Bankers Realty Investment Company, Real Estate Developers
Bankers Realty Investment Company (BRIC) was a vertically integrated real estate development company combining financing, architectural design, and construction services. It was organized in Omaha, Nebraska and initially developed residences, but soon expanded to a wider range of projects and communities in Nebraska and regionally. BRIC expanded rapidly and hired at least three staff architects in 1916 and 1917. North American Hotel Company (NAHC) was a closely affiliated subsidiary created as the operational arm for the enterprise's hotels. Projects were announced in numerous Nebraska communities as well as in Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri before World War One disrupted investment and construction activities. In 1918 NAHC was barred from issuing additional stock in Nebraska. In 1919 NAHC sued BRIC, even though the two firms had overlapping boards of directors. The enterprise went bankrupt in 1920. This listing includes the known projects of Bankers Realty/North American Hotel.[99][g][w]
This page is a contribution to the publication, Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. See the format and contents page for more information on the compilation and page organization.
Professional Associations
1916-1918: P. P. Lewis, architect for BRIC, Omaha, Nebraska.
1916-1918: T. P. Bialles, draftsman for BRIC, Omaha, Nebraska.
1917-1919: F. W. Fitzpatrick, head of architectural department and member of board of directors, BRIC, Omaha, Nebraska.[11][29][30][31][76][97][g]
1918: Bankers Realty employed E. G. Ward as a draftsman.
Buildings & Projects
Architectural contract for $35,000 school building (1916), Ewing, Nebraska.[107]
Architectural contract for $20,000 school building (1916), Yutan, Nebraska.[107]
Blackstone Hotel (1915-1916), 302 S 36th, Omaha, Nebraska.[14][43][101][106][113][z] (DO09:0319-006)
St. Regis Apartments (1916), 617 S 37th, Omaha, Nebraska.[14][47][106] (DO09:0317-013)
Architectural contract for $20,000 school for St. Patrick's Academy (1916-1917), Sidney, Nebraska.[103][107]
30-unit apartment building (1916-1917), Plattsmouth, Nebraska.[105][106]
Hartington Hotel (1916-1917), Hartington, Nebraska.[95][96][97][106][w]
Bluffs Hotel (1917-1918), construction begun but project not completed, Scottsbluff, Nebraska.[31][77][112][113][x][z]
"figuring on the plans for the new school buildings," (1917), York, Nebraska.[115][aa]
High School (1917), Springfield, Nebraska.[104]
North American Hotel Company hotel (1917-1918), project not completed, Sioux City, Iowa.[108][112][113][z]
North American Hotel Company hotel (1917), project not completed, Kearney, Nebraska.[109][112][113][z]
North American Hotel Company hotel (1917-1918), project not completed, Ottawa, Kansas.[112]
North American Hotel Company hotel (1917-1918), Ogallala, Nebraska.[112][113][z]
Blackstone Hotel (1917), unbuilt project at Linwood Blvd. and Passe, Kansas City, Missouri.[110][113][z]
Red Cloud High School (1917-1918), Red Cloud, Nebraska.[100][y]
Yancey Hotel (1917-1923), 123 N Locust, Grand Island, Nebraska.[14][44][112][113][z] (HL06-014)
Project for North American Hotel (1917-1918), Norfolk, Nebraska.[80][112][113][n][z]
Hotel Coonley (1917-1918), Second Avenue and First Street Northwest, Hampton, Iowa.[111][112]
Project for North American Hotel Company (1918), Eldorado, Kansas.[46][112]
Project for North American Hotel Company (1918), Topeka, Kansas.[112]
Atlas Bank & office building, (1918), Neligh, Nebraska.[14][87][97][s] Exterior (2016) severely compromised by window replacement. (AP04-168)
Masonic Temple, stores, & office building, (1918), 107 S Broadway, Riverton, Wyoming.[14][87][t]
Elkhorn Valley State Bank & office building (1918-1919), Stanton, Nebraska.[46][87][p] (ST02-047)
Notes
g. This page includes Bankers Realty projects carried out before Fitzpatrick was "engaged" by the company as a staff architect, such as the St. Regis Apartments, because his renderings include a beautiful watercolor of that project and Fitzpatrick is known to have worked for at least three Lincoln, Nebraska architects as a renderer, beginning as early as 1909. SEE VISUAL ARTS above.
The Bankers Realty Investment Company (BRIC) was described in a long article in the Sunday Omaha World-Herald of 1916 (identified as “Publicity Advertising”). BRIC originated in 1912 and grew by 1916 to build projects such as the St. Regis Apartments and Blackstone Hotel.[75] E. F. Morearty of Omaha provided a similar description of the company in 1917, also tracing its origins to 1912 in Omaha. He wrote, “Ten professions and forty-six trades are ordinarily required in carrying out a building enterprise of any magnitude. And, ordinarily, these numerous factors work independently of each other, to the detriment of efficient and satisfactory results. The Bankers Realty Investment Company has welded together everything incident to the construction of any building, from a simple home to a huge business enterprise.” Morearty bemoaned that he had not purchased stock in the company and recommended its purchase even “at its present advanced price….”[29]
Fitzpatrick continued his active writing for publication while with BRIC, in Nebraska newspapers [116] and architectural magazines. In 1918 Inland Architect published an exuberant, richly illustrated profile of BRIC by Fitzpatrick, describing a vertically integrated group of businesses to design, construct, and operate buildings, especially hotels. The article is complete with seven photos of the company’s Blackstone Hotel in Omaha and Fitzpatrick watercolor renderings of five other Midwestern projects. He concluded “With the architectural end of the work in competent hands [his own], its construction, engineering, purchasing and general office details likewise directed by experts, the Bankers Realty Investment Company would seem to be assured so phenomenal a success that it must soon outgrow its present field of activity, the Middle West, for it is equipped to do construction along National lines.”[14]
The Nebraska State Railway Commission did not agree, denying an application of the subsidiary North American Hotel Company to sell securities in Nebraska in 1918, questioning both its reporting of assets and the interweaving of the interests of the supposedly separate corporations, to the detriment of the stockholders.[30] Fitzpatrick resigned as one of the four directors of BRIC and moved to the Chicago area by May 1919. The Omaha Bee reported in May 1919 that the company president, Peter Elvad, also relocated to Chicago and that "War restrictions on building operations affected the business of Bankers' Realty Investment company, as well as the North American Hotel company."[102] The two "interwoven" companies engaged each other in litigation in 1919 and filed for bankruptcy in 1920. In 1920,F. W. Fitzpatrick was listed in the U. S. Census in Evanston, Illinois, where Francis and his wife, Agnes, were among nineteen residents of a boarding house.[3]
s. Fitzpatrick published a rendering in 1918 captioned "Design for a Bank Building, Omaha" depicting a long, narrow, two- story building with a sculpture of Atlas at the center of the front parapet, bending beneath a globe.[14] The rendering closely matches Atlas Bank in Neligh, Nebraska, where another publication of 1918 indicates Bankers' Realty Investment Co. built a bank that year, designed by Fitzpatrick.[87] Probably the caption in the first publication was simply erroneous, but it is possible the building was first planned for Omaha, then built instead in Neligh.
t. Bankers' Monthly of June 1918 credits Bankers' Realty Investment Co., and Fitzpatrick as "Chief Architect," with "a building for the Riverton, Wyoming Masons, which besides its lodge and club rooms and 22 suites of modern offices, will contain several stores, and one of the most attractive banking rooms in the State of Wyoming."[87]
u. Construction magazine of August 1909 includes an article on Fitzpatrick's work as a renderer, illustrated with at least nine of his renderings, only some of which have been linked to specific projects or architects.[88]
v. Two of four building perspectives in a Lincoln Sunday Star feature of August 1, 1915 are illustrated through reproductions of Fitzpatrick watercolor renderings, the Miller & Paine Department Store by architects Berlinghof & Davis and the Floral Court apartments by E. L. Davis.[89][90]
w. Omaha newspapers announced the hiring of three architects by Bankers Realty in 1916 and 1917. Percy P. Lewis (1885-1962) from Wilkes, Barre, Pennsylvania joined the company in February 1916 and was mentioned in connection with visits by Bankers Realty representatives to various communities in connection with Bankers Realty projects in 1916-1918.[97] The Hartington Hotel was one such project. In 1916 two company representatives visited Hartington to view hotel sites. One was "Architect P. Lewis." Percy P. Lewis is listed in the 1916 Omaha city directory as an architect with Bankers Realty.[95][96][97]
In March 1916 it was reported that T. P. Bialles "until recently of Chicago, has joined the architectural staff of Bankers' Realty Investment company." He was said to have studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and Chicago Technical college and "has many years experience in large building designs."[98] Further references to Bialles have not yet been found. A year later, in February 1917, Omaha Bee reported Fitzpatrick's engagement "by the Bankers Realty Investment company as head of its construction department." Sparing no superlatives, the Bee noted that the Canadian-born Fitzpatrick "has fought his way to the very front rank of the architects of America." His years with the Supervising Architect of the Treasury were called "distinguished service...in charge of the government's most important building operations." And once again, in artfully couched terms, he was credited with developing "a scheme for constructing tall, steel or iron frame buildings. In fact, it is perhaps true that he was the first to originate and make possible the plan upon which present day skyscrapers are built."[99] SEE Notes [a] and [b].
x. In Scottsbluff, the Bankers Realty/North American Hotel interests went head-to-head with another Omaha hotel group, starting to build the Bluffs Hotel shortly after Scottsbluff boosters gave free land to the group building the Lincoln Hotel. Both projects suffered shortages of materials and capital during World War I, and both groups went bankrupt in 1921. But the Lincoln was finished and operating while the Bluffs Hotel, along with a half-dozen other hotel projects begun by North American Hotel Company in Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa in 1917, still stood incomplete in 1921. The “Bluff” was finally finished as Scottbluff’s Methodist Hospital.[31][77]
y. A newspaper in Red Cloud, Nebraska noted in 1917 that plans by P. P. Lewis of Omaha had been selected for a high school building and that he had been contracted to prepare specifications based on "Scheme B," provided the assembly room could be enlarged to accommodate 150 students. In January 1918 "paraphernalia" was being moved into the new building. "P. P. Lewis of the "Bankers Realty and Investment Co. of Omaha, the architects in charge" was in Red Cloud and planned to return when "the next cold snap" would provide an opportunity to test the heating plant.[100]
z. Hotel Monthly magazine commented on "Two Chains of Hotels in Nebraska" in August 1917, mentioned North American Hotel Company in Omaha and Nebraska Hotel Company in Lincoln. The former "started with The Blackstone" in Omaha" and reportedly had five hotels "under construction at Kearney, Grand Island, Scottsbluff, Neb." and Hampton, Iowa. In addition, the Omaha firm was "promoting hotels in Sioux City,, Iowa; Norfolk, Neb, and Kansas City, Mo."[113]
aa. A brief note in a York, Nebraska newspaper in 1917 reported: "Makin [sic] Plans--P. W. Rathburn representing F. W. Fitzpatrick, former supervising architect of the United States, was in the city yesterday figuring on the plans for the new school buildings."[115]
York voters approved a large bond to build a new high school and three elementary schools in early 1917; Berlinghof and Davis were their architects. Perry W. Rathburn was listed as a draftsman for an Omaha lumberyard in 1910. His connection with Fitzpatrick is not clear. Perhaps Bankers Realty Investment Company was preparing to bid on the construction. Fitzpatrick also prepared watercolor renderings for several Berlinghof and Davis projects, sometimes in support of bond elections.
References
1. Biographical summaries of Oliver Traphagen and F. W. Fitzpatrick, in University of Minnesota Twin Cities, TC Andersen Library Mss., Northwest Architectural Archives, N 96, accessed February 16, 2013, http://umnlib.oit.umn.edu/F/48I49UNC7GJH58AT1T4HXYIDQA82VXDRPCLQDA7LXVSA4K8B4S-04766?func=full-set-set&set_number=006690&set_entry=000002&format=999
43. Lynn Meyer, “Blackstone Hotel,” National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form (Omaha: Omaha City Planning Department, 1982), accessed March 4, 2013, https://web.archive.org/web/20160728155830/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/douglas/DO09-Blackstone-Hotel.pdf
44. Virginia F. Duncan, “The Hotel Yancey,” National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form (Lincoln, Nebraska: Devco, Inc., August, 1984), accessed March 4, 2013, https://web.archive.org/web/20160728190434/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/hall/HL06-014_Hotel_Yancey.pdf
45. Janet Jeffries Spenser, “Johnston Memorial Building,” National Register of Historic Places – Inventory Nomination Form (Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, January, 1986), accessed March 4, 2013, https://web.archive.org/web/20160728211615/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/lincoln/LN09-002_Johnston_MemBldg.pdf
46. The American Contractor (March 23, 1918), 60, accessed through Google Books on January 12, 2012, http://books.google.com/books?id=UCJYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA10-PA64&lpg=RA10-PA64&dq=f+w+clarke,+architect,+york+hotel,+nebraska&source=bl&ots=-QV--qNAlx&sig=yQZ--Gvu9ph8VGJ7unfHB-6P9QU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=whYPT97eOov9iQLF9M3fDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=f%20w%20clarke%2C%20architect%2C%20york%20hotel%2C%20nebraska&f=false
47. Stacey C. Pilgrim and Lynn Meyer, “Gold Coast Historic District,” National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (Omaha: Omaha City Planning Department, November, 1996), accessed March 4, 2013, https://web.archive.org/web/20170108122509/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/douglas/DO09-Gold-Coast-HD.PDF
48. “The Pittsburg Plate Glass Company’s Cincinnati Warehouse,” Fireproof Magazine 5:6 (December 1904), 47-48, illustrated. Describes Fitzpatrick’s role as consulting architect (to architects Ball & Taylor of Cincinnati) on fireproofing.
49. Fireproof Magazine 9:1 (July 1906), 3; masthead states, “The following are among the regular and occasional contributors to FIREPROOF MAGAZINE…F. W. Fitzpatrick, Consulting Architect, Washington, D.C.” among thirteen listed. Online: http://books.google.com/books/about/Fireproof_Magazine.html?id=tvHNAAAAMAAJ Volumes 9 & 10, 1906-1907, Accessed February 25, 2013; http://books.google.com/books/about/Fireproof_Magazine.html?id=GvLNAAAAMAAJ Volume 11, 1907, Accessed February 25, 2013; and http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000058117 Volumes 1 & 2, 1902-1903, Volumes 3 & 4, 1903-1904, Volumes 5 & 6, 1904-1905, Volumes 9 & 10, 1906-1907, Volume 11, 1907. Missing only vols. 7-8 of 1905-06. Accessed February 25, 2013.
50. “The Society of Building Commissioners and Inspectors,” Fireproof Magazine 9:5 (November 1906), 216. Report of effort to reorganize the Society, encourages mayors and inspectors “should communicate directly with the secretary-treasurer, F. W. Fitzpatrick, 4200 Fourteenth street road, Washington, D. C.”
51. William Gray Purcell, “Forgotten Builders—the nation’s voice,” Northwest Architect 8:6 (1944), 4-5.
75. “Plan and Operation of the Bankers Realty Investment Company,” Sunday Omaha World-Herald (November 26, 1916): B8 and E5 with portraits of Company officers and interior photos of Blackstone Hotel.
76. “Fitzpatrick chosen as a director [of the Bankers Realty Investment Company],” Sunday Omaha World-Herald (February 10, 1918), 9, with portrait.
77. “Ask Bankers Realty be declared bankrupt,” Omaha World-Herald (October 9, 1920), 11; and “Creditors of two companies sign pact,” Omaha World-Herald (December 14, 1921), 17, agreement between the bankrupt Bankers Realty Investment Company and North American Hotel Company.
83. American Contractor (February 9, 1919), 50.
84. American School Board Journal (March 1912), 49; (July 1912), 69; (August 1912), 61.
85. American Carpenter and Builder (May 1912), 70-71.
86. Nemaha County News (November 18, 1910), 1; (February 10, 1911), 1; (August 18, 1911), 1; (September 15, 1911), 1; (September 22, 1911), 1 (illustrated).
87. "Country Banks in New Buildings," Bankers' Monthly (June 1918), 55.
95. "To Decide Monday. Hotel Co. Officials to Return Then. Conditions Very Favorable. Architect Views Proposed Locations...," Cedar County News (Hartington, Nebraska) (May 18, 1916), 1.
96. "The Hartington Hotel, Banker Realty Investment Company, Architect and Builder," The Cedar County News (Hartington, Nebraska), (May 24, 1917), 7 (full-page, 14 photographs).
97. "Wonderful Growth of Omaha Now Attracting Builders of the East," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (February 13, 1916), 36 (with P. P. Lewis portrait); "East Watching Omaha, Declares P. P. Lewis," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily News (February 22, 1916), 12 (with portrait); "Prominent Wilkes Barre, PA., Architect Comes to Omaha," The New Nebraskan (Omaha, Nebraska) (February 24, 1916), 2; "Atlas Bank Architect Here" and "Nearing Completion," both The Neligh (Nebraska) Register respectively (December 27, 1917 and January 17, 1918), both 5; "Percy Parke Lewis" (obituary), Los Angeles Times (February 12, 1962), 52.
98. "Another Eastern Architect [T. P. Bialles] Comes to Omaha," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (March 26, 1916), 40.
99. "Noted Architect to Come to Omaha With Bankers Realty Investment Co.," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (February 18, 1917), 8 (with portrait).
100. "School Board Contracts with Omaha Architect," Weekly Advertiser (Red Cloud, Nebraska) (January 5, 1917), 1; Weekly Advertiser (Red Cloud, Nebraska) (January 4, 1918), 1.
101. "Fine New Hotel at 36th and Farnam. Three Hundred Thousand Dollar Building Planned, Bankers Realty Investment Announces," Omaha (Nebraska) Evening Bee (May 12, 1915), 7.
102. "Elvad, President of Bankers Realty Co., Goes to Chicago to Live," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (May 28, 1919), 11.
103. "Sidney, Neb.--School...St. Patrick's Academy," The American Contractor (April 29, 1916), 23.
104. "Springfield, Nebr.--High School; $25,000," The American Contractor (June 23, 1917), 25.
105. "Apt. Bldg. (30 fam): $40,000...Plattsmouth, Nebr.," The American Contractor (December 30, 1916), 60.
106. "The Most Important English Word..." (full-page advertisement for Bankers Realty Investment Company), Omaha (Nebraska) Daily News (November 26, 1916), 14. Eight projects illustrated, including 4 completed: Blackstone Hotel (Omaha), St. Patrick's Rectory (O'Neil, Nebraska), Brondersleve Garage (38th & Farnam, Omaha), Double Store Building (Atkinson, Nebraska); and 4 "Architect's Drawing" for Blackstone Hotel (Kansas City, Missouri), Hartington (Nebraska) Hotel, St. Regis Apartment Building (Omaha), and "Apartment Building, Now under Construction for a Building Client at Plattsmouth, Nebraska."
107. "The Bankers Realty Investment company today announced...," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily News (April 15, 1916), 4.
108. "Hotels...Sioux City, Iowa...$750,000," The American Contractor (July 7, 1917), 41.
109. "Hotels...Kearney, Nebr....$150,000," The American Contractor (April 21, 1917), 24.
110. "The Blackstone Hotel, Kansas City, MO. Bankers' Realty Investment Co., Architects and Builders, Kansas City, Mo. [sic, corrected as Omaha subsequently], The American Contractor (December 16, 1916), 89 (illustrated with large rendering); "Hotels...Kansas City, Missouri...$700,000," The American Contractor (1917), 36 & 10.
111. "Hotels...Hampton, Iowa," The American Contractor (January 20, 1917), 24; "The Hotel Coonley," web-page online at http://iagenweb.org/franklin/Album/Hampton_1.htm (accessed January 3, 2022).
112. "More Hotels for North American--Omaha Concern Has Many New Enterprises Now Under Course of Construction," The Omaha (Nebraska) Daily News (January 1, 1918), 13.
113. "Two Chains of Hotels in Nebraska," Hotel Monthly (August 1917), 82.
114. Photocopy in private collection, see also "Elks Planning a Great Structure--Drawing of Proposed Enlarged Building Shown at Tuesday Dinner," Lincoln (Nebraska) Star (January 3, 1923), 5.
115. "Local Brevities...Makin [sic] Plans," York (Nebraska) Daily News (February 17, 1917), 6.
116. F. W. Fitzpatrick, "Really Big Business," opinion piece advocating review of governmental systems by "Chamber of Commerce of the United States," The New Nebraskan (Omaha, Nebraska) (June 14, 1917), 7.
Page Citation
E. F. Zimmer, “Bankers Realty Investment Company, Real Estate Developers,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, December 9, 2022. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, November 22, 2024.
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