138 Fifth Street

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Evaluation:

This is a contributing Fifth Street building within the historic district. It is an exceptional commercial example of the Classical Revival style and one that was locally controversial with it was built. It is unusual that there were no separate storefronts spaces along the north side of the building along Maple Street.

District Characteristic	Yes	No	Findings/Recommendations
Two-story brick with narrow mass	X
Larger, broader massing		X
Other key façade features	X
Architectural style	X		Classical Revival
Prominent location	X		Corner location along with its association with larger buildings in north half of the block.
Original façade materials	X
Upper fenestration pattern	X
Sympathetic Storefront Infill	X
Brick corbelled parapet	X		Unusual twin attic level with fenestration and stepped parapet treatment
Cornice/coping (not metal)	X		Distinctive stone coping

Physical Description:

This corner two-story building is distinctive for its style (Classical Revival) and design. Double-fronted, its north Maple Street frontage is faced with a red brick while the facade is a gray-brown colored pressed brick. The local newspaper castigated the building's appearance, finding it both "squatty" and tall enough to be three stories and lacking harmony with near-by buildings (Express, June 22, 1911). The design is classical with a base, column and capital vertical separation. The storefront covers the east facade ending with an angled corner entry. The second floor has paired double window sets that broaden the facade visually. An attic is separated by corbelled brickwork and stone belt courses above and below from the pedimented parapet and has matching smaller window sets. Stone (the newspaper said concrete) belt courses run just under the upper window sill level and as previously noted. The north wall is fully fenestrated and two of three upstairs windows are paired sets. The ground floor has two ceiling height single light openings. The core plan measures 20 feet by 45 feet. A two-story frame metal-clad addition (17 feet by 41 feet) is certainly a relocated former frame store building. An interesting design feature, apparently original is the use of a transom space above the angled corner entry.

Documented Alterations:

Windows (1/1) have been replaced with reflective glass and the storefront is a wood replacement (1996-97). Permits note electrical work 1979-80 and a comprehensive $101,000 renovation in 1996-97 by contractor Gene Gretman.

Commercial History:

Business	Owner	Start	Stop	Notes of Interest
MoMeres		2013	Current	Established 2009
Pattee Design	Steve Pattee		2005	Also at 218 Fifth
Mike C. Condon Inc		2000
Pegasus Gallery		1997
Positively POSH/Janet Manning Interiors	Jane Manning	1993	1996
Aubrey’s Finishing Touches		1990	1991
Kitchen Tools	Nancy Sanders, Morey Knutsen	1980	1988
Virginia’s Antiques		1970	1976
Hoffman House Antiques	Louise and Robert Hoffman	1964	1968	Show room and apartment upstairs, all used for business, they live in apartment (June 1965)
For sale			1967
	Louise and Robert Hoffman		1965	Residents in upstairs rear apartment at the time of the sniper incident next door south (Register, February 13, 1968).
Fruit market	Donald Reynolds	1954
V. C. Mickanas, insurance			1954	Moves to 819 Grand, WDM
WDM Water Works office		1953		From 415 Maple
Breneman Floor Coverings		1952
VFW Post #8879		1947		138 ½-October 1947
			1937	Attractive well located store room for rent, $40/mo. Vacant

Goodwill Industries	John Michaelson, mgr	1957	1960	Moves to 212 Fifth July 1960
vacant		1955	1960
Spencer Auto Company		1929		In rear?
Elmer Spencer grocery		1918	1950
Walton Hardware		1917	1918
Chase Brothers Grocery (Chain)		1911	1916
	Ashworth	1911		Ashworth purchase dated to mid-1901 (Express, June 28, 1901). In mid-1911 the old building was removed to Sixth and Elm streets and this building was built by the Ashworths (Express, June 2, 29, 1911, December 30, 1965)
				This corner was the location of the town’s first merchant, one John McGrayel in 1892. The metal clad west end of the plan dates to pre-1897. This was yet another Ashworth property during the probable period of its construction. The H. S. Chase chain grocery occupied an earlier two-story frame building in 1897 and the