Charles H. McCauley Associates

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Charles H. McCauley Associates was a notable architecture firm founded in 1925 by Charles McCauley. Its first offices were in the Jackson Building, one of the first structures credited to McCauley.

In 1960 the firm's offices were location at 1917 5th Avenue South. In 1965 the State of Alabama issued $116 million in bonds for public schools and colleges. State Finance Director Seymore Trammell notified the Birmingham Board of Education and several other school systems across the state that the Alabama Public School and College Authority, created by the legislature to administer the bond funds, had selected Charles H. McCauley Associates as architect for all projects. McCauley expresses surprise at the notifications and denied any prior arrangement with Governor George Wallace's administration. Senators representing districts where local architects were removed from projects alleged that Wallace was retaliating against them for opposing a proposed amendment that would gave allowed him to run for re-election.

The firm was incorporated as Charles H. McCauley Associates Inc. on December 22, 1965 with McCauley, Thurston Sumner and Martha Reid as officers.

After McCauley's death in 1970 the firm continued to operate, though its business dropped off significantly.

In 1979 a draftsman, Richard Beck, attempted to negotiate better compensation and conditions for employees and was terminated. He filed a complaint under the National Labor Relations Act. After an investigation, the National Labor Relations Board required the firm to offer him reinstatement and back pay, but Beck declined unless additional conditions were met. The decision was upheld by the United states Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in 1981.

Notable associates

Notable buildings

References