Eugene Kinn Choy Explained

Eugene Kinn Choy
Birth Date:5 March 1912
Birth Place:Guangdong, China
Spouse:Lucille (née Fong)
Children:Barton, Marilyn

Eugene Kinn Choy (1912–1991) was a Chinese-American architect best known for designing the Cathay Bank headquarters in Chinatown (1962–66) and several private residences in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was the second Chinese-American to join the American Institute of Architects, following I. M. Pei, and one of the earliest to graduate from the School of Architecture at the University of Southern California.

Early life and family

Choy's father, K. C. Choy, emigrated to San Francisco and eventually moved to Bakersfield, California, in 1921, where he started Choy's Department Store (originally named the "City of Fuchau").[1]

Eugene Choy was born March 5, 1912, in Guangdong, China, and emigrated to the United States in approximately 1923, when he was 10. He graduated from Kern County Union High School and Bakersfield Junior College, where he was president of the Architecture Students Association and participated in track competitions. He also served as the art editor for the 1932 Oracle, the high school's yearbook.[2] Later, he attended the University of Southern California, where he received his degree in architecture in 1939. At USC, he was the president of the Chinese Students Club and an amateur photographer. Although he is sometimes credited as the first Chinese-American to graduate from USC with a degree in architecture,[3] he was preceded by peer Chinatown architect and sculptor Gilbert Leong (USC '36).

Choy married Lucille (née Fong) on June 26, 1941, in San Diego, California.[4] During World War II, he worked for the Hughes Aircraft Company, where he assisted in the design of the Spruce Goose.[5]

Choy was one of the first non-white residents of the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles due to racial covenants in effect prohibiting the sale of property to "any person not of the Caucasian race" when he sought to build a house for his family there. He went door to door to seek the approval of every house in the neighborhood before he was given approval to build in 1949, opening the door to the Asian American and Latino communities in the 1950s and 1960s[6]

Choy's brother Lawrence also trained as an architect; a third brother, Allan (1920–2004), graduated from USC in 1948 with an architecture degree.[7] [8] Lawrence later took over the family business in Bakersfield, Choy's Department Store, from his father; Eugene helped to redesign the storefront and interior in 1948 and again for a grand reopening in 1953 following the 1952 Kern County earthquake.[9]

Choy's son Barton also trained as an architect; Barton designed neighboring houses in Silver Lake for himself and his sister Marilyn.[10]

Career

Choy first received local recognition for his sketches in the early 1930s.[11] [12] One of Choy's fifth-year projects at USC was featured in The Architect and Engineer for April 1939.[13]

Before he received his architect's license in May 1947 and opened his own office in Los Angeles that July, Choy worked for architects in southern California, including Stanton Willard and Francis W. Wynkoop. He hired Helen Liu Fong as a secretary after she graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1949.[14] Early commissions included the family business (1808 19th St, 1948) and Temple Beth-El (2906 Loma Linda Dr, 1949),[15] both in Bakersfield.

After Barton joined his father's practice in 1972, the firm was renamed to Choy Associates; it later was renamed to Cordova Architects in 2013 to reflect the current ownership.[16]

Exhibitions

In 2012 Steven Wong and Floridia Cheung highlighted Choy's work alongside contemporary peer architects Helen Fong, Gilbert Leong, and Gin D. Wong at the Chinese American Museum in an exhibit called "Breaking Ground", citing their collective influence on modern Los Angeles architecture.[17] [18] [19]

Designs

Selected Chinatown buildings by Eugene Kinn Choy
Name Image Year Address Notes/Refs.
Ying On Benevolent Association1949 424 W Bernard[20]
Gee How Oak Tin Association1949 421 Bernard
Wong Kong Har Wu Sun Association1950 744 N Broadway
Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association1951 925 N Broadway
Jin Hing Jewelry Store1955 412 Bamboo Ln
Chinese American Citizens Alliance1955 415 Bamboo Ln
Kwong Medical Center1955 1029 N Broadway[21]
Cathay Bank1966 777 N BroadwayCathay Bank was founded in 1962 by F. Chow Chan, owner of the Phoenix Bakery.[22]  [23]
Castelar Street Elementary School1977 840 YaleChoy designed the large addition, completed in 1977.

Choy notably designed several buildings within the New Chinatown district of Los Angeles. Outside of Chinatown, Choy designed a research laboratory for the Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation near Los Angeles International Airport (1957, 5730 Arbor Vitae).[24]

Aside from his commercial/public work, Choy was noted for designing residences in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, including:

In addition, Choy designed the Brander House in the Hollywood Hills (1959, 7266 Outpost Cove Drive).[38] [39]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: March 24, 1948 . Department Store Gets Face-Lifting . The Bakersfield Californian . 22 June 2021.
  2. News: May 31, 1932 . Oracle Is Now Off Press . The Bakersfield Californian . 22 June 2021.
  3. Web site: Richards, William . Pioneering Architects: Eugene Choy . 21 June 2021 . American Institute of Architects.
  4. News: July 18, 1941 . Couple Returns From Bridal Trip . The Bakersfield Californian . 21 June 2021.
  5. News: January 29, 1948 . Chinese Youth Is Architect . The Bakersfield Californian . 21 June 2021.
  6. News: The Chinese-American architect who broke down Silver Lake racial barriers . The Eastsider . 1 February 2012.
  7. News: June 12, 1948 . 15 Kern Residents Get Troy Degrees . The Bakersfield Californian . 22 June 2021.
  8. News: January 8, 2004 . Allan K. Choy . The Bakersfield Californian . 21 June 2021.
  9. News: August 13, 1953 . Choy's Store Will Reopen in New Place . The Bakersfield Californian . 21 June 2021.
  10. Web site: Barton Choy Residence . 21 June 2021 . Los Angeles Conservancy.
  11. News: July 27, 1936 . Impressionistic Sketches Are Made . The Bakersfield Californian . 22 June 2021.
  12. News: July 28, 1932 . Pen and Ink Sketches to Be Displayed Here Friday . The Bakersfield Californian . 22 June 2021.
  13. April 1939 . A Motion Picture Exposition . The Architect and Engineer . 36–38 . 22 June 2021.
  14. Web site: Helen Fong . 21 June 2021 . Los Angeles Conservancy.
  15. News: November 12, 1949 . New Temple . The Bakersfield Californian . 22 June 2021.
  16. Web site: A History . 22 June 2021 . Cordova Architects.
  17. Web site: RAGO . DANIELLE . Hidden in Plain Sight . archpaper . The Architect's Newspaper, LLC . 16 August 2019.
  18. Web site: Chinese American Architects in Los Angeles, 1945–1980 . archpaper . The Architect's Newspaper, LLC . 16 August 2019.
  19. News: GILMARTIN . WENDY . 13 February 2012 . 'BREAKING GROUND' AT CHINESE AMERICAN MUSEUM SHOWS THAT NOT ALL L.A. ARCHITECTS ARE OLD, WHITE DUDES . LA WEEKLY . 16 August 2019.
  20. Asian Americans in Los Angeles, 1850–1980 . Horak, Katie (Architectural Resources Group) . City of Los Angeles . E39 . 22 June 2021.
  21. News: July 10, 1955 . New Structure . Los Angeles Times . 22 June 2021 . Shown above is the Kwong Medical Building, now being built at 1029 N Broadway. Building was designed by Eugene Kinn Choy for co-owners, Dr. Mon Q. Kwong and Dr. Owen Kwong..
  22. Exploring Chinatown: Past and Present . April 17, 2016 . Los Angeles Conservancy . 17 June 2021.
  23. Web site: Cathay Bank . 21 June 2021 . Los Angeles Conservancy.
  24. February 1957 . Convertible Design . Architectural Record . 121 . 230–231 . 22 June 2021 . 2.
  25. News: O'Connor, Pauline . April 2, 2019 . Former home of architect Eugene Kinn Choy up for rent in Silver Lake . Curbed Los Angeles . 22 June 2021.
  26. Web site: Historic Resource Summary: 3028 W Windsor Ave . 22 June 2021 . Historic Places LA.
  27. News: Anderton, Frances . January 17, 2012 . Breaking Ground with Chinese American Architects . KCRW . 22 June 2021.
  28. February 1951 . Small City House . Arts & Architecture . 68 . 36 . 22 June 2021 . 2.
  29. Web site: 3893 Franklin Avenue . 22 June 2021 . Sotheby's International Realty.
  30. Web site: Gluck, Marissa . March 20, 2009 . New To Market: 'Chew House' Mid-Century Modern In Los Feliz . 23 June 2021 . Curbed Los Angeles.
  31. Web site: May 27, 2020 . Restored Silver Lake midcentury designed by Eugene Kinn Choy . 22 June 2021 . Best LA Neighborhoods.
  32. News: Leitereg, Neal J. . June 26, 2020 . Silver Lake home designed by Eugene Kinn Choy sells for top dollar . Los Angeles Times . 22 June 2021.
  33. News: O'Connor, Pauline . August 7, 2020 . Mid-Century Post and Beam in Silver Lake Asks $2M . Curbed . 22 June 2021.
  34. Web site: Historic Resource Summary: 3022 W Windsor Ave . 22 June 2021 . Historic Places LA.
  35. Web site: Blake, Lindsay . January 8, 2021 . On 'You,' a Mid-Century Stunner Plays Victoria Pedretti's Home . 22 June 2021 . Dirt.
  36. Web site: Historic Resource Summary: 2352 W Duane St . 22 June 2021 . Historic Places LA.
  37. Web site: Historic Resource Summary: 2356 W Duane St . 22 June 2021 . Historic Places LA.
  38. Web site: Bell, Rebekah . January 8, 2018 . Mid-Century Modern Home Designed by Architect Eugene Kinn Choy Lists for $9.3 Million . 22 June 2021 . Robb Report.
  39. Web site: Smith, Dan . 2019 . Party House with MCM Roots . 22 June 2021 . Eichler Network.

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