Every once in a while it's fun to see the way things used to be back in the day and compare them to what's there now. Today's pick is the First National Bank. I don't know the exact year it was built, but going by other landmarks I'd guess sometime between 1905 and 1915. As is typical for early 20th century architecture downtown it has a heavy classical emphasis (Beaux arts? Maybe renaissance revival? Not sure the difference). It was full of intricate medallions and beefy corbels holdng up a distinguished cornice.
This is what it looks like today. It's been remuddled to hell and back. While this renovation aberration occurred most likely in the 60s or 70s, there is one last bit of character left that whispers to the grand detail that once personified this building. Appropriately enough it is the rear of the building, viewed from the alley.
No comments:
Post a Comment