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T
here is no building more
emblematic of Peoria. It
commands the skyline,
terra cotta clad and hands-on-
hips proud, at the northeast cor-
ner of Jefferson and Main Streets.
At night, with its façade awash
in floodlights, its beacon beckons
for miles like the glint of an exotic
jewel.
The need for a substantial
office building had been ac-
knowledged since the turn of
the century. In 1917, Peoria Life
Insurance Company purchased
the lot and engaged Peoria
architects Hewitt & Emerson to
draw up plans. Partner Frank
Emerson was a brilliant architect
who studied at the Ecole des
Beaux Arts in Paris, France. His
extraordinary talent for designing
buildings in the classic style was
heavily influenced by this experi-
ence. Emerson’s signature style is
artfully manifested in another of
his Peoria masterpieces, the Hotel
Pere Marquette.
The Peoria Life site was chosen
for its historic as well as its
practical significance. It was on
this very spot that Rouse’s Opera
Hall had been erected. From the
Hall’s platform, Abraham Lin-
coln, Stephen Douglas and other
luminaries spoke to heartland
audiences. Mark Twain appeared
there in 1869 during his Eastern
Lecture Tour. Rouse’s was also a
platform for prominent entertain-
ers of the age, foreshadowing
Peoria’s influence as a second tier
vaudeville venue.
The building contract was let
to V. Jobst & Sons of Peoria. Con-
struction began in March of 1918,
but was interrupted four months
later in deference to the war ef-
fort, when the company diverted
its investments to Liberty Bonds.
Work resumed after the signing
of the armistice and was com-
pleted in 1920.
A handful of owners have
managed the building over the
years, from Peoria Life to Alliance
Life to First National Bank to
Commerce Bank. Kert Huber and
Dave Gulwitzer assumed owner-
ship in February 2004 and now
host 40 tenants in the Commerce
Building. Commerce Bank oc-
cupies the first and second floors,
and part of the third. The remain-
ing tenants represent a mix of
disciplines including law offices,
health services, counseling, finan-
cial consulting and others.
From the outside, little has
changed since Emerson penned
his rhapsodic rendition nearly
90 years ago. The decorative
flourishes and formal symme-
try are pleasing to the eye. The
building’s footprint occupies 171
feet on Main Street by 100 feet
on Jefferson. There are 17 stories,
including six stories in the tower.
The lantern atop the tower is 302
feet from the ground. More than
164,000 square feet of total rent-
able space is available to tenants.
Inside, cues to the era of the
original construction abound.
Spittoons mounted near eleva-
tor doors engender curiosity.
Gas lamp fixtures sprout from
walls – artifacts of illumination
from the days before electricity
was commercially available. In
the tower section, twin hulking
1,000-gallon water tanks used for
firefighting stand now in dry sen-
tinel. Vintage elevator motors still
Commerce
Building
Architectural tour de force is
Peoria business nerve center
By Gary Wright
The Past
“The Commerce
Building is an
authoritative and
elegant edifice
defining the hub of
Peoria’s downtown
business district.”
10
thePeorian.com