The Philadelphia Inquirer; Tuesday, October 22, 1996, Section B Page 4:
"James A. Nolen Jr., 83, an architect whose firm designed nine buildings at Temple University, six area Catholic high schools, and the State Office Building in Philadelphia, died Friday of a rare blood disease at his home in Jupiter Island, Fla. A Philadelphia native who got a degree in architecture from the University of Notre Dame in 1936, Mr. Nolen's career reflected building trends in the mid-20th century - suburban ranch houses in the post-war years; buildings for colleges, high schools and government agencies in the 1960s and 1970s; and golf courses and an adult community center in the 1980s and 1990s. For more than 30 years, Mr. Nolen and his wife, Elizabeth, the daughter of Philadelphia Athletics owner-manager Connie Mack, and their five sons lived in a contemporary home on the Waterman Estate in Chestnut Hill that he designed in 1951. It was considered the epitome of futuristic design for its California look, intercom system, and music piped into every room. After he graduated from Notre Dame, Mr. Nolen opened an office in Germantown. When World War II broke out, Mr. Nolen enlisted in the Navy and was assigned to a Seabees construction battalion stationed in California. When he returned to Philadelphia in 1945, he became a junior partner with his father, James Nolen Sr., and Charles Ernie in their development firm, Erlen. The company built Penn Square Village in East Norriton Township, Flourtown Gardens in Flourtown, Plymouth Valley in Plymouth Township, and rowhouses and twins in Mount Airy during the post-war housing boom. "They did everything from soup to nuts" in these development projects - designed them, built them and handled the mortgages, Timothy Nolen said of his father's firm. The elder Nolen and Ernie also owned the Erlen Theater in Cheltenham and bowling alleys in Mount Airy. In 1949, Mr. Nolen formed a partnership with another architect, Herbert Swinburne. At its peak in the 1960s, Nolen & Swinburne, which had offices at 17th and Sansom Streets and later at 16th and Walnut Streets, employed 40 architects and 21 engineers who designed large buildings for colleges, Catholic schools and government agencies. At Temple, the firm designed the physical education, physics and medical research buildings, the medical center and a men's dormitory. Nolen & Swinburne also designed buildings for Gwynedd Mercy College, Bucks County Community College and LaSalle College. In 1970, the firm won the gold medal - the top design award - from the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for the design of St. Joseph's Prep School. After Nolen & Swinburne closed in 1974, Mr. Nolen developed Whitpain Farms, an adult community in Whitpain Township, and moved there with his wife in 1985. Timothy and his brother, Michael, said their father had a passion for golf. He was a founding member of the Squires Golf Club in Horsham in 1962. Later, as chairman of its Greens Committee, he was active in the day-to-day operation of the club. He also was a founding member of the Jupiter Hills Golf Club in Florida in 1971. He is also survived by three other sons, James A. 3d, Dennis E. and Charles C.; and 11 grandchildren. A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Epiphany of Our Lord Church in Blue Bell, a church designed by Mr. Nolen's firm. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Foshav Cancer Center, c/o Jupiter Medical Center, 210 S. Old Dixie Highway, Jupiter, Fla. 33458."
"James A. Nolen Jr., 83, an architect whose firm designed nine buildings at Temple University, six area Catholic high schools, and the State Office Building in Philadelphia, died Friday of a rare blood disease at his home in Jupiter Island, Fla. A Philadelphia native who got a degree in architecture from the University of Notre Dame in 1936, Mr. Nolen's career reflected building trends in the mid-20th century - suburban ranch houses in the post-war years; buildings for colleges, high schools and government agencies in the 1960s and 1970s; and golf courses and an adult community center in the 1980s and 1990s. For more than 30 years, Mr. Nolen and his wife, Elizabeth, the daughter of Philadelphia Athletics owner-manager Connie Mack, and their five sons lived in a contemporary home on the Waterman Estate in Chestnut Hill that he designed in 1951. It was considered the epitome of futuristic design for its California look, intercom system, and music piped into every room. After he graduated from Notre Dame, Mr. Nolen opened an office in Germantown. When World War II broke out, Mr. Nolen enlisted in the Navy and was assigned to a Seabees construction battalion stationed in California. When he returned to Philadelphia in 1945, he became a junior partner with his father, James Nolen Sr., and Charles Ernie in their development firm, Erlen. The company built Penn Square Village in East Norriton Township, Flourtown Gardens in Flourtown, Plymouth Valley in Plymouth Township, and rowhouses and twins in Mount Airy during the post-war housing boom. "They did everything from soup to nuts" in these development projects - designed them, built them and handled the mortgages, Timothy Nolen said of his father's firm. The elder Nolen and Ernie also owned the Erlen Theater in Cheltenham and bowling alleys in Mount Airy. In 1949, Mr. Nolen formed a partnership with another architect, Herbert Swinburne. At its peak in the 1960s, Nolen & Swinburne, which had offices at 17th and Sansom Streets and later at 16th and Walnut Streets, employed 40 architects and 21 engineers who designed large buildings for colleges, Catholic schools and government agencies. At Temple, the firm designed the physical education, physics and medical research buildings, the medical center and a men's dormitory. Nolen & Swinburne also designed buildings for Gwynedd Mercy College, Bucks County Community College and LaSalle College. In 1970, the firm won the gold medal - the top design award - from the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for the design of St. Joseph's Prep School. After Nolen & Swinburne closed in 1974, Mr. Nolen developed Whitpain Farms, an adult community in Whitpain Township, and moved there with his wife in 1985. Timothy and his brother, Michael, said their father had a passion for golf. He was a founding member of the Squires Golf Club in Horsham in 1962. Later, as chairman of its Greens Committee, he was active in the day-to-day operation of the club. He also was a founding member of the Jupiter Hills Golf Club in Florida in 1971. He is also survived by three other sons, James A. 3d, Dennis E. and Charles C.; and 11 grandchildren. A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Epiphany of Our Lord Church in Blue Bell, a church designed by Mr. Nolen's firm. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Foshav Cancer Center, c/o Jupiter Medical Center, 210 S. Old Dixie Highway, Jupiter, Fla. 33458."
The Philadelphia Inquirer; Tuesday, October 22, 1996, Section B Page 4:
"James A. Nolen Jr., 83, an architect whose firm designed nine buildings at Temple University, six area Catholic high schools, and the State Office Building in Philadelphia, died Friday of a rare blood disease at his home in Jupiter Island, Fla. A Philadelphia native who got a degree in architecture from the University of Notre Dame in 1936, Mr. Nolen's career reflected building trends in the mid-20th century - suburban ranch houses in the post-war years; buildings for colleges, high schools and government agencies in the 1960s and 1970s; and golf courses and an adult community center in the 1980s and 1990s. For more than 30 years, Mr. Nolen and his wife, Elizabeth, the daughter of Philadelphia Athletics owner-manager Connie Mack, and their five sons lived in a contemporary home on the Waterman Estate in Chestnut Hill that he designed in 1951. It was considered the epitome of futuristic design for its California look, intercom system, and music piped into every room. After he graduated from Notre Dame, Mr. Nolen opened an office in Germantown. When World War II broke out, Mr. Nolen enlisted in the Navy and was assigned to a Seabees construction battalion stationed in California. When he returned to Philadelphia in 1945, he became a junior partner with his father, James Nolen Sr., and Charles Ernie in their development firm, Erlen. The company built Penn Square Village in East Norriton Township, Flourtown Gardens in Flourtown, Plymouth Valley in Plymouth Township, and rowhouses and twins in Mount Airy during the post-war housing boom. "They did everything from soup to nuts" in these development projects - designed them, built them and handled the mortgages, Timothy Nolen said of his father's firm. The elder Nolen and Ernie also owned the Erlen Theater in Cheltenham and bowling alleys in Mount Airy. In 1949, Mr. Nolen formed a partnership with another architect, Herbert Swinburne. At its peak in the 1960s, Nolen & Swinburne, which had offices at 17th and Sansom Streets and later at 16th and Walnut Streets, employed 40 architects and 21 engineers who designed large buildings for colleges, Catholic schools and government agencies. At Temple, the firm designed the physical education, physics and medical research buildings, the medical center and a men's dormitory. Nolen & Swinburne also designed buildings for Gwynedd Mercy College, Bucks County Community College and LaSalle College. In 1970, the firm won the gold medal - the top design award - from the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for the design of St. Joseph's Prep School. After Nolen & Swinburne closed in 1974, Mr. Nolen developed Whitpain Farms, an adult community in Whitpain Township, and moved there with his wife in 1985. Timothy and his brother, Michael, said their father had a passion for golf. He was a founding member of the Squires Golf Club in Horsham in 1962. Later, as chairman of its Greens Committee, he was active in the day-to-day operation of the club. He also was a founding member of the Jupiter Hills Golf Club in Florida in 1971. He is also survived by three other sons, James A. 3d, Dennis E. and Charles C.; and 11 grandchildren. A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Epiphany of Our Lord Church in Blue Bell, a church designed by Mr. Nolen's firm. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Foshav Cancer Center, c/o Jupiter Medical Center, 210 S. Old Dixie Highway, Jupiter, Fla. 33458."
"James A. Nolen Jr., 83, an architect whose firm designed nine buildings at Temple University, six area Catholic high schools, and the State Office Building in Philadelphia, died Friday of a rare blood disease at his home in Jupiter Island, Fla. A Philadelphia native who got a degree in architecture from the University of Notre Dame in 1936, Mr. Nolen's career reflected building trends in the mid-20th century - suburban ranch houses in the post-war years; buildings for colleges, high schools and government agencies in the 1960s and 1970s; and golf courses and an adult community center in the 1980s and 1990s. For more than 30 years, Mr. Nolen and his wife, Elizabeth, the daughter of Philadelphia Athletics owner-manager Connie Mack, and their five sons lived in a contemporary home on the Waterman Estate in Chestnut Hill that he designed in 1951. It was considered the epitome of futuristic design for its California look, intercom system, and music piped into every room. After he graduated from Notre Dame, Mr. Nolen opened an office in Germantown. When World War II broke out, Mr. Nolen enlisted in the Navy and was assigned to a Seabees construction battalion stationed in California. When he returned to Philadelphia in 1945, he became a junior partner with his father, James Nolen Sr., and Charles Ernie in their development firm, Erlen. The company built Penn Square Village in East Norriton Township, Flourtown Gardens in Flourtown, Plymouth Valley in Plymouth Township, and rowhouses and twins in Mount Airy during the post-war housing boom. "They did everything from soup to nuts" in these development projects - designed them, built them and handled the mortgages, Timothy Nolen said of his father's firm. The elder Nolen and Ernie also owned the Erlen Theater in Cheltenham and bowling alleys in Mount Airy. In 1949, Mr. Nolen formed a partnership with another architect, Herbert Swinburne. At its peak in the 1960s, Nolen & Swinburne, which had offices at 17th and Sansom Streets and later at 16th and Walnut Streets, employed 40 architects and 21 engineers who designed large buildings for colleges, Catholic schools and government agencies. At Temple, the firm designed the physical education, physics and medical research buildings, the medical center and a men's dormitory. Nolen & Swinburne also designed buildings for Gwynedd Mercy College, Bucks County Community College and LaSalle College. In 1970, the firm won the gold medal - the top design award - from the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for the design of St. Joseph's Prep School. After Nolen & Swinburne closed in 1974, Mr. Nolen developed Whitpain Farms, an adult community in Whitpain Township, and moved there with his wife in 1985. Timothy and his brother, Michael, said their father had a passion for golf. He was a founding member of the Squires Golf Club in Horsham in 1962. Later, as chairman of its Greens Committee, he was active in the day-to-day operation of the club. He also was a founding member of the Jupiter Hills Golf Club in Florida in 1971. He is also survived by three other sons, James A. 3d, Dennis E. and Charles C.; and 11 grandchildren. A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Epiphany of Our Lord Church in Blue Bell, a church designed by Mr. Nolen's firm. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Foshav Cancer Center, c/o Jupiter Medical Center, 210 S. Old Dixie Highway, Jupiter, Fla. 33458."
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
