First National Bank Building (Saint Paul, Minnesota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First National Bank Building |
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First National Bank Building
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Location | 332 Minnesota Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota |
| Coordinates | 44°56′48″N 93°05′28″W / 44.946711°N 93.091064°W |
| Completed | 1931 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 417 ft (127 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 32 |
| Floor area | 528,185 sq ft (49,070.0 m2) |
The First National Bank Building is a very tall building in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. It stands 417 feet high and has 32 floors! This building is famous for having the tallest connecting skyway in the Twin Cities area.
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Building History
Before the First National Bank Building, there was another tall building on the same spot. It was called the Merchants Bank Building. This building was finished in 1916 and had 16 stories, reaching 228 feet high. For a while, it was the tallest building in Saint Paul!
Later, the Merchants National Bank joined with the First National Bank. That's when the idea for a new, even taller building came about. The First National Bank Building was designed in 1931. It was a huge project with 32 stories. Building it was a bit tricky because it was being built around the same time as the famous Empire State Building in New York City. This made it hard to get all the materials needed! By 1932, the building cost over $3.3 million to finish.
Cool Features
The Skyway
The First National Bank Building has a special connection to the world's first modern skyway. A skyway is like a bridge high up in the air that connects two buildings.
This building's skyway connects its 17th floor to the 16-story Merchants Bank Building next door. It's the tallest skyway in the Twin Cities! The skyway was built in 1931 when the main building was finished. It has six tinted windows and offers great views.
The Famous Sign
One of the most recognizable things about the First National Bank Building is the huge red "1st" sign on its roof. This sign is made of neon lights and is really big – it's four stories tall, reaching 50 feet high!
In 1973, the sign was turned off to save energy during a time when there wasn't enough oil. But ten years later, after a big update, the sign was lit up again. The original sign had special porcelain and double rows of neon tubes. The new one used about 4,000 feet of red neon tubing.
This bright red sign can be seen from far away! At night, you can spot it from an airplane almost 75 miles away. On a clear day, you can see it from 20 miles away on the ground.
In 2016, the sign was damaged by wind and needed another repair. When it was relit, it had new LED lights that could change color! For the Saint Paul Winter Carnival in 2017, the sign turned from red to icy blue. Later that year, it even turned purple to honor the musician Prince.
Building Design
The First National Bank Building has a cool design called Art Deco. This style was popular in the 1920s and 1930s and often features geometric shapes and rich decorations.
From 1931 until 1986, this building was the tallest in Saint Paul – that's 55 years! Today, it's the third tallest building in the city. It's behind the Jackson Tower of Cray Plaza and the Wells Fargo Place.
The building has been sold a few times over the years. In 2007, it was sold to First National Building Holdings. Then, in 2012, it was sold again, and in 2015, Madison Equities of St. Paul bought it.
Images for kids
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First National Bank Building
See also
In Spanish: First National Bank Building (Saint Paul) para niños
