R. L. McDonald Manufacturing Co. Warehouse

St. Joseph, Missouri
Buchanan County

Located in Saint Joseph’s Patee Town National Register Historic District, the R. L. McDonald Manufacturing Company Warehouse at 1122 Penn Street stands as a reminder of the community’s successful industrial past. The R. L. McDonald Manufacturing Company built the warehouse in 1899 to house their expanding manufacturing and distribution needs. It was in-use until the company ceased operations in 1957. Most recently the building served as the Penn Street Antique Mall, but it has now been vacant for almost twenty years. Like most vacant structures, it shows signs of neglect, the roof leaks and the brick needs repointing; however, there is no profound structural instability. The looming threat for the R. L. McDonald Manufacturing Company is the building’s owner and the neighboring Patee House Museum. A demolition permit was submitted to the city, as the owner wishes to sell the structural components and sell the lot to the museum for parking. While the demolition permit was delayed, the clock is still ticking for the fate of this historic structure. It is hoped that listing the R. L. McDonald Manufacturing Company Warehouse as a Place in Peril will raise public awareness for the building and potentially secure an interested buyer, as well as raise general awareness for the importance of Saint Joseph’s historic building inventory.