Len Jus Building, Historical building in Mason City, Iowa, United States
The Len Jus Building on Federal Avenue features a complete sheet-metal facade created by the Mesker Brothers that displays the craftsmanship of its era. The structure spans multiple stories with a detailed ground-level storefront typical of commercial buildings from the late 1800s.
The building was constructed in 1882 and represents late-nineteenth-century commercial architecture in Iowa. Its sheet-metal facade exemplifies construction techniques of that period that allowed it to endure for more than a century.
The building remains a notable part of Mason City's streetscape and shows how much care was invested in commercial facades during this era. Its ornate metalwork reflects the craftsmanship that local residents valued and continue to value today.
The building stands in a condition that requires careful observation, as it appears on Preservation Iowa's Most Endangered Properties list. Visitors should view it from the exterior and exercise caution, since repair and maintenance work may be ongoing or planned.
The metal facade was manufactured by the Mesker Brothers, a company known for mass-producing sheet-metal facades and shipping them to merchants across the country. This makes the building a rare surviving example of this early industrialized building technique.
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