Arkansas Power and Light Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Arkansas Power & Light Building
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 Location in Arkansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jct. of Ninth St. and Louisiana St., Little Rock, Arkansas |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1953 |
| Architect | Wittenberg, Deloney & Davidson; Arnold, Fred |
| Architectural style | International style |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001156 |
| Added to NRHP | September 14, 1992 |
The Arkansas Power and Light Building is a famous building in Little Rock, Arkansas. It's also known as the Entergy Building today. This building is special because it was the very first office building in downtown Little Rock to be built in the International Style of architecture. This style is known for its clean lines and modern look.
The building was designed by architect Fred Arnold in 1953. He worked with the firm Wittenberg, Deloney and Davidson. Even though it was designed in 1953, it wasn't finished until 1959. This was because of some delays, including discussions about the company's electricity prices and worker agreements.
When it was new, people thought the building looked very "modern." It has shiny marble panels and large glass walls, which are called a "curtain wall." At the bottom, on the west side, there's a curved brick section. This building was one of the first to be built after Little Rock started its "Little Rock 1969" master plan. This plan helped guide how new buildings in the city center should look. It also encouraged groups to work together to make downtown more beautiful.
The building is located at 900 S. Louisiana St. It is still the main office for Entergy Arkansas. Entergy Arkansas is the company that took over from Arkansas Power and Light Co.
Keeping History Alive: The Building's Restoration
Over many years, the original marble panels on the outside of the building started to wear out. They were made of a type of marble called Georgia Pearl Gray. The weather caused them to bend and break.
Replacing the Marble Panels
In 2010, workers carefully took off the old marble panels. They replaced them with new ones. The building's structure wasn't strong enough to hold heavy stone. So, the new panels were made from thin pieces of Georgia Pearl Gray marble. This marble came from the same quarry as the original. These thin marble pieces were glued onto a light aluminum backing. This made them much lighter.
Awards for Historic Preservation
This restoration work followed special rules for fixing historic buildings. Because of this, the building kept its place on the National Register of Historic Places. The project even won an award from the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas. This award recognized the great effort to keep the building's historic look while making it strong again.
