Staacke Brothers Building facts for kids
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Staacke Brothers Building
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Staacke Bros. Bldg (green and red-left)
Stevens Bldg (white and red-right) |
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 Staacke Bros. Building
Location in Texas
Staacke Bros. Building
Location in the United States
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| Location | 309 E. Commerce St. San Antonio, Texas |
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| NRHP reference No. | 80004079 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 9, 1980 |
The Staacke Brothers Building is a historic building in San Antonio, Texas. It is located in Bexar County. This special building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized for its important history. In 1984, it was also named a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
Contents
The Staacke Brothers Story
August F. Staacke was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1825. He moved to San Antonio and built a very successful business. He sold Studebaker wagons. He also imported large commercial wagons called prairie schooners. These wagons were built to handle the tough land during the westward expansion of the United States.
In 1889, August F. Staacke sold the part of his business that dealt with carriages and wagons to his sons. His sons were August, Rudolph, and Herman. From then on, their business was officially known as the Staacke Brothers.
History of the Staacke Building
Original Construction and Design
The land where the Staacke Brothers Building stands today was once home to the First Presbyterian Church. In 1869, August F. Staacke bought this property at 309 E. Commerce Street. He then hired a builder named John H. Kampmann to construct a storehouse there.
Later, in 1894, a famous architect named James Reily Gordon designed a new building for the site. He created a three-story building in the Renaissance Revival style. This style often uses elements from ancient Roman and Greek buildings. The building was made from red sandstone and pink granite and even had a basement. The original building was quite large, measuring about 300 feet by 269.90 feet.
Saving the Historic Building
In 1979, a local hospital bought both the Staacke Brothers Building and the nearby Stevens Building. The hospital planned to tear down both buildings. They wanted to use the land to create a parking lot for the hospital.
However, the San Antonio Conservation Society stepped in to help. This group works to protect historic buildings and places. They bought both buildings to save them from being destroyed. In 1982, a group of investors bought and restored the two structures. They agreed to a special condition: only the front parts of both buildings would be saved. The back parts of the buildings were taken down to make space for a parking lot.
Because of these changes, the Staacke building became smaller. It is now 42 feet wide and 97.5 feet deep. Each floor of the building covers an area of about 4,000 square feet (370 m2).
