Thursday, May 26, 2016

Renovation escalates at the former Walgreen's and Kresge at 302 Pearl.


Matt Chalfant's firm is renovating the building at 302 Pearl Street, and while I've no idea what it will become, we know what it used to be -- rather of a theme this week, given that somewhere around 10 buildings are being renovated within a square blocks downtown.

We turn to the folks at historic preservation:

S. S. Kresge Building
302 Pearl Street
New Albany, IN 47150

Category: Neoclassical

Year Built: 1930

This Neoclassical style building was built in 1930, replacing a three-story 1865 structure that was torn down to make way for this structure.

Seven years after it was built, it got very wet (photos courtesy of the online.com/">Indiana Room at the library).



In the preceding photos, you'll notice the street-level windows on the Market Street side. Now see what's happening in 2016.


Many of us remember the period when Walgreen's operated here. What you may not know is that the national S. S. Kresge five-and-dime chain was the forerunner of what eventually became K-Mart.

We can only imagine how the value of Chalfant's investment would be enhanced, rather than suppressed, by two-way a traffic on Pearl and Market.

No comments: