Broadway, #135

About this Property

#Redevelopment

In late 2007, construction started peeling away the layers of façade on this little brick, cement, and stucco building. The original crenellated roofline was underneath a circa-1970s simple rectangular cornice covering. This was uncovered during construction but then recovered with more modern materials. New bland details and stucco was added on top of the old, layering the structure back up and leaving the old detail for someone else to find (we hope).

The new laundromat added a concrete-block addition off the back of the building to expand the footprint up to the plat line. We couldn’t find out too much about the history of this little building. It was a luggage store called “Distinctive Case”, but we can’t tell for how long.

#Current Events

This is one of the locations of Freeway Laundry, a local family-owned and operated chain.

#History

Our research into the property via cadastral maps and aerial photos:

• 1920 Sanborn Map — Two distinct buildings are at this location. The present building is not in place yet. To the east is a three-story wood frame building, likely a triple-decker home.
• 1937 G.M. Hopkins Map — A brick trapezoidal building is at this location and labelled “Home for Aged Couples.” The brown line along Broadway indicates a stone-faced façade. An out building off the back (north) is not yet there.
• 1920-1956 Sanborn Map — A brick trapezoidal building is at this location labelled “S” for Store. The triple decker is still to the east with no out-building to the north.
• 1972 aerial photo — The out-building off the north appears in 1962 (this photo is clearer). The home to the east is still present.
• 1997 aerial photo — The home to the east disappears in the 1985 photo (and it was still there in a 1981 photo). Other homes in the Barclay Street block disappear as well as the area becomes more commercial so close to the highway.
• 2008 aerial photo — The northern out-building is demolished and a new foundation is in place for an updated concrete-block out-building which expands the footprint of the original.

From the “Broadway-Armory Historic District” National Register nomination form, 1974

135 Broadway Commercial Building (late 20th C.): 1-story; flat; stucco on concrete block commercial building; with horizontal aluminum siding on neo-mansard, two small high windows and recessed entry. (non-contributing)