Historic Designations:
National Register of Historic Places
Formerly:
J.C. Penney Department Store
U.S.O. Center
Sanger Brothers Department Store
Wyatt C. Hedrick was the architect for this 5 story concrete faced with stone building that extends from Houston to Throckmorton along W. 4th Street. It was constructed by Wohlfield and Witt. Sanger Brothers opened their first Fort Worth branch in 1925 at 515 Houston Street. Wtihin four years, that building was outgrown and a larger new building was built at this location. When this structure opened for Sanger Brothers Department Store in 1929, it had some of the most modern retailing innovations. It was the first department store west of the Mississippi River to be air-conditioned. The building was also designed to be expanded by adding three more floors on top. The Depression was not kind to Sanger's, and within a few years after its opening, the store had closed. In 1943, the building was remodeled to become the largest U.S.O. in the United States. In 1946, the J.C. Penney Co. relocated from the Fakes Building next door. Penney's occupied the building until the early 1970's. After Penney's moved out, Edison's used the upper floors for their warehouse. In 1977, N.C. Hall's Jewelers moved from the Westbrook Hotel into the ground floor space along Houston Street. In 1986, the exterior of the building was restored and in 1993, the upper floors of the building were converted to 59 loft apartments. The Sanger Lofts tie into the adjacent Fakes Building. The Sanger Lofts project was designed by David M. Schwarz. When The Cassidy was completed in 2014, it also connected into the Sanger Lofts. Parts Unknown and Buffalo Bros. Pizza, Wings, & Subs are the ground floor tenants. The basement is home to The Circle Theater.
1957 Photograph of J.C. Penney Store from UTA Libraries Digital Gallery
Architectural Style:
Spanish Renaissance Revival
Architect:
Wyatt C. Hedrick, Fort Worth
Category:
Loft Apartments
