This ongoing series takes a fresh look at the M’s permanent home, the historic Pioneer Endicott Building, diving deeper into what makes it unique and how the M’s new construction is working to restore and highlight important pieces of Downtown St. Paul’s architectural history.
The Pioneer Endicott Building is one of the most historically significant spots in town. Verging on Lowertown, a block from Kellogg and the Mississippi River—this corner has a lot of history.
Built in 1889, the Endicott Building was famed architect Cass Gilbert’s first big commercial commission in his hometown. As soon as it was finished, Gilbert, who was well on his way to building an impressive reputation nationally, moved his offices into the Endicott. Marjorie Pearson, an architectural historian, Cass Gilbert expert and former president of the Cass Gilbert Society, said, “This was the most prestigious office building downtown for at least ten years.”
“This was the most prestigious office building downtown for at least ten years.”
Gilbert had previously designed residential buildings and churches in St. Paul (some that any St. Paulite would recognize—find a full list here). He’d go on to even bigger things in St. Paul, particularly the Minnesota State Capitol Building. Notably, Minnesota’s new state flag features the Gilbert-designed, eight-pointed star that’s on the floor of the rotunda, which represents Minnesota’s motto, L’Étoile du Nord, or the North Star.
Gilbert’s architectural influence continued to spread further afield; he is responsible for a particularly recognizable skyscraper, the Woolworth Building in New York City. Pearson said that Gilbert’s work in Minnesota was not just a stepping stone, but a foundational series of projects that established him as an architect to watch while also bringing Minnesota to a new level. She said, “He raised the profile of Minnesota…raised the bar for what people wanted architecturally here in the Twin Cities.”
“He raised the profile of Minnesota…raised the bar for what people wanted architecturally here in the Twin Cities.”
The Endicott forms an L-shape around the Pioneer Press Building, built just a year after, creating a hub of business, commerce, and innovation. In the 1940s, the two buildings were connected, setting the stage for what we now know as the Historic Pioneer Endicott Building, home of the M.
The M is in its final phase of construction. What started as a 3,500-sqaure-foot Project Space in 2013 then grew an additional 29,000 square feet in 2018. Now, its third and final iteration is underway, tripling current gallery spaces. Part of this process involves transforming and reinvigorating the iconic Endicott Arcade—an L-shaped hallway topped with a Gilbert-original stained glass archway.
Pearson emphasized the fact that Cass Gilbert is often called Minnesota’s most important architect, so the renovation, restoration, and reuse of one of his most notable buildings in his hometown is big news. Pearson says that Gilbert buildings, while full of details that make them decisively Gilbert, were in many ways destined for reuse. “My general observation is that Gilbert’s buildings are constructed well enough that it’s hard to tear them down, and they can be creatively used in a variety of situations.”
“My general observation is that Gilbert’s buildings are constructed well enough that it’s hard to tear them down, and they can be creatively used in a variety of situations.”
The M is proud to call this slice of Minnesota’s architectural history its home. The Pioneer Endicott Building’s next chapter is sure to be exciting, a worthy tribute to Cass Gilbert’s legacy in St. Paul.
You can learn more information, and see more images, in a book available for purchase at the M, Heart of St. Paul: A History of the Pioneer and Endicott Buildings by Larry Millett. The M’s story is further documented here.
One of the Pioneer Endicott’s most stunning architectural features is the stained glass arcade, designed for the original Endicott Building by Cass Gilbert. This arcade is an L-shaped hallway that runs from 350 Robert Street North, through the building, and around to 141 East 4th Street, and is topped by a remarkable stained glass arch made up of 420 individual windows that alternate between two complementary designs. In the fall of 2023, we visited Stonehouse Stained Glass in Avon, Minnesota, the studio taking on this massive restoration project.
Marty Stone opened Stonehouse in 1993 with 10 years of stained glass experience under his belt. Upon our visit, it was immediately clear that his 40 years in the business has done nothing but sharpen Stone’s appreciation and excitement for stained glass restoration, design, and repair.
Upon our visit, it was immediately clear that his 40 years in the business has done nothing but sharpen Stone’s appreciation and excitement for stained glass restoration, design, and repair.
This project is gruelingly meticulous (each of the 420 windows has about 100 individual pieces of glass in it, requiring roughly 15 hours of labor per window to complete), and aside from one-off repairs here and there, it’s likely that the stained glass in the Endicott arcade has never been fully restored in the 135 years since it was originally installed.
On the day of our visit, Stone was working alongside Rob Pueringer Jr. and Annie Thelen (he made sure to mention that Charles Blommel and Paul Jensen are also working on the project), each of whom has their own workbench showing the various stages of the process. Each person has their own way of getting from beginning to end, and Stone says that the more windows they do, the more efficient they get. He said, “That’s how it works. You develop a system, and it works quite well.”
Each window needs to be soaked, cleaned, taken apart, repaired, and re-leaded. The materials they use now are not that different from what would have been used over a century ago, only improved slightly for durability. Stone has also identified places where the windows’ mounting structure can be shifted to avoid sagging or bending.
Many improvements are typical to Stone’s work. However, there are more outright repairs than they originally anticipated. Glass that is broken needs to be replaced with new pieces, measured and cut exactly to size. Some pieces are as small as a fingernail! The team also noticed small inconsistencies that are not noticeable from down below, but up close, are obvious. Replacing broken pieces and standardizing inconsistencies involves sourcing glass that matches the original glass. This is a major part of the process process, and requires a good understanding of what products were used originally and where to find them now.
Replacing broken pieces and standardizing inconsistencies involves sourcing glass that matches the original glass.
At the time of the Endicott’s building in 1889, opalescent glass was a relatively new product. Stone shared that Tiffany and La Farge, two significant stained glass designers of that era, both patented opalescent glass almost simultaneously in the 1880s. Opalescent glass is multicolored and dense, while cathedral glass is clear. These windows feature both. Stone mentioned that it’s been a challenge to find matching glass. Gesturing to the large pieces being used to restore these windows, he said, “Now, you can’t get some of that smoky, classic glass. That’s a 30-year-old match.”
Stone took us through the studio, which felt like a time capsule—various church windows, design projects, sketches, and signs were everywhere, making it seem like Stone’s personal and professional diary in many ways. Toward the back of the studio is his library of stained glass: variously sized, but mostly large, sheets of all colors and textures of stained glass, organized by style, designer, and color. At this point, it’s clear that Stone’s craftsmanship is fueled not by commerce but by passion and artistry.
Minnesota Museum of American Art
350 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55101
Located in the Historic Pioneer Endicott
Office: 651.797.2571
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