Singer Building (Dallas, Texas)
Encyclopedia
The Singer Building is a 3-story commercial structure located in the Main Street District in downtown
Dallas
, Texas
(USA
). The structure is one of a handful of original early commercial structures along Elm Street; many others were demolished and replaced by large office blocks during various building booms.
and opened in 1934. The ground floor contained a sales room and hem-stitching room, offices were on the third floor and the basement served as a stock room. Classes were taught on the second level.
In 1948 Singer's regional offices vacated the building for a new headquarters in Oak Lawn
, but Singer still used the building for sewing machine demonstrations.
The ground floor retail space changed hands throughout the years, but as of 2009 the building was mostly vacant. Because the structure lacks a fire escape or alley, the upper floors can no longer be occupied. This problem is common to adjacent historic structures and may be solved with the creation of a shared fire corridor.
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 is one of a handful of original early commercial structures along Elm Street; many others were demolished and replaced by large office blocks during various building booms.
History
Designed as the Southwest District Headquarters of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, the steel, concrete and Indiana limestone Singer building was 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...
and opened in 1934. The ground floor contained a sales room and hem-stitching room, offices were on the third floor and the basement served as a stock room. Classes were taught on the second level.
In 1948 Singer's regional offices vacated the building for a new headquarters in Oak Lawn
Oak Lawn
-United States:**Oak Lawn, Illinois, a suburb southwest of Chicago, Illinois**Oak Lawn , listed on the NRHP in Maryland** Oak Lawn , listed on the NRHP in North Carolina...
, but Singer still used the building for sewing machine demonstrations.
The ground floor retail space changed hands throughout the years, but as of 2009 the building was mostly vacant. Because the structure lacks a fire escape or alley, the upper floors can no longer be occupied. This problem is common to adjacent historic structures and may be solved with the creation of a shared fire corridor.