Stevens Building (San Antonio, Texas) facts for kids
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Stevens Building
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Stevens Bldg (white and red-right)
Staacke Bros. Bldg (green and red-left) |
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 Stevens Building
Location in Texas
Stevens Building
Location in the United States
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| Location | 315 E. Commerce St. San Antonio, Texas |
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| NRHP reference No. | 84001614 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 10, 1984 |
The Stevens Building is a historic building in San Antonio, Texas. It was finished in 1891. A famous architect named James Riely Gordon designed it for a local businessman, John J. Stevens. This building is important because it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special place worth protecting for its history. In 1984, it was also named a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
Discovering the Stevens Building's History
The Stevens Building is located at 315 E. Commerce Street. It has three stories and was designed in a style called Richardsonian Romanesque. This style uses strong, heavy stone and brick, often with rounded arches. Architect James Riely Gordon completed the building in 1891.
Who Used the Building?
Over the years, many different businesses used the Stevens Building. For 45 years, a company called Wagner & Chabot sold bicycles there. Later, Bledsoe Furniture Company was a tenant for 33 years. The University of San Antonio also used the entire third floor for over 50 years.
Saving a Historic Landmark
In 1979, a local hospital bought the Stevens Building and the nearby Staacke Building. The hospital planned to tear them down to make a parking lot. But the San Antonio Conservation Society stepped in to save these important old buildings. They bought both buildings to protect their history.
In 1982, a group of investors bought the buildings and worked to restore them. They updated the inside for new businesses. To make the outside look just like it did originally, they used old photographs. The building's front has special details like oriel windows (windows that stick out from the wall). It's also decorated with brick, red granite, and carved limestone.
