Mahoney Building Restoration

HISTORY UNDER COVER

Mahoney Building restoration exposes 1890 bricks

Those who have seen the Dennis Mahoney Building probably know it best as Troy Dorsey’s former martial arts studio. The building, with its red stucco upper wall, sits near the middle of the 100 block of North Main Street.

The 1890 Mahoney Building, probably the oldest commercial structure in Mansfield, has a new owner, BCB Transport Holdings, Co. To honor the building’s heritage, BCB started a substantial storefront restoration in August 2022 to bring back elements of the building’s original appearance.

Originally brick with ornamental detailing, the front wall was covered in stucco in the late 1940s or early 1950s. The old stucco was removed to evaluate the condition of the wall, exposing the brick for the first time in nearly 70 years.

In the Fort Worth Weekly Gazette newspaper for November 6, 1890, it was reported that, “D. Mahoney of Corpus Christi broke dirt to-day for a mammoth brick building 55x80.” There are no records indicating that the building was occupied by Mr. Mahoney or what the commercial use was until 1895. In 1895, the building was occupied by A. J. Dukes and Henderson Poe as a hardware store on one side of the building. Marple Drug Store leased the other half.

BCB is renovating the building to serve as a podcast studio for BCB Live, featuring content for the trucking industry, and offices. BCB purchased the building from Mr. Dorsey, whose martial arts studio has been at this location since 1999.

The storefront plans call for display and transom windows, new doors and a new awning. The changes will enhance the historic character of the Mahoney Building. As a city landmark, the restoration plans were approved by the Historic Landmark Commission in June 2022.

BCB would like to keep the brick exposed, but if their condition is poor, the bricks may need to be covered with stucco once more.

The Mahoney Building changes over time

Left column, from top to bottom: Troy Dorsey Karate, 2022; Mansfield Hardware c. 1950; Harrison Hardware, 1905; Dukes and Poe Hardware, c. 1900, after a fire that destroyed some of the adjacent buildings.

Right column, from top to bottom: Western Auto during the 1980s (note that the display windows have been modernized); Harrison Hardware, 1928 (note the transom windows are still in place from 1900 through 2022, although covered up in the 1980s); a close-up photograph of the exposed brick in 2022 showing the decorative pattern. The pattern can be seen in the 1900 and 1905 photographs.