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Commission recommends landmark status for 2116 Post Office, the former Central Drugstore building
Summary
The commission unanimously approved forwarding a nomination to designate the 1914 Central Drugstore building at 2116 Post Office as a Galveston landmark; proponents said the building is an intact example of early 20th‑century commercial architecture and a local cultural hub.
The Galveston Landmark Commission voted unanimously to recommend landmark designation for the building at 2116 Post Office — historically home to the Central Drugstore — and forward the nomination to City Council for final action.
Staff described the building, constructed in 1914 in the Chicago commercial style, as a brick, stucco‑over‑metal commercial block with plate‑glass storefronts, high ceilings and original tilework at the storefront. The property is not in a historic district and is eligible for local financial incentives for historic properties; staff recommended approval with the commission’s standard condition and noted the nomination will go before Planning Commission on April 8 and City Council on April 24.
Julie Baker, a former commissioner and one of the applicants, said research into the building revealed it was part of a local culture of drugstore lunch counters and community gathering places; she told commissioners the business and its lunch counter were “a real part of the fabric of Galveston.” Clyde Wood, who purchased the building 16 years ago and operates a business there, described efforts to preserve interior features, saying he preserved the back counter and original iceboxes and tile and had worked to keep the building’s integrity.
A commissioner moved to approve the recommendation and another seconded; the commission voted in favor and will send the nomination to City Council for the final decision.
Staff presented photographs showing the storefront tile inlay that identifies the Central Drugstore and interior photos referenced by the owner that show an intact counter and original fixtures. The staff report and applicant testimony emphasized the building’s commercial architecture and role in everyday social life in early 20th‑century Galveston.
