Architect purchases Holland building

Some would call it one of the nicest office buildings downtown, and others would praise it for staying true to its original architecture, but few know that the Holland Office Building has retained its original ownership since 1913.

Until now.

Allen Casey, local architect and downtown enthusiast, has agreed to purchase the building from the R.B. Murray family. The sale is set to close June 1. The Murray family has owned the building since it was built in 1913, and the land it sits on since around 1900. Bob Murray Jr., president of R.B. Murray Co., said his grandfather built the office building for his wife, Louise Holland Jarrett. Jarrett was Murray's maternal grandmother, and she died about 40 years ago, he said. Murray's family has owned and managed the property since it was built.

Casey's affiliation with the building is not quite that long, but long enough. Casey's father, Harold Casey, had his architecture office in the building beginning in about 1945, and when Casey joined his father's firm in the 1970s, the office was still there.

"I became very familiar with the building and liked the office space. It is truly one of the jewels of the downtown area," Casey said.

Casey's knowledge of the building and his father's longtime affiliation with it was one of the reasons the Murrays were ready to sell it to him, Murray said.

"It's never been on the market for sale, and it wasn't at the time (Casey) bought it. We chose to sell it to him because the Caseys have been friends of our family for a long time, and we knew that (Casey) would maintain the building's character and keep it true to what it has been," Murray said.

The Murray family preserved the building well, Casey said.

"Unlike a lot of other structures, this was not altered by the so-called modernization movement in the past 40 years. It still has its original, decorative structures that make it unique," Casey said.

Some of those structures include original marble work on the inside, and concrete on the outside. The concrete work is similar to that of another downtown building Casey owns, the Sterling Hotel.

"Both buildings are all concrete, and that makes them stand apart. That would have been a very important aspect of their design when they were built," Casey said.

Casey has a plan to renovate the Sterling into apartments by year's end. He has completed some demolition work in the building, and, he said, as he has worked on the Sterling, he has been reminded of the Holland building's beauty and style.

"As I was going downtown, working on the Sterling, I would look out at that building you can see it from the Sterling and be reminded of how much I liked it," Casey said.

Casey no longer maintains an office in the Holland building; his office is at 619 Pickwick, in another historic structure he has maintained. The 36,000-square-foot, five-story Holland building is almost completely full, with about 1,000 square feet available for lease.

Casey is also working on the building's basement, which now is used for storage. He said he hopes to have a restaurant tenant in the basement.

"I haven't finalized it yet, but I think the basement is ideal for a restaurant, an upscale dining place. Downtown now has quite a bit of fine dining, and I think there is a place for more," Casey said.

Casey will also work to place the Holland building on the National Register of Historic places. The Sterling has recently received state approval for the National Register, and federal approval is pending, Casey said. Having the buildings listed will make them eligible for key tax incentives, he added.

The sale of the building includes a 45-car parking lot adjacent to it, which Casey said he will resurface. Once the building is on the National Register, Casey said he would also like to upgrade its elevators.

"There's not a whole lot to be done, really. The building has been very well maintained, and the tenants who are there love it. The Murrays have taken great care of this building, and I plan to continue their efforts," Casey said.