herr2ck: Springfield Trip, pt. 1

March 2025.

This post continues the trend of “dump posts,” where I do a mass upload of buildings that I think are interesting but I don’t have enough material for their own articles. It will alternate between photos from my first and second visits. We’ll start at the corner of Spring Street and Main Street, the very eastern edge of downtown.

I took the above photo because Springfield was so much larger than the other two cities I had then explored (Newark and Sidney), and I was surprised by the density and how far the tall buildings continued. I spy the Clark County Courthouse, Covenant Presbyterian, Springfield’s post office, and the Springfield News-Sun Building.

137 East Main Street/Tuttle Brothers Auto Supplies

This building was the site of Springfield’s first tavern, where a peace treaty was made between some of the earliest settlers and Native Americans in 1808. It is long-demolished now, and the current building is a c. 1900-1920 Commercial style design. I was most drawn to its vintage sign. Tuttle Bros. was open until as late as 2007, but it was replaced by a visitors’ center afterwards and is a realtor’s office today.

1 South Limestone Street

1 South Limestone Street and City Hall under construction c. 1979. Note the presence of many since-demolished historic buildings, such as the Arcue Building and Arcade Hotel. (Westcott Center)

This massive, evil-looking Modern office building dominates the downtown’s built landscape. It seems to be largely vacant and decaying, though Google Maps says some businesses have offices inside. I couldn’t find any history on it besides the News-Sun moving there in 2014, but I think it was part of the SOM urban renewal project, which likely demolished historic buildings on the original site.

However, if you look north of this eyesore, Springfield’s pleasant Main Street buildings line the street westward:

I’ve covered the Bushnell Building (center) and the Hull Plaza (far left) in their own posts, but these next ones are unique to this article.

Springfield Federal Savings & Loan Association

Third time wasn’t the charm…the only results I got searching for this one were the crappy SOM building on the corner adjacent to 1 South Limestone Street. Oh well. The only concrete information I know is that this is an Art Deco/Stripped Classical building, and a similar one in Newark was built around 1950. I’m going to say that this portion was built c. 1930-1950, with the Beaux-Arts wing on the left being c. 1900-1920. The ugly thing in the middle (which I didn’t bother photographing) was built before the 1970s, but it has presumably been altered.

Detail of the top sign and surrounding ornamentation:

I know this little Beaux-Arts portion is probably considered crudely designed, since it’s just a temple front plastered onto a flat marble facade, but I like it nonetheless.

I always love a good pediment:

Given the central shield with a caduceus, I wonder if this building was built as a doctor’s office?

The eastern side also has this mural of Hattie Moseley, a civil rights leader who lived in Springfield:

Starrett & Fried Block + 10 East Main Street [demolished]

Historic photo of Main Street. 6-10 East Main are second and third from left, before the Bushnell Building. This picture also shows how badly Springfield’s downtown has been butchered. (Historic Structures)

These are the two (now one) buildings on Main Street listed as the “Main Street Buildings” on the National Register of Historic Places that are not covered elsewhere. The others are the Lagonda National Bank (coming next and separately listed on the NRHP) and the Bushnell Building. The standing building, the Starrett & Fried Block, is Italianate in style and was built c. 1878. Its demolished neighbor seemed a bit more modern and was likely constructed during the turn of the 20th century--it replaced a portion of the Starrett & Fried Block.

Wikipedia’s file photo from 2010 shows a more intact cornice. (nyttend on Wikipedia)

10 East Main Street was demolished after the 1970s, since it is visible in photos of City Hall and 1 South Limestone Street under construction. The Starrett & Fried Block mostly survives, albeit in shoddy condition. Its windows are obscured, the facade is covered with paint, and the storefront appears to be a poorly-conceived mid-century alteration.

Looking through Google Street View, the remnants of the cornice were removed between 2010 and 2017, and the facade was repainted between September 2024 and March 2025. It does look a little cleaner and I like the abstract effect that the obscured windows give, but this poor thing either needs to be restored or put out of its misery. Its interior has also been altered, including the demolition of the party wall between it and the Lagonda National Bank.

With the way the light was working that day, I really wish I had gotten a closer picture of just the arched windows. It would have turned out great compositionally.

Lagonda National Bank

Photo of the bank’s original appearance c. 1889. (NRHP nomination form)

Okay, get ready, because I found the NRHP listing form online and it is MASSIVE. The Lagonda National Bank was established in 1873 by prominent attorney and Civil War veteran General Joseph Keifer from the earlier Commercial Bank, which had started operating three years earlier. (The name Lagonda comes from the French abbreviation for the local Wyandot tribe’s name for Buck Creek.) They purchased the site that the building stands on in 1881.

The Lagonda National Bank building was designed in 1882 by Springfield architects Charles Cregar and Lon Krider, and it was originally an Italianate building. Its construction took place between 1883 and 1884. The bank occupied the western half of the ground floor, while a hatter and furrier used the eastern half. The floors above were office space.

The remodeled Lagonda National Bank in 1948. (NRHP nomination form)

In 1927, Lagonda National Bank merged with Citizens National Bank, forming the unified Lagonda-Citizens National Bank. General Keifer retired after 54 years, and the new president was H. E. Freeman. With this larger bank, the building needed to be remodeled. Though the interior was adjusted to accommodate for increased demand, the exterior was altered into a simpler Neoclassical design. The original corner entrance was moved to the south face, much of the Italianate ornament was removed, and new spandrels and decorative features were added. Inside, the originally subdivided first floor was unified and the original decoration was replaced. Notably, the office space above was unaltered and the 1884 material remains somewhat intact today.

The building after its 1962 renovation. (NRHP nomination form)

The bank’s space was further expanded in 1948 with two mezzanines added to the east and west walls, supplementing an earlier balcony. Notably, in 1962, the bank underwent another renovation. For the first time I have ever seen in my various research sessions of architectural history, a mid-century alteration added ornamentation to an existing building. This is almost unheard of during a time where Victorian-era architecture was perceived as dated and gaudy and the preservation movement had only just begun. The stone panels and cornice in the above photo were added in 1962 and remain today.

The Lagonda National Bank expanded during the same period, opening various branches and finally departing its original building in 1966 for a larger, more modern space. The older Lagonda National Bank building was then used as a downtown branch. The bank eventually merged with Huntington and they operated within until 1983. It was vacant for a short period until the Regency Room restaurant opened in 1986.

The state of the first floor in 2017. (NRHP nomination form)

The first floor was heavily altered c. 1993, when the Nashville Country Club opened in the building. Features like a bar and mirrored panels were installed, while the ceiling was obscured with acoustic tile and one of the balconies was removed. Additionally, the ground floor wall between the Lagonda National Bank and its neighbor was removed. The nightclub closed prior to 2007 and the building has been abandoned since.

The unusually intact office floors of the building. (NRHP nomination form)

Here is the exterior as it appears today:

Note the bricked-up windows from the 1928 renovation. The rest is typical Neoclassical decoration--the south entrance is a good example:

The west facade:

Portico detail:

Like its neighbor, the Lagonda National Bank is in a difficult spot. Certain areas of historic integrity remain, but in others the building has been heavily altered and will require a significant investment to restore. It might be possible to restore the upper floors and rent them out as “Gilded Age apartments” or something, while gutting the first floor’s horrid 1990s decor and opening commercial space within. I hope this building sees success like its neighbors.

KeyBank Building/Springfield Savings Society and Commercial Bank

The KeyBank Building was designed by notable Chicago architect Alfred Shaw towards the end of his career. It was built for the Springfield Savings Society and Commercial Bank in 1961, whose president claimed in 1959: “The new structure will feature prominent areas of glass and white stone. Broad sidewalks, trees, and shrubbery surrounding the building will create a plaza effect. The interior will be arranged to offer the ultimate in complete banking service to our customers, both in convenience and efficiency.” It replaced the older Martin Building.

Shaw’s original design carried the marble louvers across the entire facade, but this was abandoned prior to construction. Additionally, the north facade originally had a concrete wall with molded geometric shapes, though this was later removed. The interior, as it was designed, included typical Modernist features like glass, stone, and terrazzo, but it also incorporated walnut woodwork and furniture. Unfortunately, much of these materials have been removed in the 64 years this building has stood.

A shoddy photo from my car window while leaving the first day, since I was running out of time.

The KeyBank Building is actually more similar to its surroundings than it is different. It occupies the entire site and respects the scale of its neighbors, augmenting the historic downtown streetscape for a new era rather than circumventing it entirely. It also acknowledged the pedestrian (rare for buildings of that time) while accommodating the automobile, which began to play a larger role in American culture at the time. What SOM failed to consider a decade later is that their massive plaza created two ugly buildings on an island, which removed the denser blocks of Victorian-era structures before and encouraged further departure from downtown.

I regret not getting more pictures of this one--I think this building is probably Springfield’s best Modernist work. I really love the marble on the second floor and the louvered facade, as well as how it appears to float on the glass curtain walls beneath it. I think Modernist architecture’s worst fallacy, at least aesthetically, is the tendency towards sterility and overly simple forms. (Look across the street and see what I mean.) Here, the materials and decoration liven it up significantly.

State Theater

Historic photo of the building in 1945, featuring the original marquee. (Cinema History)

The State Theater was built in 1927 as one of nine theaters in Springfield. Its current owner claims it was the first purpose-built movie theater ever (since before the 1920s theaters showed live performances), which I’m a little skeptical of but will include nonetheless. Its original Renaissance Revival design included grand classical motifs and ornamentation.

The original facade of the State Theater was obscured during the mid-century era, and its marquee was replaced by a stainless steel design. I believe that this occurred during the construction of the Springfield Savings Society and Commercial Bank next door, since the marble cladding is similar and the marquee is an extension of the bank’s awning.

The theater eventually fell into disrepair as it aged and maintenance was deferred. Its owner prior to 2021, who left the building sitting empty for five years, filed for bankruptcy, and local developer Altered State Group purchased the State Theater that year. The partners had memories attending the theater in their youth and sought to restore the interior. Springfield architect Craig Dillon completed the design for the project. This included updates to the plumbing and HVAC systems, which mostly dated to the building’s opening, and a new bar area.

The entrance vestibule today:

Wow, this is a weird hybrid between Modern and Renaissance Revival architecture.

King Building/King-Gotwald Building [demolished]

The Romanesque Revival King Building stood immediately south of the State Theater. It was built for either Robert Quigley King, or Miss S. J. King and Fred Gotwald (my sources conflict), circa 1891. Its principal elevation consisted of red sandstone with oak storefronts and a galvanized iron cornice. Robert King died in his apartment inside the building in 1917.

The King Building during its 1956 fire. (Clark County Historical Society on Facebook)

By 1956, the building’s storefronts had been altered to a mid-century design. Tragically, the building’s top three floors caught on fire in the early morning of September 15, 1956, which completely destroyed them. It was being used as storage for the People’s Outfitting Company, located in the Arcue Building next door. The King Building was presumably demolished afterwards, and the lot remains empty today.

Arcue Building [demolished]

The only photo I could find of the Arcue Building in its entirety in decent resolution. (Familypedia)

The Arcue Building stood at the corner of Limestone Street and High Street, directly across the street from City Hall. It was built in 1916 or 1917 in the Neoclassical style, designed by Robert Gotwald, and its facade was altered to have a late Modernist-era base at some point. A lot of the history is kind of a crapshoot and comes from sources that aren’t as trustworthy (a forum post full of dead links and an oddly detailed Wikipedia article with few citations), so I’m just going to assume that that information is correct and make corrections later if needed:

The lot the Arcue Building stood on is immediately south of the King Building, which was built by Robert Quigley King (as mentioned in the previous section). After King died in November 1917, his sons David and Robert inherited that structure and the lot upon which the Arcue Building was being constructed. They named it after their father’s initials--“R. Q.” becomes “Arcue.” The family sold it in the 1940s, and the building remained occupied for the next several decades.

Detail of the entrance in 2010. (Cindy Funk on Flickr)

The Arcue Building housed offices on its upper floors and businesses in the base, notably the Hub Clothing Store until 1972. It was renovated in 1978 to update the systems, which may have been when the building was altered. Despite some arguing that the building was in good shape, it was demolished in January 2012.

Springfield City Hall/City Building

Elevation of the building from the plaza. (Library of Congress)

Springfield’s newer city hall is the result of an initiative by its citizens, who created a task force to attempt to resolve the city’s urban decay. It was designed by notable firm Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill, and the building was completed in 1979 at a cost of $5.7 million. It replaced the original City Building (the Clark County Heritage Center today).

The plaza was recently redone, which coincided with the removal of the “Oracle’s Vision” statue in front.

This building is pretty typical of Modern-era ideals. It razed an entire block of Victorian-era buildings and replaced them with a massive plaza. The end result is a much less dense downtown area, and now the urban decay it sought to resolve has ironically attacked the office building on the other side. I think it’s horrifically ugly, but the well-known architects made me decide to document it.

Words escape me…I can hardly describe any interesting features because of how dull this design is. It’s built as a telescoping structure with hexagonal ends, but the materiality is so bare that any effect is lost.

The only thing City Hall really does architecturally, at least to me, is serve as an example of the hubris of mid-century city planning, and how so-called experts thought bulldozing crusty, poorly maintained Victorian buildings and building new shiny Modern ones would make all the problems with large cities in that era go away. Well, it didn’t work, because the solution (if there even is one) is much more difficult than just burning everything down and starting over. Even the problem itself is a result of many factors outside of architecture, such as white flight and deindustrialization.

Myers Daily Market

Historic photo of the market soon after its opening. (Springfield News-Sun)

The only thing I could find about this building is that it was opened in November 1916 as a market for the citizens of Springfield, and that it was a senior center from before 2007 until 2017. After that, the building was renovated into “Myers Market,” a public market similar to North Market in Columbus. Today, it houses several small businesses, as well as a COhatch branch.

Arcade Hotel + Whitely, Fassler, and Kelly Building [demolished]

Looking southeast at the facade of the Arcade Hotel. (Library of Congress)

The massive Arcade Hotel is perhaps Springfield’s most lamented lost building. Similar to the Clark County Heritage Center across the street, the facade was expressed as a series of distinct units. Its historical significance and intact nature prior to its demolition make this an even greater loss to the city.

The north facade. (Library of Congress)

The Arcade Hotel was designed by Charles Cregar in a modified version of the Romanesque Revival style. It incorporated the earlier Italianate Whitely, Fassler, and Kelly Building, which was built for a reaper company and stood on the corner of Fountain Avenue and High Street. The Arcade Hotel was built by Oliver Kelly in 1883.

The interior of the arcade. Note the relatively intact original storefronts, minus the broken glass, and the recently updated skylight. (Library of Congress)

This arcade was only the second one built in the United States. It had a massive skylight atrium with shops inside, and it served as Springfield’s railroad station. Above the stores were 115 hotel rooms, with elaborate brass and marble fixtures. After construction was finished, it became a source of pride for Springfield citizens.

The western facade. (Library of Congress)

As late as 1970, the building was still occupied by many shops, which retained their original character, and the hotel area was occupied by seniors. However, Springfield’s public library purchased the Arcade Hotel in 1971, which planned to demolish the building. Tenants were being evicted for what was perceived as catering to the “youth counter-culture,” such as a coffee shop intended for young people and a clothing store that specialized in items for people with disabilities. Scandalous…what happened to our “good old fashioned family values?!” God forbid we accommodate...disabled people? City and library officials wanted to maintain downtown’s “decorum,” but this was challenging for them with occupants like the Capri Club, which played loud music and advertised “Go-Go Girls Daily.” It’s kind of funny how the baby boomer miscreants that these establishments once served have essentially become the same pearl-clutchers as their parents.

The hotel’s lobby in its original decorum. (Library of Congress)

Citizens began to fight for the preservation of the Arcade Hotel by nominating it to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 (to the library’s objection, as they considered the Warder Public Library more deserving) and founding a “Citizens Arcade Alliance.” However, studies gave conflicting views of the scope and cost of work that needed to be done. Some renovation work was completed, such as a new skylight, but the city evidently had enough of the building sitting empty and in 1985 announced that it would be razed. Its demolition began in February 1988, halted by a protest by preservationists, but resumed in March. A Postmodern hotel occupies the site today.

Edward Wren Company Building/McAdams Building, Farmers National Bank Building, Johnson Building [demolished]

The greatest extent of the Edward Wren Company and the four buildings it occupied. (Historic Structures)

The standing Edward Wren Company Building is two of what used to be four buildings that the store owned. It was completed in 1921 in the Neoclassical style, possibly with its neighbor the Farmers National Bank. The Johnson Building was built prior in 1903. I couldn’t find anything on the King Building, since it shares a name with a different building (covered earlier in this article).

Wren’s acquired the surrounding buildings in 1926 and expanded its store space inside. Two floors were added to the King Building prior to 1937, and the original columns on the bank building were removed. Wren’s was a popular department store downtown. Later, the building was used by the Kaufman department store.

Looking southeast from High Street, Wren’s at right. Look how dense it used to be here! (Historic Structures)

Today, the building sits empty, but the building received tax credits two years ago to remodel the interior into 89 apartments. I didn’t see any work happening while I was there, so we’ll see if that pans out.

The building is in pretty sad shape today. Its once-dense block is now empty, and the storefronts and windows sit shuttered.

You can see the column grid here where the building used to abut the King Building, which is now covered by cinder blocks:

Regent Theater

Historic photo of the theater’s marquee. (Pinterest)

The Regent Theater was designed by notable Detroit architect C. Howard Crane, who designed Orchestra Hall among other theaters there. Uniting Renaissance Revival and Art Deco motifs, the theater was intended to show both movies and vaudeville shows. It was built for agent Gus Sun, whose name plastered the windows and started many careers in show business. When vaudeville went out of style in the 1930s, the theater was used exclusively for movies, and operated until 1992. The Westcott Center says the theater is undergoing restoration, and there was some construction equipment on-site.

The Turner Foundation purchased the building in 2012. The elaborate marquee was removed in 2013 and placed into storage, and the facade was painted in 2014, but no work seems to have been completed since.

The theater has the typical massing in the back, but the front facade seems unusually small and short. This portion would have been concealed behind the adjacent building, though.

The facade:

126 East High Street

Okay, last one, and it’ll be quick. 126 East High Street is a Neoclassical building adjacent to the Lagonda Club. It was most recently an antique store, but the building is currently up for sale.

Looking northeast: