AA-1820 Joseph S.M. Basil Commercial Building # II
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AA-1820 Joseph S.M. Basil Commercial Building # II Architectural Survey File This is the architectural survey file for this MIHP record. The survey file is organized reverse- chronological (that is, with the latest material on top). It contains all MIHP inventory forms, National Register nomination forms, determinations of eligibility (DOE) forms, and accompanying documentation such as photographs and maps. Users should be aware that additional undigitized material about this property may be found in on-site architectural reports, copies of HABS/HAER or other documentation, drawings, and the “vertical files” at the MHT Library in Crownsville. The vertical files may include newspaper clippings, field notes, draft versions of forms and architectural reports, photographs, maps, and drawings. Researchers who need a thorough understanding of this property should plan to visit the MHT Library as part of their research project; look at the MHT web site (mht.maryland.gov) for details about how to make an appointment. All material is property of the Maryland Historical Trust. Last Updated: 03-22-2012 Joseph S.M.' Commercial Building (II) AA-1820 32-34 Market Space Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland Between 1885 and 1891 Private The building at 32-34 Market Space was constructed between 1885 and 1891 by Joseph S.M. Basil, the owner of a general store and lumber business who maintained his shop at neighboring 28-30 Market Space (AA-1819). The narrow Italianate-style building replaced the western center unit of a four-part building known as Factor's Row that was erected in 1771 by Charles Wallace. Prominent owners and merchants occupying this portion of Factor's Row included Thomas Harwood, the family of John T. Barber, and J. Wesley Robinson. In October 1883, most of Factor's Row including 32-34 Market Space was destroyed by fire. Within a few years, after having rebuilt 28-30 Market Space, Joseph Basil oversaw construction of the new three-story brick building with commercial space on the first floor and two floors of residential housing at 32-34 Market Space. Basil, despite his commercial successes, was forced to sell all of his property when he defaulted on several mortgages. Throughout the twentieth century, under the ownership of just four families, the building has been home to Greenwald's Packing Corp., Gottlieb's Clothing Store for women, a men's clothing store known as Wilkens Inc., Britches Great Outdoors, and most recently, a silver jewelry store known as Blanca Flor. The three-story building is set on a solid masonry foundation of brick (not visible) and is constructed of brick laid in six-course Flemish bond. Although painted, the brick reveals reconstruction of the openings with its random coursing on the upper two stories. The building has a narrow rectangular plan augmented by an original three-story ell. The sloping flat roof is not visible, framed by metal coping with a plain wood raking board. The ornate facade reflects the building's Italianate style influences. The storefront, an original feature that has been altered, projects slightly from the plane of the facade. Due to substantial alterations that included the removal of the interior second floor, the interior now provides an open commercial space with a two-story height and third- floor storage and office space. Maryland Historical Trust Inventory No. AA-1820 Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties Form 1. Name of Property , (indicate preferred name) historic Joseph S.M. Commercial Building (II) (preferred) other Site of Factor's Row (western center unit) 2. Location street and number 32-34 Market Space not for publication city, town Annapolis vicinity county Anne Arundel 3. Owner of Property (give names and mailing addresses of all owners) name Diane C. White and William B. Clatanoff, Trustees street and number 66 Franklin Street, Unit 401 telephone city, town Annapolis state Maryland zip code 21401 4. Location of Legal Description courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Anne Arundel County Courthouse liber 6561 folio 251 city, town Annapolis tax map 52A tax parcel 841 tax ID number 01433755 5. Primary Location of Additional Data X Contributing Resource in National Register District X Contributing Resource in Local Historic District Determined Eligible for the National Register/Maryland Register Determined Ineligible for the National Register/Maryland Register Recorded by HABS/HAER Historic Structure Report or Research Report at MHT Other: 6. Classification Category Ownership Current Function Resource Count district public agriculture landscape Contributing Noncontributing X buildinq(s) X private X commerce/trade recreation/culture _1 buildings structure both defense religion sites site domestic social structures object education transportation objects funerary work in progress 1 0 Total government unknown health care vacant/not in use Number of Contributing Resources industry other: previously listed in the Inventory 1 7. Description Inventory No.AA-1820 t Condition excellent deteriorated X good ruins fair X altered Prepare both a one paragraph summary and a comprehensive description of the resource and its various elements as it exists today. Summary Description The three-story commercial building, originally containing domestic space on the upper floors, was constructed sometime between 1885 and 1891 by Joseph S.M. Basil at 32-34 Market Space. The building is set on a solid masonry foundation of brick (not visible) and is constructed of brick laid in six-course Flemish bond. Although painted, the brick reveals reconstruction of the openings with its random coursing on the upper two stories. The building has a narrow rectangular plan augmented by an original three-story ell. The sloping flat roof is not visible, framed by metal coping with a plain wood raking board. The ornate facade reflects the building's Italianate style influences. The storefront, an original feature that has been altered, projects slightly from the plane of the facade. Due to substantial alterations that included the removal of the interior second floor, the interior now provides an open commercial space with a two-story height and third-floor storage and office space. Site Description ) The building at 32-34 Market Space is set directly on the brick sidewalk overlooking Market Space and Market House Plaza. Head-on parking is located beyond the brick sidewalk in front of the commercial building. It is flanked to the northeast by the three-story brick building at 28-30 Market Space (AA-1819), which was constructed for Joseph S.M. Basil in 1884 following the destruction of Factor's Row (see AA-596) in 1883. The two-story commercial building at 36-38 Market Space (AA-1821) abuts the building on the southwest side. This building was constructed in 1884 for William Iglehart following the fire, and substantially enlarged at the rear and renovated on the facade in 1937. The rear of the property is reached via Schwarer Alley, which is accessed from Cornhill Street. The northwestern end of the lot is paved with gravel and serves as private parking for the commercial store. Detailed Description The building at 32-34 Market Space rises three stories in height on a solid foundation that is not visible. The brick structure is constructed of five-course Flemish bond that has been painted, thus obscuring alterations to the fenestration on the facade. This includes the application and removal of a three-sided, canted oriel window on the second story. Piercing the center bay, the oriel had a shallow hipped roof and was pierced by double- hung window openings on all three sides. The Sanborn maps and historic photographs show the oriel was not original, rather added between 1891 and 1895. It was removed by 1903.x The first story of the commercial building has a recessed cant, single store arrangement. The slightly projecting storefront, which is has been altered since originally constructed, is constructed of wood frame holding large panes of fixed glass. The expansive openings are framed at the sides by Tuscan pilasters with square-edged ' Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, 1885, 1891, 1897, and 1903; Marion E. Warren and Mame Warren, The Train's Done Been and Gone, (Annapolis, Maryland: M.E. Warren, 1976), 34. Maryland Historical Trust Maryland Inventory of inventory NO. AA-1820 Historic Properties Form Joseph S.M. Basil Commercial Building (II) Continuation Sheet Number 7 Page 2 surrounds framing the interior edge and transom. Covered by a flat roof (material not visible), the projecting storefront has an ornate Italianate-style entablature composed of a wide plain frieze, molded architrave, and ogee-molded cornice. The center light of the three-part storefront, over the entry opening, holds a wood sign that reads "BLANC FLOR SILVER JEWELRY." It is illuminated by small spot lights of metal set to either side on the surrounds. The recessed entry has a poured concrete floor with canted storefront fixed show windows. The wide, single-leaf door has a wood frame supporting a single, fixed rectangular light. The replacement door is crowned by a single-light, fixed transom. The second and third stories are symmetrically fenestrated with three double-hung windows. The windows on the second story are elongated, while those on the third story are standard size. Each holds a 1/1 wood sash with torus-molded surrounds and soldier brick jack arches. The openings are completed by a narrow wood sill. The highly ornate Italianate-style entablature stretches the width of the facade. Constructed of wood, the entablature begins with a torus-shaped architrave with nebuly molding at the base. The frieze has sawn panels at the center, edged at the top by bolection molding. Dentil molding is set below the slightly projecting torus molding onto which the scrolled modillions rest. The fluted modillions are set in an alternating pattern of paired brackets to three modillions.