Burns Building
a.k.a. Penney's Building
401 E. Houston St., San Antonio, TXThe Burns Building was a structure built in 1918 by the Estate of Hugh Burns. It was on the property of George M. Maverick, who first developed the site. Burns purchased the Houston Street property before his death, and his wife and son continued his plans to construct a retail building there.
The Burns Building was constructed in 1918 by the Estate of Hugh Burns (1845-1913) on property purchased from George M. Maverick who first developed the site. Burns purchased the Houston Street property prior to his death, and his widow and son continued his plans to construct a retail building there. The Burns Building was constructed at the beginning of a local building boom that extended from World War I until the beginning of the Depression. The building was designed by Fort Worth architects Sanguinet and Staats in association with San Antonio architect Charles Boelhauwe. Architect Ralph H. Cameron designed store window changes and a new interior stairway in 1921. The building's reinforced concrete construction allowed for widely spaced bays and large windows that emitted generous amounts of light, creating an effect known as the "daylight store.” Today it remains one of the city's early examples of this type of construction. From 1918 until 1985, the building played a continuous role in the commercial development of Houston Street as the city's retail center. From the time of its construction until 1932, it was occupied by Washer Brothers, a store that pioneered modern department store merchandising in San Antonio. Later tenants included D.L. Pincus, a leading men's wear store, Kress, and finally J.C. Penney's which remained in the Burns Building from 1941 until 1985. The Burns Building meets Criterion A (local level) in the areas of commerce and community planning and development for its association with the development of Houston Street as a center of the city's retail clothing business during both the boom and decline of downtown San Antonio. It is also significant under Criterion C (local level) as an example of a "daylight" building made possible by its reinforced concrete construction, and its association with Sanguinet and Staats, prominent early 20th century architects whose "skyscrapers" changed the face of Texas cities. The period of significance extends from 1918 to 1954.
Local significance of the building:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.