The 1891 Stevens Building in San Antonio

The Stevens Building, situated at 315 East Commerce Street, was designed by architect James Riely Gordon for local businessman John J. Stevens. Completed in 1891, the three-story structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Bexar County, Texas, and was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1984.

Throughout its history, the building has housed various businesses. The Wagner & Chabot bicycle wholesaler occupied the space for 45 years, while the Bledsoe Furniture Company remained a tenant for 33 years. For more than half a century, the University of San Antonio held the lease on the entire third floor.

In 1979, a local hospital bought both the Stevens and the Staacke buildings with the intent of razing the structures to convert the property to a hospital parking lot. The San Antonio Conservation Society stepped in to preserve architectural history and purchased both buildings. In 1982, a group of investors bought and restored the two structures, remodeling the interior for contemporary use while using historic photographs to restore the exterior facade. The building features detailed oriel windows, brick and red granite, and finished carved limestone.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons