The Amazing Story of a Spanish Conquistador Who After 87 Years Still Guards His Fathers Castle

I was born in 1921 in the center of St Louis Missouri right smack in the middle of the good old U.S.A.

I would like to tell you the story of two men from a certain little town in Missouri. On a beautiful late spring afternoon in 1891 two men graduated from the same college.

They were very much alike, these two young men. Both had been better than average students, both were personable and well liked. As young college graduates tend to be. They were filled with ambitious dreams of the future.

And on that graduation day with college diplomas in hand those young men set off from St Louis University to make their mark on the world. Some 30 years later they met at the dedication of a new building. This was a special moment because one of the men had designed and built this magnificent building for a very important client.

They were very much alike. Both were happily married. Both had three children. And both had gone to work as architects.

But one was a famous architect with completed projects in Chicago, New York, and the Missouri State Capital. The other still just a draftsman. The difference in the two men was not a difference of capacity but a difference in decision.

What made the Difference

One man trained himself to be the best architect he could be and leave a legacy through his work. His dream was to build buildings that would stand the test of time. The other was merely content with putting his work on paper.

My father was the man that put his ideas into action. He built something that would last many lifetimes; see many wars, live through the birth of a new century.

My father was Thomas P. Barnett the man who built this building at 3207 Washington Ave, St. Louis Mo. 63103. And he and assembled me with toned art glass of amber, blues, greens and reds. I am Conquistador. I have been watching over this building ever since my last piece of glass was set into place 87 years ago.

I am glad that Thomas P. Barnett put a lifetimes of craft and care in my building.

He died in 1930 but his life work lives on. I would like to tell you more about the building that has survived so strongly and steadfast. First of all let me tell you about me. I am the “Art Glass Window, Conquistador”

30” by 30” inches comprised of multi-colored art glass depicting a Spanish Conquistador. I am facing left when looking out the window from the interior. I hold a Spanish shield with a cross representing protection.

During the turn of the century era in St. Louis many firms used stained glass as an accent to their fine properties.

The Art Deco Spanish Mission Architecture Era.

The building is a vintage 1920’s office building build in the Art Deco Spanish Mission Style. Office building of Art Deco and Spanish Mission Style began springing up in the late 1800s and this style continues until the 1930’s. A famous example of this style is the San Diego’s Union Station completed in 1919.

The building has many unique architectural features. Three large banquet rooms, smaller conference rooms, private luxury rooms, several full service bars, and multiple lavatories. “They don’t build em like they used to” That’s right a solid building with a solid foundation to house your valuable business assets and clients. 23,000 s/f of unique canvas for you and your designer to create a most stunning design. Enough Space to FULLY EXPRESS yourself, your ideas, your creativity and dreams.

This building is constructed with concert foundations, walls, support columns, and even the roofs deck is concrete. The exterior walls measure 18 inches thick on the 1st floor. The many beautiful crowned columns are 11 foot on center for stability. The building is virtually bomb proof. The basement which is actually the 1st floor because it is not actually underground is approximately 4500 square feet. There are two bathrooms and a fire exit.

The building was originally designed as an office for Central States Life Insurance Companies world head quarters. There are many unique features for example: there is a vault system throughout the building. These secure and sturdier vaults were designed to store important records in case of fire.

This building sets itself apart from the competition in this unique Art Deco Spanish Mission style facility.

You will be connected with the rich history of St. Louis and patrons will be deleted to re visit this location. Gives you a distance advantage over prebuilt or the common warehouse type remodeling in the city today. You start out with a space with style and design characteristics and go from there.

The first floor is wide open with 12 magnificent columns and arches. The expansive room opens up to a beautiful ironed railed mezzanine, accented with a candle designed chandelier hanging from a 45 foot skylight ceiling. Winding up a split double pink Italian marble staircase to the upstairs mezzanine you open up to many spacious office rooms.

The upstairs has unique designed library plus two vintage fireplace rooms that used to house the presidents of Central States. There is enormous amount of office space throughout the building. This means you could operate a large business from the location perhaps 50 to 100 workers.A fire escape is located on the east side of the building that empties on the street level outside. Six huge skylights add natural lighting to the interior of the building.

When customers visit you won’t need to worry if they will confuse your enterprise with the competition.Your business will be easy to spot from the street you will be instantly associated with the rich history and charm of this historic landmark.

The multiple levels of the huge facility gives you the opportunity for more than one concept like fine dining on one level, a cigar bar on another, and live music in the lower level.

You get the benefit of the Mid Town Art Districts Fox Theater, SLU Arena events and ample parking.

The building has been recently updated and remodeled and does feature newer mechanical systems, electrical upgrades, plumbing upgrades, new roofing materials, theoretical lighting, interior-exterior painting and alarm system.

This is an exciting time and feels like a rebirth to the neighborhood. My father’s College is expanding rapidly. They just completed the new SLU Sports Arena and parking lots right down the street. I heard that they have schedule over The University expects to host 90 to 100 events each year in Chaifetz Arena, including concerts, shows, trade shows, commencements as well as men’s and women’s basketball.

The Billikens will host Missouri-St. Louis in the inaugural game at Chaifetz Arena on Friday, Nov. 14. Defending Mid-American Conference champion and NCAA squad Kent State visits on Wednesday, Nov. 19,

I am so happy to see all the new people coming down to my neighborhood. They tell me that the new arena will bring in over 1 million new faces each year. That’s a lot of new faces passing by me. It’s amazing that the University which my father graduated from 117 years ago has an astonishing 12,300 students now and still growing.

Along with SLU’s expansion many other businesses are moving right next door. There is a cool new sport bar called Triumphs that features vintage motorcycles. There is an architect’s new redevelopment right next door, and you know how I like architects. Up the street on locust there is even an old fashion Ice Cream Shop. You would have the only space in town with a split Italian marble stair case and unique old world charm.

This Art Deco Mansion is the perfect place for a restaurant or nightclub operator who demands on the best for their patrons. And they tell me that this is only the beginning!

When you listen to all this you can imagine how excited that I am about the rebirth of this neighborhood. But what I really need is a new entrepreneur to put their dream with-in these walls. Someone who cares about tradition. A person who realizes the value of history and how that makes for happy clients and customers. A person with a strong vision who can look out and see the advantages to serving all the new customers who will be walking and driving by my doors.