"Workmen have started to tear down the old building at 106 East State street in which the Jeremiah Welch meat market had a store for many years and will replace it with a modern four-store combination business-residential structure. The new building is being constructed by Clarence J. Swartwood, a contractor, for the owner, John C. McCrea, and is expected to be completed by October 1.
Mr. Swartwood has the contract for the masonry and carpenter work. The building will consist of four stories and basement and will be of pearl gray brick, fireproof construction. It will contain a basement, a store 81 feet deep and three residential apartments on the upper floors, each 70 feet in depth.
Other contractors for the building are as follows: Hardware, Treman, King & Co.; electrical wiring, Arthur A. Synods; plumbing, Frank H. Higgins; decorating, C.A. Spencer.
The razing of the old building does away with a well known East State street landmark. The building was occupied 75 years ago as a market by Philip Stevens. John C. McCrea's grandfather, James McCrea, and the latter's son, Thomas, opened a meat market in this city in 1835 where the Adams Express Company office now is located on South Cayuga street, near the Lyceum Theater. The firm of Stevens & Welch occupied the old McCrea building, now being torn down, for many years. Mr. Welch recently removing to 112 North Cayuga street.
Mr. McCrea said today that his new building will be modern and attractive in every respect and he expects it to be a noticeable improvement to the city's business section."
"State Street Landmark Razed for New Building," Ithaca Journal, July 6, 1917, 3.