Piece of History: Cedar Rapids construction company’s legacy is built to last

If a Cedar Rapids resident heard that Theodore Stark & Co. built the new Churchill Drug Co. Building in 1925, it might not sound remarkable. What makes this story special is that 100 years later, both the building and the general contractor are still standing.

The construction company, founded by Theodore Stark in 1880 and today known as Rinderknecht Associates Inc., has carried on under several names. The Churchill Drug warehouse has found new life as the Water Tower Place Condominiums.

By January 1926, Churchill Drug Co. had moved into its new six-story office and warehouse at Second Street and Ninth Avenue SE. At the time, it was one of the largest wholesale drug houses in the West.

Theodore Stark & Co. won the $186,000 construction contract in 1924 with designs by architect W.J. Brown. Separate contracts covered plumbing, heating, wiring, sprinklers and elevators. The structure was built with reinforced concrete using fireproof methods — forward-thinking construction for its day.

Want to learn more about the 145-year history of Rinderknecht? Visit The History Center’s newest exhibit, “A Legacy Built to Last,” opening Sept. 27.

Tara Templeman is curator at The History Center. Comments: curator@historycenter.org