The Downs Building

The Downs Building is a contributing resource in the Oil City Downtown Commercial Historic District listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Oil Region Alliance is rehabilitatng the three-story building at 201 Center Street, which began as Patrick Downs’ saloon and housed several businesses throughout the years.

Now in the third phase of renovation, the Down building is a 1894 community landmark that was built after the Great Fire and Flood of 1892 that destroyed much of the North Side downtown district. Local architect Joseph P. Brenot designed the chateauesque style building for Patrick Downs. Downs was the proprietor of a saloon on the first floor of the building and he and his family lived in the upper floors. Later, two Greek brothers bought the Downs Building and ran an ice cream and candy shop. Triangle Shoes, Radio Shack and a T-shirt printing business were among the enterprises that followed the ice cream shop over the years. Doctors’ offices and attorneys’ offices were also housed in the building at various times.

Sources gathered from The Derrick and others.

For more information about renovations, check out oilregion.org.