HomeMy WebLinkAbout52-04075_118 S Clinton_StrubBlgSite Inventory Form State Inventory No. 52-04075 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 Strub Building
other names/site number Strub Department Store, Alden's , Rosheks Department Store, Enzler's
2. Location
street & number 118 S. Clinton 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) 81 Lot(s) part of 5 & 6
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 1 buildings
buildings
structure
sites
sites
object
structures
structures
objects
objects
1 Total
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 52-0127
6. Function or Use
Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions)
02F COMMERCE/TRADE/Department Store 02E COMMERCE/TRADE/Specialty Store
7. Description
Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) Materials (Enter categories from instructions)
01 NO STYLE foundation 04 STONE
walls 15H SYNTHETICS/Synthetic Stucco
roof 17 OTHER
other 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 118 S. Clinton Street Site Number 52-04075
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
1865 check if circa or estimated date
Other dates
c.2005 - re-facade
Significant Person Architect/Builder
(Complete if National Register Criterion B is marked above) Architect
Builder
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, Architectural Historian
organization AKAY Consulting date 10/2017
street & number 4252 Oakland Aveneu 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 52-04075
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 1
Strub Building Johnson
Name of Property County
118 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
7. Property Description
The Strub Building is a two-story, brick commercial building, which according to local historical articles, was
constructed in ca.1865 to house the Strub Department Store. The presence of a similarly configured building on
the 1874 fire insurance maps confirms that the building was constructed by that date at the latest.
As described in the 2001 site form, this mid-block commercial building is located immediately adjacent to the
east-west alley in the block and is adjoined on the south by the diminutive, one-story Hawkeye Barber Shop
(1979). It contains a contemporary storefront and façade installed in 1980. Historic photographs show that the
lower level originally had two recessed entrances spaced between three large shop windows and the upper level
had three pairs of large 1/1 double-hung sash. The contemporary façade has a single recessed entrance area
providing access to shop spaces to either side with a lobby for stairs and elevator to the upper level centered on
the front. The upper level has seven horizontal fixed sash grouped into a single band of windows. The building is
clad in stucco with no ornamentation or cornice. The building has a flat composition roof.
The 2001 description reflects a mid-century re-façade that was somewhat altered in 1980 when Enzler’s assumed
occupation of the building. See the historic narrative for additional information and images.
In 2007 the building facade represents a ca.2005 alteration. The facade retains a first floor storefront with entrance
on-center flanked by storefronts, which appears to be a rehabilitation of the mid-century storefront (Image 03).
The storefront display windows are framed in brick piers with deep bulkheads; display windows are relatively
large and use tinted glazing; the entrance is recessed. The upper façade has been faced with synthetic stucco (i.e.
EIFS) and the mid-20th century banded windows have been replaced by five large openings fitted with custom
windows that combine tinted glazing with spandrel glass. The upper wall plane is articulated with classically
derived, stylized details.
Image 01. View of the façade (west elevation), looking east across S. Clinton Street
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-04075
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 2
Strub Building Johnson
Name of Property County
118 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
8. Statement of Significance
This commercial building faces Old Capitol Mall one block south of the University Pentacrest. Constructed
perhaps as early as 1865, the building has undergone two major alterations of the façade. The first, completed in
by the mid-20th century, reflected modern architectural tendencies of that period. That façade was somewhat
altered in 1980 when Enzlers Luggage store became the primary occupant. The façade retained that appearance
until after Enzlers closed in 2004. The current façade then, post-dates 2004 and may well be associated with the
2005 lessee, House of Aromas. Regardless, the building is a poorly preserved example of a late 19th century
commercial building with a façade dating to far outside the period of significance. Because the scale, style,
materials, and details of the building do not retain any character related to either the original 19th century building
or the mid-20th century renovation, the building is considered a non-contributing resource in a potential National
Register Historic district.
Historical Background
As originally laid out, this section of Block 81 provided a series of lots facing onto College Street. However, the
strong attraction of “Capitol Square” created the presence of east and west facing buildings along the Clinton
Street corridor that faced the Square. The Strub Building (known more familiarly as Rosheks Department Store or
Enzler’s Luggage) dates from sometime prior to 1874 and maybe as early as 1865. A building of similar
dimensions is first depicted on a fire insurance map in 1874 when a drygoods business operated by Bowersox,
Lee and Pratt operated from this site. Herman Strub began working for the store in 1870 and eventually joined
Pratt when the other partners left the company. In the 1890s Strub acquired Pratt’s interest along with several
other store employees and the company became known as “H.A. Strub & Co.” Herman’s brother Frank Strub
joined the business in 1896 and eventually children and grandchildren of the Strub brothers worked for the
company. The first floor housed drygoods and millinery products with the second floor containing ladies ready-
to-wear, carpet, and home furnishings. Strub’s motto in the city directory for 1918 was “The Right Style at the
Right Price.” By 1926 the Strub Co. advertised itself as “Strub’s – A Store for Everyone” bragging about 54 years
of service with a product line that included “everything in drygoods, ready-to-wear and floor coverings with a
bargain basement.”
In the 1940s the building housed an Alden’s franchise outlet and, in the 1960s, a second, side entrance fronted
onto College Street. The first alteration of the façade occurred during this period, though the specifics remain
undetermined.
In November of 1972, Rosheks Department Store advertised its arrival in Iowa City where they located
themselves in the former Alden store, which remained owned by the Strub family (Advertisement “Rosheks
comes to Iowa City next week!” Iowa City Press-Citizen, November 03, 1972: 28). The Dubuque-based business
celebrated its grand opening in the building at 118 S. Clinton Street held on November 9 (Advertisement
“Rosheks,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, November 07, 1972: 2). Although the legal relationship between Rosheks
and its predecessors has not be researched, it appears that through a series of absorptions, what began as Strub’s
Department Store in 1867 ultimately became Rosheks, with the store proudly proclaiming their 109 years of
serving Iowa City (Advertisement, Iowa City Press-Citizen, July 01, 1976: 70).
Rosheks advertised their products with great regularity over subsequent years, much of that time falling within the
period in which the Iowa City urban renewal project was in full swing. Perhaps the disruption associated with
demolitions, relocations, infrastructure work, and new construction impacted the store’s ability to conduct
business. In November of 1978, Rosheks announced it would close as soon as the stock was cleared. While little
official reasons were provided for the closure, there was speculation that part of the reason was a failure to
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-04075
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 3
Strub Building Johnson
Name of Property County
118 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
negotiate a new lease with the building owner, Carl Strub. Other speculation focused on the impact of the slow
progress of the urban renewal project with specific note that the store’s front had been obscured by temporary
buildings since the early 1970s. Ultimately, Rosheks closed their Iowa City store on January 31, 1979 ((“Rosheks
store to close,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, November 21, 1978: 1 and Irving B. Weber, “Department store tradition
from 1860s ending,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, November 29, 1978: 3B.)
After clearing the building of all remnants of Rosheks (the store sold all fixtures in addition to stock), the building
was used as temporary location for businesses that remained housed in modular structures during the urban
renewal process. Buc Leathers took possession of the section of the Rosheks building fronting College Street with
plans for remodeling the façade soon underway (“Downtown next week,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, June 23, 1979:
6). Somebody Goofed Jeans relocated into another part of the Rosheks building, while the front section facing
Clinton Street remained vacant, though the property owner was actively seeking a lessee.
Figure 01. Fire Insurance Map – 1933 rev.1948
(Source: Sanborn Company Fire Insurance Map, 1933 rev.1948, Sheet 2.)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-04075
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 4
Strub Building Johnson
Name of Property County
118 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
Image 02. Historic Image – View when occupied by Rosheks – c.1972
(Source: State Historical Society of Iowa.)
This view of S. Clinton Street looking northeasterly from near College Street shows the
building, then occupied by Rosheks Department Store, which opened in November of 1972.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-04075
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 5
Strub Building Johnson
Name of Property County
118 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
Figure 02. Advertisement for Rosheks – 1976
(Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen, July 01, 1976.)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-04075
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 6
Strub Building Johnson
Name of Property County
118 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
Image 03. Historic Image – “Old and New” - 1980
(Source: “Old and new,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, April 23, 1980.)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-04075
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 7
Strub Building Johnson
Name of Property County
118 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
Figure 03. Architect’s Rendering - 1979
(Source: “Downtown building remodeling planned,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, September 6, 1979.)
This architect’s rendering provides a clearer sense of the transformation of the 1865 Strub Building to a contemporized
modern façade representative of the year in which it was built.
After Rosheks vacated the building early in 1980, private investors funded its remodeling. The previous images
reflect the alterations made to the façade, which resulted in a sense of mass, brutal expression of materials, and
play of light and dark representative of late 1970s and early 1980s architectural design. The interior was also
renovated, being then divided into two side-by-side retail spaces and an upper level office suite. The building
lease was held by longtime Iowa City business Enzler’s, which sold luggage and travel supplies. In turn, Enzler’s
sub-leased a portion of the ground floor to St. Clair-Johnson Clothiers and the second floor to Dee Gosling and
Co., a business that had been from a downtown location in 1970 by the urban renewal project (“Downtown
building remodeling planned,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, September 06, 1979: 1). The building also received
upgrades of the mechanical, electrical, and elevator systems (“Faith in downtown Iowa City’s future returns,”
Iowa City-Press Citizen, May 07, 1980: 12C).
Enzler’s remained the building’s primary tenant through 2004. In November of that year, owner Ernie Lehman
(who also served as Iowa City mayor) announced that the store would close after 35-years in business. Lehman
attributed the closure to the end of their lease arrangement coinciding with, as he said it, “time to do something
else” (“Enzler’s closing after 35 years,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, November 8, 2004: 1). By the summer of 2005,
a new tenant had begun demolition of the interior and were preparing to open (“House of Aromas opening new
store,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 12, 2005: 3).
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-04075
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 8
Strub Building Johnson
Name of Property County
118 S. Clinton 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.
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.
Sanborn Company Fire Insurance Map, 1933 rev.1948
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. “Things & Things building: 52-01069.” Iowa Site Form, 2001.
Newspapers
Iowa City Press-Citizen. Advertisement “Rosheks comes to Iowa City next week!” November 03, 1972.
Iowa City Press-Citizen. “Rosheks store to close.” November 21, 1978.
Iowa City Press-Citizen. “Department store tradition from 1860s ending.” November 29, 1978.
Iowa City Press-Citizen. “Downtown building remodeling planned.” September 06, 1979.
Iowa City-Press Citizen. “Faith in downtown Iowa City’s future returns.” May 07, 1980.
Iowa City Press-Citizen. “Enzler’s closing after 35 years.” November 8, 2004.
Iowa City Press-Citizen. “House of Aromas opening new store.”August 12, 2005.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-04075
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 9
Strub Building Johnson
Name of Property County
118 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
11. Additional Documentation
Legal Description: Original Town Com NW cor Lot 5 Blk 81; S65’; E100’; N12’; N40’; W112’ to Beg
Assessor: 002 +1010178017
Latitude/Longitude: 41.659682/-91.534387
Plat Map:
COLLEGE
115
110124 107CLINTONDUBUQUEWASHINGTON
118102
138
104 109
112111-117119-123125-131114 109111
114-116128132±