Benjamin and Schermerhorn Building
Address: 210 N. Center St
Built: 1857
Architect: Rudolph Richter
Rudolph Richter
Born around 1827 in Prussia, Richter arrived in Bloomington in 1854 with experience as a draftsman and carpenter. He quickly developed a close relationship with Samuel Rounds, a prominent contractor and brick maker. Richter established a school to teach architectural drawing, focusing on perspective and other technical aspects. Known for his expertise in ornamental iron work and his preference for the straightforward Italianate style, Richter was entrusted with designing a variety of buildings, both commercial and residential. One notable example is the Rounds Block on West Front Street. Richter continued to contribute to Bloomington's architectural landscape until 1875, when he moved to Indianapolis.
Style: Italianate (1840-1880)
Italianate (1840-1880)
Italianate style commercial buildings featured low-pitched roofs, bracketed cornices, round and segmented arched windows with decorative headers, and recessed entrances. Sometimes known as Tuscan, Lombard, Round, or Bracketed, the versatility of this design made it almost a national style in the 1850s.
Brief History:
1857 - Initially built as a dry goods store owned by Edward Benjamin and John Schermerhorn
1858-1866 - Housed The Pantagraph newspaper on the third floor.
1886-1926 - Henry Capen and Sons, a loan broker and investment counselor, occupied the second floor.
1895 - W.B. Read and Co., a stationary and bookstore occupied first floor.
1951 - W.B. Read and Co. occupied the whole building until the death of proprietor, William Read.
1952 - Osco Drug Store and EGS Development Company.
2006-2020 - CVS Drugstore
2024-2026 – Under renovation, plans are to have luxury condos on the 2nd and 3rd floors, and a restaurant or other business for the first floor.
Architectural Description:
This Italianate style building was designed by Bloomington architect Rudolph Richter and built by contactor Samuel Dennis (S.D.) Rounds in 1857 to serve as a dry goods store operated by Edward Benjamin and John Schermerhorn.
This three-story building features a pressed brick façade on top of a heavy stone foundation. Balance is achieved through repetitive arched windows and moldings that pierce the façade of the second and third stories. The 8 windows on the front façade are composed of limestone sills and segmental stone arch lintels resting on impost blocks.
At the time of construction, the contractor, S. D. Rounds had 13 buildings under construction and a crew of 80-90 men. They were manufacturing 100,000 to 125,000 bricks a week but needed 25,000 bricks a day to keep the crews busy. According to The Pantagraph, between May-Aug 1857, 350,000 bricks had already been used in erecting the Benjamin & Shermerhorn building and more would be required to finish it off.
The third floor was originally designed with arched ceilings to be used as a hall for exhibitions, lectures and dancing but The Pantagraph moved in the fall of 1857. They maintained their business offices across the alley in their old location. A short stairway across the alley helped maintain communication. They were here until 1866 when they moved to the “Market House” at Center & Monroe.
From 1886-1926 Henry Capen & Sons, a loan broker and investment counselor, occupied the second floor. In 1895 the W.B. Read and Co. stationary and bookstore occupied the first floor and then eventually took over the entire building until the death of the owner, William Read in 1951.
Interesting fact:
During the United States Civil War The Pantagraph was known as a radical "black Republican" newspaper for its support of Abraham Lincoln and views on slavery.