HomeMy WebLinkAbout52-01546_2-4 S Dubuque_MarketHallSite Inventory Form State Inventory No. 52-01546 New Supplemental
State Historical Society of Iowa Part of a district with known boundaries (enter inventory no.)
(December 1, 1999) Relationship: Contributing Noncontributing
Contributes to a potential district with yet unknown boundaries
National Register Status:(any that apply) Listed De-listed NHL DOE
9-Digit SHPO Review & Compliance Number
Non-Extant (enter year)
1. Name of Property
historic name Market Hall
other names/site number Franklin Market building
2. Location
street & number 2-4 S. Dubuque Street
city or town Iowa City vicinity, county Johnson
Legal Description: (If Rural) Township Name Township No. Range No. Section Quarter of Quarter
(If Urban) Subdivision Original Town Block(s) 66 Lot(s) see add. info
3. State/Federal Agency Certification [Skip this Section]
4. National Park Service Certification [Skip this Section]
5. Classification
Category of Property (Check only one box) Number of Resources within Property
building(s) If Non-Eligible Property If Eligible Property, enter number of:
district Enter number of: Contributing Noncontributing
site
buildings 1
buildings
structure
sites
sites
object
structures
structures
objects
objects
Total 1
Total
Name of related project report or multiple property study (Enter “N/A” if the property is not part of a multiple property examination).
Title Historical Architectural Data Base Number
Iowa City Central Business District Study - 2017 UPDATE 52-127
6. Function or Use
Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions)
02E12 COMMERCE/TRADE/specialty store/butcher 02E COMMERCE/TRADE/Specialty Store
05A02 EDUCATION/academy (upper floor) 01B DOMESTIC/multiple dwelling (upper floor)
10A02 INDUSTRY/factory (upper floor)
7. Description
Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) Materials (Enter categories from instructions)
05G LATE VICTORIAN/Romanesque foundation 04 STONE
09F05 COMMERCIAL/Brick Front walls 03 BRICK
08 MODERN MOVEMENT roof 17 OTHER
other 15G Synthetic stone/Permastone Narrative Description ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark “x” representing your opinion of eligibility after applying relevant National Register criteria)
Yes No More Research Recommended A Property is associated with significant events.
Yes No More Research Recommended B Property is associated with the lives of significant persons.
Yes No More Research Recommended C Property has distinctive architectural characteristics.
Yes No More Research Recommended D Property yields significant information in archaeology or history.
County Johnson Address 2-4 S. Dubuque Street Site Number 52-01546
City Iowa City District Number
Criteria Considerations
A Owned by a religious institution or used E A reconstructed building, object, or structure.
for religious purposes. F A commemorative property.
B Removed from its original location. G Less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past
C A birthplace or grave. 50 years.
D A cemetery
Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions) Significant Dates
Construction date
05 COMMERCE 1873 check if circa or estimated date
Other dates
Significant Person Architect/Builder
(Complete if National Register Criterion B is marked above) Architect
unknown Builder
unknown
Narrative Statement of Significance ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
9. Major Bibliographical References
Bibliography See continuation sheet for citations of the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form
10. Geographic Data
UTM References (OPTIONAL)
Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing
1
2
3
4
See continuation sheet for additional UTM references or comments
11. Form Prepared By
name/title Alexa McDowell, Historian
organization AKAY Consulting date 11/2017
street & number 4252 Oakland Avenue telephone 515-491-5432
city or town Minneapolis state MN zip code 55407
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION (Submit the following items with the completed form)
FOR ALL PROPERTIES
1. Map: showing the property’s location in a town/city or township.
2. Site plan: showing position of buildings and structures on the site in relation to public road(s).
3. Photographs: representative black and white photos. If the photos are taken as part of a survey for which the Society is to be
curator of the negatives or color slides, a photo/catalog sheet needs to be included with the negatives/slides and the following
needs to be provided below on this particular inventory site:
Roll/slide sheet #
Frame/slot #
Date Taken
Roll/slide sheet #
Frame/slot #
Date Taken
Roll/slide sheet #
Frame/slot #
Date Taken
See continuation sheet or attached photo & slide catalog sheet for list of photo roll or slide entries.
Photos/illustrations without negatives are also in this site inventory file.
FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF PROPERTIES, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AS WELL
1. Farmstead & District: (List of structures and buildings, known or estimated year built, and contributing or non-contributing status)
2. Barn:
a. A sketch of the frame/truss configuration in the form of drawing a typical middle bent of the barn.
b. A photograph of the loft showing the frame configuration along one side.
c. A sketch floor plan of the interior space arrangements along with the barn’s exterior dimensions in feet.
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Use Only Below This Line
Concur with above survey opinion on National Register eligibility: Yes No More Research Recommended
This is a locally designated property or part of a locally designated district.
Comments:
Evaluated by (name/title): Date:
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01546
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 1
Market Hall Johnson
Name of Property County
2-4 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
7. Property Description
The following is a significantly altered description of this resource, which in the 2001 survey was counted as two
resources – the north half counted as a contributing resource, with the south half counted as a non-contributing
resource. Additional research has resulted in a contradictory evaluation of the resource and the narrative has been
altered to reflect that change.
Market Hall (aka Franklin Market building), constructed in 1873, replaced a ca.1856 three-story block building
also known as Market Hall, which was destroyed by fire in 1868 (Finials, 133-35). At the time of its construction,
the new building was a 2-story, double-wide brick commercial building featuring a unified façade (west
elevation) with two storefronts (Image 01). The building has historically functioned with different businesses
occupying the two storefronts (the north and south halves being without an interior connection) with the upper
story having openings between the sections.
Today the two storefronts in Market Hall continue to function autonomously, with the upper story converted to
apartments – the floor plan of which connects the two sides of the second floor. The entire building is owned by a
single property owner.
Image 01. Historic Image: View looking south along S. Dubuque Street from Iowa Avenue – 1894
(Image courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City.)
In this view we see the 1873 Market Hall at left. The building replaced the earlier, ca.1856, Market Hall,
which was destroyed by fire in 1868.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01546
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 2
Market Hall Johnson
Name of Property County
2-4 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
Market Hall is located on the southeast corner of the intersection of E. Iowa Avenue and S. Dubuque Street. The
40-foot façade fronts S. Dubuque on the west, with its 82-foot depth running east to the alley; the secondary
elevation faces Iowa Avenue. The building has two storefronts facing onto Dubuque Street with a rear entrance
facing onto Iowa Avenue, allowing for use as a separate retail space. The building has a low stone foundation
with masonry walls constructed of reddish brown brick.
The contemporary storefront in the north bay (2 S. Dubuque St.) has a recessed entrance at the right with a shop
window wrapping around the storefront corner. The display window is smaller than the historic, made possible by
the use of a 3-foot bulkhead (knee wall), which fills the remainder of the plane. Despite the diminished glazing,
the storefront retains an open, commercial character. A fixed awning runs the width of the bay.
The storefront in the south bay (4 S. Dubuque St.) has an off-center, recessed entrance. While some alteration of
the storefront is evident, sections of an earlier (likely mid-20th century) storefront are retained. This includes an L-
shaped display area comprising the north portion of the storefront, up to the point it meets the door. The door and
remainder of the storefront is a more recent alteration (post-dating the 2001 survey). The alteration retains a
reasonable sense of openness that characterizes historic commercial storefronts, with a modified version of the
typical bulkhead-glazing-transom configuration. The storefront is surrounded with a non-historic face brick and a
retractable awning is mounted at the level of the storefront cornice.
The upper story of Market Hall was altered in ca.1947, resulting in a stylistic separation between the bays of the
building. The upper façade of the north bay second floor retains a good level of integrity, remaining representative
of its historic Romanesque influenced expression. The upper wall has three windows, each with stone sills and
semi-circular brick arches. The brick cornice has several rows of corbeled brick in several distinct patterns. The
original windows have been replaced with contemporary sash that are both undersized and do not follow the
arched form of the historic opening.
In contrast, the upper façade of the south bay is representative of the mid-century renovation with Permastone
cladding and the alteration of the fenestration, which is comprised of four small double-hung windows grouped
on-center. Further, the building’s original brick cornice has been covered with a projecting course of Permastone.
While the alteration creates a separation of character from the historic, because the change dates to more that 50-
years of age it should be considered historic in its own right and representative of the evolution of the commercial
district.
The secondary elevation (north) has a stepped parapet following the gently slopping roofline. As noted, a
secondary entrance is located on the elevation; currently, the entrance is a direct access to the main storefront
tenant. A door to the upper story apartments is located near the rear of the building. The entrance is reached via a
short set of stairs and the entrance opening has been finished with a faux stone surround. A series of three murals
have been painted along the first level. The upper story features a series of six windows irregularly placed along
the length of the elevation. The form of the windows alternates between those with a rounded head with turned-
brick hood and those with a flat head and no hood. All window openings feature stone sills and are currently fitted
with double-hung 1/1s.
2017 Update: the previous text reflects the current conditions.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01546
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 3
Market Hall Johnson
Name of Property County
2-4 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
Image 02. View of the façade (west elevation), looking east across S. Dubuque Street.
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01546
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 4
Market Hall Johnson
Name of Property County
2-4 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
Image 02. View of the façade (west elevation), looking east across S. Dubuque Street.
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
8. Statement of Significance
Market Hall is located along Iowa Avenue directly opposite the State University of Iowa campus. The building
represents both its original architectural character and a mid-20th century renovation, illustrating the evolution
typical of a commercial district. While the façade of the north bay remains expressive of its original, ca.1874 Late
Victorian era Romanesque style, the façade of the south bay expresses the mid-century desire for modernization –
the use of Permastone as a cladding is firmly tied to the era. Although the alteration of one-half of the upper
façade creates a level of visual confusion about the building’s identity, it does retain a level of integrity sufficient
to be considered a contributing resource to the the National Register under Criterion A in association with the
history of Iowa City commerce.
It should be noted that, contradictory to the 2001 survey, the present evaluation counts the building as a single
resource. The 2001 approach was undoubtedly adopted due to the duplicity of the façade. The change in
evaluation is justified by the longtime continuity of inter-connection of the two sides of the upper story, which
remains today, and because the entire building is owned by one entity.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01546
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 5
Market Hall Johnson
Name of Property County
2-4 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
Historical Background
As originally laid out, Iowa Avenue provided a wide corridor extending to the east from Capitol Square and the
Iowa Territorial Capitol. In later years after Capitol Square became part of the campus of the State University of
Iowa, the campus was extended along the north side of Iowa Avenue. The north half of Block 66 was shown on
the Original Town Plat as set aside for churches facing a city park north of Iowa Avenue. However, the
commercial buildings facing S. Dubuque Street and Iowa Avenue broke with this plan.
Market Hall was constructed in 1873 on a site formerly occupied by the first Market Hall, which burned in 1863
(Finials, 133). Property transfer records show the north half of the property containing Market Hall owned by J.J.
Dietz and Joseph Hummer in 1874 with ownership unclear prior to that date. Through the years, several building
owners and tenants operated businesses from the shop space and rooms on the upper level. Fire insurance maps
show the shop space held a meat market beginning in 1874 and continuing in 1879, 1883, 1888, 1892, 1899,
1906, 1912, and 1920. The 1868 city directory was the first to show a business at this address – Kimball, Stebbins
& Meyer, butchers. Subsequent meat markets included Kimball, Stebbins, Meyer & Hunt (1875-76, 1878-79),
Frank Stebbins (1890, 1891-92), Franklin Market run by Frank Stebbins (1893-94), Messner Brothers Meat
Market run by John and Louis Messner (1901-02, Mullin, Messner & Co. (1904), and Koza & Kaufmann Meat
Market run by John Koza and Lou Kaufmann (Svendsen, 2001).
Figure 01. Fire Insurance Map – 1874
(SOURCE: Sanborn Fire Insurance Company, 1874.)
Constructed in 1873, Market Hall (noted as such on the map) replaced the earlier building of the same name,
which burned in 1868.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01546
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 6
Market Hall Johnson
Name of Property County
2-4 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
Through its history the upper level also changed use frequently including a commercial college (1874),
preparatory and normal school (1879), business college (1883, 1888), a carriage repository (1892), cigar factory
(1899), dance hall (1906, 1912, 1920), hall (1926), and sign factory (1933). City directories are less reliable in
confirming upper level uses than first floor occupants. The first directory to show the upper level of #2-4-6-10 S.
Dubuque occupied by Frank Tanner for use as a farm machinery and carriage repository in 1893-94. By 1904,
Tanner’s business had evolved to include agriculture implements and vehicles and was no longer occupying the
upper level. He instead operated from #6 S. Dubuque Street (Svendsen, 2001).
From ca.1892 to ca.1912 the upper floor of Market Hall was connected to the building adjacent to the south (6-10
S. Dubuque); in 1892 the adjoining building was Frank Tanner’s Carriage Depository (Sanborn Company Fire
Insurance Maps and Finials, 136).
Another business that operated from the southeast corner of Iowa Avenue and Dubuque streets was the City
Market and Scales. In 1904 William Anthony served as the wood measurer and Joe Selbicky was the weigh
master. An interesting sidelight is the fact that two of the tenants of the Market Hall were also public officials.
Louis Messner, was the fire chief in 1901-02 and Frank Tanner was a county supervisor in 1893-94 (Svendsen,
2001).
Figure 02. Fire Insurance Map – 1892
(SOURCE: Sanborn Fire Insurance Company, 1892.)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01546
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 7
Market Hall Johnson
Name of Property County
2-4 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
9. Major Bibliographic References (2001)
Iowa City city directories.
Property Transfer Records, Johnson County Auditor’s Office.
Tax Assessor’s Records, City of Iowa City Assessor.
Summary Sheet, 2 South Dubuque, Urban Revitalization Act Study Area Survey, 1981.
Sanborn maps, 1874, 1879, 1888, 1892, 1899, 1906, 1912, 1920, 1926, 1933, and 1933 updated to 1970.
2017: References
Iowa City Public Library. Digital Photograph collection. http://history.icpl.org.
Iowa City Then & Now. Publisher unknown.
Mansheim, Gerald. Iowa City: an illustrated history. Norfolk, VA: The Donning Company, 1989.
State Historical Society of Iowa. Iowa City. Photograph Collection.
Slonneger, Marybeth. Finials: A View of Downtown Iowa City. Iowa City: Hand Press, 2015.
Svendsen, Marlys A. “Survey and Evaluation of the Central Business District.” Prepared for the Iowa City
Historic Preservation Commission, 2001.
Svendsen, Marlys A. “Market Hall (north half), 52-01546.” Iowa Site Form, 2001 and “Market Hall (south half),
52-01547.” Iowa Site Form, 2001.
Timeline: Franklin Market Building
1874 Fire Insurance Map: North and south bays of upper story have an opening between them. No connection
to the building adjacent on the south. South half o the upper story is occupied by a business college.
The building name is noted as “Market Hall.”
1883 Fire Insurance Map: North and south bays of upper story have an opening between them. No connection
to the building adjacent on the south. South half o the upper story is occupied by a business college.
1888 Fire Insurance Map: North and south bays of upper story have an opening between them. No connection
to the building adjacent on the south. South half o the upper story is occupied by a business college.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01546
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 8
Market Hall Johnson
Name of Property County
2-4 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
1892 Fire Insurance Map: North and south bays of upper story have an opening between them AND a fire door
between the south bay and the adjacent building (6-10 S. Dubuque). The upper story of all bays – 2-10 S.
Dubuque – housed a carriage repository.
1906 Fire Insurance Map: North and south bays of upper story have an opening between them AND a fire door
between the south bay and the adjacent building (6-10 S. Dubuque).
1912 Fire Insurance Map: North and south bays of upper story have an opening between them AND a fire door
between the south bay and the adjacent building (6-10 S. Dubuque).
1926 Fire Insurance Map: North and south bays of upper story have an opening between them. There is no
internal connection between the Market Hall and the adjacent building (6-10 S. Dubuque).
1933 Fire Insurance Map: North and south bays of upper story have an opening between them. There is no
internal connection between the Market Hall and the adjacent building (6-10 S. Dubuque).
1948 Fire Insurance Map: North and south bays of upper story have an opening between them. There is no
internal connection between the Market Hall and the adjacent building (6-10 S. Dubuque).
11. Additional Documentation
Full Legal Description: Original Town, Com NW Cor Lot 5 Blk 66; E 100’; S 20’;W 100’; N 20’
Assessor: 009+1010312008 and 009+1010312009
Latitude/Longitude: 41.661331, -91.532776
Parcel Map – 2017