The Mankato free press., 1895-04-19
A FINE BLOCK.
Description of Fine Building Which
Fred Kron is to Erect.
Designed After the Style of the Italian
Renaissance and Costing $4,000.
1t Will be Occupied by Mr. Kron With
Big Department Store.


The plans for the big department
store which Mr.. Fred Kron is to erect
at the northeast corner OF Front and
Main streets, diagonally across from
The Saulpaugh, are now nearly COM
pleted, and we are able TO give a
thorough description of the building.
1t will be as handsome and sub
stantially constructed block as can
be found in the state, and in every
way will be credit and honor to its
owner and to the city. In style, it will
differ from any other building in the
city, in that it is designed after the
style of the Italian Renaissance, so
much used in the large cities at pres
ent. In general appearance, the
building will be imposing and solid,
and it will reflect credit upon the
architect, Mr.. II c. Gerlach.
The building will have frontage OF
fifty feet on Front street, and will eX-
tend back hundred feet, and will be
sixty feet high. 1t will be constructed
of brick, with stone and iron trim
mings. The facing will be of light
colored notified st. Louis pressed
brick, trimmed with reddish mot
tied St. Louis pressed brick, which
will nicely match the color of the
pink stone, which will be taken from
the Mankato quarrieS. There will be
a heavy iron cornice. All of the
windows and doors will be of plate
glass. Over the middle windows of
the third story in front, will be a heavy
arch.
The main entrance will be at the
center of the front of the building,
through double doors. Back of these
will be vestibule twelve feet deep,
with swing doors opening into the
store. Over the entrance will be a
tablet bearing the name, "F. Kron. "
The vestibute will extend through
the second story, where there will be
retiring windows. On each side OF
the main entrance will be show
windows of plate glass, fifteen feet
wide, and extending to the top of the
second story. The front twenty feet
on the Main street side will also be
used as a show window, two stories
high. These display windows will be
cased in, to prevent frost getting on
the glass.
At the rear of the building will be
passenger and freight elevator, run
ming from the basement to the third
floor. The StairWayS will also be at
the rear, an inside one connecting the
basement and first and second floors.
An inside stairway, but not connected
with the rest of the building, will run
from the Main street side to the rear
of the third floor. There will be no
outside Stairways about the building.
The basement will be twelve feet
high, and will be mostly used as
salesroom. There will be rooms for
receiving and unpacking goods, etc.
The first floor will be fifteen feet
high and will be one large salesroom.
The second story will be the same as
the first, and used as a salesroom. 1t
will be twelve feet high. In the CEN
ter of the second floor well hole,
14x22 feet, will open in the floor, for
better light and ventilation, connect
ing the first and second stories.
The third story will be used as a
hall, and for the present will not be
partitioned off. Later it may be used
as SaleSrOOm or for lodge rooms. 1t
will be sixteen feet high.
The interior finish of the entire
building will be of hardwood, probably
oak. There will be toilet rooms in
the basement and first and third
floors. One row of iron columns will
extend through each story, and steel
beams will be used.
The building will be heated by steam
and lighted by electricity. A separate
building will be erected back of the
store for the heating and lighting
plant. Mr.. Kron will put in his own
lighting plant.
When completed, the building will
cost So, 600. 1t is expected that work
on it will commence about June 1St
and that it will be ready for occupa-
tiOn by November 1st.
Mr.. Kron will occupy the building
with a large department store. He
has not yet decided on what lines of
goods to carry, nor the arrangement
OF the cases and counters, but the
store will be equal to the best and
conducted on the most improved prin-
ciples.
The store which Mr.. Kron now oc-
cupies will be used as grocery store.