What's red and red and red all over?

With white marble appointments?

The Tribune building downtown, the soul of J.E. Hanway's newspaper empire, revealed its true colors nearly two weeks ago as Bob Harmick rode his SkyJack lift and apply the chemicals to strip paint from the exterior.

A row of abstract white marble designs - rectangles, diamonds, circles - were set in concrete above the third floor windows, said Harmick of Rocky Mountain Restorations.

"I had no idea whatsoever," he said. "It was a welcome surprise."

Those designs, the marble triangles nestled in the arches over windows, and the deep burgundy brick facade impressed Harmick, who for two decades has restored old buildings along the east coast and now Wyoming.

"It's the prettiest brick I've ever seen," he said. "The color and texture are unique."

The three layers of paint - red, yellow and brown - camouflaged the herringbone brick patterns, too, he said.

"I think it's a crime; I think it's a sin for what they put on old buildings," Harmick said.

Paint normally pulls water from mortar and speeds deterioration, but Harmick found the mortar and brick in good shape, he said. The wood cornices are in good shape, but some of the window frames will need replacing, he added.

"I had not seen this kind of brick work," Harmick said. "Someone put some money into it."

That someone was J.E. Hanway, who bought The Natrona Tribune in 1914 from A.J. Mokler and renamed the paper the Casper Daily Tribune in 1916.

In 1920, Hanway built the downtown office along with luxury apartments on the third floor. The newspaper stayed there until 1963. Hanway's family sold what is now the Casper Star-Tribune to in 1961 to the Wyoming Newspaper Publishers including Howard Publications, which sold it to current owner Lee Enterprises in 2002.

In 1994, The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

About two years later, the Tribune building's last occupant moved, and it remained empty until businesswoman Dawn Stevenson and her husband bought it in 2000.

She owns Fashion Crossroads at 228 E. Second St., and was concerned that the demise of the Tribune building would affect her own business, she said. "It was just deteriorating."

Stevenson replaced the roof, ceilings and floors damaged by years of water and pigeons; opened FC Outlet as a companion to her other store; and supported Amundsen Associates architects firm as it renovated and occupied the Tribune's second floor.

On the same block, Dr. Allen Mattern had purchased the former Mountain State Telephone building across the street and renovated that for a men's clothing store, which went out of business. However, the former telephone building now houses Eggington's restaurant.

Likewise, developer Steve Grimshaw bought the Wyoming National Bank building west of the Tribune and renovated its six stories with 45 apartments set to rent in November.

Stevenson thought it was her turn.

"Casper's been good to me," she said.

Because of the Tribune's listing on the National Register of Historic Places, Stevenson probably would have qualified for federal grants and tax credits to restore the facade, she said.

But she declined because of the bureaucratic headaches and strict renovating demands attached to the federal grants, she said.

While the renovation may not meet those exacting standards, Stevenson said her heart and Harmick's hands are intent on bringing the Tribune building back to its former glory.

At some point, she wants to restore the apartments on the third floor, she added.

In the meantime, Harmick will continue the tedious paint-stripping of the brick and concrete, and will remove the wood siding on the ground floor.

"I'll make sure it's a masterpiece when I'm done with it," he said.

"You've got some beautiful architecture in this city that needs to be uncovered and shown," he said. "It's your city's heritage."

Reach Tom Morton at (307) 266-0592, or at Tom.Morton@casperstartribune.net.