Praetorian Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stone Place Tower |
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Depiction of the Praetorian Building on a 1908 postcard
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| Alternative names | Praetorian Building |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Location | 1607 Main Street Dallas, Texas |
| Coordinates | 32°46′52″N 96°47′54″W / 32.781124°N 96.798301°W |
| Construction started | 1905 |
| Completed | 1909 |
| Demolished | 2013 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 58 m (190 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 15 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Corgan Associates CW Bulger & Son |
The Praetorian Building, also known as Stone Place Tower, was a tall, 15-story building in Dallas, Texas. It was finished in 1909 and stood 58 m (190 ft) (about 190 feet) high. This building was very important because it was considered the first skyscraper in Texas. It was also the first skyscraper in the southwestern part of the United States.
Even though it was the tallest building in Dallas for a while, other taller buildings were soon built. The Praetorian Building was used for offices. Sadly, plans to fix it up didn't work out, and the building was taken down completely in the summer of 2013.
Contents
Building History
The Praetorian Building was first planned to be the main office for a company called the Praetorian Order. This company helped people with insurance. Before the building was there, the land was used for fun events like circuses and college football games.
Early Construction and Design
In 1905, the Praetorian Order announced they would build a six-story, fireproof building. They even thought about adding eight more floors later. But just a few months later, they changed their minds. They decided to build a 15-story building instead, which would be the first skyscraper in Dallas!
Building started in late 1905. After some delays, the main structure of the building was ready in 1907. It cost about $800,000 to build. The Praetorian Building finally opened its doors to visitors on February 28, 1909.
The building was designed by C.W. Bulger & Son. It had a special look with gray granite pillars, gold decorations, and terra cotta columns. Inside, it was fancy with African mahogany wood, tiles, and marble. It had modern features for its time, like steam heating, three elevators, and two water wells. Each office had electricity, telegraph, telephone, and even hot and cold running water. From the roof, you could see amazing views of Dallas and the countryside up to 20 miles (32 km) away!
Changes Over Time
The Praetorian Building stayed a busy place even as new, taller skyscrapers appeared in Dallas. In 1948, it got air conditioning, which was a big deal back then. The company that owned it even asked the city to change the name of Stone Street to Praetorian Lane, but the city said no in 1952.
In 1958, the Praetorian Mutual Life Insurance Company (which the Praetorian Order had become) announced big plans. They wanted to add another 15-story section next to the old building and give the 50-year-old structure a $1.5 million makeover. What started as a simple update turned into a complete change for the building. The building's size along Main Street doubled. The old, historic outside was removed, and a new, bright "Praetorian Yellow" steel exterior was put in its place. This new building, designed by Grayson Gill, Inc., opened in 1961 and had a lot more office space.
In the 1960s, a company called Tandy Corp. used the basement and first two floors for a large craft and hobby store. But the new building's success didn't last very long. The building was sold in 1970. The Praetorian Mutual Life company moved out in 1987. In the 1990s, the yellow outside was painted gray. The building changed owners many times and eventually closed in 1993 because not enough people were renting offices there. It was one of many buildings in downtown Dallas that closed during a tough economic time.
What Happened Next: Demolition
As downtown Dallas started to get better, people hoped the Praetorian Building could be fixed up too. In 2005, a company bought the tower and planned to make it look like its original 1909 design. But they had money problems, and the renovation was delayed. The building was sold again in 2007. The new owners planned to turn the office floors into apartments.
In 2010, the building was bought by Timothy Headington, who developed The Joule Hotel. He also had plans to fix it up. However, soon after, the city of Dallas decided the building would be torn down. The Praetorian Building was completely demolished by the summer of 2013.
