General Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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General Building
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| Location | 625 Market Street Knoxville, Tennessee |
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| Area | .1 acres (400 m2) |
| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | Barber & McMurry; Worsham Brothers |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000174 |
| Added to NRHP | March 8, 1988 |
The General Building is a tall office building in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. People also call it the Tennessee General Building or the First Bank Building. It was built in 1925 and has 14 floors. A famous architect named Charles I. Barber designed it. Over the years, many different businesses have had offices here, like banks, doctors, and design companies. Today, First Bank is the main business in the building. In 1988, the General Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important building because of its cool design and its history in Knoxville.
Contents
Building Design and Style
The General Building is 14 stories tall and shaped like the letter "L". It stands on the corner of Church Avenue and Market Street. Later, a four-story part was added to the back. This made the first four floors look more like a square.
The first three floors of the building's outside walls are covered with a special type of stone called limestone. The corners of the building have decorative stone blocks called quoins. The roof has a fancy border made of terracotta. The small room on top of the building, where the elevators are, usually shows the name of the main business inside. Right now, it says "First Bank".
Inside the Building
The main entrance faces Market Street. It has three big arched doorways. One arch leads to the main lobby, and another leads to the bank lobby. The middle arch has a window. The bank lobby is the most decorated part inside. It has arched ceilings and a second-story balcony with a fancy railing. The main lobby has shiny marble floors and cool bronze elevator doors. Much of the inside of the building was updated in the early 1970s.
Location in Knoxville
The General Building is in the middle of Knoxville's main business area. Gay Street is just one block away. Market Square, a popular spot, is two blocks north. The courthouse and other city buildings are also close by. Buildings across the street to the south are part of the South Market Historic District.
History of the General Building
The land where the General Building stands was not part of the first map of Knoxville from 1791. But it became part of the city by 1795. In the 1800s, a church called Knoxville's Methodist Church, South, was next to this spot. That church later moved to a new building after a fire in 1928. By the early 1900s, the land was known as "Old Rambo Corner."
In 1924, some investors created a company called General Building, Inc. They wanted to build a "modern office building" in Knoxville. They found a good deal on Old Rambo Corner. The building was designed by Charles I. Barber from the company Barber & McMurry. Worsham Brothers, Inc. built it. The General Building was finished in 1925.
Past and Present Businesses
Many different businesses have been in the General Building over the years. Barber & McMurry, the architects, had their offices there until 1934. A well-known doctor named Herbert Acuff also had an office there. Banks like Third National Bank, Bank of Knoxville, and BankFirst have been main tenants. From the late 1990s to 2003, BB&T was the main business.
Businesses Today
The General Building has about 50,000 square feet (4,600 m2) of office space. Besides First Bank, other groups have offices here. These include Clayton Bank and Trust, the Legacy Parks Foundation, and the Cornerstone Foundation of Knoxville. Many financial experts and real estate agents also work in the building.
