Buildings at 104-116 West Water St.
Why it's listed
Three commercial buildings along the north side of West Water Street in downtown Elmira, New York, record the rise and slow decline of the city's first main shopping district. The oldest, at 106-112, dates from about 1870 and is a Second Empire building with a slate mansard roof, later home to Rosenbaum's Department Store from 1930. Chain of title records show Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) and members of the Langdon family briefly owned it. The Marvin's Building at 114-116, from the 1890s, has a tall yellow brick facade with pilasters, rock-faced stone and terra cotta trim. The newest, the 1934 Kresge variety store at 104, is clad in buff and jade green cast stone and is considered the best-preserved streamlined Moderne building downtown. Together they illustrate Elmira's Civil War-era commercial boom and the 1930s retail shift toward Main Street. The group was listed for its architecture and its role in local commerce. Rehabilitation work was underway in 2008.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the buildings are an intact remnant of Elmira's early central business district. They show how Water Street changed from the city's premier Civil War-era shopping district to a secondary area by the 1930s, as retailers moved to Main Street. They represent the Civil War boom and its following decades, and the 1930s changes in national retailing. The Kresge building is called the best-preserved example of streamlined/Art Moderne style in downtown Elmira.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 08001230, listed December 17, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 104-116 W. Water St., Elmira |
|---|---|
| County | Chemung County |
| Listed | December 17, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08001230 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca 1870 - ca 1934 |
| Architectural style | French Second Empire; Moderne/Streamlined; Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant/not in use with work in progress; in 2008 stucco and a false roof front on the former Rosenbaum's building were being removed as part of a rehabilitation. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.08996, -76.80526 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 08001230.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4986634
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.