Gordon-Van Tine Lofts Apartments

U.N. ROBERTS INCORPORATES GORDON-VAN TINE

U.N. Roberts, a successful lumber company, forms Gordon-Van Tine and expands its company headquarters at what it is now the GVT Lofts site.

GORDON-VAN TINE ENTERS READY-CUT HOUSING MARKET

Already selling attractive house plans, Gordon-Van Tine launches the sale of direct to consumer "Ready-Cut" home kits. The kits, including everything from studs to sinks, lowers the cost of homeownership for a growing middle-class.

GORDON-VAN TINE HITS ITS STRIDE

Gordon-Van Tine becomes lowa's largest advertiser (26M magazines distributed nationally) with an estimated $7M in annual revenue (worth $121M in 2023).

Gordon-Van Tine was one of the top manufacturers of ready-cut houses, providing materials, and, in some cases, complete housing packages (design, marketing, materials, instructions, and price) to other companies, including Sears Roebuck and Montgomery-Ward. In addition to their Davenport facilities, they had facilities in St. Louis, Missouri, Hattiesburg, Mississippi and Chehalis, Washington, and shipped throughout the United States and Canada.

DECLINE OF PRE-CUT HOUSING MARKET

Gordon-Van Tine survives the depression, but the Federal Housing Authority deems ready-cut homes to be of "poor quality" and World War II rationing makes ready-cut housing manufacturing unprofitable.

HORACE ROBERTS, THE LAST FAMILY MEMBER, SELLS THE BUSINESS

Horace Roberts, the lone family member in the business, sells the business to Oliver Rose, a businessman out of Cincinnati, who then closes the company.

Had Horace Roberts been able to hold on a little longer, the Gordon-Van Tine Company might have achieved incredible success during the post World War II economic and housing boom. Gordon-Van Tine created over 105,000 mail order homes under its brand and others, the most in the industry during the 20th century. Gordon-Van Tine houses have been identified in lowa, Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Oregon.

Y&J PROPERTIES RE-DEVELOPS BUILDING FOR MULTI-FAMILY USE

Y&J Properties re-develops the Gordon-Van Tine buildings and opens in 2019. The GVT Lofts boasts 113 residential apartments and 10 commercial units with a rooftop pool, fitness center, and community room. Many apartments and spaces retain elements from the building’s ready-cut housing days.