Piece of Wichita Falls history goes on the auction block
A piece of Wichita Falls history goes on the auction block beginning Monday. The Wichita Tower at 800 Indiana Ave., formerly known as the Staley Building, is up for bids. The 12-story building was most recently the temporary home to some of the Wichita Falls city offices while City Hall was undergoing renovation . The building was constructed during the oil boom of the early 20 th century by oilman J.I. Staley and was known as the Staley Building for many years. Wichita Appraisal District records show it being built in 1919. But the listing agent, Brendan Bell, said he has also seen 1911 as the construction date. The structure, at the corner of Eighth Street and Indiana Avenue, was built in the same era as other tall buildings along Eighth Street, such as City National Bank, the Hamilton Building and the early incarnation of Big Blue. It is owned by Wichita Tower Inc., which is owned by Steve Muehlberger. A June 26, 2011, article in the Times Record News said the building had fallen into disrepair by the late 1970s. An Abilene firm bought it in1980 and began extensive renovations that included a light-colored stucco-type covering of the red
