Tax Credit Program Highlight: Brown Cracker and Candy Company

History

The Brown Cracker and Candy Company building opened its doors in 1903, manufacturing and selling crackers, confectionery, and bread products. The company’s success led to rapid development and additions, including multiple-story addition in 1907 and a seven-story addition to the plant in 1923. The original building and subsequent additions reflect the West End Historic District’s significance as part of Dallas’s commercial and distribution boom in the early 20th century, enabled by well-established railroad systems and agricultural and oil booms of this period.

Rehabilitation Project

In the 1980s, Brown Cracker and Candy Company was converted into a shopping and entertainment venue. The building operated as the West End Marketplace until the early 2000s as the area and neighboring parts of downtown changed. The building has now been sensitively and resourcefully rehabilitated for use as office and restaurant spaces. Many elements related to mall were removed, including escalators—although the escalator floor cut was kept as a large atrium allowing light to flow throughout the five-story building. Remaining historic elements were retained, including manufacturing equipment. Timber and concrete structure remains exposed throughout and serve as a creative backdrop to individually designed tenant spaces. Rooftop additions were added to both buildings. On the seven-story building, these additions, are wrapped with wood brise-soleil to mimic historic roof-top ventilators. Finally, a new entry vestibule was added, within a redesigned public plaza, placed at an angle to reference the meeting point of the city’s two original street grids in the West End.

Photo courtesy of the applicant.