Birke Building
C.B. Coburn Building, Built circa 1874
L.M. Andrews Building, Built circa. 1878

            

C.B. Coburn Bldg. c. 1910                        Birke's Dept Store c.2003

Building History

Both the Coburn and Andrews buildings were built in the 1870s but have considerable stylistic differences; the left building with its continuous granite sills and lintels, and the other with its segmental-arched windows and paneled brickwork.  Both buildings have a metal cornice with corbelling below with the left building topped by a brick parapet.  Both buildings’ storefronts include cast iron columns and granite lintels.

The buildings were initially home to a paints and oils store owned by Charles Coburn.  L.M. Andrews, a furniture painter, was another early occupant.  By 1924, the Coburn Company still occupied the site as did William B. Carey, a dealer in wholesale provisions.

The building is more commonly known as the former home of Birke’s Department Store.

Preservation and Reuse

Acquired by a private developer in 2005, the building was rehabilitated into residential condominiums with ground floor retail space.  Work included removing oversized signage that revealed original storefront materials including granite lintels and cast iron columns, items that were incorporated into new, period storefronts, as well as restoration of the building’s historic windows.

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