Tempe Historic Property Survey

The Irish Hall dormitory building was a Federal public works project during the depression. The Work Progress Administration funded all of its initial cost of $250,000. It was designed by the Phoenix architectural firm of Lescher & Mahoney. James Rohen and Kemper Goodwin served as local superintendent of construction. Units A and B were completed in 1940. Unit C was added in 1946; it was funded by a college bond issue. The building is dedicated to Fred M. "Cap" Irish, who served the college for a forty-five year period as coach, drill instructor, publications advisor, and registrar.

This complex of three matching dormitory buildings is significant as an excellent example of the Art Moderne style and the use of cast-in-place concrete construction. The horizontal muntins of the windows are expressed around the building's perimeter through the bands cast into the concrete surface.

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