ALLEN, Frank P. (1856-1934), was active in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan for most of his career. Born in Fenton, Mich. on 21 July 1856 his family moved to Grand Rapids in 1870 and he worked as a millwright and contractor while studying architecture in his spare time. He opened an office in 1892 and specialised in the design of residential, educational and commercial buildings in western Michigan. Allen aggressively promoted his schemes for houses by publishing Artistic Dwellings from $700 Upwards, a popular pattern book released in three editions in 1891, 1892, and again in 1893. In 1896 he prepared plans for a fashionable Edwardian house for Mrs. S. Davidson at Grimsby, Ontario, and after 1900 he designed an elaborate residence for William Lovitt in Yarmouth, N.S. His most impressive work in Canada is undoubtedly the Queen Anne-styled mansion for Harvey L. Hewson, president of Hewson Woolen Mills, located in Amherst, Nova Scotia (1906), described as "...the finest residence in town", measuring 60 ft x 60 ft.
Allen was one of the first American architects to introduce reinforced concrete to large scale commercial buildings, and it was noted that 'some of the best-known buildings in Grand Rapids and vicinity were designed by him'. He formed a partnership with his son Roger P. Allen in 1920, and died in Grand Rapids on 16 March 1934 (obituary in the Grand Rapids Herald, 17 March 1934, 1, 3; biography in H. Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects, 1956, 16).
GRIMSBY, ONT., residence for Mrs. S. Davidson, 1896 (C.R., vii, 9 April 1896, 2)
YARMOUTH, N.S., residence for William Lovitt, c. 1900 (PANS, Halifax, undated drawings)
AMHERST, N.S., large residence for Harvey L. Hewson, Victoria Street, 1906 (Evening Mail [Halifax], 28 July 1906, 4, detailed descrip.)