George Henry Griebel (13 August 1846 – March 1933) was a prominentBerlin-born and trainedarchitect who resided inNew York City. He designed numerous public and private buildings, many of which are still standing in New York City,Philadelphia, andWashington DC. However, because at the time an architect did not receive credit for his work unless he owned his own firm, Griebel is largely uncredited for buildings such as theDakota Building and other luxury apartment buildings in New York City, a staircase in theLibrary of Congress, the design for Grant's Row, planned as the home of embassies in Washington, DC, and many other buildings. The originalarchitectural drawings of the Dakota building and theSinger Building are in the private collection of the Griebel family.
The Griebels were a wealthy and influential family fromBerlin,Brandenburg,Prussia. George came from a musical family whose rank belongs to the royal orchestras of KingFrederick II of Prussia. His father,Julius Heinrich Griebel (1809–1865), was acellist and music master of theRoyal Prussian Court Orchestra (königlich preußische Hofkapelle) and also conductor of the Soirren Quartet which gave concerts in many countries.[1] His grandfather, Johann Heinrich Griebel, first teacher of the composerAlbert Lortzing, and his great uncle, George Ritter, werebassoonists with the Imperial Chapel. His uncles, Heinrich Franz Griebel (oboe) and Ferdinand Griebel (violin), were also members of the Imperial Royal Chamber Music Orchestra. Since three generations of Griebels were employed by three generations of theHouse of Hohenzollern, Griebel had ample exposure to and training in theNorth German Renaissance style.
George was educated at amilitary academy for the Engineer Corps of thePrussian Army. In 1865 he left the army and migrated to New York City with his brother, Maximilliam, a violinist. He continued his studies atGeorgetown University in Washington DC.
He moved toWashington, DC, in 1865 and opened an office. In 1869, he accepted employment in theWar Department and for some years held the position of architect and engineer to theQuartermaster-General's Office, War Department. He was sent West toSan Antonio, Texas, and built the quadrangle atFort Sam Houston in 1871.
In Washington, DC, he designed thestaircase in the Great Hall of the Library of Congress. Next to the Library of Congress he designed residences for embassies in the land on which theFolger Shakespeare Library now stands. "Back in the early 70s, whenold Washington was expected to grow to the east from the face of the Capital, Grant row was built in elaborate style after designs by a German architect named Griebel, in the belief that embassies and legations would be attracted to Capital Hill and that the section would become the most attractive residential section of the city....Failing in the original plan of becoming a focal point of the elite of Washington society, these houses, nevertheless, held a place of their own in Washington realty...Many members of theCongress occupied these houses after their completion but for some reason the embassies did not spread in that direction." "The residents of Capitol Hill welcome this new structure in their neighborhood but they will not soon forget old Grant Row, a line of well built red brick houses set far back from the street on the site now occupied by theFolger Library."[2]
In 1880 Griebel established himself in New York City. He married Frances Bourne of the John Geib family of piano makers and the Bourne family known for arts; "Views of New York" NYHS, and anti-slavery work. He was almost fifty when his wife died and left him with three small children. In honor of his first daughter, Alma, he put a design of her on one of his buildings.
He designed with Karl Jacobsen and "superintended the construction of the Dakota Apartment Hotel for the Clark Estate, while for the same estate, during a period of eighteen years, he erected several fine structures and rows of building, such as the Singer Manufacturing Company's Office Building,Third Avenue and16th Street; fourteen houses on WestEighty-fifth Street, with a row on West Seventy-third Street, both rows being nearColumbus Avenue; the Barnett Store, Seventy-fourth Street and Columbus Avenue, and many others." Karl Jacobsen married Daisy, a friend of his daughter, Edna B. Griebel, who was a composer of classical music. He and the children lived most of their lives in an apartment that had been converted from achapel. He was a gentle and amiable man, thin of frame, and possessing a strong Prussian accent.
Other buildings erected by him include the Aschenbroedel Clubhouse, on East Eighty-sixth Street, of which he was made a life member in recognition of his efficient services; the Unger Storage and Power Building, 46 Huston Street; theAhrens Building, corner of Elm and Franklin streets; the Majestic Apartment House, corner of St Nicholas and One Hundred and Forty-fifth Street, and many other buildings, equally prominent, including clubhouses, apartment hotels, and business buildings."[3]
He died at 93 years of age.
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