s. The donations were divided into two collections with the job number being the determining factor. Bell, Klein & Hoffman used a purely numeric job number and David Hoffman & Co. used a similar numbering system but added DH to the beginning of the job number.

Preferred Citation

David Hoffman & Co. Records and Drawings (AR.2009.017). Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, Texas.

Acquisition Information

Donor #: DO/1974/065

Donation Date: 1992, 1994, 1998

Donor #: DO/1974/099

Donation Date: 1993, 1995

Processing Information

Finding aid created and encoded by Molly Hults in 2012. Architectural drawings processed by Ida Scott in 1986.

Return to the Table of Contents

Detailed Description of the Collection

Return to the Table of Contents

Return to the Table of Contents