Background
John J. Donovan was born in 1875 at North Andover, Massachusetts, United States.
John J. Donovan was born in 1875 at North Andover, Massachusetts, United States.
He was educated at Phillips Academy in Andover. Having decided to become an architect he completed a course at the Massa-chusetts Institute of Technology, and after being graduated obtained practical experience in various offices in Boston.
In 1905 the young man began his career in the New York office of Ernest Flagg, architect of the Singer Building, and after the plans were completed he was put in charge of the erection of the structure. Leaving New York he went to Pittsburgh where he joined Palmer & Hombostle, and during the erection of the Oakland (Calif.) City Hall was sent by the firm to supervise the construction of the building.
In later years Mr. Donovan practiced independently in Oakland, and in 1915 was appointed architect of the City Auditorium. During the ’twenties he began to specialize in school work, designing both High and Elementary schools, also college buildings in northern California and Nevada. In more recent years he was appointed one of three Architectural Consultants on the erection of the San Francisco-Oakland Bridge.
A member and past president of the Northern California Chapter, A.I.A., Mr Donovan also served on the State Board of Architectural Examiners from 1926 to 1932.