National Register Record for CHEAIRS FURNITURE COMPANY BUILDING

Historic Name: CHEAIRS FURNITURE COMPANY BUILDING
Current Name: SAME
Address: 537 SOUTH KENOSHA AVENUE
City: TULSA            County: TULSA
Section: None           Township: None           Range: None          
Description of significance: THE CHEAIRS FURNITURE COMPANY BUILDING IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES UNDER CRITERIA A IN THE AREA OF COMMERCE FOR ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE COMMERCIAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN TULSA AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE RISE OF THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY IN TULSA. WHEN THE CHEAIRS FURNITURE COMPANY BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1934, TULSA'S INDUSTRY WAS CENTERED NEAR THE RAILROAD TRACKS. AS INDUSTRY BEGAN TO GROW BEYOND THOSE AREAS, COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES DEVELOPED ALONG THE EDGES OF FIFTH STREET AND KENOSHA AVENUE. DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION, THE CHEAIRS FURNITURE COMPANY BUILDING ORIGINATED WHEN MANY OTHER FURNITURE COMPANIES WERE CLOSING. AS TULSA PROGRESSED INTO THE 1950S, THE CHEAIRS FURNITURE COMPANY MOVED SOUTH INTO THE UTICA SQUARE REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTER WHILE THE BUILDING SURVIVED THE DEMOLITION AND REMOVAL OF NEARBY COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE IDL. TODAY, THE CHEAIRS FURNITURE COMPANY BUILDING IS AN EXCELLENT TRIBUTE TO 1930S COMMERCIAL GROWTH IN DOWNTOWN TULSA AND ONE OF THE SURVIVING BUILDINGS IN THE AREA. LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER 06/11/2018.

Type: BUILDING
Historic Function: COMMERCE/TRADE: SPECIALTY STORE
Current Function: VACANT/NOT IN USE
Area of Significance 1: COMMERCE
Area of Significance 2: None
Architectural Style: EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY COMMERCIAL STYLE, SPANISH REVIVAL
Architect: None
Year Built: 1934            Original Site: YES
Condition: FAIR
Restricted: None
Documentation Source: None
Date Prepared: SEPTEMBER 2017