The Beck Building
136 Bridge Ave E.
BUILT 1912
John M. Beck built the building next to the original city hall in 1912. Over the years it has held many businesses.
J. M. Beck was a music teacher, and served as the director of the Delano Band, as well as directing the choir of St, Peter’s church during the years the family lived in Delano. He built the store for his music and stationary business.
John M Beck, was the director of the Military Band, is in the center of the front row.)
His daughter, Clotildis Beck, also had a photography studio in the building,
Clotildis B Beck, Woman Photographer in Early Delano
Bert Gilmer opened a monument shop in Delano in 1917, and bought the building in 1919. He added a tower to the back of the building to handle the pieces of granite. When Clarence Dunn joined the firm in 1925, the Delano Granite offices were still in the building next to the city hall on Bridge Avenue. He reminisced about looking out the only window in the place - right into the jail next door.
In September of 1930, Mr. H. Swanberg of Chicago and Mr. Cox rented the Bert Gilmer building next to city hall and re-arranged the interior for the manufacture and sale of bakery products. It was promoted as a new business industry for Delano.
The Red Owl Agency was in the building next to the City Hall in 1940, operated by William Kirsch. When he died in April of that year, his wife, Ella, sold the business to Lawrence and Alice Karl.
Mr. and Mrs. Karl operated the Red Owl store for six years, and then sold it to Raymond C. Trueman. Mr.Trueman died in 1952.
Beginning in 19877, Tom Madden, opened his dentistry office in this building. In 1988 his brother Mark joined him. They remained at this address until 2004, when they built a new office on Elm Avenue by Delano Public Schools.
Ditty Plumbing and Heating was located in the building the 60’s.
In 2005, Anastasia Properties purchased the building from the Madden’s and moved their family business, Cutting Edge Construction to Delano. Michael Anastasia started Cutting Edge in 1985 in Long Lake and was joined by his brother Pete in 1991. Cutting Edge is a commercial construction contractor whose focus is restaurant, bar and food service projects. After Mike’s passing in 2012, Pete carried on the family business, taking over as president and owner of the historical Beck building. The brothers renovated the building several times preserving the character of the building, including saving the original tower portion used by Bert Gilmer for honing granite over 100 years ago.