505 North Ervay facts for kids
505 North Ervay was a tall office building in downtown Dallas, Texas, USA. It was also known as the Reserve Loan Life Building. This building was once a busy office space. Later, it became part of the First Baptist Church campus. The building was taken down on June 29, 2019.
Quick facts for kids 505 North Ervay |
|
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Office |
| Location | 505 N Ervay Dallas, Texas (USA) |
| Coordinates | 32°47′02″N 96°47′57″W / 32.783791°N 96.799293°W |
| Opening | 1948 |
| Demolished | 2019 |
| Cost | $2,000,000 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 11 + basement |
| Floor area | 12,000 sq ft (1,100 m2) |
| Lifts/elevators | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | J.N. McCammon & Walter Ahlschlager |
| Developer | Monroe Building Corporation |
Contents
A Look Back: The Building's Story
The building at 505 North Ervay had an interesting history. It started as a plan for an 8-story building. Construction began in 1945. It was built on a square piece of land. This land was at the corner of Federal Street and North Ervay Street.
Early Design and Construction
There was a delay in building the structure. The developer, Monroe Building Corporation, then changed the plans. They decided to add three more floors. The building was made from strong materials. These included steel, brick, and glass. The design used wide separations on the outside. This made the building look very wide and long.
The building was finished in 1948. It was then sold to the Reserve Loan Life Insurance Company. This company used the first four floors. Other companies rented the remaining office spaces. These included insurance and advertising businesses.
Important Offices and Changes
The building also held offices for the United States Secret Service. Their work was important for a government investigation in 1963. This investigation was about the John F. Kennedy assassination. In 1955, the building was sold again. The new owner was InsurOmedic Life Insurance Company. They put a very tall sign on top of the building. It was about 35-foot-high (11 m).
In 1972, an investor named Bill Gaynier bought the building. He made many updates. He had the outside painted. He also added new entrance covers. The ground floor was opened up for people to walk through. These changes made the building very popular. By 1975, almost all the offices were rented. The building was renamed the Mutual of Omaha Building. This was after its main new tenant.
The Final Chapter
By the late 1980s, the building became mostly empty. This happened after Bill Gaynier passed away. There was also a legal case about who owned it. In 1990, the First Baptist Church of Dallas bought the building. They owned other buildings nearby. They paid $1.1 million for it. The church used parts of the building for education. However, it was later closed.
The 505 North Ervay building was taken down on Saturday, June 29, 2019. It was demolished using a method called implosion.
