McDaniel Building

McDaniel Building
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The McDaniel Building in Springfield, MO as seen from the corner of St. Louis St. and Jefferson Ave. (ca. 2025)
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Location	316 Park Central E., Springfield, Missouri
Coordinates	37°12′33″N93°17′28″W / 37.20917°N 93.29111°W / 37.20917; -93.29111
Area	Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built	1961 (1961)
Built by	Carson, John
Architect	Amsbacher, Joe
Architectural style	Mid-Century Modern
NRHP reference No.	14000871 [1]
Added to NRHP	October 22, 2014

McDaniel Building is a historic commercial building located in Springfield, Missouri. It was built in 1911 but remodeled into its current form in 1961, and houses a six-story with a Mid-Century Modern style of building, containing a two-story main section, two-bay section and a tall one-story rear section. It has buff brick walls, a curtain wall façade, and a flat roof. ^{[2] : 6}

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. ^[1]

History

In April, 1911, local banker H. B. McDaniel began construction on the McDaniel Building on the lot vacated by the Baldwin Theater after a disastrous fire.

The 1961 reconstruction of the McDaniel Building represents one of the most dramatic remodeling projects undertaken by the Heer-Andres Investment Company, which played a major role in area commerce for decades. In March, 1961, Dorsey Heer told the Springfield Leader and Press that a remodel project was underway, totaling $500,000 and stating, "we'll have a completely new building when the work is finished." ^[3] The McDaniel Building remained one of Springfield's largest downtown office buildings until 2014.

In 2014, the Vecino Group announced plans to remodel the building after just having purchased it. The redevelopment planned for 39 apartment units with the ground floor rented as retail. ^[4]

The building is a significant and rare example of porcelain enamel curtain wall construction in Springfield and it provides a snapshot of Mid-Century Modernism in Springfield.

References

1. "National Register of Historic Places Listings" (PDF). Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 10/20/14 through 10/24/14. National Park Service. October 31, 2014.
2. Debbie Sheals (June 2014). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: McDaniel Building" (PDF). Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved January 1, 2017. (includes 16 photographs from 2014)
3. Miles, Mark. "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: McDaniel Building" (PDF). Missouri State Parks. United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
4. Bridges, Amos. "New life for McDaniel Building". Springfield News-Leader. Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved August 11, 2025.