Stevens Building, San Antonio, Texas
historic place
The Stevens Building stands in San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County. This three-story commercial building was completed in 1891. Architect James Riely Gordon designed it for businessman John J. Stevens. The building features a Richardsonian Romanesque style. Its facade incorporates red granite, pressed brick, and carved limestone, along with oriel windows. Over the years, the Stevens Building housed various businesses. The Wagner and Chabot Company, a bicycle wholesaler, occupied it for 45 years. The Bledsoe Furniture Company was a tenant for 33 years, and the University of San Antonio leased the third floor for almost 60 years. In 1979, a local hospital planned to demolish the building for a parking lot. The San Antonio Conservation Society intervened, purchasing the structure to save it. Investors bought and restored the building in 1982, using historic photographs to guide the exterior's authentic restoration. The Stevens Building was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It was also designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1984. This site is important as a significant example of late 19th-century commercial architecture in San Antonio.