Meridian Bank Tower (Phoenix) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Meridian Bank Tower |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| General information | |
| Type | Office |
| Location | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Coordinates | 33°29′21″N 112°04′26″W / 33.4891°N 112.0739°W |
| Construction started | February 13, 1959 |
| Opening | March 4, 1960 |
| Owner | Younan Properties |
| Height | |
| Roof | 252 ft (77 m) |
| Top floor | 20 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 20 |
| Floor area | 287,269 sq ft (26,105 m2) |
| Lifts/elevators | 5 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Charles G. Polacek |
| Developer | David H. Murdock |
| Structural engineer | W. T. Hamlyn |
| Main contractor | Henry C. Beck Company |
The Meridian Bank Tower is a tall office building in Phoenix, Arizona. It was first called the Guaranty Bank Building. This building was designed in a simple, modern way, known as the International Style. It was built between 1959 and 1960 for a developer named David H. Murdock.
When it was finished, the Meridian Bank Tower became the tallest building in Phoenix. It took this title from the Westward Ho building, which had been the tallest for 31 years since 1929. However, it didn't stay the tallest for long! Just a few years later, in 1965, the 26-story Phoenix Corporate Center was completed and became the city's new tallest building. The Meridian Bank Tower has a 20 feet (6.1 m) by 20 feet (6.1 m) sign on its north and south sides, showing the Meridian Bank logo. The outside of the building was changed a lot in the late 1980s.
Contents
Building History: How It Was Built
The original idea for this building was to create an 11-story office building. It was going to be called the "3550 Building." Even though the area was only set up for buildings with 4 stories, city planners approved the taller plans.
Later, the developer, David H. Murdock, decided he wanted to build an even taller building. He suggested an 18-story tower, which would be the tallest in the city at that time. The final plans were approved in January 1959.
Starting Construction: Groundbreaking Day
The official groundbreaking ceremony happened on February 13, 1959. This is when construction officially begins. The actual digging for the building's foundation started a few days later, on February 16, 1959.
At the groundbreaking event, there was a huge cake! It weighed 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) (about 1,360 kg) and was 10 feet (3.0 m) tall, 5 feet (1.5 m) wide, and 4 feet (1.2 m) thick. It looked just like the building's design. Mr. Murdock used a special silver-plated shovel to cut the first piece of cake.
Reaching the Top: Topping Out
The building was "topped out" in December 1959. This means the highest point of the building's structure was completed. To celebrate, a 60 feet (18 m) tall Christmas tree was lifted onto the roof. It was decorated with lights that were turned on every night during the holiday season.
Original Look: Blue and Modern
When it was first built, the Meridian Bank Tower looked light blue from far away. Its design, called International Style, used a special "curtain wall" on the outside. This wall had clear blue glass panels between vertical sections of light blue glass with white backs and white trim.
The glass walls on the north and south sides were split into five parts. Six tall concrete columns covered the steel frame. The two columns on the corners were a bit wider. The east and west sides had five concrete columns sticking out from the building. These divided the sides into four sections. The outer sections had solid, windowless walls made of a stone called Mo-Sai, while the middle sections had glass walls like the north and south sides.
Modern Makeover: Changes in the 1980s
In 1988, the outside of the building got a big makeover. The light blue glass and white panels that separated the floors were replaced with a tan, non-shiny material. The Mo-Sai stone on the vertical columns on the east and west sides was changed to a reddish-brown stone. A large, reddish-brown sloped roof was also added to the top of the building to make it look nicer. Because of these changes, the building now looks tan and brown.
