Dan Nacht

The Whelan Office Buildings were located in the Palo Alto Industrial Park near Stanford University.

The property was developed as a professional office building complex by John Whelan who received a lease from Stanford University in 1957 with the buildings being completed in 1961. The Structures housed a variety of tenants including physicians, psychologists, and dentist as well as lawyers, engineers, and accountants.

The project was featured in the magazine Arts and Architecture, March 1957.

While being surveyed for Architectural significance in 2010 by City of Palo Alto the buildings were misidentified as the work of Modernist Don Knorr in their historic dismissal of the buildings for the environmental review of the new Lucille Stanford Children’s Hospital.

Special thanks to Justin Wood for bringing this project back to life through his excellent research.

Portions of this post are from the Environmental Impact Report by Steve Turner, Advance Planning Manger for the City of Palo Alto.

One of Nacht & Lewis’ well known educational projects is Cosumnes River College (CRC). The college sits on 180 acres in South Sacramento. In 1969, construction proceeded on a library building, science building, automotive and technology complex,  women’s physical education building, and swimming pool. By fall of 1970, the college opened it’s doors to the South Sacramento and Elk Grove community. Through the following years, the firm designed several other projects at CRC including the food service building (1971), additional seating to the original stadium (1971), and the student center (1972).

Nacht & Lewis returned to the Cosumnes River College campus in 2005 to design the Learning Resource Center.

Cosumnes River College continues to serve the communities of South Sacramento and Elk Grove which now holds a student population of over 14,000.

Built in 1963, the El Dorado Union High School District Ponderosa High School is located on a 38 acre oak tree-lined campus. This campus was recognized by the community and the building industry alike for its distinctive design which took full advantage of its rural setting.

The design is aesthetically pleasing with striking views which is why it is known as one of the most beautiful high school campuses in Northern California.

The campus was featured in the September 1964 edition of Architectural Record Magazine.

Designed in 1959 by Starks, Jozens, and Nacht, the motel is located in the Civic Center area of San Francisco. The motel was originally called the Graft and Light Motel. Today it is known as the Oasis Motel.

Starks, Jozens, & Nacht designed one of the first community churches for the newly developed suburb of Land Park, Sacramento in 1957. Parkside Community Church has since expanded and is still active in the Land Park community today.