Nestled in the heart of Evansville, the well-known
Main Street structure known as the Curtis Building has been a Downtown staple since it was built more than a century ago.
The 75,900-square-foot building was constructed in 1908 as a wholesale grocery warehouse for Parsons & Scoville Co. (commonly referred to as Pasco), and was bought by Ed Curtis – an entrepreneurial St. Louis-based businessman and owner of several Evansville properties.
In 1995, the structure became office space for everything from an urban radio station to insurance companies to the American Association of Retired Persons.
As of September 2013, ownership switched hands a third time to Evansville native Stacy Stevens, broker/owner of Landmark Realty & Development, who has brought the building into the 21st century.
Originally built with five floors, the owners of the Pasco warehouse added a sixth floor to make room for coffee-packing equipment.
When Curtis bought the warehouse, he immediately began his own massive renovations, spending roughly $1.5 million on the first two floors alone. Under his guidance, the structure continued to include the large, open areas it is known for while incorporating modern office spaces and a prominent “Curtis Building” neon sign, visible from the Lloyd Expressway.
Despite the upgrades, Curtis wanted to remain true to the history of the warehouse. He put an old freight scale in the lobby for visitors to weigh themselves and kept the high ceilings, brick walls, and 12-inch thick cement floors that give the building its character.
He also incorporated a train theme throughout the interior, since much of Pasco’s shipments arrived via rail, and brought in a small red caboose that he transformed into a snack bar, known today as The Caboose.
Additions like these were welcome changes, and Stevens has brought her own set of improvements, all the while preserving “the integrity of the building’s character.”