Time to Hold National Chains to a higher architectural standard when they demo.

This is not your typical CVS store. It attempts to make an architectural statement and could easily looks more like an old art deco theatre, than an chain pharmacy store. Yet CVS and Walgreens routinely tear down irreplaceable architecture and build their boring bland suburban stores in historic districts upsetting the streetscape and forever changing the architecture.

What is really interesting about this CVS is that nothing was even demoed to build it. It was built in new development called Villages of West Clay and was part of their West Clay "Uptown development".

West Clay is one of those "New Urbanism " communities trying to create a small town in the cornfields of suburbia. This building looks the way it does because the ONLY way they could build in this community was to make it look old.

If the big chains can do it when they have too, why can't historic neighborhoods demand the same treatment?

Small Buildings should be preserved too.

Grand style in a small package

Some preservation organization seem to only care about grand mansions built by famous local architects. However, Indiana Landmarks is different, they apparently believe that good things come in small packages and while they do help save "grand mansions' a lot of their efforts are on saving the everyday workers cottages, small homes and in this case a unique but small commercial building, the Frasier and Isham Law Office in the small town of Fowler Indiana .



Window seats in the bays

The building is a example of the design skills of the firm of J. F. Alexander & Son . The style might best be described as Eclectic in my opinion but the round turreted bays of brick and stone shown "Romanesque'  influence . The Romanesque style is generally reserved for large mansions and government buildings. Its use in a small structure like this is rare.

Can't get more secure than your personal vault

The building is on the registry and Indiana Landmarks has attached protective covenants that will insure its future protection. The property is for sale at 45,000.00. It even has its own vault!
You can see the landmarks listing here. Landmark for sale

Encaustic tile floor

This property has great encaustic tile and woodwork too and perfectly illustrates that our "built history" often comes in small packages.