The Sparta Building, a two-story brick structure which was designed by influential Medford architect Frank Clark in the American Renaissance Style, occupies one of the most prominent locations in Medford.

Although significant in its design, the Sparta Building merits special attention as the original location of the early radio station KMED, a pioneer in commercial radio broadcasting in Oregon.

Adapted from the NRHP nomination submitted in 1992.

In 1911, the distinctive curved-front Sparta Building opened on the corner of Main Street and Riverside Avenue in Medford, becoming an instant landmark at the busiest intersection in the valley in its day.

Over the years, the classic revival structure with ionic columns fell into disrepair, and a new facade marred renowned architect Frank Clark's design.

Nearly 100 years after the building opened, a new owner has begun restoring the Sparta Building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

"If you are doing this kind of work, you might as well get it as close to the original as you possibly can," said owner Carl Coffman, a Portland developer and excavation contractor. "We will have it pretty much looking like it did when it was originally built."