Friends of
Historic Preservation
Iowa City, Iowa
UPDATES & EVENTS
Pagliai Building Landmark Vote Deferred to Tuesday, April 16!
The City Council did not vote on April 2 as planned. They will consult with the Planning & Zoning Commission on why P&Z recommended the landmark designation in March. A few councilors are still undecided.
Because the owner opposes landmarking, WE MUST HAVE 6 OUT 7 COUNCIL VOTES IN FAVOR
on April 16 for this to pass.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:
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Encourage sympathetic friends to email council at: council@iowa-city.org. Emails received by Thursday, 4/11 are more likely to be read thoroughly by council.
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Let the council know why historic buildings like this one matter to our community, today and into the future. Iowa Citians like Pagliai's but there are many additional reasons why saving this building is important.
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WHAT TO DO ON TUESDAY, APRIL 16, AT 6 PM:
Fill the Council Chambers again! Yes, again, please.
Wear the red stickers we'll pass out to show your support.
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IMAGINE THIS:
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Imagine that street corner WITHOUT this 1875 building.
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Imagine it with a 4-story building of condos (what the owner envisions).
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Now imagine what another flood of emails and a council chambers full of supporters can do.
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ARE WE ALL TIRED OF THIS?
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Yes, but it's a good sign that the council is seeking more information.
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And another week of work by all of us can save this building from demo and redevelopment.
Help Save 302 Bloomington Street –
PAGLIAI’S BUILDING
The historic building at 302 East Bloomington Street, known as the home of Pagliai’s Pizza, the Holub Apartments, and Laundromania, has been a key property in Iowa City since 1875. The building is for sale and has been described as ‘perfect for redevelopment’ in the listing. Friends of Historic Preservation supports the effort to designate the building as a local landmark, a zoning designation that will protect it from demolition and provide financial and other incentives for continued use. We encourage our members and the public to contact City Council members and attend the public meeting on Tuesday, April 2 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. Let council members know that this architectural gem represents the immigrant heritage of not just Iowa City, but the state of Iowa. It’s in good condition and has served as an anchor building to the neighborhood for 149 years. If you can’t come to the meeting, write the city council members at council@iowa-city.org by Friday, March 29, 2024.
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Before 1969, a grocery and dry goods store occupied the store front space, where Paglia’s Pizza is now. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the building had a hotel and stable (now the laundromat). The building also had a library, saloon, dining and meeting hall which served as the gathering site for Czech fraternal and social societies. The building helped immigrants adjust to their new country, while they preserved customs and traditions of the old country. You can learn more about the history of the Pagliai’s building (National Hall) at Our Iowa Heritage:
FHP Members: Join us for the Annual Meeting
Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 6PM
the Environmental Education Center
2401 Scott Boulevard (next to the Salvage Barn)
Come meet our new board members and staff, hear about our recent accomplishments, learn about our plans for the year, and see some treasures for sale at the Salvage Barn.
40 Years of Historic Preservation Awards
in Iowa City
This video was presented at the Historic Preservation Awards Ceremony on September 28, 2023.
Members' Discount Day @ The Salvage Barn
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On the first Saturday of each month, we will have special discount prices available for members of the Friends of Historic Preservation! Discounts vary from month to month! You can purchase a membership on the day of the sale, for as little as $30 a year, which also gets you access to the Tool Library!
Featured Locations
Sanxay Gilmore House
1843
Built in 1843 at 109 E. Market, the Sanxay-Gilmore House is Iowa City’s oldest house within the original city limits. The University of Iowa purchased the home in 2018. A plan to relocate the house has fallen through and its future is uncertain.
Thomas C. Carson House (Alpha Phi House)
1875
Thomas Carson, a banker and merchant, had this house built in 1875 for $8,000. Carson is said to have arrived New Year's Eve 1855 on the first train to reach Iowa City (Weber, 1992). Carson was president of the Johnson County Savings bank from 1877-1905. This Second Empire style of architecture was popular after the civil war from 1860s-1880s and inspired by the architecture coming out of France during the reign of Napoleon III. The house was built with a fireplace in each of the 14 rooms and a bathroom in every bedroom. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Today the house serves as a home for the Alpha Phi sorority.
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📷: Carson House, 906 E College St, Frederick W. Kent Collection, Special Collections, The University of Iowa Libraries
Jefferson Building
1913
The Jefferson Building is located at 129 East Washington Street and was designed by architects H. L. Stevens Co. of Chicago. Built 1913, the Jefferson Hotel's “modern” amenities, such as an electric elevator, an artesian well, telephones, electric lights, and hot and cold running water, made it a premier hotel in Iowa at the time. The Jefferson Hotel opened as a six-story building in 1913. Two more stories were added in the 1920s, bringing it to its current 8-story height.
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📷: Busy downtown scene near Racines Cigar Store and Hotel Jefferson Iowa City, Iowa between 1920 and 1925, Frederick W. Kent Collection, Special Collections, The University of Iowa Libraries