James William Kideney

• Name — James William Kideney • Born — 25 April 1899 • Birthplace — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. • Died — 10 November 1987 • Practice — James William Kideney; Harbach & Kideney; James William Kideney & Associates; Kideney, Smith & Fitzgerald; Kideney, Smith, Fitzgerald & Partners • Awards — Fellow, American Institute of Architects (1949) • Illustration — The Central Library of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, designed by James William Kideney & Associates with Paul Hyde Harbach and Elon B. Clark Jr. and completed in 1964. • Illustration — The Orchard Park High School, originally the Orchard Park Junior High School, designed by James William Kideney & Associates and completed in 1960.

Kideney was born April 25, 1899, in Pittsburgh to William W. Kideney and Ada J. Kideney, née Porter. He was educated at the University of Michigan, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in architecture in 1921.

After a year of European travel, he moved to Buffalo, New York, where he worked as a drafter. In 1926, he opened his own office. In 1929, he formed the partnership of Harbach & Kideney with Paul Hyde Harbach, an architect in practice in Buffalo since 1923. They worked together until they dissolved their partnership in 1942 during World War II. After eight years of independent practice, in 1950 he formed a new partnership, James William Kideney & Associates, with several staff. In 1958, this became Kideney, Smith & Fitzgerald to reflect the growing roles of partners George D. Smith Jr. and Thomas W. Fitzgerald. The firm was renamed Kideney, Smith, Fitzgerald & Partners in 1969 after the admission of several other partners, including John M. Laping. Kideney retired in 1974 after 48 years of practice. Kideney joined the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1935 as a member of the Buffalo chapter. He was a founder of the New York State Association of Architects, the AIA's state-level chapter, and served as its first president from 1938 to 1942. In 1949, he was elected a Fellow of the AIA. He also served on the New York board of examiners of architects from 1949 until 1957.

Kideney was married to Isabel Houck in 1930. He died on November 10, 1987, at the age of 88.

• 1931 – Amherst Central High School, 4301 Main St, Snyder, New York • 1939 – York Central School, 2578 Genesee St, Greigsville, New York • 1949 – Jewish Community Center of Buffalo, 787 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, New York • 1950 – Student union and dormitories, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, New York • 1954 – Harris Hill Elementary School, 4260 Harris Hill Rd, Williamsville, New York • 1956 – Public School 38, 350 Vermont St, Buffalo, New York • 1957 – Gowanda Central High School, 10674 Prospect St, Gowanda, New York • 1960 – Orchard Park High School, 4040 Baker Rd, Orchard Park, New York • 1962 – Faith United Church of Christ, 1300 Maple Rd, Williamsville, New York • 1962 – Upton Hall, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, New York • 1964 – Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, 1 Lafayette Sq, Buffalo, New York • 1964 – Heim Middle School, 175 Heim Rd, Williamsville, New York • 1964 – Pembroke Junior/Senior High School, 8750 Alleghany Rd, Corfu, New York • 1964 – Twin Rise complex, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, New York • 1969 – SUNY Erie north campus expansion, Williamsville, New York • 1972 – Classroom Building, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, New York