DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Martin Building in El Paso. Now, some buildings just hold offices. Others hold stories.
This one holds seven stories — and I mean that both ways. The Martin Building went up in 1917, raised by two businessmen: M. D.
Roberts and William Martin Banner. Banner's name is the one that stuck to the facade, and it's been there ever since. The firm that drew up the plans was Brauhton and Leibert, and they came to play.
They gave this building what's called Chicago style detailing — decorative terra cotta worked into the skin of the thing, and big, generous windows that pull the light in like the building itself was hungry for it. Seven stories of that. In El Paso.
In 1917. That was a statement. Now, who moved in once the doors opened?
Well, you had the El Paso Electric Railway Company setting up shop. You had doctors coming and going. And you had the El Paso Electric Company — which, as it turned out, wasn't just a tenant passing through.
They liked the place so much they eventually became the owner of the building. Funny how that works. You rent a room, and one day the room is yours.
The Martin Building has been standing on El Paso ground for well over a century now, terra cotta and all, and it doesn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.
What the marker says
This seven-story commercial building was constructed in 1917 by businessmen M. D. Roberts and William Martin Banner, for whom it was named. Designed by the architectural firm of Brauhton and Leibert, it features Chicago style detailing in the use of decorative terra cotta and large windows. Early occupants included the El Paso Electric Railway Company, several doctors, and the El Paso Electric Company, later owner of the building. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1980