William T. Warren

The Independent Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, Alabama, designed by Warren, Knight & Davis and completed in 1926. The Watts Building in Birmingham, designed by Warren, Knight & Davis and completed in 1928. Autherine Lucy Hall of the University of Alabama, designed by Warren, Knight & Davis and completed in 1929. Ross Hall of Auburn University, designed by Warren, Knight & Davis and completed in 1930. The Elmore County Courthouse in Wetumpka, designed by Warren, Knight & Davis and completed in 1932. The Alabama Department of Archives and History building in Montgomery, designed by Warren, Knight & Davis and completed in 1940. The Henderson National Bank building in Huntsville, designed by Warren, Knight & Davis and completed in 1948. The Birmingham Museum of Art, designed by Warren, Knight & Davis and completed in 1959. William T. Warren (October 3, 1877 – April 14, 1962) was an American architect from Birmingham, Alabama. He practiced architecture there from 1907 until his death in 1962. Most of his works were designed in association with Eugene H. Knight (November 30, 1884 – November 6, 1971), his business partner in the firms of Warren & Knight and Warren, Knight & Davis from 1917 until his death.

Life and career William Tilman Warren was born October 3, 1877, in Montgomery, Alabama to James Rainey Warren and Fannie Warren, née Leak. He was educated at the Alabama Polytechnic Institute (BS in engineering, 1897) and Columbia University (BS in architecture, 1902). After graduating from Columbia he worked for McKim, Mead & White and Albro & Lindeberg. In 1907 he returned to Birmingham, where he formed the partnership of Warren & Welton with William Leslie Welton. This was dissolved in 1910. In 1917 he formed a second partnership, Warren & Knight, with Eugene H. Knight. This was expanded in 1922 to include John E. Davis and was renamed Warren, Knight & Davis. As originally conceived, Knight was the chief designer, Warren was in charge of production and management and Davis was in charge of construction administration.

In 1946 the partnership was expanded to include Albion K. Knight and John E. Davis Jr., the sons of Knight and Davis. John E. Davis was the first of the name partners to die, in 1961. Warren and Knight followed in 1962 and 1971, respectively. Bob Black, the last principal of the firm, died in 2004. The firm is no longer active but legally still exists. He served as a chapter president and on the AIA board of directors.

Personal life Warren was married to Dorothea Orr in 1912. They had two children, Dorothea (Dorothy) and William Tilman Jr. (Bill).

Warren was a member of the Birmingham Country Club, the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and the Birmingham Little Theatre. In 2017 he was inducted into the Birmingham Business Hall of Fame.

Architectural works Warren & Welton, 1907–1910 1908 – Smith Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama

William T. Warren, 1910–1916 1914 – Kilby House, 1301 Woodstock Ave, Anniston, Alabama 1917 – Calkins Hall, University of Montevallo, Montevallo, Alabama

Warren, Knight & Davis, from 1922 1923 – William T. Warren house, 1445 Milner St S, Birmingham, Alabama 1925 – Alabama Power Headquarters Building, 600 18th S N, Birmingham, Alabama 1926 – Bottega Favorita, 2240-2244 Highland Ave, Birmingham, Alabama 1926 – Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Birmingham Branch, 1801 5th Ave N, Birmingham, Alabama 1926 – Independent Presbyterian Church, 3100 Highland Ave, Birmingham, Alabama 1927 – Fire Station No. 3, 2210 Highland Ave, Birmingham, Alabama 1927 – Gulf County Courthouse (former), 222 N 2nd St, Wewahitchka, Florida 1927 – Virginia Samford Theatre, 1116 26th St S, Birmingham, Alabama 1928 – Foley Hotel, 113-121 W Laurel Ave, Foley, Alabama 1928 – Protective Life Building, 2027 1st Avenue N, Birmingham, Alabama 1928 – Singer Building, 2008 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, Alabama 1928 – Watts Building, 2008 3rd Ave N, Birmingham, Alabama 1929 – John E. Davis house, 2935 Carlisle Rd, Birmingham, Alabama 1929 – Autherine Lucy Hall, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 1929 – Theodore Swann house, 3526 Redmont Rd, Birmingham, Alabama 1930 – Drake Dining Hall, Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, Alabama 1939 – Beverly Hall, Alabama State University, Montgomery, Alabama 1948 – Henderson National Bank building, 118 S Jefferson St, Huntsville, Alabama 1948 – Hurt Hall, Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, Alabama 1950 – Frank Lewis Gymnasium, Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, Alabama Hanover Place Historic District, Milner Heights Historic District and Red Mountain Suburbs Historic District.