The W on Broadway Historical Significance
The W on Broadway was built to preserve and improve the historic significance of the Clark Building at 219 Broadway. The building was purchased and designed by BHIK Investments. The construction was managed and completed by Ray Black & Son, the premier historic restoration builder in the area. i5Design performed the apartment design and architectural work and Charleton and Park was the interior designer. Each of our subcontractors, designers, and products were locally procured where possible.
Originally built before 1885, the Clark building was one of the early buildings and first businesses of downtown Paducah. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was owned by several successful retail businesses in the first few decades. The building survived the 1937 flood taking on over nine feet of water, almost flooding the entire first floor. Later, it served as the USO headquarters and supported dances and social functions for the troops during the War. The Schroeder publishing family purchased the building in the fifties, and it became home to one of the most successful Paducah businesses. After downtown Paducah went through the suburban flight trend in the 70’s and 80’s, the Sims bought it and restored it to a successful business again.
You will see many significant restorations in the building. The most significant is the glass-enclosed viewing area of the grand staircase. The staircase has been restored to its pre-flood condition. The reception area is decorated with photographs and artifacts from those days when it was underwater. A glassed viewing area allows guests at Hooper’s to enjoy the beauty of the stairs from their shopping perspective in the store. Residents, in turn, can use the grand staircase to reach their apartments and also have visibility into the Hoopers Outdoor Center. Ascending the stairs to the second floor, you will see the “W” emblem, custom-built by a downtown Paducah fabrication mill, and installed on the stone wall of the stairs. The third floor features a breathtaking art rendering of the downtown Broadway drag as if you were driving down the street.
All apartments and the common areas were designed to preserve the historic features and to present a modern feel of downtown living. Each apartment has the amenities and features of big city downtown living coupled with the historic restoration of the 1800’s. The black and white photos throughout the common areas give the visitors the feeling of the past and memories of the beauty of the Paducah area.
All three floors have the original twelve-foot ceilings that have been preserved with the same roof and ceiling lines. The individual apartments’ ceilings are as high as twelve feet in the bedrooms and grand living areas.
The original flooring was preserved throughout on each floor for every apartment. The original wood floor was saved, restored, and enhanced to achieve the quality look that was prepared by the early owners.
Many windows and window frames were each preserved and their original 19th-century double-hung system of ropes, sash weights, and pulleys were restored. The grand arch windows serve as the primary view of the Broadway-facing apartments. Their beauty is enhanced with the South Beach style sheer drapes that can be pulled for privacy if so inclined.
The brick walls and ceiling joists are original and were reinforced to house a current-day building. Brick tuckpointing and repair were performed throughout the building. In the 1800’s era, Red Gum wood joists were milled from trees, thought to originate in the Lone Oak area, and you can see the original saw marks on the individual beams from when they were first prepared for construction.
In the 1800’s, the city placed water buckets at the top of each stair landing area as protection and aids in case the building caught on fire. At the local fire station, a hand-drawn schematic depicted where each bucket was located on each floor. The new building features a complete sprinkler system, fire exits with separate stairwells, fire-protected doors, and fireproof construction – No need for water buckets anymore! Instead of buckets, we have placed original whiskey barrels provided by the Heaven Hill distillery. These barrels, recently extracted from the whiskey line in Bardstown, are placed in the same locations as the original water buckets.
One of the best attributes of the building is the panoramic views. In the front apartments, you can sit atop Broadway watching the city come to life. In the back apartments, you can watch the boats traverse the mighty Ohio River. All apartments have a view that brings back the history and significance of this grand town.
Enjoy!
BHIK (Back Home in Kentucky!)
Timeline of The W Building
1880s – The building was originally built as several buildings that served as a retail store, tobacco factory, and salon.
1897 – The building was consolidated into one structure to serve as the FC Evans Dry Goods store and served as a Dry Goods store under several owners.
1930s – It served as the USO office and as a dance hall and social gathering place for the servicemen and women during the war.
1937 – It survived the Ohio River flood, enduring nine feet of water that reached almost to the second floor.
1956 – It served as the home of United Home Furnishings, one of the grandest furniture stores in Paducah, for almost two decades.
1974 – It served the Schroeder family in operating the successful Schroeder Publishing Company. This family led the major investments in the National Quilt Museum and the downtown Paducah flood wall murals.
1993 – After years of abandonment, Freedom Capital, Inc. bought the building and created Hooper’s Outdoor Center, which is still located in the building today.
2021 – It became The W on Broadway!