1899 Y Posner Building. Lexington and Howard St., Baltimore, MD
Later Stewart's Department Store.
"New Posner Building. An Imposing Monument to the Enterprise of a Live Baltimore Firm. Veritable Palace of Trade. Remarkable Growth From A Small Beginning. The firm started in business with a capital of $3,500 and is now about to erect at $250,000 edifice on a $300,000 lot - consistent advertisers in the Sun. ........ The building will be one of the largest and handsomest business structures in the city. It will extend 110 feet 4 inches on Lexington street and 175 feet 7 1/2 inches on Howard street. A wing in the rear of and connecting with the main structure will extend to Clay street, making the depth of that portion of the building 202 feet, from Lexington to Clay streets. There will be a frontage of 28 feet on Clay street. // A basement and six stories will be devoted to the various departments of Mr. Posner's business. The height of each of these, in the clear, will be: Basement, 12 feet; first story, 21 feet; second story, 16 feet; third story, 15 feet; fourth story, 14 feet; fifth story, 13 feet; sixth story an average of 12 feet. This will make the height of the building 96 feet from the curbstone to the top of the cornice, and 108 feet from the basement floor to the level of the sixth floor. // Italian Renaissance will be the stole of the architecture, and creamy white brick and terra cotta, with artistic ornamentation will compose the exterior walls. These, with many large plate-glass windows will give the building a light, airy and graceful appearance. No stone will be used except in the base of the show windows. ........ It is expected that Mr. Posner will begin building by April 15. The building may be completed by October 1." (Baltimore Sun 3/28/1899, p10 c3, illustrated, long article).
Cornice dropped to street, August 6, 1995.