Graif Building

One of the oldest and most historic buildings in downtown Mankato was recently renovated and updated to provide first class office space in Mankato’s City Center. The original Renaissance Revival style National Citizens Bank building was constructed in 1892 and in 1963 became the home to and named after a retail icon in downtown Mankato for decades—the Matt J. Graif Clothing store. Some of the key Renaissance Revival design elements of the original building include the simple rectangular form, the pronounced cornice and stone base and interior details such as the ornate coffered ceiling and faux painted marble columns. For over 117 years, this building survived major disturbances like being connected to the downtown Mankato Mall during urban renewal and was spared demolition many times due to the continued success of Matt J. Graif Clothing. The upper floors of the building, which housed multiple tenant offices, had not been renovated in decades and many of the windows had been closed up for either energy efficiency or due to tenant wishes. The building’s elevator and stairways were vastly out of date and did not meet modern building codes. By the early 2000’s, the building was in need of substantial renovation.

In 2007, Tony Frentz and Rob Else bought the building from the Graif family and hired Paulsen Architects to restore the building to its former splendor. The new owners not only wanted to completely restore the historic building but to also offer a higher quality office space in the heart of downtown. As the first step in the renovation process, Matt J. Graif Clothing needed to be relocated to the southeast corner of the building, which had already been renovated by our firm specifically for the men’s clothing retailer. Following that relocation, renovation of the main building could begin.

Our design for the renovation called for the complete rehabilitation of the building’s exterior. All new windows, doors and lighting have been integrated into the restored and refinished masonry. Beautiful new paint in colors of cream, beige and gray highlight the many details on the exterior facade. A new, two-story entry—with doors on two sides—creates a grand feel to the relocated main lobby. As a part of the interior renovation, the beautiful historic details of the building have been preserved. On the upper floors, which previously housed multiple tenant spaces, interior walls have been completely removed to offer new, more open floor plans and office spaces with greater daylighting opportunities.

Paulsen Architects also designed the interior spaces for the majority of the building’s new tenants including the anchor tenant United Prairie Bank as well as Leonard, Street and Deinard, Frentz and Frentz Law Offices and Ameriprise Financial Services.

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