Pasco Building

One of the most iconic historic buildings in downtown New Port Richey is the Pasco Building. According to an article in the New Port Richey Press of March 4, 1927, it was owned by “a company in which George R. Sims is most prominent”. Construction began with the placement of the cornerstone on September 23, 1925. Designed by famous Sarasota architect Thomas Reed Martin – who also designed the Hacienda Hotel and the Meighan Theatre – it was hailed as being one of the most beautiful commercial buildings of its size in the state of Florida at the time of its construction. Amazingly, the building has stood the test of time unscathed, and appears today much the same as it did in 1926 (see current photo at the end of this article).

Local contractors and suppliers were used in the construction of the building. The general contractor was Louis C. Luppens. Lumber and building materials were provided by the Home Lumber and Supply Company and the Burnette-Patterson Company. Andrew Rau, electrician, had the contract for electrical work. And Webb-Hill of Tarpon Springs furnished the plumbing and fixtures. W. A. Gerhard of Tarpon Springs did the sheet metal work for the ceilings – and probably the copper roof of the distinctive octagonal cupola that adorns the top of the building. Carl Baer of the Port Richey Novelty Works provided the windows, doors and sashes. And Wright & Son from New Port Richey did all the painting. The building was completed in early 1926.

In an editorial published on April 30, 1926, the New Port Richey Press wrote;

A public open house was held on Saturday night, May 1, 1926. The electric lights were turned on at 8:00 PM, and hundreds of residents of Elfers and New Port Richey flocked to the event to see this magnificent new edifice. Upon its completion, the Pasco Building was totally occupied by business tenants. They included on the first floor the West Pasco Building & Loan Company, the McMullin Hardware Company, Gulf Utilities Company, the McGarrah Dry Goods Company, and the Western-Union Telegraph Company. The second floor was occupied by the Burns-Becker Realty Company, Charles W. Reed insurance broker, W. H. Brewton attorney, and the offices of Dr. C. M. Gavin, prominent physician of the city. In September of 1926 Vahey’s Pharmacy, including a soda fountain, opened for business in the building.

In 1927, the Gamble Hardware Company moved into the Pasco Building. Apparently unable to compete with the nearby McMullin Hardware Company, they moved out and the space was leased by J. W. Chase, who moved his People’s Cash Grocery store to the new location.

When Gulf Utilities Company vacated their office in July of 1929, J. M. Wigfield opened a meat market in that space named “Wig’s Market”. Before the end of the year, he sold the market to Elmer W. Davis and A. Davely, who remodeled the store and continued to offer meats and vegetables. By 1931, business was so good that the business – now called the “New Port Richey Public Market” – transformed into a full line grocery store.

In December of 1930, dentist Dr. L. Martin opened an office in the Pasco Building. With his primary office in Clearwater, he opened his New Port Richey office on Wednesdays. Although his business was somewhat seasonal in nature, he continued his practice in this location for quite a few years.

Sometime around 1934, the local Chamber of Commerce established office space in the Pasco Building, and held meetings there. In 1938, the Western Union Telegraph Company vacated their offices in the Pasco Building and installed an automatic teletype machine in Vahey’s Pharmacy. By 1941, the Quality Furniture Company resided in the building – selling everything from household furniture to radios, stoves, and floor coverings. About 1943 the corner storefront in the Pasco Building (now occupied by Rose’s Bistro on Main) was still occupied by Vahey’s Pharmacy. Space on the second floor was also used as a hotel in the early 1940s.

In July of 1939, Mr. E. E. Vahey fell ill, and Roscoe Henderson began assisting in the operation of Vahey’s Pharmacy. At this point, it was a full-service pharmacy, and the soda fountain had been removed a few years ago. On Sunday, July 30th of 1939, Ernest Everett Vahey died following a short illness. The residents of New Port Richey were so grief stricken at news of his death that all the businesses in the city were closed for the day in respect for Mr. Vahey. Roscoe Henderson continued to operate the pharmacy under the name Vahey’s Pharmacy. In April of 1940, the pharmacy business was bought by Harry Lashua, who kept Roscoe Henderson as the registered phamacist. The name continued to be “Vahey’s Pharmacy through the 1940s and 1950s. But eventually it was renamed to “Roscoe’s Pharmacy”.

On February 25, 1944, the New Port Richey Press reported that the “Pasco Block”, which included the Pasco Building, had been purchased by John H. Isaac of New Port Richey. The article went on to say that the building, originally owned by George Sims, had been purchased from Edwin Kircher of Tampa. Occupants at that time were Vahey’s Pharmacy, The Pastry Shop, and Peshta’s Shoe Repair Shop on the ground floor.

The new owner, John Isaac, owned the Pasco Hardware Company across the street from the Pasco Building (in the Leeston-Smith Building). He said he had no plans to continue operation of a hotel on the second floor of the building, and would be making the six spaces available as apartments. He went on to say he had no immediate plans for a change to the existing tenants. But by June of that year he had moved his Pasco Hardware Company from the Leeston-Smith Building into his newly acquired Pasco Building – taking up half the floor space on the ground level.

In 1945, a photography studio owned by C. E. Casson and his wife moved into three rooms on the top floor of the Pasco Building. Attorney S. Y. Algood opened his office on the second floor of the building in 1949. According to an article in the Tampa Bay Times of February 28, 1949, he was “the first attorney to open law offices in the city for many years”.

Sometime before 1954 John Isaac had sold his Pasco Hardware Company to D. C. Braley and R. B. Helm, who continued to operate the business. Mr. Isaac and his wife lived in an apartment on the second floor of the building. On February 16, 1954, a fire started after the close of business in the hardware store and was discovered by Mr. Isaac. Damage to the hardware business amounted to several thousand dollars. But the building was saved, and the spaces occupied by other tenants suffered only smoke damage. News reports say that the other businesses in the building at that time were Roscoe’s Rexall Drug Store, The Pastry Shop, and the law offices of Allgood and Altman.

History of ownership in the years since the mid 1950s is difficult to research because as of the date this article was written, Pasco County has not provided searchable on-line land records for property earlier than 1975. It goes without saying however, that the succession of owners have, over the years, done an admirable job of preserving this historic building.

As of 2024, the current tenants on the ground floor are (from north to south) Rose’s Bistro Off Main, Boulevard Beef & Ale, and The White Heron Tea & Gifts. On the second floor on the south side of the building in the space originally occupied by Burns-Becker Realty Company is the Pink Brick Boutique. And to the north side of the upper floor are a number of private business offices, as well as the restrooms.

This article was added on March 31, 2024 by Paul Herman, digital media archivist, West Pasco Historical Society.
Page last edited by Paul Herman on April 2, 2024