Dick Building
Also known as: Cornerstone Building
Why it's listed
Rough-faced stone fronts on Main and Second Streets, and a semicircular corner turret with a conical roof, give this three-story commercial and apartment building in downtown West Newton its character. Built in 1890 for banker Mungo M. Dick, according to a datestone, it originally held shops in the basement, a bank on the first floor and apartments above. An eastern section, added between 1910 and 1925 on the site of a former post office building, extended the structure. The nomination treats it as a locally significant example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style, which peaked in southwestern Pennsylvania around 1890 following Henry Hobson Richardson's Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburgh. Its massive stonework, arched openings and turret are cited as its main claims. Among the few three-story commercial buildings in the town, it is described as the largest and most elaborate commercial building on West Newton's Main Street. The architect is not known.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a locally significant example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style, built at the height of the style's popularity in southwestern Pennsylvania. It is described as the only example of the style in West Newton and the most prominent commercial building on Main Street. Its rough stone façades and corner turret are cited as the main features supporting this.
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 07000890, listed August 30, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 201-203 E. Main St., West Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Westmoreland County |
| Listed | August 30, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000890 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1890-1925 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian / Romanesque (Richardsonian Romanesque) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as intact and in good condition, with the basement housing an antiques store, the first floor an insurance office, and the upper floors apartments. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.20989, -79.76696 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 07000890.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5272723
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.