The Plymouth Block is the major building anchoring Sioux City's only Historic District. Although many buildings in the Fourth Street Historic District had been renovated, this massive five-story warehouse had remained untouched for decades and its huge size appeared to be its stumbling block for preservation of the Historic 4th Street District. Rising through the entire five stories, the central atrium and its skylight were leaking and all the windows were in need of repair. All the beautiful deep, brick-red terra cotta featuring cherubs, Zeus-like features and ivy had all darkened with years of soot and pollution. Stone mouldings and deep red brick needed tuck-pointing. Immense arcades of arched windows with deteriorated wood sills were in danger of falling in or out from lack of maintenance. Lastly, the huge roof threatened to damage the entire interior. History This massive (150'x150') five story 8-by-8 bay block dominates Sioux City's Historic Fourth Street District and was built in 1890 by the Boston Investment Company and designed by local architect Edward W. Loft. Executed in a beautiful deep red brick, features include a horizontal band of cherubs running the full length of the building. In its time the Plymouth Block was the largest mercantile building ever constructed in Sioux City. There are stone mouldings, rough sills, and decorated capital at immense arches. These arches are repeated on a smaller scale on upper stories. Tall columns of brick topped with Romanesque arches dominate the entire building. Other features include a centered name block, foliate stone and terra cotta ornamentation, cornice detail and parapet. Restoration Details The Plymouth Block is now a beautifully restored anchor of Sioux City's Historic Fourth Street district thanks to the current owners. The 4th Street Historic District was put on the National Register of Historic Places on August 15, 1995 and the Plymouth Block building has always been a "key contributing" part of this two-block District and is the largest structure in the District. The extraordinary restoration cost is what caused it to be one of the last to be saved. The exterior restoration included tuck-pointing all five stories of its brick, terra cotta and sand stone as well as correctly cleaning the entire exterior. Extensive tuck-pointing/cleaning was also completed on the interior atrium brick walls. The huge roof was replaced with a ballasted membrane roof. Now the open atrium area is inviting and is quickly attracting tenants both in the commercial and housing areas. All windows and atrium windows were replaced with historically correct replacement replicas all in painted wood. The atrium skylight and skylight framing which had deteriorated beyond repair, has been replicated with steel truss and glass skylights as it was originally executed. This remarkable structure now has 48 housing units (36 affordable and 12 market rate) which are all occupied and has 40,000 square feet of retail and office space which is rapidly filling. The cost of this project exceeded $7,000,000 and it received assistance from: State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa Department of Economic Development, the City of Sioux City, The Enterprise Social Investment Corp as well as conventional financing from the investors and a local bank. Thanks to the current owners, Call Terminal, LLP (named after the building's former historic name) this building has been saved for Siouxlander's to enjoy for many years!
	"The Mission of The Siouxland Economic Development Corporation is to further the economic development of Siouxland." Siouxland Economic Development Corporation 1106 Historic 4th Street, Suite 201 Sioux City, Iowa 51101 Phone 712-279-6430 ’ΔΆ Fax 712-224-2510 This institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider.