RE: Followup on your April 16th Council Decision on 302-316 Bloomington Street…
To The Iowa City – City Council – council@iowa-city.org
As a strong supporter of the “YES” decision to Landmark the historic property located at 302-316 Bloomington Street, thank you for your 7-0 ‘yes’ vote tonite, which keeps the decision on the table going forward.
It appears – from your conversations – that both Mayor Teague and Pro Tem Salih still have uncertainties about why the entire property needs to be given the Landmark status. Councilor Moe did a great job trying to explain the historical reasons for NOT splitting the property up, and if you might allow me here, I’d like to give you a bit of the historic reasoning why the WHOLE property is worth saving and not just a portion of it.
You see, while the property has been tagged (and centered around) the Pagliai building, it would be a grave error to make a decision on that one building alone. To do so, would ignore the fact that historically, the four buildings on the property all have significance when it comes to telling the full story. In truth, we should be calling the property – The Slezak Commercial Center!
I’ve attached a page (below) that gives you a quick overview of the four buildings from a historic perspective, and yes, while visually, it’s hard to see any history in the present-day laundromat – to tear it down would mean Iowa City would lose its last remaining commercial horse stable!
You see, we have to think of it this way…
If someone said, “Yes, we must save Old Capitol, but that grassy area on the west lawn could be sold off,” – we’d say you are crazy.
If someone said in West Branch, “yeah, let’s keep Herbert Hoover’s home, but that blacksmith shop behind the house that belonged to his dad we can sell – we’d, once again say, NO
I ask you, PLEASE, take into full consideration the historic nature of the entire property – not just the one or two buildings that “look historic”… Future generations are counting on you to get this one right!
Thanks for your time in looking through my handout (below). If you have more questions, please let me know…
Marty Boller, 2616 Catskill Ct. Iowa City, Iowa
According to historical records, in 1872 – fours year before his death – Johann (John) Slezak purchased Lots 5 & 6 in Block 57 (shown above from the 1875 Map of Iowa City published by A.T. Andreas). By 1875, Johann’s oldest son – Josef (Joseph) Slezak – had completed the first building, located on the corner of Bloomington & Linn.
The building – known as Slezak Hall or National Hall – still stands today, serving as the long-time home of Pagliai’s Pizza. As you can see from the pics above, the original building is a two-story brick facility – measuring 40′ x 80′ – and when it opened in 1875, the first floor became a dry goods (grocery) store and tavern, while the second floor served as a large meeting hall for the growing Bohemian community on the north side of the city.
Over the next decade, three additional facilities were added on Lots 5 & 6 – making the Slezak property into a true, commercial center that included a farmers hotel, a dance hall with a stage and balcony, a grocery (dry goods) store, a saloon & Bohemian restaurant (noted for its 25-cent meal that included a free beer!), and even a horse stable to park your wagon and/or buggy!
#1 – Slezak Hall (1875), #2 – three-story brick addition for hotel sleeping rooms and a Bohemian restaurant (built soon after original building), #3 – carriage house (built in the late 1880’s) contained a laundry room, a hoist, and added sleeping space, #4 – stable for feeding horses & storing wagons & carriages (built in the 1880’s).
In the 1880’s, as Iowa City grew in size, Johnson County farmers would regularly travel by horse and wagon into town to sell their farm products and buy much-needed supplies. Much of that trade occurred on Iowa Avenue – just blocks from Slezak Hall. Often, these “day trips” would include an overnight stay in town, so, between the 1880’s and 1920’s, business entrepreneurs – like the Slezaks – opened “farmers hotels” – offering inexpensive overnight boarding that also included a hearty meal and a stable where farmers could safely park their horses & wagons.
Below is my original letter to the Iowa City City Council – March 26, 2024
