Neiman Marcus Building
Encyclopedia
The Neiman Marcus Building is a historic commercial structure located in the Main Street District in downtown
Dallas
, Texas
(USA
). The structure, a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
, is the corporate headquarters and flagship store of Neiman Marcus
. It is the last of the original department stores still serving downtown Dallas.
, doubled the retail space, replaced the exterior brick veneer with white terra cotta, and enlarged the store's entrances. The design of the building was based on Renaissance Revival architecture, and the interior featured an impressive double staircase. In 1931 the building was air-conditioned in an elaborate stunt from New York offices via a Western Union link.
The building continued to expand with growth, and in 1941 every floor of the building was remodelled. Over the years the store acquired adjacent land to the west along Commerce Street and Main Street. Beginning in 1951 and ending in 1953 two additional floors were added to the original building in a similar but less detailed manner, bringing the store to six floors. New six-story structures, modern in style, were built adjacent to the store along Commerce Street and Main Street. These additions again doubled the size of the store, although the new buildings did not match the original store's design. The additions provided greater room for employee services, a penthouse restaurant and expanded departments. During the late 1950's, a seventh floor was added in a similar style to the previous fifth and sixth floor additions.
On December 19, 1964 the building burned in the costliest blaze in the city's history, destroying $5–10 million in merchandise, art objects and antique furniture. Remarkably, the building was not destroyed, and it reopened just 27 days later.
The last major addition put two floors on top of all buildings in 1970, giving the department store a total height of 9 stories. These additional floors provided more room for the growing department store chain's corporate offices.
During the late 1980s Neiman Marcus considered leaving the building for a new downtown shopping center, but with revitalization of the Main Street District the store remained in its original location. Today the flagship store serves as an important anchor in the Dallas retail scene as a reminder of the city's retailing history.
Downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District in Dallas, Texas USA, located in the geographic center of the city. The area termed "Downtown" has traditionally been defined as bounded by the downtown freeway loop: bounded on the east by I-345 Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District...
Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). The structure, a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark is a designation awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for historically and architecturally significant properties in the state of Texas....
, is the corporate headquarters and flagship store of Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
. It is the last of the original department stores still serving downtown Dallas.
History
The building was designed for Neiman Marcus to replace their previous store on Elm Street which burned down in 1913. Designed to be fireproof and accommodate additional floors as needed, the red brick and white stone building opened in 1914 with 4 floors at the corner of Main and Ervay. In 1926 the company leased adjacent land and an identical 4 story addition extended the store along Ervay to Commerce Street in 1927. This addition, designed by architect George DahlGeorge Dahl
George Leighton Dahl was a prominent American architect based in Dallas, Texas during the 20th century. His most notable contributions include the Art Deco structures of Fair Park while he oversaw planning and construction of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition.-Background:George Dahl was born in...
, doubled the retail space, replaced the exterior brick veneer with white terra cotta, and enlarged the store's entrances. The design of the building was based on Renaissance Revival architecture, and the interior featured an impressive double staircase. In 1931 the building was air-conditioned in an elaborate stunt from New York offices via a Western Union link.
The building continued to expand with growth, and in 1941 every floor of the building was remodelled. Over the years the store acquired adjacent land to the west along Commerce Street and Main Street. Beginning in 1951 and ending in 1953 two additional floors were added to the original building in a similar but less detailed manner, bringing the store to six floors. New six-story structures, modern in style, were built adjacent to the store along Commerce Street and Main Street. These additions again doubled the size of the store, although the new buildings did not match the original store's design. The additions provided greater room for employee services, a penthouse restaurant and expanded departments. During the late 1950's, a seventh floor was added in a similar style to the previous fifth and sixth floor additions.
On December 19, 1964 the building burned in the costliest blaze in the city's history, destroying $5–10 million in merchandise, art objects and antique furniture. Remarkably, the building was not destroyed, and it reopened just 27 days later.
The last major addition put two floors on top of all buildings in 1970, giving the department store a total height of 9 stories. These additional floors provided more room for the growing department store chain's corporate offices.
During the late 1980s Neiman Marcus considered leaving the building for a new downtown shopping center, but with revitalization of the Main Street District the store remained in its original location. Today the flagship store serves as an important anchor in the Dallas retail scene as a reminder of the city's retailing history.
Features
- The Zodiac is the signature lunch restaurant which has been in operation for over 50 years. Located on the sixth floor, it is known as the place to mingle with the who's-who of downtown.
- The flagship store is the centerpiece of Neiman Marcus holiday celebrations. Each year the building's exterior is covered in thousands of lights, a special Christmas Tree is commissioned and holiday windows are revealed to eager crowds.