The Woodruff Building is a historic high-rise located in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri. Built in February of 1911, it is often called Springfield's first "skyscraper". Originally a commercial style design with hints of early art-deco, a 1959 remodel gave the building turquoise enamel panels with a mid-century look. It houses ten stories.[1][2]
Woodruff Building | |
 The Woodruff Building in Springfield, MO as seen from the corner of St. Louis St. and Jefferson Ave. (ca. 2025) | |
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| Location | 331 Park Central E., Springfield, Missouri |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°12′33″N 93°17′25″W / 37.20917°N 93.29028°W |
| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1911 |
| Added to NRHP | August 20, 2025 |
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
History
editIn 1908, local business leader, John T. Woodruff purchased the land at the corner of Jefferson Ave. and Park Central East, across the street from his newly constructed Colonial Hotel, another of Woodruff's properties. Woodruff would construct the city's first "sky-scraper", comprising 276 offices, a bank, drug store, post office, tobacco store, barber shop, and billiards parlor. It was touted as Springfield's "newest, most modern, fireproof business structure."[3][4]
In 1959, Woodruff sold the building to F.X. Heer for $700,000. Heer expanded the building, adding 23,000 square feet to Springfield's larget office building, at a cost of $650,000.[5] The building changed hands to Warren Davis Properties in 1994, followed by the Vecino Group in 2013.
The Vecino Group would undergo a $13,000,000 rehabilitation of the blighted property, converting it to apartments with retail on the street level. They renamed the building "Sky Eleven", a tribute to the building's construction year of 1911.[6]
Many original details and accents remain to this day but the 1959 remodel is most prominent with the turquoise panels and aluminum windows.
References
edit- ^ Miles, Mark. "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form" (PDF). Missouri State Parks. United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ "Woodruff Building Expansion Job Starts". Springfield Daily News. March 7, 1959.
- ^ Kaitlyn McConnell. "The Influential Dedication of John T. Woodruff". Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ "John T. Woodruff Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ "Woodruff Building, Springfield, Mo". sgcld.thelibrary.org. Springfield-Greene County Library District. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Brown, Brian (April 3, 2013). "Woodruff owners sketch out $13M renovation". Springfield Business Journals. Springfield Business Journal. Retrieved August 21, 2025.