FIRST - Reinforced Concrete Building in Spokane, WA - Superlatives on Waymarking.com

During the Holley-Mason Company's occupation of the site, floor organization was based off the weight of the overall kind of merchandise. The basement of the hardware building held nails, barbed wire, bolts and heavy material. The second floor contained sporting goods, while the third floor had wagon and carriage goods. Lastly, the fourth floor had stoves and the fifth floor housed home furnishing hardware. Architecturally, the building is Commercial Romanesque and displays a variety of fenestration and ornamentation. The segmentally-arched windows, rusticated brick work and terra cotta keystones are all features correlated with the Renaissance style of the building.
From Spokane Historical

Holley-Mason Building
157 S. Howard St - Historic Name: Holley-Mason Building
Built: 1905 - Style: Commercial Vernacular/Beaux Arts
Builder: unknown - Architect: Albert Held
Classification: Historic Contributing
Description: Constructed in 1905 as Spokane's first reinforced concrete building, the six-story Holley-Mason Block is one of the city's finest warehouses. Clad in terra cotta and buff-colored brick veneer, the building's facade is symmetrical and accented with ornamentation. The main (south) fa?ade is divided into nine bays separated by simple pilasters. Egg and dart moldings cap the brick pilasters. Architectural elements include the prominent parapet, foliated brackets, and decorative semi-circular terra cotta arches. A simple cornice above the arched second floor windows separates the level from the upper floors. Floors three through six have paired, one over one double hung wood windows. The sixth floor is characterized by a wide, decorative terra cotta frieze with a row of semi-circular arches with keystones. A single terra cotta disc surrounded by ornamental brickwork is located within each arch. The prominent cornice is heavily bracketed. The building is structurally well-preserved and retains good exterior integrity.

Cultural Data: Prominent Spokane architect Albert Held designed the Holley-Mason building for the Holley-Mason Hardware Co. The company was established in 1885 under the original company name of Newport and Holley. In 1888, Frederick Mason became a partner in the firm and renamed it Holley-Mason Hardware Co. The building was built in 1905 at a cost of $200,000 and billed as Spokane's first fireproof building and endured four fires in 1919,1921,1922, and 1990. It was one of the first reinforced concrete buildings erected in the State of Washington. It was built to withstand the storage of heavy hardware. In the 1920s, the firm merged with Marshall Wells, a national hardware company. Marshall Wells relocated to the Jensen-fiyrd building (also in the district) and the building was leased to the U.S. Forest Service until 1968 when it was deeded to the City of Spokane. Ownership changed after the City acquired the building. It stood vacant for several years until Spokane developer Robert Brewster purchased it in 1997. The building has been rehabilitated and serves as offices. It is listed on both the Spokane Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places.
From the NRHP Nomination Form