Overview

Spokane architect Albert Held designed the Spokane Realty Building for the Galland Brothers, who composed the leading stockholders of the Spokane Realty Company. They began renting its space mid-way through 1910. At eight stories, the Realty Building had a steel frame and was considered one of the first fireproof skyscrapers in the city.

Building History

Spokane architect Albert Held (1866-1924), who arrived in the city in 1889 from Minnesota, first began work for the German-born architect Herman Preusse (1847-1926). He received the commission for this office building from the Spokane Realty Company, whose stock was controlled primarily by four brothers of the Galland Family, Julius (1860-1926), Theodore (1863-1908), Adolph (1865-1935) and Samuel (1868-1921). A notice in the Minneapolis-based business journal Commercial West mentioned in 1908: “Another big building is planned for Spokane. The Spokane Realty Company will erect the building at the Bernard and Sprague and it will be six stories, 155x75 feet, costing between $175,000 and $200,000. Most of the stock of the Spokane Realty Company is owned by the Gallands who have several other business blocks either recently completed or now under construction in this city.” (See “Investment Company Starts in Spokane,” Commercial West, 03/07/1908, p. 25.)

Originally, the Prager-Schlessinger Company, a seller of menswear in Spokane, leased the first two floors of the Realty Building. The Spokane Spokesman-Review noted in 1910: “The entire ground floor and basement of the new $200,000 Spokane Realty building on Riverside avenue near Bernard street has been leased to the Prager-Schlessinger company for a term of 10 years, for $86,000. The plans for the ground floor and basement have been drawn to suit the needs of the tenants, who will conduct a wholesale men’s furnishings department in the basement and a retail department on the ground floor.” (See “Realty Building Leased,” Spokane Spokesman-Review, 27th year, no. 334, 05/15/1910, part 4, p. 1.)

When it was erected, the Realty Building stood outside the main business district of Spokane, and, therefore, could not charge rents as high as those in the city center. The Spokesman Review stated: "“Although the building is modern throughout, steel structure, and will have all the up-to-date conveniences, the offices are renting for less than the offices in older and less convenient buildings of the city. The highest priced offices are on the corners, at the front. These offices are 12x15 feet and will rent for $35 a month. The other offices in the building rent from $12.50 to $25 a month, all of the offices practically being outside offices. There will be a good number of professional men in the building. The low rents have been made owing to the fact that the building is about a block away from the recognized building center.” (See “Realty Building Leased,” Spokane Spokesman-Review, 27th year, no. 334, 05/15/1910, part 4, p. 1.)

Building Notes

As noted in the Spokane Spokesman-Review on 05/15/1910: “Albert Held, architect for the building, will have new quarters on the top floor of the building.” (See “Realty Building Leased,” Spokane Spokesman-Review, 27th year, no. 334, 05/15/1910, part 4, p. 1.)

In 1913, the architect R.C. Sweatt had an office in Room $416 of the Realty Building.