NRHP listed building at 1121-1123 Locust St., St. Louis, Missouri.Photo bypublichall, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The building at 1121-1123 Locust Street in St. Louis, Missouri is historic and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 4, 2004.

The architectural style is Classical Revival. It has a limestone foundation and brick walls. It was designed by John D. Paulus. When it was nominated for the National Register, the owner was New City Neighborhood Redevelopment, LLC. and there were two businesses on the first floor.

This five-story building was built in 1906. The front of the building has large windows, smaller windows on the fifth story, and terra cotta ornament. The ground floor has a two-store storefront.

Interesting features inside the building include tin ceilings, wood floors, and concrete columns that divide the space in front from the back.

Backstory

This St. Louis five-story building is important because of its architecture. It's amazing that it's over a century old. It was investment property which was funded by Clifford M. Dolph (1858-1925).

Architect, John D. Paulus, was commissioned by Dolph to design the building. Paulus started working with architecture in 1883 in St. Louis at age 15. At the time, he was a draughtsman, one who studies mechanical drawing. City directories had listed Paulus as a draughtsman, carpenter, or architect until 1888. That's when he was in a firm known as Paulus & Steininger which didn't last long. In 1889, Paulus partnered with D.C. Williamson and formed Paulus & Williamson.

In 1914, the building housed Newcomb Bros. Wall Paper Co. which was a wholesale and retail wallpaper distributor and interior decorating business. It's believed this company was in the building until 1924 when it shared the building with Farm and Home Savings and Loan Association of Missouri and with Temple Desk Corp.

By 1927, Newcomb Bros. moved out of the building. Other tenants included St. Louis Securities, Mound City Studio Photographers, Incandescent Electrical Supply Co., and Commercial Blue Print Co.

While there was demolition occurring on the block, the 1121-23 and 1113-1115 buildings were left standing.

When the building was nominated for the National Register the upper four floors were vacant. Since 1973, Papa John's Pizza occupied the west storefront, but it doesn't appear to be there today. The east storefront was occupied by Hollywood Rubber Stamp Co. which is no longer there.

The plan by the owner was to leave the first floor for retail space and convert the upper floors to living spaces. The building was historically renovated into lofts in in 2006-2007 consisting of eight luxury residential condos on four floors. Visit here to see an example of one of the condos of the building known as Alexander Lofts.

Thanks for reading.