Download NPS Form 10-900 OMB No - Texas Historical Commission

NPS Form 10-900
(Oct. 1990)
OMB No. 10024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
REGISTRATION FORM
1. NAME OF PROPERTY
HISTORIC NAME:
Burns Building
OTHER NAME/SITE NUMBER: Penney’s Building
2. LOCATION
STREET & NUMBER: 401 East Houston Street
CITY OR TOWN: San Antonio
STATE: Texas
CODE: TX
COUNTY: Bexar
NOT FOR PUBLICATION:
VICINITY:
CODE:
029
N/A
ZIP CODE: 78205
3. STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION
As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this _x_nomination
___request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of
Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property
_x_meets ____does not meet the National Register criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant ___nationally
___statewide _x_locally. (___See continuation sheet for additional comments.)
Signature of certifying official
Date
State Historic Preservation Officer, Texas Historical Commission
State or Federal agency and bureau
In my opinion, the property ___meets ___does not meet the National Register criteria.
(___See continuation sheet for additional comments.)
Signature of commenting or other official
Date
State or Federal agency and bureau
4. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that this property is:
____ entered in the National Register
___ See continuation sheet.
____ determined eligible for the National Register
___ See continuation sheet.
____ determined not eligible for the National Register
____ removed from the National Register
____ other (explain):
Signature of the Keeper
Date of Action
N/A
USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form
Burns Building, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Page 2
5. CLASSIFICATION
OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY: Private
CATEGORY OF PROPERTY: Building
NUMBER OF RESOURCES WITHIN PROPERTY:
CONTRIBUTING
NONCONTRIBUTING
1
0
0
0
0 BUILDINGS
0 SITES
0 STRUCTURES
0 OBJECTS
1
0 TOTAL
NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES PREVIOUSLY LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER: 0
NAME OF RELATED MULTIPLE PROPERTY LISTING: N/A
6. FUNCTION OR USE
HISTORIC FUNCTIONS: COMMERCE/TRADE: department store
CURRENT FUNCTIONS: COMMERCE/TRADE: business
7. DESCRIPTION
ARCHITECTURAL CLASSIFICATION: LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY AMERICAN
MOVEMENTS: Chicago
MATERIALS:
FOUNDATION
WALLS
ROOF
OTHER
CONCRETE
BRICK
ASPHALT
STONE; TERRA COTTA; GLASS
NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION (see continuation sheets 7-5 through 7-14).
USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form
Burns Building, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Page 3
8. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
APPLICABLE NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA
_x_ A PROPERTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH EVENTS THAT HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE BROAD
PATTERNS OF OUR HISTORY.
___ B PROPERTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LIVES OF PERSONS SIGNIFICANT IN OUR PAST.
_x_ C PROPERTY EMBODIES THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF A TYPE, PERIOD, OR METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
OR REPRESENTS THE WORK OF A MASTER, OR POSSESSES HIGH ARTISTIC VALUE, OR REPRESENTS A
SIGNIFICANT AND DISTINGUISHABLE ENTITY WHOSE COMPONENTS LACK INDIVIDUAL DISTINCTION.
___ D PROPERTY HAS YIELDED, OR IS LIKELY TO YIELD, INFORMATION IMPORTANT IN PREHISTORY OR HISTORY.
CRITERIA CONSIDERATIONS: N/A
AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE: Commerce; Community Planning & Development
PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1918-1954
SIGNIFICANT DATES: 1918; 1921
SIGNIFICANT PERSON: N/A
CULTURAL AFFILIATION: N/A
ARCHITECT/BUILDER: Sanguinet, Staats & Boelhauwe, Ralph Cameron (architects); J.P. Haybes (builder)
NARRATIVE STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE (see continuation sheets 8-15 through 8-30).
9. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
BIBLIOGRAPHY (see continuation sheet 9-31 through 9-32).
PREVIOUS DOCUMENTATION ON FILE (NPS): N/A
_ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested.
_ previously listed in the National Register
_ previously determined eligible by the National Register
_ designated a National Historic Landmark
_ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey #
_ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record #
PRIMARY LOCATION OF ADDITIONAL DATA:
x State historic preservation office (Texas Historical Commission)
_ Other state agency
_ Federal agency
_ Local government
x University (University of Texas Architectural Library)
x Other -- Specify Repository: San Antonio Central Library; Bexar County Deed Records
USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form
Burns Building, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Page 4
10. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA
ACREAGE OF PROPERTY: less than one acre
UTM REFERENCES
Zone Easting
1 14 549660
Northing
3255180
VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION (see continuation sheet 10-33)
BOUNDARY JUSTIFICATION (see continuation sheet 10-33)
11. FORM PREPARED BY (with assistance from Mary Dillman, THC Historian)
NAME/TITLE: Maria Watson Pfeiffer
ORGANIZATION: ReSearch
DATE: September/December 1998
STREET & NUMBER: 213 Washington Street
TELEPHONE: 210/222-1586
CITY OR TOWN: San Antonio
ZIP CODE: 78204
STATE: Texas
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION
CONTINUATION SHEETS
MAPS (see continuation sheet Map-34 through Map-36)
PHOTOGRAPHS (see continuation sheet Photo-37 through Map-38)
ADDITIONAL ITEMS
PROPERTY OWNER
NAME: Cheryl Ogle, 401 Houston Street Limited
STREET & NUMBER: P.O. Box 161086
CITY OR TOWN: Austin
TELEPHONE: 512/502-2411
STATE: Texas
ZIP CODE: 78716
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 7 Page 5
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
DESCRIPTION
The Burns Building (1918) occupies a prominent corner lot in downtown San Antonio, at the northeast
corner of Jefferson and East Houston Streets two blocks west of Alamo Plaza. The rectangular, 5-story building
is of reinforced concrete and masonry construction with terra cotta, cast-stone and marble trim. The building
originally consisted of four stories, however a fifth floor was added sometime between 1950 and 1955. The
exterior is modern in appearance with regularly spaced Chicago-style windows. The large ground floor display
windows are separated from the upper floors by a suspended metal awning. The lower four floors are
constructed of brick on a reinforced concrete frame and the fifth floor is built of brick directly on the original
building’s parapet. Gothic details and classical moldings decorate the otherwise simple exterior. The interior of
the building was constructed as an open plan retail space with few partitions. A mezzanine projects over the
northern 1/3 of the first floor space. Floors 2, 3 and 4 are virtually identical in plan with a central open space and
offices around the perimeter walls. To retain the open feeling of the building’s original plan, offices are enclosed
either by glass or partial height walls. A stairway leads to the basement and fire stairs and elevators provide
access to the upper floors. The building has recently been renovated for offices according to the Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards and Guidelines. The exterior of the building has been restored and all historic fabric has
been retained including awnings, decorative column capitals, wood floors, and show windows. The Burns
Building retains a high degree of integrity as an early 20th century commercial building.
The Burns Building was constructed in 1918 as a 4-story building with basement and mezzanine (see
photo 1). It stands at the northeast corner of Jefferson and East Houston Streets just two blocks west of Alamo
Plaza (see Map-34 and 35). The building’s primary facade faces Houston Street, one of downtown’s two major
east/west thoroughfares (see photo 2, 3). Surrounding buildings date to c. 1910 through 1930 and are similar in
height. Exceptions are the 9-story Maverick Building (NR 1995) one block southeast and the 10- story St.
Anthony Hotel (NR 1986) immediately to the northwest (see photo 4).
The Burns Building is constructed of a cast-in-place reinforced concrete frame with common bond
masonry infill (see photos 1-4; figures 7-1 and 7-2). Reflecting the building’s original function as an open-plan
retail facility, the interior is defined by generous columnar bays, ceiling heights, and natural light. As originally
constructed, the building had minimal interior detailing (plain hard wood floors and decorative plaster capitals
topping square columns at the mezzanine level) and utilitarian partitioning (dressing rooms, offices, and
storerooms). A mezzanine projected over approximately one-third of the first floor. These features have been
retained in the recent renovation of the building for offices (see photos 6-9; figures 7-3 through 7-5).
A stair connecting the first floor and basement was added in the southwest corner in 1921, and features a
cast iron balustrade, brass railing, and marble treads. Access to the upper floors is by two elevators and two fire
stairs, all located along the building’s east wall. Two rows of columns approximately 21’ on center support the
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 7 Page 6
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
building. Ceilings are plaster on concrete and heights vary from 9’0” in the basement to 17’6” on the first floor,
to 12’ on floors 2 through 4, and 13’ in the fifth floor addition. Walls on all floors are plaster on brick and/or
concrete with the exception of the fifth floor which is comprised of brick and concrete masonry units. The
basement, first floor, mezzanine and fifth floor have concrete floors and floors on stories 2, 3, and 4 are of 2 1/4”
wide pine.
On the exterior, the building has an overall “modern” design with Chicago-style windows and a minimalist
storefront (see photos 1-4; figures 7-1 and 7-2). The first floor exterior is defined by storefront windows and the
upper floors by window groupings that create an interior “daylight” effect. The original four floors and c.1950
fifth floor addition are constructed of tan brick on the south and west facades and brown brick (floors 1-4) and
hollow tile (floor 5) on the north façade. The north façade has been painted. Below the storefront windows on
the west and south facades, the base is variegated green marble veneer with inset cast iron ventilation grilles
opening to the basement. The current window configuration dates to 1921 when the original show windows
were modified (see photos 1 & 9). A metal frame awning with concrete panels and built-up roofing is suspended
above the windows from twisted bar tie rods with decorative knuckles. Spacing of the tie rods corresponds to
the columns and mid-bay locations. The awning soffit is plaster on expanded mesh, and the fascia is painted
galvanized metal.
The wooden Chicago-style windows on the south and west elevations have one-over-one double-hung
side panels and large fixed central panels. Operable wooden mezzanine and transom windows are located
between the first floor storefront and second floor windows. Windows on the alley (north) facade are metal
double-hung. The clear storefront window glass is set in copper clad framing. On the west side, clerestory
windows are of small clear glass panes, while those on the south elevation are of obscure glass. The north
elevation windows are of wire glass. All windows have terra cotta sills.
Floors two, three, and four on the south (primary) elevation are comprised of three identical bays each
containing a wood frame Chicago-style window (a:b:a). In each fifth floor bay, two square, metal frame
windows are centered above the fourth floor Chicago-style window. Because bays on the south elevation are
narrower than those on the west elevation, the center window in the south side a:b:a ensembles is narrower than
those on the west side. Projected brick pilasters flank the windows, and two masonry reveals run uninterrupted
from mezzanine to the fourth floor. The pilasters terminate with vertical reveals in the form of cast stone Gothic
tabernacles.
Seven bays comprise the west (secondary) elevation that has a strong horizontal appearance. Both the
north and south terminal bays contain tripartite Chicago-style windows while the center five bays contain paired,
double hung, wood frame windows. A projecting vertical string course is set between adjacent jambs of a
tripartite Chicago-style ensemble on floors two through four. Projected masonry spandrels separate floors on the
building’s west side.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 7 Page 7
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
The original building was surmounted by a frieze-like patterned brick band capped with a glazed terra
cotta coping that featured adornment at the stone tabernacles. Other stone work integrated in the brick masonry
are Gothic-like cusps forming brackets for the vertical string courses and decorative finials atop the vertical
strings. Within the frieze-like band there are stone panels with shallow decorative reliefs flanking the tabernacles.
Centered above the fourth floor windows on the south elevation is a cast panel with the name “Burns.” A
vertical canvas banner with the present tenant’s name is mounted on metal brackets attached to the southwest
corner of the building.
The fifth floor was added between 1950 and 1955, and is built of brick directly on the original building’s
parapet. It is capped with a glazed terra cotta coping. The south and west facades are of tan brick and the north
façade of building tile. Fifth floor windows are steel casement, awning style, with pivoting center panels. The
roof structure is a bar joist system with lightweight concrete roof deck carried by steel pipe columns placed over
existing columns below. Though clearly a later addition, the fifth floor is similar in scale and material to the
original building. No historic fabric was removed to construct the addition.
The rear alley (north) elevation is utilitarian in appearance and is constructed of common brick in contrast
to the more formal face brick of the west and south facades (see photo 5). The east elevation forms a party wall
with the adjoining Neisner’s Building and is not visible (see photo 3).
The building’s main entrance is from the south (Houston Street) with a secondary entrance from the west
(Jefferson Street; see figure 7-3). The main entry is through a recessed bay that features a free-standing display
case and quarter round glass units on both sides of the doorway. Above the storefront head is a dentillated
wooden cornice. The modern glass and aluminum entry doors are not original to the building. From both the
south and west doorways, one enters an open space that rises to the mezzanine level. Display windows run the
entire length of the west wall, interrupted only by the side entry door (see photos 6, 7). These windows are
accessed through paneled rectangular doors that open to the building’s interior. The store windows retain their
1921 appearance with the exception of the center, solid panels that have been removed to maximize light in the
first floor space. Above the show windows along both the south and west sides are single pane, fixed transoms.
At the mezzanine level, multi-pane clerestory windows admit additional light to the interior. Two rows of
square, plastered concrete columns approximately 21 feet on center define the interior space. They are identical
in detail throughout the building except on the first floor/mezzanine where applied decorative plaster work
adorns the simple flared capitals (see photos 6, 8).
The first floor reception area features a large, free-standing metal sculpture (see photo 7). Modular
workstations are arranged in the center of the space, with enclosed offices, conference rooms, and work rooms
under the mezzanine. Wooden flooring original to the first floor was badly deteriorated and has been replaced
with concrete. Along the east wall are two elevators, fire stairs, restrooms, and mechanical and electrical
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 7 Page 8
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
equipment. Three elevators originally served the building and a fourth was added c. 1920. In the recent
renovation, the c. 1920 elevator shaft was used for mechanical equipment and the freight elevator abandoned,
though its track and rails remain visible on each floor.
The mezzanine forms an “L” above the first floor on the north, south and east sides (see figure 7-4).
With successive store remodelings, the mezzanine as originally constructed was shortened at the north end and
the wooden balustrade removed. In the recent renovation, the mezzanine was extended to approximately its
original depth and a modern guardrail was added. Along the east wall of the mezzanine, an open corridor
overlooks the lobby and provides access to elevators, fire stairs, restrooms and mechanical and electrical
equipment. At the mezzanine’s north end are meeting and storage rooms.
Like the ground floor, the upper floors were originally designed as display and sales areas with some
office and storage space. The floors were therefore generally open, with offices and storage to the rear (north)
end of the building. On floors two, three and four, the square support columns have unadorned, flared capitals
(see photo 8). The plan of floors two, three and four is virtually identical (see figure 7-5). Workstations with
partial height walls are arranged in the center of the space, with glass-enclosed offices and conference rooms on
the south end, and offices with partial height walls along the west side. At the north end, are enclosed work
areas and offices, and along the east side are glass enclosed offices, copy and coffee rooms, and elevators, fire
stairs, restrooms and mechanical and electrical equipment. All HVAC and sprinkler equipment is suspended and
exposed. Pine floors remain exposed and have been refinished.
At this time, the building’s fifth floor is unfinished with no partitions. It will be renovated for offices at a
later time. Floors and walls are of concrete and there is virtually no detailing on this level. The south end of the
basement has been renovated as an employee lounge with work stations at the north end. Mechanical systems,
elevators and fire stairs are located along the east wall.
In summary, the Burns Building is in excellent condition. Its exterior has been fully restored and its
interior renovated to meet current code for use as an office building. Interior fire stairs have been added along
the east wall and new restrooms in the northeast corner. Freestanding workstations are clustered in the center of
floors 1-4 and office partitions are either partial height or of glass to minimize the visual impact on the building’s
open plan. Enclosed display cases on the first floor retain their 1921 appearance with the exception of the center
panel that has been removed to provide additional interior light. Decorative column capitals have been restored.
The first floor’s badly deteriorated wooden flooring has been replaced with concrete and wood floors on floors
2-4 have been refinished. The mezzanine has once again been extended to its original depth. The fifth floor
addition made between 1950 and 1955 is clearly visible, and is of similar scale and material to the original
building. It remains as originally constructed with no attempt to alter its appearance.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 7 Page 9
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Renovation of the building has preserved the building’s integrity as a “daylight” store, retained intact
historic fabric, and allowed the space to function as an office building that complies with all health and safety
codes. The building will serve as offices for a locally-based national advertising agency which will occupy the
space in September 1998.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 7 Page 10
FIGURE 7-1
North and south elevations, 1997
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 7 Page 11
FIGURE 7-2
West elevation, 1997
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 7 Page 12
FIGURE 7-3
First Floor Plan, 1997
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 7 Page 13
FIGURE 7-4
Mezzanine plan, 1997
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 7 Page 14
FIGURE 7-5
Typical plan, floors 2, 3 and 4, 1997
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 15
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
The Burns Building was constructed in 1918 by the Estate of Hugh Burns (1845-1913) on property
purchased from George M. Maverick who first developed the site. Burns purchased the Houston Street property
prior to his death, and his widow and son continued his plans to construct a retail building there. The Burns
Building was constructed at the beginning of a local building boom that extended from World War I until the
beginning of the Depression. The building was designed by Fort Worth architects Sanguinet and Staats in
association with San Antonio architect Charles Boelhauwe. Architect Ralph H. Cameron designed store window
changes and a new interior stairway in 1921. The building’s reinforced concrete construction allowed for widely
spaced bays and large windows that emitted generous amounts of light, creating an effect known as the “daylight
store.” Today it remains one of the city’s early examples of this type of construction. From 1918 until 1985, the
building played a continuous role in the commercial development of Houston Street as the city’s retail center.
From the time of its construction until 1932, it was occupied by Washer Brothers, a store that pioneered modern
department store merchandising in San Antonio. Later tenants included D.L. Pincus, a leading men’s wear store,
Kress, and finally J.C. Penney’s which remained in the Burns Building from 1941 until 1985. The Burns Building
meets Criterion A (local level) in the areas of commerce and community planning and development for its
association with the development of Houston Street as a center of the city’s retail clothing business during both
the boom and decline of downtown San Antonio. It is also significant under Criterion C (local level) as an
example of a “daylight” building made possible by its reinforced concrete construction, and its association with
Sanguinet and Staats, prominent early 20th century architects whose “skyscrapers” changed the face of Texas
cities. The period of significance extends from 1918 to 1954.
The Burns Building was built in 1918 by the Estate of Hugh Burns (1845-1911) to house the firm of
Washer and Brothers, a leading clothing retailer which had operated three blocks to the south at Commerce and
Losoya Streets since 1900. The building site was first developed c.1885 by its owner George Maverick who is
largely credited with the development of Houston Street (see figures 8-1 through 8-4). Maverick’s father,
Samuel Augustus Maverick, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, built the family home one block
to the east at the corner of Alamo Plaza in 1852. Following his death in 1870, family members inherited
Maverick’s property and managed their investments, including much of the land near the Alamo, through the
Maverick Land Office. George Maverick constructed two mercantile buildings on the Burns Building site, the
first c.1885 and the second c.1900. The property was then purchased by the Burns Estate, which demolished the
existing building and constructed the new 4-story building (see figure 8-5).
Hugh Burns and his family came to the United States from Ireland about 1850, and they farmed first near
Nashville, Tennessee and then at Madison, Illinois. Burns completed his education in St. Louis, went to Denver
where he was unsuccessful at mining, and then to Cheyenne, Wyoming where he worked as a railroad contractor.
He returned to Missouri and began a railroad construction business that eventually took him to Texas in 1870
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 16
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
(The New Handbook of Texas: 858; San Antonio Light & Gazette, December 12, 1909). By the early 1880s,
Burns had entered into partnership with George W. Burkett, and they contracted to construct the International &
Great Northern Railroad from Laredo to Palestine. After living in Galveston and Palestine, Burns purchased the
3,000 acre San Gabriel Ranch in Williamson County where he lived for 25 years and engaged in the cattle
business (New Encyclopedia of Texas: 1538).
In addition to his ranch, Burns had numerous business and real estate investments. Though he never lived
in Houston, Burns acquired real estate there, and in 1883, constructed a speculative commercial building at 421
Main Street. The building, likely the work of Edward J. Duhamel, was demolished in 1996 (Houston Post,
March 29, 1993; For Preservation, September 1996). Burns moved to San Antonio in 1906, but continued to
own San Gabriel Ranch. He also purchased another ranch near Dilley and “a valuable piece of Houston Street
property on which he plans to erect a splendid office building” (San Antonio Light & Gazette, December 12,
1909). When Burns died in 1911, his wife, Mary Clifford Burns, and son, Thomas E. Burns, executors of his
estate, carried out construction plans for the building that bears his name.
It is unclear if Burns, and later his family, planned to construct the new Houston Street building
specifically to house Washer Brothers as a tenant. It is also not known if Burns and Nat Washer were acquainted
prior to each of them moving to San Antonio. Like Burns, Washer had previously lived in St. Louis. He moved
to Fort Worth in 1882, where he and his brother Jacob (“Jake”) established Washer Brothers, a mercantile store.
The building remains standing at 900 Main Street, but has been heavily remodeled (Carol Roark to Maria
Pfeiffer, August 26, 1997). Ten years after opening the Fort Worth store, the Washers established a branch in
San Antonio, and Nat Washer came to open the store. He intended to remain only long enough to open the
business before turning its management over to others, but soon wrote to his Jake, “I am going to manage myself
because here’s where I’m going to live” (San Antonio Express, August 9, 1925). The Washer’s San Antonio
store opened on September 19, 1899 (San Antonio Light, December 30, 1917).
Nat Washer established a successful business and became one of San Antonio’s most respected citizens.
The press noted that “he stood at the top in Fort Worth, just as he stepped to the top in San Antonio” (ibid).
Washer was active in cultural and social affairs in the community. He was president of the Chamber of
Commerce, a position he also held in Fort Worth, a talented singer, a 33rd degree Mason, president of the
Carnegie Public Library board, organizer of the Associated Charities, and president of the San Antonio War
Service Board during World War I. Washer was perhaps most widely known for the Christmas dinner he gave
each year for the city’s newsboys (San Antonio Express, December 25, 1924; February 7, 1935).
Washer Brothers did business at Commerce and Alamo Streets for 19 years before moving to its new
location in February 1919 (see figure 8-6). The store’s relocation was part of a growing trend that saw the city’s
retail center shift two blocks north from Commerce Street to Houston Street. In 1919, Washer Brothers joined
Frost Brothers, The Vogue, A. Alterman and Sons, and Fomby’s as retail clothing merchants on Houston Street.
Five years later, there were twelve clothing stores catering to women and/or men, as well as several stores
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 17
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
specializing in hats and shoes, and by 1934, in spite of the Depression, Houston Street boasted 33 clothing
stores. The street was recognized as the heart of the city’s retail center until the advent of suburban shopping
malls in the 1960s.
Between 1900 and 1919, Washer Brothers had grown to serve a wide local audience. The store’s
clearance sale advertised merchandise including women’s silk dresses, furs, men’s neckwear, shirts and hats, and
boys’ suits and overcoats (San Antonio Express, January 1919, various dates). At the time of the move, it was
noted that business had “expanded to such an extent that it became necessary to largely increase our facilities and
to provide for further expansion that we believe is inevitable with the constant growth of this city” (San Antonio
Express, February 2, 1919).
As early as May 1918, nine months before the store moved, the San Antonio Light published a
photograph of the new Houston Street site (San Antonio Light, May 5, 1918). “Farewell old location sales”
were advertised for months in advance of the move, and finally, on February 3, 1919, an announcement was
published saying “We have moved to our new home and are ready today to serve our friends and customers”
(San Antonio Express, February 3, 1919).
The new Washer Brothers store building was erected at a cost of $125,000 by the Burns estate from
“designs especially prepared by our own architects and every modern convenience and accessory has been
employed in its construction” (San Antonio Light, December 30, 1917; San Antonio Express, February 2, 1919).
The Burns family chose the Fort Worth firm of Sanguinet and Staats to design its new building, no doubt
influenced by the firm’s other local work. The firm had opened branch offices in Dallas, Houston, Waco and San
Antonio, and frequently associated with local architects. For the Houston Street store, Sanguinet and Staats
associated with San Antonio architect Charles T. Boelhauwe, and contractor J.P. Haynes. At the time of the
building’s design, the firm was known as Sanguinet, Staats and Boelhauwe.
Sanguinet and Staats changed the face of major Texas cities including San Antonio. Marshall R.
Sanguinet (1859-1936) began practicing architecture in Fort Worth in 1883, and in 1902, formed a partnership
with Carl Staats (1871-1928), a former employee of James Riely Gordon, architect of the Bexar County
Courthouse (University of Texas at Austin Architectural Drawings Collection). Sanguinet and Staats became the
first Texas firm to employ the modern corporate model for their practice with branch offices throughout the
state, and were best known for multi-story, steel-framed office buildings. The firm affiliated with various
architects including Boelhauwe and Atlee B. Ayres. Sanguinet and Staats earlier San Antonio buildings include
the Gibbs Building (1908; standing), the Rand Building (1912; standing) and the Gunter Building (demolished).
At the same time the Burns Building was being constructed, Sanguinet and Staats, in association with both
Charles Boelhauwe and Atlee Ayres, was designing and constructing the Central Trust Company Building
(standing; NR, 1981) just one block to the west. Within a year, the firm had designed the new Frost Bank
building (standing; Main/Military NR District).
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 18
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Little is known of the architectural practice of Charles T. Boelhauwe. His first partnership with Ernest P.
Behles lasted from 1911 to 1912, and he then practiced alone until becoming a partner with Sanguinet and
Staats. That association lasted from 1918 to 1919, and in 1920, Boelhauwe was again practicing alone,
advertising himself as “architect and superintendent.” He was not listed in San Antonio City Directories after
1932.
Ralph H. Cameron (1892-1970), who designed modifications to the Burns Building in 1921, first
appeared in the San Antonio City Directory in 1910 as a draftsman in the office of H.T. Phelps. From 1912-14
he was employed by Adams and Adams, and in 1915, established his own practice. After returning from World
War I, Cameron continued his practice which included work for some of San Antonio’s most prominent citizens.
At the time of his work on the Burns Building, Cameron was already designing substantial residential buildings
in Monte Vista, the city’s new and stylish suburb.
Sanguinet, Staats and Boelhauwe designed the Burns Building using a reinforced concrete structure, a
technique increasingly used for construction of tall buildings. The strength, safety, simplicity, and economy of
concrete construction had quickly surpassed the use of frame, masonry and steel as predominant building
materials (Banham:63). This technique made it possible for Sanguinet and Staats to achieve not only a strong,
safe structure, but one that allowed for large expanses of windows and unprecedented levels of interior light.
This new design approach had transformed factory construction, creating what became known as “the daylight
factory.” Reinforced concrete was used in store buildings to achieve the same effect, and in July 1919, Washer
Brothers advertised theirs as “the daylight store” (San Antonio Express, July 1, 1919). Today, the Burns
Building remains as one of the city’s earliest reinforced concrete buildings. Sanguinet and Staats’ 7-story Rand
Building (1912) and 12-story Central Trust Company Building (1918) were built of steel and reinforced
concrete, while the 7-story San Antonio Drug Company Building (Adams and Adams; 1919) was built of
reinforced concrete.
The $140,000 Burns Building included various innovations. Its “shadow-box” windows were described
as the first in Texas and some of the few in the United States” (San Antonio Express, June 23, 1918). They were
purported to “eliminate all reflection and cause the merchandise to appear as if it were right at the hand of the
onlooker and not separated from him by any object whatever.” The Houston Street display windows were
considered a novelty for their concave glass design. The local paper stated that “Mr. Washer said [the windows]
would constitute a kaleidoscope of fashion through being almost daily renewed” (San Antonio Express, February
2, 1919).
The store’s first floor was decorated in dark fumed oak with inset display boxes (see photo 9). There,
“furnishings” (shirts, ties, shoes, and hosiery) were sold from glass display cases organized in specialty
departments. The mezzanine was used for offices and restrooms. Men’s clothing was sold on the second floor,
and a tailor shop was located mid-way on the floor for convenience. Washer Brothers claimed that it was “the
only department store in the south of Texas to conduct this department above the ground floor” (ibid). The
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 19
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
women’s wear department on the third floor featured “costume and evening rooms” or “French Rooms” lit only
by artificial light to better judge how dresses would look at night. The fourth floor was reserved for storage and
future growth, as was the basement where an 80’ X 8’ wide area was used for out-of-season storage that was
air-tight and moth-proof.
Alterations were made to the building within three years of its construction. Plans for these changes are
found in the Architectural Drawings Collection of the University of Texas at Austin, and are included in the work
of San Antonio architect Ralph H. Cameron. Dated August, September and October 1921, the drawings include
changes to the storefront and display windows and the addition of a stairway to the basement. Also included are
drawings of elaborate plaster work for the entryway ceiling (see figures 8-7 through 8-10). If it was ever
installed, none of this plasterwork survives today. These modifications, together with undated alterations to the
mezzanine, the installation of a fourth elevator (c. 1920), and the fifth floor addition (c. 1950) comprise the
major changes to the building since its construction.
In 1925, Nat Washer announced that he had sold his store to “outside interests” (San Antonio Express,
August 9, 1925). Washer sold to Consolidated Retail Stores of St. Louis and continued the business operated
under the Washer name until about 1932 (San Antonio Express, February 7, 1935; San Antonio City
Directories). From 1934-1937, the building was occupied by D.L. Pincus, Inc., a prestigious men’s store which
later moved across the street where it operated until the 1980s. The Burns Building was occupied for a short
time by the Kress store (see photo 1). This was prior to completion of the new Kress store one block to the west
at 315 East Houston Street in 1938 (Thomas: 156). The Burns Building was vacant between 1938 and 1941
when J.C. Penney’s moved there from its previous location at 102 South Alamo Street just south of Alamo
Plaza.
James Cash Penney opened his first Golden Rule dry goods store in Kemmerer, Wyoming in 1902.
Penney’s initial practice of including managers as partners in a profit-sharing arrangement brought early success
and growth to his stores, and by 1913, the company was incorporated as J.C. Penney Company (San Antonio
Express, April 17, 1977). On April 17, 1920, Penney’s opened its first San Antonio store. At that time, there
were 297 Penney’s stores nationwide. The store was originally at 305 East Commerce Street, but moved to 102
South Alamo in the middle 1920s where it remained until 1941.
Penney’s prospered at its Houston Street location where it filled four floors (later five) and the basement.
While a photograph taken in April 1950 shows no fifth floor, a 1955 photograph shows the building as it appears
today (Institute of Texan Cultures, San Antonio Light Collection, Box 3948; Zintgraf Collection, Box 2652).
This expansion coincided with retail growth and new construction that marked the period immediately following
World War II. (The 1947 Neisner’s Building immediately to the east was the first major building constructed in
downtown San Antonio following the war.) Though post-war highway construction enabled the building of new
suburbs at greater distances from downtown, the central city remained San Antonio’s primary retail area through
the early 1960s.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 20
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
By the late 1950s, downtown retailers including J.C. Penney’s began to establish suburban locations.
Penney’s opened its first suburban store in 1958 in Terrell Plaza on the city’s north side and by 1962, the store
had expanded to the south and northwest sides with stores in McCreless Shopping City and Northwest Center.
Within fifteen years, Penney’s had six local stores that employed over 1,000 people (San Antonio News, July 8,
1976).
While Penney’s downtown store continued to operate, drawing buyers from among both local residents
and visiting Mexican nationals, suburban development diminished the store’s customer base. Penney’s decreased
its downtown inventory, and by 1985, filled only the basement and first two floors of the Houston Street
building. J.C. Penney’s did not own the building, and the decision was made to close the store in early 1985 (San
Antonio Express, January 5, 1985). Suburban growth and devaluation of the peso were among the factors cited
for the store’s closing. Penney’s District Sales Promotion Manager stated, “Declining sales downtown in the
past few years have necessitated this action…It is with reluctance that we’re closing the unit” (ibid). Following
the closing of Penney’s, the Burns Building remained vacant for 12 years. It was purchased in 1997 for
renovation as offices and was completed in September 1998.
The Burns Building is located one block west of the Alamo Plaza National Register Historic District. It
is across Houston Street from the Maverick Building (NR 1995), one and two blocks east respectively of the
Majestic Building (NR 1975) and Central Trust Company Building (NR 1982), and one block southeast of the
St. Anthony Hotel (NR 1989).
The Burns Building is significant under Criterion A (local level) in the areas of commerce and community
planning and development for its association with the development of Houston Street as a center of the city’s
retail clothing business during both the boom and decline of downtown San Antonio. It is also significant under
Criterion C (local level) as an example of a “daylight” building made possible by its reinforced concrete
construction, and its association with Sanguinet and Staats, prominent early 20th century architects whose
“skyscrapers” changed the face of Texas cities. The period of significance extends from 1918 when the building
was constructed until 1954, the year that Penney’s completed its downtown expansion immediately prior to
undertaking a suburban building program.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 21
FIGURE 8-1
Detail, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 1885
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 22
FIGURE 8-2
Detail, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 1896
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 23
FIGURE 8-3
Detail, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 1904
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 24
FIGURE 8-4
Detail, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 1912
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 25
FIGURE 8-5
Detail, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 1911, updated to 1951
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 26
FIGURE 8-6
San Antonio Light, December 30, 1917
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 27
FIGURE 8-7
1921 remodeling drawings, Ralph H. Cameron, architect
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 28
FIGURE 8-8
1921 remodeling drawings, Ralph H. Cameron, architect
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 29
FIGURE 8-9
1921 remodeling drawings, Ralph H. Cameron, architect
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 8 Page 30
FIGURE 8-10
1921 remodeling drawings, Ralph H. Cameron, architect
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 9 Page 31
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Banham, Reyner. A Concrete Atlantis: U.S. Industrial Building and European Modern Architecture, 19001925. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1986.
Bexar County Deed Records
Cameron, Ralph, Collected Drawings, Architectural Drawings Collection, University of Texas at Austin.
Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library Vertical Files
Davis, Ellis A. and Edwin H. Grobe (comp. and ed.). New Encyclopedia of Texas. Dallas: Texas Development
Bureau, ca. 1930.
For Preservation, September 1996.
Henry, Jay. Architecture in Texas, 1895-1945. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1993.
Houston Post, March 29, 1993
Institute of Texan Cultures Photographic Archives
Luck, E.A., ed. San Antonio, City of Destiny and Your Destination. San Antonio: Higher Publicity League of
Texas, 1920.
Roark, Carol. Letter to Maria Watson Pfeiffer, August 26, 1997.
San Antonio City Directories, 1877 to present
San Antonio Express, July 28, 1918; January 1919, various dates; February 2, 1919; July 1, 1919; December 25,
1924; August 9, 1925; February 7 & 8, 1935; April 17, 1977; January 5, 1985.
San Antonio Light, December 30, 1917; May 5, 1918; June 23, 1918.
San Antonio Light & Gazette, December 12, 1909.
San Antonio News, July 8, 1976.
San Antonio Newspaper Artists' Association (pub.) Men of Affairs of San Antonio. San Antonio, 1913.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 9 Page 32
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
San Antonio Public Library Vertical Files
Sanborn's Fire Insurance Maps, various editions
Thomas, Bernice L. America’s 5 & 10 Cent Stores: The Kress Legacy. Washington D.C.: Preservation Press,
1997.
Tyler, Ron (ed). The New Handbook of Texas. Austin: The Texas State Historical Association, 1996.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section 10 Page 33
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION
The site is comprised of Lot A-1, Block 19, NCB 417 in San Antonio, Bexar County Texas. It is bounded on the
north by an alley dividing the north and south halves of Block 417, on the south by Houston Street, on the east by
Lot A-2, NCB 417, and on the west by Jefferson Street.
BOUNDARY JUSTIFICATION
The boundaries include all property associated with the Bums Building since its construction.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section MAP Page 34
LOCATION MAP
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section MAP Page 35
PLAT MAP
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section MAP Page 36
SITE PLAN
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Section PHOTO Page 37
PHOTO LOG
The following information pertains to all photographs unless otherwise noted:
Name of Property
Address
City, County, State
Photographer
Location of Negatives
Date of Photographs
Burns Building
401 East Houston Street
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Maria Watson Pfeiffer
Maria Watson Pfeiffer
September 1998
Photo No.
Photographer:
Date of Photograph:
Elevation:
Camera Facing
1 of 9
Unknown
c. 1938
South
Northeast
Photo No.
Elevation:
Camera Facing
2 of 9
South
Northeast
Photo No.
Elevation:
Camera Facing
3 of 9
South
Northeast
Photo No.
Elevation:
Camera Facing
4 of 9
West
Southeast
Photo No.
Elevation:
Camera Facing
5 of 9
North
Southeast
Photo No.
Elevation:
6 of 9
First floor interior looking south from mezzanine
Photo No.
Elevation:
7 of 9
First floor interior looking south from mezzanine
Photo No.
8 of 9
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Burns Building
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Section PHOTO Page 38
Elevation:
Second floor interior looking north
Photo No.
Date:
Source:
9 of 9
c. 1920
San Antonio, City of Destiny and of Your Destination