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9-500: The building was designed for Neiman Marcus to replace its previous store on Elm Street which burned in 1913. Designed to be fireproof and accommodate additional floors as needed, the red brick and white stone building opened in 1914 with four floors at the corner of Main and Ervay. In 1926, the company leased adjacent land and an identical four-story addition extended the store facing Ervay to Commerce Street that it completed in 1927. This addition, designed by architect George Dahl , doubled

18-509: A partner in Greene's firm in 1928, and the name of the firm was changed to Herbert M. Greene, LaRoche, and Dahl (later LaRoche and Dahl). In 1943, Dahl founded his own firm, George Leighton Dahl, Architects and Engineers, Incorporated, with a nationwide practice. Dahl was also a pioneer in fast-track construction . Upon his retirement in 1973, he had produced some 3,000 projects throughout the country that are estimated to be worth $ 2 billion. Dahl

27-655: The Art Deco structures of Fair Park while he oversaw planning and construction of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition . In 1970, in anticipation of imminent commercial growth brought on by the impending development of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport , he designed the First National Bank of Grapevine building at 1400 South Main Street. This iconic cubist structure served as a harbinger of

36-565: The Main Street District the store remained in its original location. Today, the flagship store serves as an important anchor in the Dallas retail scene as a reminder of the city's retailing history. George Dahl George Leighton Dahl (May 11, 1894 – July 18, 1987) was a prominent American architect based in Dallas , Texas during the 20th century. His most notable contributions include

45-741: The area's upcoming economic development. George Dahl was born in Minneapolis to Norwegian immigrant parents, Olaf G. and Laura (Olson) Dahl. He received a B.Arch. from the University of Minnesota and a M.Arch. from Harvard University in 1923. He subsequently spent two years in Italy as a fellow at the American Academy in Rome . In 1926, he began work for the Herbert M. Greene Co. in Dallas , Texas. He became

54-437: The building was not destroyed, and it reopened just 27 days later. The last major expansion added two floors to the top of the entire complex in 1983, giving the structure a height of nine stories. These additional floors provided more room for the growing department store chain's corporate offices. During the late 1980s, Neiman Marcus considered leaving the building for a new downtown shopping center, but with revitalization of

63-440: The building was remodeled. Over the years, the store acquired adjacent land to the west along Commerce Street and Main Street. Beginning in 1951 and ending in 1953 two additional floors were added to the original building in a similar but less detailed manner, bringing the store to six floors. New six-story structures, modern in style, were built adjacent to the store along Commerce Street and Main Street. These additions again doubled

72-436: The retail space, replaced the exterior brick veneer with white terra cotta, and enlarged the store's entrances. The design of the building was based on Renaissance Revival architecture, and the interior featured an impressive double staircase. In 1931, the building was air-conditioned in an elaborate stunt from New York offices via a Western Union link. The building continued to expand with growth, and in 1941 every floor of

81-495: The size of the store, although the new buildings did not match the original store's design. The additions provided greater room for employee services, a penthouse restaurant and expanded departments. During the late 1950s, a seventh floor was added in a similar style to the previous fifth and sixth floor additions. On December 19, 1964, the building burned in the costliest blaze in the city's history, destroying $ 5–10 million in merchandise, art objects and antique furniture. Remarkably,

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