This structure just north of the alley on the east side of the Chariton square, fronting on North Grand, is Lucas County's oldest extant brick building --- built during 1866-67 and nearly 160 years old. Its age is evident on the south side along the alley (if you look carefully) and from the rear, but the current facade dates from the 1920s and can be misleading.
Good news for the venerable structure this week: A $100,000 Community Catalyst Building Remediation grant awarded by the Iowa Department of Economic Development to the city of Chariton to aid in its preservation and new life.
That grant will cover a significant percentage of a three-phase, two-year $427,000 project that will return the now-mothballed building to active use, upstairs and down.
The building, known as the Palmer Building, was rescued during 2018 by the Lucas County Preservation Alliance, a non-profit that immediately invested roughly $125,000 to stabilize, secure and mothball it. The Alliance also owns the Hotel Charitone (upscale apartments and restaurant), the C.B.&Q. Freight House (an events venue) and the Charitone Annex (also mothballed).
Major sections of the south wall were rebuilt during the 2018 stabilization process and the two-story part of the building reroofed. The contrast between the new brown brick and the older red-painted brick is evident in this photograph taken at the time.
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The first phase of the renewal project --- the phase to be funded in part by the catalyst grant --- includes replacing the current faux stone and plastic storefront with a simple contemporary storefront with recessed central door. Necessary repairs will be made to the remainder of the 1920s facade; an exterior staircase created at Johnson Machine Works will be installed in the alley to allow access to the second floor; a rear staircase sheltered from the elements will be built; the alley wall will be painted to match the brick of the facade; and other repairs will be made as needed to the brickwork and parapet.
Phase two of the project involves renovation of the second floor into a large two-bedroom apartment with restored windows and original hardwood floors. This apartment was created as a home during the 1920s for the John C. Flatt family, but has been abandoned and inaccessible for many years.
During phase three, the first floor will be renovated into an open work space for Chariton High School's and Indian Hills Community College's Chariton Valley Career Academy classes. Breakout areas, individual work stations, restrooms and a kitchenette will be included. Champs Locker, operated by the Chariton Booster Club as an outlet for school-related paraphernalia, will occupy the storefront and be open regular business hours. Rental of conference and meeting space also is planned.
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Funding for the project will come from various sources above and beyond the $100,000 grant. The city of Chariton has pledged $25,000 in matching funds plus $5,000 of immediate in-kind input and $2,500 in tax abatement; the city also will administer the grant. Indian Hills Community College students will add $50,000 of in-kind labor as the project is used as a training exercise; the Preservation Alliance has designated $50,000 from savings and is prepared to borrow an amount ranging from $102,000 to $200,000; and State Historic Tax Credits will add approximately $94,000.
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Elijah Lewis, a longtime editor and publisher of The Chariton Patriot, arrived in Chariton during early February, 1867, by stage coach from Albia. At that time, he recalled in an article headlined "Thirty Years" and published in The Patriot of Feb 18, 1897, "Oliver Palmer was just finishing his two story brick store on the east side, at that time the only brick building in town."
According to Lucas County's 1881 history, the site of the Palmer building as well as the Knights of Pythias and Hickman buildings immediately north were parts of a lot with 82-foot frontage purchased by David Waynick on the first Monday in November 1849 --- the first public sale of lots in Chariton.
Oliver Palmer operated a dry goods and grocery store in his new brick building from 1867 until 1880, when he sold out and moved west to Atwood, Kansas. During the years that followed, his building was occupied by a wide range of mercantile operations.
During 1888, when owned by druggist David Q. Storie, its rather plain brick front, which had featured arched windows above and small display windows below, was rebuilt in the style then prevailing. A new plate glass front was inserted at street level, second-floor windows received cast-metal lintels and a cast metal cornice was commissioned to crown it.
Pete T. Paton was operating a cigar and "gent's furnishings" store here during early 1925, when the building was purchased by John C. Flatt, who had been operating a candy and ice cream store on the north side of the square. During June and July of 1925, Flatt commissioned an entirely new front --- probably designed by Chariton architect William Lee Perkins --- which remains in good repair.
When the remodeling was completed, the Flatt family moved into the upstairs apartment and opened their business downstairs. Candy cases and a soda fountain occupied the front of the building, an ice cream parlor filled a 20-foot by 26-foot area behind it and the candy kitchen brought up the rear. Ice cream-making operations were installed in the renovated basement.
The business proved to be so successful that it was necessary during November of the following year to build a 20-foot by 36-foot addition onto the rear of the building.
Flatt was in business at this location as Flatt's Candy Kitchen for only 10 years, however, before he died at age 57 in June of 1936. After that, the building passed through a number of hands before it was purchased by the South Central Mutual Insurance Association.
Danish Mutual Insurance, which absorbed South Central Mutual in 2013, had no interest in the building --- and some difficulty disposing of it --- after it moved off the square, but a pet shop was located there for a time.
In the end, as the building continued to deteriorate, Lucas County Preservation Alliance purchased the property in 2018 and invested approximately $125,000 to stabilize the alley-side wall of the building, in grave danger of collapse, and to re-roof the two-story main section. The city of Chariton contributed $25,000 to this effort at the time. The entire building then was "mothballed" --- stabilized and secured, awaiting further opportunities.
These three images illustrate the condition of the building before 2018 stabilization began.
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The stated purpose of Iowa's Community Catalyst Building Remediation Program is to "assist communities with the redevelopment or rehabilitation of buildings to stimulate economic growth or reinvestment in the community."
Chariton City Manager Laura Liegois shared grant application documents as well as explaining aspects of the program conversationally. In addition, the building photo at the beginning of this post should be credited to her.
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