Sterick Building facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sterick Building
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The Sterick Building
Location	8 N. B.B. King Boulevard Memphis, Tennessee
Built	1928
Architect	Wyatt C. Hedrick
Architectural style	Gothic revival
NRHP reference No.	78002636
Added to NRHP	October 2, 1978

The Sterick Building is a tall office building located in Memphis, Tennessee. It was designed by Wyatt C. Hedrick & Co. and finished in 1930. Its name comes from the last names of its original owners, R.E. Sterling and Wyatt Hedrick.

This building is a Gothic Revival style tower. It stands 111 metres (364 ft) (365 feet (111 m)) tall and has 29 floors. When it first opened in 1930, it was known as the tallest building in the American South. It remained the tallest building in Tennessee until 1957. Today, it is the fifth-tallest building in Memphis. You can find it at the corner of Madison Avenue and North B.B. King Boulevard.

History of the Sterick Building

The Sterick Building was once called "the Queen of Memphis." People also described it as "the most complex, the most fabulous building in Memphis."

Early Features and Design

The building had a white stone spire with a green tile roof. It was like a small city inside! It had its own bank, a pharmacy, a barber shop, and a beauty parlor. There were even offices for stockbrokers.

The first three floors were built using strong granite and limestone. The lobby was very grand, said to "rival the beauty of a Moorish castle." From there, eight fast elevators took the building's more than 2,000 workers and visitors to the upper floors. On the very top floor, there was a restaurant called the Regency Room.

Land Lease Details

When the land for the building was first leased in the late 1920s, the monthly payment was $1,500. A special rule said this payment had to be made in gold coins or their equal value. In 1975, the landowners tried to change the rent to match the much higher price of gold at that time. This would have made the rent about $13,500 per month, but they were not successful.

Decline and Historic Status

The Sterick Building started to become less popular in the 1960s. Even though some changes were made, like repainting it from its original white and green to yellow and tan, it has been empty since the 1980s. Because of its importance, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This list helps protect important historical places.

Future of the Building

Many people in Memphis want to see the Sterick Building used again. It is a very large property, about 350,883 square feet (32,598.1 m²).

Redevelopment Challenges

Bringing the building back to life has some challenges. These include its large size and the need to update its systems, like air ducts. Also, the building needs to be made stronger to meet modern safety rules for earthquakes.

Another challenge is about who owns the land and the building. The Sterick Building is on land that was leased for 99 years, not bought outright. This means the land and the building are owned by different groups. The land belongs to The Sterick LLC, and the building's lease is held by AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company.

Hope for Redevelopment

Even with these difficulties, there is hope. Downtown Memphis is seeing a lot of new development, and more people are moving into the area. Because the Sterick Building is so tall and offers great views of the Mississippi River, some people think it could be turned into apartments or condos. Developers might also be able to get special tax credits to help with the costs.

Filming Location

In 1994, parts of the movie The Client were filmed around the Sterick Building.

Gallery

• 

  Backside view of the building, from Madison Ave.

• 

  Boarded-up entrance and first floor

• 

  Front view

See also

In Spanish: Sterick Building para niños