222 W Main

1909-10 Hawley Allison Company

The second Allison block is a two-story brick 28x100 plan with a full basement.  The over-built building had clear 
span spaces on each of its floors.  Like its counterpart at 200 West Main, it was designed to be increased to four 
stories in height if needed.  The facade presents a flat-plane brickwork and the only ornamental use of brick takes 
place at the parapet base and above.  The windows are presented without lintels and a belt course of projecting brick 
sets off the parapet baseline.  A full-width recessed rectangle panel fills the parapet front with no other elaboration. 
An elaborate neo-classical cornice, with several rows of dentils (the largest and uppermost in executed in stone), is 
topped with a plain stone coping.  The storefront itself is executed in light stone with patterns of carved vertically set 
rectangular recesses in each sidewall end.  The store used the upper windows to display mannequins.  The store 
signage, probably dating to the  1930s was backlit.  Inside, the large rear mezzanine and an original open passenger 
elevator survive, along with a vintage c. 1950s array of dressing and storage rooms.  The basement was fully finished 
from the original construction for use as a sales room.
The transom windows survive behind the wood covers.  The storefront itself is an early replacement.  The facade 
and particularly the storefront are absolutely intact and the simple uncovering the second floor windows and the 
transoms would put it in mint condition.  It even has a working awning.
The high state of preservation is due that the founding firm of Hawley Allison, womens' clothiers, has until quite 
recently, been the sole occupant of the building since its construction.  The building now houses an antiques and art 
store.  Allison's firm previously occupied a building on this same site.  Architect Wilfred Warren Beach (1872- 
1937) of Sioux City was in town in early April  1909 to confer with Allison about the design of his new building and 
construction took place during 1910.  Architect Beach designed two additional floors that were to have been 
constructed in 1920 but the worsening times shelved that plan.