Cass Gilbert Building
(Previously known as: Gilbert Building - 413 Wacouta St.)
One of three Cass Gilbert-designed buildings in Lowertown today, this one was eventually named after the celebrated architect. Although born in Ohio, Gilbert grew up in St. Paul before studying architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He returned to St. Paul, and received his big break when selected to design the new Minnesota State Capitol building after a national competition. Before that, he designed mostly commercial warehouse buildings like this one, constructed in 1894 and housing a variety of tenants. First it was the Wacouta Street Warehouse owned by the Boston & Northwest Realty Co., home of T.L. Blood’s Northwestern Paint Works Co. The building was sold in the 1930s to the Cardozo Furniture Company, and was most recently renovated in the 1980s, now serving as office space.
