THE NEW FIRST NATIONAL BANK TOWER
(Continued from previous page)
The Downfall of a Tampa Eyesore: The Whiskey Bottle Water
Tank
Wolf Brothers History From Citizens Bank building to the Old
First National Bank Building
Lykes Bros. Corp Purchase and Battle With
Preservationists
Demolition of the Old First National Bank Building and Tampa
Gas Company Building
Lykes Gaslight Park
and
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| PLANS ANNOUNCED
FOR A NEW FIRST NATIONAL BANK SKYSCRAPER On
Apr. 8, 1970, First National Bank president E. P.
Taliaferro, Jr. announced their plan to build a new
$13.5M 35-story bank and office building on the
block between Kennedy Blvd, Madison St., Tampa St.
and Ashley Dr., just east of the present 13-story
building. Besides the bank, GTE was to be the
main tenant of the 400k sq. ft. tower and would
occupy 8 floors. Parking for 400 cars would be
on floors 2 through 5. The bank would occupy
the lobby and other bank offices to occupy 7 floors.
The new tower was to be 13 stories taller than the
current tallest building, the Exchange National Bank
tower.
Taliaferro also said plans were to
lease the old 13-story building "until it is
feasible for us to dispose of it."
Plans were for the exterior to be
mostly white marble accented by black marble trim
and tinted windows. There would be 12 main
elevators in a 2-zone system A businessmen's
club was planned for the 35th floor and possibly a
restaurant for women and small athletic club for men
with handball courts and saunas.
The building was designed by
Kelley-Marshall Inc. of Tulsa, OK and construction
would be managed by Transamerica Investment Group of
Dallas, TX. Construction was expected to begin
in June.
Read the rest of this article. |
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| SUBSIDIARY TO
BUILD NEW FIRST NATIONAL BANK TOWER
Legal complications with the plans
and specifications as well as signing of leases with
tenants caused delays in the start of construction.
First Financial Corp. vice president E.P. Taliaferro Jr.
announced in Dec.1970 that his wholly-owned
subsidiary, First Financial Realty Corp., would take
over the construction and development from
Transamerica Investment Group of Tulsa, squelching
rumors that the plans had been scuttled. First
Financial Corp. was a Tampa-based holding company
which controlled First National Bank. Taliaferro
said "we feel it is in our best interests to own and
operate our own building."
Read this Dec. 9, 1970 Tribune article.
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Crane and First Financial tower steel framework
seen from the Kennedy Blvd. Bridge, from the 1972
University of Tampa yearbook "Moroccan."
Now the tower is being reported as
being 36 stories.
The last structural steel beam is
hoisted with a topping-off
ceremony.
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1972-10-29 Tampa Tribune -
HELICOPTER PAD
First Financial has included a helicopter landing pad in the
contruction of its 36-story downtown office and bank building "just
in case we ever decide to turn to the helicopters" according to a
spokesman
1972-12-01 Tampa
Tribune - Buildings found "wanting" in fire
protection
"Wanting" in the fire protection sense, is keyed to
a lack of overhead, automatic interior sprinkler
systems activated by heat. The head of a
presidential commission on fire prevention, Richard
E. Bland, said yesterday that if states refuse to
require sprinklers in skyscrapers, the federal
government should "because there is no other
reliable way to fight such a fire."
Only one of the new
buildings in the central business area of Tampa,
including the First Financial Tower, under
construction, have such systems. And while
some of the older buildings do have sprinkler
systems, they have substandard fire escape systems,
including Tampa City Hall.
The First Financial
Tower will have a sprinkler system only on the 7th
floor, where computers are housed. The Barnett
Bank, downtown Holiday Inn, Exchange National Bank,
Marine Bank and the Federal Building, do not have
such systems. Only the General Telephone
building, in both its old and new sections, has an
interior extinguishing system.
1972-12-17 Tampa
Tribune - Major tenants moving in
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TAMPA EYESORE
WHISKEY BOTTLE WATER TANK TO BE DEMOLISHED
HISTORY OF THE BOURBON BOTTLE WATER TANK
The Knight & Wall hardware store was located
on the southwest corner of Lafayette and Tampa streets.
This 1922 photo is the earliest that shows a water tank.
This 1915 Sanborn Fire Insurance map from the Univ. of Florida
map collection shows the 30,000 gal. tank existed in 1915.
It was 86 feet above ground level. The 1931 map shows the
same structure.
Apr. 29, 1924 - The Knight & Wall water tank
behind the Rinaldi Printing Co. on the 100 block of
Lafayette St..
Knight and Wall Company seen at far left.
1948-07-07 PA 11086 Lafayette Hotel
Jul. 7, 1948 - The
Knight & Wall water tank advertised their Seminole brand
paint products.
On Sep. 1, 1950, the conversion of the tank
to
a 50-ft. tall Early Times bourbon bottle was
spectacularly
unveiled and uncorked above a large crowd at noon.
May 28, 1953 - Workmen on the big bourbon bottle.
Apr. 20, 1956 -
Lafayette Hotel, 120 West Lafayette Street, in
foreground, and Early Times water tank in
background.
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1973-01-20
Tampa Tribune - Madison Street to open in 6
weeks
In late Jan. 1973 VP of First
National Bank announced plans to reopen the
blocks of Madison St. between Franklin St.
and Ashley Dr.in 6 weeks, which had been
closed for a year due to construction of the
tower. Although most of the trailers and
other construction equipment had been moved
off the street, utility companies were still
working under the street surface. A
new sidewalk would be poured and once
utility installations were completed, the
bank hoped to open by March to be ready for
the first tenant, Merrill Lynch, a brokerage
firm. The city also planned to repave
Madison St. from Ashley to its terminus at
Pierce St sometime in 1973. The street
was already in poor condition before the
tower construction, and traffic signals kept
vehicles at a low rate of speed.
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BLAZE
RUINS WOLF BROS. STOREOn Oct. 19, 1973 a fire severely damaged the
12-story Citizens Bank building on the northwest corner of Zack &
Franklin streets (700 - 706 Franklin St.) The fire began on the 9th floor and quickly spread
to upper floors. Citizens Bank was the first to fold due to
the Great Depression. When the bank vacated their
ground and lower floors and furnishings removed for liquidation, the Wolf brothers
had moved their clothing
store from 808 Franklin St. to the corner space on the ground floor
of the former Citizens Bank
building in early 1935.
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WOLF BROTHERS IN THE FORMER
CITIZENS BANK BUILDING
1934-12-16 Tampa Tribune - Space
has been leased to Wolf Bros in the vacated Citizens Bank
bldg. Now it was referred to as a "12-story building."
Sometimes it's erroneously referred to as a 14-story building.
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Citizens Bank building original 10-story design, Jan.
1920 |
Citizens
Bank building new 12-story design, May 11, 1926 |
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At far right of both
photos can be seen the turret of the former home of
Citizens Bank.
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THE WOLF BROTHERS STORY
Morris C. Wolf and Fred W. Wolf were born
in 1871 and 1873 in
Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany. In 1883 they came to the
America with their parents, Joseph Wolf and Johanna
Maria Koch Wolf,
locating in Louisville, KY. When Morris was 12 he secured a position in
a clothing store at Greenville, Ohio, owned by his uncle,
Michael Wolf of Cincinnati. His compensation was $1.50 per week,
besides board and clothes. He spent a year and a half at
this concern, and though he did not profit monetarily,
he gained valuable experience. For the ensuing 8 years he
was in Louisville, KY, variously employed, but chiefly
as a clerk in the dry goods store of his uncle Samuel
Jacobs.
In 1893 Morris came to Tampa, where
his brother Fred had preceded him in 1889. The brothers
were familiar with Tampa due to their father having
spent some time here for the benefit of the weather for
his health. Fred had spent some time in school and
graduated as a clerk in a store.
After Morris' arrival
in Tampa, the brothers were employed with their
brothers-in-law, the Maas brothers, until 1898
when Morris Wolf resigned and embarked in business for
himself with the scant capital of $200. His location
was half of a small business room near the corner of
Franklin & Lafayette streets near Tibbett's Corner. On Feb. 17, 1899
he moved to the next door and in March of the same year,
Fed Wolf resigned from Maas Brothers and entered into
partnership with his brother. This was the beginning of
the prosperous business of Wolf Brothers. In March of
1899, they moved to fine quarters at 808-810 Franklin
St. where they sold men's fine clothing and
furnishings until they moved into the former home of
Citizens Bank in March 1935.
WOLF BROTHERS STOREFRONT AT 808
FRANKLIN ST., 1932
The Wolf bros. and sisters, 1917
L to R: Morris Wolf, Martha Wolf Loeb, Jenny Wolf
Strauss, Julia Wolf Cohen, Philabena Wolf Maas, Fred
Wolf
Philabena "Bena" Maas was the wife of Abe Maas of Maas
Bros.
Read more about the Wolf brothers and their store here at TampaPix
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On Nov. 29, 1973, First
National Bank announced they would be closing at 2pm on
Nov. 30 to prepare to move into their new facilities in
the First Financial Tower. They planned to reopen
at 9:30am on Monday, Dec. 3 Drive-in and walk-up
windows would continue to operate as normal in the old
building. |
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1974-09-10 Tampa Times - Time capsule sealed
Howard Frankland photo courtesy of A History of Tampa,
etc., by Karl Grismer
 
Learn more about Howard Frankland and the bridge named in his honor.
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1977-07-01 Tampa
Tribune
First Financial name changed First
Florida |
1977-07-21 Tampa Times
Wolf bros may move to vacant First National bank
lobby
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CITIZENS BANK BUILDING,
FLORIDA THEATER, AND PALACE THEATER TO BITE THE DUST
1981-12-09 TIMES FF Tower vs 1st Nat bank specs
1982-10-27 TRIB Lykes bros buys 1st National building These photos from
the USF
Digital Commons, Sape Zylstra collection show the building from
the corner of Franklin and Madison streets circa late 1980s when Wolf
Brothers clothing store occupied the first floor. The new First
National Bank "First Financial tower" can be seen to the right.
1991-03-19 TRIB Lykes may move from Lykes bldg to FF
tower
1991-04-16 TRIB Wolf bros told by Lykes lease not to
be renewed
1991-10-30 TRIB Wolf to find new location, history
1993-06-16 TRIB Showdown on the Lykes bldg
1993-06-17 TRIB Lykes gets council approval raze
bldg1 & 2
1993-06-22 TIMES Lykes bldg demolition begins PHOTO
1993-06-22 TRIB Lykes buildng coming down
1993-06-22 TRIB Lykes bldg demolition earlier than
expected1 & 2
1993-07-30 TRIB Lykes bldg clock salvaged
1996-09-14 TRIB lykes park description
1996-11-23 TRIB FF TOWER renamed PARK tower
1997-02-05 TRIB Gaslight square honored
TAMPA GAS BLDG 201 MADISON 1915
https://digitalcollections.hcplc.org/digital/collection/p15391coll1/id/2539/rec/3
TAMPA GAS BLDG 1930 Madison & Tampa St. 1st Nat Bank
at left.
https://digitalcollections.hcplc.org/digital/collection/p15391coll1/id/6569/rec/4
TAMPA GAS BLDG 1931 NEW BLDG
https://digitalcollections.hcplc.org/digital/collection/p15391coll1/id/3880/rec/28
TAMPA GAS BLDG ORNATE DOOR TAMPA ST. ENTRANCE
https://digitalcollections.hcplc.org/digital/collection/p15391coll1/id/10817/rec/29
TAMPA GAS BLDG 1940
https://digitalcollections.hcplc.org/digital/collection/p15391coll1/id/19108/rec/31
TAMPA GAS BLDG & 1ST NATL BANK BLDG 1951
https://digitalcollections.hcplc.org/digital/collection/p15391coll1/id/1645/rec/32
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THE
HISTORY OF EXCHANGE NATIONAL BANK BEGINS
WITH GULF NATIONAL BANK
The Gulf National Bank
was certified by the U.S. Treasury Dept. on Dec. 2,
1890, and operated out of a temporary location on the
Sparkman Block (Franklin St. between Madison & Twiggs) until their new building at Franklin &
Twiggs streets was
completed in April 1891.
In June 1893 the
Gulf National Bank ceased operating while under the
leadership of the directors seen in the above ad.
EXCHANGE NATIONAL BANK ORGANIZED
The Exchange National Bank of Tampa
was organized in March 1894 with J.N.C. Stockton of
Jacksonville as president and John Trice of Okolona,
Miss., as vice president, James B. Anderson as cashier,
and a board of directors consisting of Edward Manrara,
John Trice, John N.C. Stockton, James B. Anderson, Sego
Myers, Peter O. Knight, Robert W. Easley, Isaac S.
Craft, and Charles F. Jones.
EXCHANGE NATIONAL
BANK IN FORMER GULF BANK BUILDING
Exchange National Bank
of Tampa
opened for business on Apr. 9, 1894 in
the building formerly occupied by Gulf
National Bank at the northeast corner of
Franklin St. and Twiggs St.
The Exchange National Bank of Tampa
tellers station in 1894 |
| EXCHANGE BANK LOCATION
1895 As seen in the first
photo, the bank ran a shorter distance along Franklin
St. than it did along Twiggs St. The wood
frame building with brick facade on the north side of
the bank seen at the left side of the photo consisted of
small businesses.
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EXCHANGE
BANK PLANS A MODERN TEN-STORY SKYSCRAPER
For
almost a year starting in 1921 the
newspapers buzzed with articles about
Exchange Bank's plans to build a 10-story
building with the bank on the lower floors and
offices for rent on the uppers. Numerous
articles described how it would be
Tampa's tallest and most beautiful brick
building to cost $750.000. It was to be
built on the same site as the old brick one
at Franklin & Twiggs once it was demolished.
.jpg)
SKYSCRAPER
PLANS SCRAPPED FOR A TWO-STORY BUILDING
Delays before and during demolition and
construction (which included a lawsuit and a
stubborn mule, separately) set the new construction later.
The legal case involved a tenant who had a
lease with the building owner of the
property on the north side of the bank.
His claim was that he had a letter from the
owner stating that his lease would be
extended. This held up in court and
delayed the bank's plans to build the 10-story, $750k building for four
months until deals were worked out. it was not until Sept of 1922 that the
bank directors released this design which
eliminated the upper floor offices and
provided space only for the bank. It
was to be a
$250,000 two-story Greek-style limestone
structure designed and built by Stone &
Webster.
Nov. 22, 1923
EXCHANGE BANK
PLANS A SIX-STORY ADDITION
On June 12, 1955,
Exchange Bank announced plans to build a $1M 6-story
expansion on the north side of the current building.
Demolition of the building where the expansion would
be built began on June 20, 1955. Biting the
dust in this old building was the home of Ferrell
Jewelry Co. and the bank's trust and personal loan
departments. "A modernistic new bank building
will rise on the spot and is to be completed in a
year."
The present 2-story
bank building (3-story if you count the height of
the first floor as 2 stories) would be combined with
the new structure in an unusual way. Common
walls would be torn out to make a single ground
floor. A balcony would be built on the 2nd
floor of the new addition from which observers could
look out over the huge main room of the old
structure. Bookkeeping and internal working
departments would be combined in a common third
floor. The top three stories of the new
building would be cantilevered over the old building
for 14 feet.
With the expansion,
the bank would occupy the entire 105 ft by 105 ft.
quarter block at the corner of Twiggs & Franklin
streets. The entrance of the old bank was to be
modernized and the new building is of modern design,
faced on the ground floor with dark granite and with
light brick on the higher levels to match the
limestone of the old building. Trim was to be
aluminum. Plans were to rent the top 3 floors
of the new addition to "professional men."
The new building was
designed by architect Elliott Fletcher and the building
contractor was C. A. Fielland. Notice that the building
sketch appears to have seven floors but the top floor was
planned as a
facade with false windows.
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS
Demolition of the Ferrell
Jewelry building on the north side of the 1923
building was completed in mid-August 1955.
The photo of the steel framing was taken March 16,
1956.
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SEVENTH FLOOR PLANNED
Bank officials soon
announced that they had decided to build a 7th floor instead of a
facade with false windows. "The structure is planned to support
a 10-story building and three more stories may eventually be added."
(That never happened.)
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By the end of May 1956 work had
begun on adding the glazed brick facing, pouring floors,
plumbing, electrical, and air conditioning.
By mid-November 1956
the 7-story addition was nearly
completed. Construction crews had
removed the tunnel walkway on Franklin
St. which was necessary for safety of
pedestrians. Nearby businesses
such as Haber's, Hardy's and National
Shirt Shops breathed a sigh of relief as
the intersection of Franklin and Twiggs
streets was reopened. No article was found announcing the addition's
completion, but it can be assumed it was completed by the end of
Nov. 1956 due to businesses moving in starting on Dec. 1.
In mid-January 1957, the last department of the bank moved in
from its temporary location at 509 Morgan St.
NEW EXCHANGE
BANK TOWER PLANNED
Architect: Harry A. MacEwen of Tampa, Contractor J.A. Jones
Construction Co. of Charlotte, NC.
Preliminary architect Harry A.
MacEwen's sketch, 1963.
In
the model below can be seen the oldest building, built in 1923
replacing an old brick building.
Above it to the right is the 7-story addition, completed in 1956.
Read the whole article for details about the building.
Construction on the new tower began with
groundbreaking ceremony on Mar. 17, 1964.
The new 22-story tower was built on the Florida
Avenue side of the two existing Exchange Bank
Buildings on Franklin St., all between Zack &
Twiggs St. The new tower was built with an
interior connection to the 7-story
building, but due to the differences in floor
heights, a short flight of stairs was needed to
go from one to the other.
 
After demolition of the old buildings on the block,
construction on the foundation began in July 1964.
By September 1964 steelwork had begun.
SEE LARGER
October 14, 1964 - Main steel framing of the parking
garage floors completed.
This view was taken from across Florida Ave. at Twiggs St. Notice
the air-conditioned construction offices at left.
The steelwork was topped off on March 3, 1965 with a ceremony held
on the terrace of the Post Office across Florida Avenue.
The Post Office was located in the basement of the Federal Court
building, which now operates as a hotel. At upper right is the
Citizens Bank building.
The new
tower featured 6 floors of garage parking
with a capacity of 420 cars for customers
and tenant use. (The first two parking
floors were reserved for customers.)
By late Oct. 1965, the Florida Ave. side
lobby was open for business.
1969 VIEW OF DOWNTOWN SKYLINE
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Today, the two older buildings are dwarfed by the
22-story tower. Photo from 2020 at
Wikipedia. |
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