First National Bank and Trust Company Building, Oklahoma City Oklahoma

First National Bank and Trust was Oklahoma's largest bank for most of the 20^th Century. The building was designed by Weary and Alford from Chicago and constructed from 1930-1931. The Art Deco style is exemplified by a vertical emphasis. The intricate aluminum decorative elements on the building's interior and exterior are the only examples in Oklahoma City of Art Deco design from this era. The Great Banking Hall is a combination of the Classical Revival with Art Deco. The 1957 addition reflects the popular modern International Style, with its clean lines, orderly grid, and use of glass and metal.

First National Bank and Trust had humble beginnings. Before the Unassigned Lands were opened, Oklahoma Station was a small settlement consisting of a depot, section house, post office, a government building, a railway agent's house, and a boarding house. With the opening of the territory to non-Native settlement on April 22^nd, 1889, Oklahoma Station was flooded with people desiring the opportunities associated with the new city in the previously unavailable territory. New businesses opened to serve the budding town. Among the opportunists were Thomas M. Richardson and his son, T. M. Jr, who took the first available train from Purcell, Indian Territory, to Oklahoma Station, and started the Oklahoma Bank in a tent near Main and Broadway. After some time, the bank moved into a small building at Main and Broadway. This location would be established as Oklahoma City's financial district.

The bank changed names multiple times in its early years. First, it changed names to First National Bank of Oklahoma City in 1890 after receiving its initial charter. In 1891, it moved to a three-story building at same corner of Main and Broadway later known as the Huckins Estate. In 1897, the bank merged with State National Bank after surviving the financial crisis of 1893. The newly formed bank was known as the State National Bank until 1919. Hugh M. Johnson later bought the interests of the bank and merged it with his bank, the State Exchange Bank, and then changed the name of the bank to the First National Bank. It later moved to a brick building where it occupied the main floor and other organizations shared the remainder of the building. This building was replaced by the Hales Building, an early skyscraper. The bank stayed at this location until it merged with the American National Bank in 1927. Hugh Johnson's brother, Frank P. Johnson, was the president of American National Bank at the time of the merger. First National moved its assets to American National Bank's building at 138-40 West Main Street. In early 1930, the American-First National Bank merged with the Security National Bank, and adopted the new name First National Bank and Trust Company.

Oklahoma City had more than doubled its 1920 population to 185,839 when First National Bank and Trust Company was created. During the 1920s, the city had experienced a dramatic metamorphosis with the rise of the automobile and the beginnings of suburban development along with its growth as an agricultural and industrial center. In 1927, downtown was forever changed with the construction that ushered in new buildings such as the Tradesmen's National Bank, the Cotton Exchange, the Perrine Building, and the Braniff Building. Tapping of the Oklahoma City Field in late 1928 allowed more construction to commence. The city issued more than $24,000,000 in building permits in 1929, more than $20,020,000 in 1930, and $15,000,000 in 1931. Buildings under construction in late 1930-early 1931 included the 33-story Ramsey Building ($3,000,000), the 26-story Oklahoma-Biltmore Hotel ($4,000,000), the 10-story YWCA ($700,000), and the 26-story Skirvin Hotel Tower ($2,500,000). Toward the end of 1930, the city's office vacancy rate of 5.05 percent was significantly lower than the national average of 8.3 percent. Sixty percent of the Ramsey Building had been preleased before it was completed. The country was entering the Great Depression, but it did not immediately affect the construction and development of Oklahoma City or the surrounding areas.

Construction

The First National Bank and Trust Company had paid $1,050,000 for a site at the southeast corner of First and Robinson as reported by an article from the April 20^th, 1930, issue of the Daily Oklahoman. The article stated that the tallest building in Oklahoma (30 to 36 stories) would be constructed on the site. The property was located at the current day location, at the corner of Robinson Avenue and First Street (later renamed Park Avenue). It described a ten to 13-story tower rising from the first twenty stories, which would occupy the entire lot. A rendering from the article depicted a rectangular base from which a gothic-inspired vertical tower rose. The upper stories stepped back as the tower ascended, and a penthouse was capped with a thin spire. It was anticipated that the First National Bank would occupy the first four floors, leaving approximately 470,000 square feet available for other tenants.

By the end of 1930, the bank's name had been changed to the First National Building Corporation after a temporary holding company took title to the property. The bank's funds were not used for any of the building's construction, and the bank would be a tenant. Officers of the company were prominent figures in the city's financial community. Other shareholders were to be given the option of subscribing to stock. Bank officials wanted a building that would "give an impression which conveys the power and protection of this largest bank in the … oil fields." The Chicago architecture firm of Weary and Alford, which was known for its works in banking buildings, was given the task of designing the massive project.

The construction contract was awarded to Manhattan Construction Company along with F. H. Beaumont supervising the majority of the construction. Existing buildings on the site were demolished in August 1930, Concrete caissons were driven into bedrock fifty feet below the sidewalk. Excitement for the building was growing as a rendering of the second floor "Great Banking Room" was published in the Daily Oklahoman the same month that site work began. It depicted a grand hall with a colonnade supporting a large illuminated glass skylight. That same month, the Oklahoma City Times published a sketch of the revised exterior of the building showing that the upper story setbacks were to start higher than originally planned. A beacon on top of the building would add the equivalent of an additional seven stories, making the structure the tallest and largest in Oklahoma. The bank's president Frank Johnson requested construction of a revolving aviation beacon that could be visible for fifty miles. Johnson instructed the Chamber of Commerce's aviation committee to obtain specifications from the U.S. Department of Commerce for the erection of this beacon. By May 1931, steelworkers were placing the highest steel girders at the peak of the building. For a time, a flag pole on the neighboring Ramsey Building, also under construction, made it the highest man-made point in the state. The addition of the First National Bank Building's beacon quickly surpassed the Ramsey Building's claim. The beacon was of special interest during the building's construction. At 2.5 million candlepower, the revolving orb was first illuminated on September 6^th, 1931. Radio station KFJF broadcasted the event and told listeners who lived within 100 miles of Oklahoma City to step outside to see the light. The upper stories of the building were also illuminated, making the building a favorite subject of photographers. The building's image was incorporated into the bank's logo and was frequently used in the bank's advertisements months before it was completed.

The finest materials had gone into the construction of the building. Indiana limestone was used for the exterior with the exception of the black granite that was used at the base of the building along Robinson Avenue and First Street. Tan brick lined the light well. The decorative aluminum, bronze, and iron was supplied by C. W. Olson Manufacturing Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The aluminum panels over the building entrances were modern depictions of classical ornamentation featuring lavish foliage swirls, nude figures, peacocks, and other animals. The marble was provided by Taylor Marble and Tile Company of Oklahoma City and was estimated to cost $135,000. The stone came from Italy, Missouri, and Tennessee in golden brown, pink, and rose hues. Denman Floors Company, Oklahoma City, supplied 13,500 feet of Goodyear rubber floor tiles.

Bank employees moved into their new quarters on Saturday, December 12^th, 1931. Armored vehicles with 32 armed guards transferred $45,000,000 in cash and securities from the old bank to the new. Police officers stopped traffic during the critical move. Small safes were moved to the new building the next day, and bank staff toured the different areas of the building and performed a trial run of regular operations.

Although the construction and preparations for its opening received considerable coverage in the Daily Oklahoman, the bank's leadership wanted to quietly open its banking. Despite their efforts, a full-page advertisement showcasing the bank's amenities was published in local newspapers on opening day. The ad included a rendering of the Great Banking Room and ten smaller sketches featuring various areas of the bank, a women's lounge on the west end of the second floor, the safe deposit vault with conference room and individual privacy booths, and the safe deposit vault. So much excitement had built up about the bank's opening "that great crowds filled the banking rooms and corridors throughout the day viewing the magnificent structure."

The bank was also state-of-the-art in terms of mechanization and technology. Pneumatic tubes carried messages to all parts of the bank. Telegrams were also sent and received by pneumatic tubes that were directly connected to the nation's two primary telegraph companies. The bank had its own post office that prepared and sorted mail and operated its own cancellation machine under special permit. All areas of the bank were air conditioned although much of the building was not. Elevators and various stairs provided access to the safe deposit boxes and vaults which were located in the basement. Bank robberies were a common occurrence, so state-of-the-art equipment and features were provided for security and customer convenience. The fireproof and drill-proof walls, floors, and ceilings were reinforced with steel plates and were wired to detect any attempts to penetrate them with a drill. Guarding the entrance to the safe deposit vault was a 28-ton Diebold door made of manganese, copper, and steel with a sophisticated time locking device. A system of gears and counterweights enabled bank staff to lower a section of the floor in front of the vault door, allowing it to open. Once fully open, the floor rose to its original position. At the time of the bank's opening, it had 6,000 safe deposit boxes with a capacity of 22,500 boxes. Safe deposit boxes could be rented for as little as five dollars a year.

Upon its completion, the building held several distinctions. It was said to be the fourth largest structure west of the Mississippi River, contained more aluminum than any building in the world, and that its beacon had been spotted by pilots more than one hundred miles away. At 440 feet high, it was Oklahoma's tallest building and also its largest. The Oklahoma Banker declared that the construction of the building was a testament to Oklahoma City's stability, pointing to the fact that it was fifty-five per cent occupied when it opened, unlike other recently constructed office buildings in eastern and northern cities, which had difficulty finding tenants. Among the first tenants was the architecture firm Sorey Hill and Sorey, which designed layouts for other spaces in the building instead of paying rent. Other early tenants included stockbrokers, dentists, physicians, insurance companies, oil and gas companies, and a geologist.

Post-war Changes to the First National Bank and Trust Company Building

In the post-World War II years, the banking industry experienced a transformation in philosophy. In part, the changes resulted in an attempt to gain back the public's trust following the bank failures of the 1930s, as well as changes in consumer practices and suburban growth. Bankers were encouraged to present a less "stuffy" atmosphere and to make banking a convenient, efficient, and pleasant experience. One way to accomplish this was through the construction of new banking facilities that incorporated new technologies and modern architecture.

The First National Bank and Trust Company brought convenience to its customers with the opening of a motor bank in late 1948, located directly behind the building. It was not a drive-through bank but one where customers could park in the adjoining parking lot and conduct their business in the small building at one of the three teller windows. Bank officials opted for this arrangement rather than a drive-in service as it was believed several customers could be handled at the same time. The building had a direct connection to the original building for the patrons' convenience.

The First National Bank and Trust Company was among several banks that undertook construction projects in downtown Oklahoma City in the 1950s. In November 1954, the bank announced tentative plans for the construction of a multi-story office building and a parking garage on land it had been acquiring on West Main, just southeast of the present bank. More details about the project, the largest to be undertaken in downtown in years, were released in April 1955. The project was expected to cost more than $3,000,000 and would include an enclosed 12-story parking garage on Main Street and a 4 to 12-story office building facing Park Avenue (formerly First Street). The plans called for the basement of the parking garage to have drive-in banking facilities with an entrance and exit provided on the Park Avenue side. It was expected that four stories of the building would be used by the bank. The office building would include retail tenants on the 1^st floor in an "arcade" type of arrangement. Alterations to the original bank building would be made to connect it with the arcade. Escalators would be installed on the east and west sides of the original banking room to provide convenient access. The Oklahoma City Times and the Oklahoma Banker published sketches of the proposed addition and parking garage designed by Sorey Hill and Sorey. They were a radical departure from Weary and Alford's design for the 1931 building as the facades of both the bank addition and the parking garage reflected current trends in designs that rejected historical references. Also included was a schematic drawing that showed how the additions would relate to the original building. The bank hoped to get started on the parking facility so that it could be completed before it would be necessary to demolish the existing motor bank facility to make way for the office tower.

Manhattan Construction Company, the same firm that constructed the 1931 building, was awarded the contract for the new project. Work began on the parking garage in May 1955 but plans for it were changed in October when the bank acquired an additional 25 feet fronting Main Street. The revised plans had the automobile entrance and exit to the underground banking facilities from Main Street only, thereby eliminating the entrance and exit planned for the Park Avenue structure. This gave the office building an additional 2,000 square feet for commercial use that was originally planned for automobile access through the building to the parking garage. The planned retail "arcade" in the office tower would meet customers' needs of having banking facilities and shopping in one location.

In November 1955, it was announced that the Park Avenue office building would be 14 stories. It was to connect with the parking garage underground and overhead with an extension over the alley. The 1^st floor would have an arcade as previously planned. The 2^nd through 4^th floors would be used by the bank with the intention that the 2^nd floor banking hall from the 1931 building would connect to the new building. The 5^th through 14^th floors would be available for other tenants. Bank officials had gotten caught up in the recently launched "600,000 in 60" campaign (an effort to increase the city's population to 600,000 by 1960) and the expanded building program was an outgrowth of this enthusiasm.

Work began on the Park Avenue addition in October 1956 after the parking garage was completed. As mentioned previously, the construction program included alterations to the 1931 building. The shopping arcade was extended into the 1^st floor of the original building, where it connected with the vestibule at the Robinson Avenue entrance, and escalators were installed at the main stairs located at the west end of the banking hall.

The building was completed in late 1957. Access to the new shops could be gained directly from Park Avenue, the bank's parking garage, or the original building. The shops featured floor-to-ceiling display windows on the Park Avenue side and glass walls on the interior that allowed for maximum exposure of the merchandise and services within. Referred to as the "First National Arcade of Fine Shops," early tenants included House of Hollywood, Kathryn's Flowers, Mary Ball Candies, Random Gift House, Joe Wythe Company, Lillian Foster, Rainbow Travel Services, and Zula's Hat Shop. An advertisement for the arcade described it as a "pleasant, bright atmosphere." With the "unique decor" of the shops, the ad boasted that "the First National Arcade will soon be the talk of the town among Oklahoma City's most discriminating shoppers." The retail arcade, while still in operation, is not retained in its original configuration.

In March 1967, First National Bank announced that it would build two 14-story office buildings. One of the buildings would face Park Avenue and abut the 1957 addition, and the other would face Broadway. Both buildings would wrap around the 12-story Medical Arts Building at the southwest corner of Broadway and Park avenues. The plan called for the closing of a north-south alley that ran midway through the block out to Park Avenue. A competing bank also announced that it had plans build an 8-to-12-story building on part of the property which First National claimed. The controversy delayed the construction of the project until First National secured title to all of the property. The additions were designed by the Oklahoma City architecture firms Hudgins Thompson Ball and Howard Samis Porch. The Park Avenue facade merely replicated the 1957 building and was not indicative of the era it was built. The Broadway Avenue addition, designed with white marble columns on the first floor and a smoked glass curtain wall above it, was not a distinctive architectural style of the era in which it was built. Construction began in 1971. The 1957 shopping arcade was altered to create a connection to the 1972 shopping arcade.

The Decline of the First National Bank and Trust Company

Upon completion, the building had a higher-than-average occupancy rate. However, the Great Depression was finally reaching Oklahoma City, and it took its toll on the bank and the ability to attract and retain tenants. In 1934, the First National Building Corporation had a 41.4% vacancy rate and gross revenue of approximately $395,000. This was a large decline from three years earlier when downtown's vacancy rate was 5.05%. Although the building had been designed and planned for at a more favorable time, the economic downturn rendered it "a most hazardous undertaking from a business standpoint." Since the building was constructed when air conditioning was in its infancy, estimates to install air conditioning ranged from $500,000 to $600,000. The center of the business district had also moved a few blocks to the northwest, hindering the building's previously considered ideal location. In addition, downtown saw fewer pedestrians as the automobile influenced the trend of establishing businesses closer to the residential neighborhoods.

During the 1970s, the Vietnam War had just ended and the United States economy was hurting. The apparent boom of the "Golden Age" from the late 1940s to the early 1970s was over and the nation was entering a recession. The major problems were the energy shortage, high inflation, and high unemployment. The energy shortage occurred because of a worldwide oil shortage. The Arab states, who had an abundance of oil, placed an oil embargo on the U.S. because of the support we provided to their enemy, Israel, during the Yom Kippur War. This embargo caused gas prices to rise so drastically that it devastated the American economy. The oil embargo ended in 1974, but the effects would remain until the end of the century.

The 1970s experienced high inflation, high unemployment, and low economic growth which would lead the U.S. into a recession. The inflation was caused by multiple factors including high demand and low supply of things such as houses, jobs, cars, etc. Another leading cause of inflation during this time was that investors and creditors had no confidence in the banking system. This lack of credibility and commitment caused inflation to rise. The U.S. economy during the 1970s was a difficult time for everyone, and it only worsened into the 1980s.

The First National Bank and Trust Company was not excluded from the economic difficulties of the 1980s. Between 1982 and 1987, 47 Oklahoma banks failed. During the oil and gas bust of the 1980s, the bank suffered losses amounting to $66.6 million. The bank was declared bankrupt and closed on July 14^th, 1986. The sale to First Interstate Bank of Los Angeles introduced interstate banking in Oklahoma. In fact, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) paid First Interstate $72 million "to close the deal." As historian Michael J. Hightower noted in 2014, the only reminder of the once great First National Bank and Trust Company, "the financial Gibraltar of the Southwest," was the great banking hall.

First Oklahoma Corporation was a conglomerate of creditors who took possession of the building following First National Bank's failure. As a new occupant, Interstate Bank demanded that the corporation renovate the building. Estimates for the needed repairs and upgrades were as high as $20 million. It was said that issues with the company's numerous creditors and mortgage holders made it difficult to come up with a renovation plan. Attempts to sell the building for $20 million dollars in the late 1980s failed. In 1991, First Interstate was purchased by Boatmen's National Bank of St. Louis. In May 1992, Boatmen's announced that it would vacate the building and move into the glass towers of Leadership Square across the street. With no anchor tenant, the future of the building was unknown, which was a deciding factor for the building's oldest tenant, the law firm of Rainey Rice Ross and Binns, to leave the building. The firm had been there since 1931, which was even before the First National Bank and Trust Company moved in.

In 1993, various attempts were made for the sale and revitalization of the First National Bank and Trust Company Building. The historic structure was listed on the first "Endangered Properties" list issued by Preservation Oklahoma, a non-profit statewide historic preservation organization. That same year, the Oklahoma State Insurance Fund considered purchasing the building for approximately $5 million and investing another $14 million into its rehabilitation. This idea was ultimately abandoned. In 1994, a limited liability corporation purchased the building for $827,000, and a plan was soon proposed to move the Oklahoma City Art Museum to the second and third floors in recognition of the "Great Banking Room's" status as a work of art. The plan did not come to fruition. After rehabilitation plans failed, the partnership gave the building to the nonprofit Feed the Children in 1998. The nonprofit sold the building for $5 million in 1999, and the building sold again in 2006 to Los Angeles-based Milbank Real Estate for $21 million. Under the ownership of Milbank, utilities were cut off due to unpaid bills. The building was foreclosed on in 2010 but was settled in 2012, which released Milbank from the mortgage. A U.S. District judge ordered the building into receivership, and a locally based development team purchased the property for $23 million in 2016. In an attempt to stop the previous cycle of neglect and failed restoration plans, several groups were vetted by the court to determine if they were even capable of closing a deal before a winning offer was chosen.

Weary and Alford, Architects

William Hedley Alford and Edwin Delos Weary led the Chicago architecture firm Weary and Alford, which specialized in bank building design. The firm had commissions across the country and an office in Los Angeles in the early 1910s. Chicago biographical dictionaries from the early 1900s identified William Hedley Alford as a manufacturer, not an architect. Alford was born in Brighton, Sussex, England, on April 8^th, 1860, where he studied architecture and came to the United States in 1884. His early business career started in the West Indies in the sugar industry. He was later employed by I. Hodson in Council Bluffs, Iowa. By 1887, he was engaged in the manufacture and distribution of bank furniture and fittings. Edwin Delos Weary was also identified as a manufacturer in early 1900s Chicago biographical dictionaries. He was born on December 26^th, 1859, in Akron, Ohio, where he was educated in the public schools and then received "technical training" in Cleveland. He began working as an interior designer in the 1870s and then was manager for A. H. Andrews & Co. for ten years. In 1884, he established his own business as a furniture designer and contractor for fine interiors and bank furniture, among other things. While associated with the firm of Weary and Alford, Weary also had business interests in Weary and Beck, contractors for mosaics and tiles, and served as president of the Plastic Construction Company, Plastic Construction and Marble Company of the Pacific Coast, and Athey Sanitary Equipment Company. Weary's older brother, Frank Orlando Weary, was a prominent Akron-based architect who designed courthouses, jails, churches and school buildings, including several on the campus of Oberlin College with his partner George Washington Kramer.

The firm Weary and Alford was created in 1902. The 1911 edition of the Chicago biographical dictionary listed Weary as president and Alford as secretary and vice president. Other banks designed by the firm included Citizen's National Bank, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (1917); the First National Bank of Los Angeles, the Dime Savings Bank (Oakland Holbrook Branch), Detroit, Michigan, c. 1918; First National Bank, Kalamazoo, Michigan (c. 1918), the Exchange National Bank, Tulsa, 1917 and c. 1922; National Bank of Commerce, San Antonio (c. 1918); City National Bank, Galveston, Texas (1919-20); Fletcher American National Bank, Indianapolis (1920); First National Bank & Trust, Lima, Ohio (1926,); and American Commercial and Savings Bank, Davenport, Iowa (1927). Mariner Tower, a 21-story building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1930), was constructed around the same time as Oklahoma City's First National Bank. Although not as extravagant as the Oklahoma City bank, it also featured cast stone or stone, and metal Art Deco details around the entrance and windows on the 1^st through 4^th floors. Two smaller bank buildings that also display Art Deco influences are the First Central Bank, Madison, Wisconsin (1928) and the Second National Bank Building, Hamilton, Ohio (1931). The firm also designed banks for rural communities including one for the Central National Bank of Ellsworth, Kansas, which was described as the "model country bank of the country."

Manhattan Construction Company, Builder

Manhattan Construction Company originated in 1896 when Laurence H. Rooney of Muskogee, Indian Territory, traveled to New York City to obtain a corporate charter for his company. When asked what the name of the company was, Rooney replied "Manhattan" as that was his location at the signing of the charter. Although based in Muskogee, by 1960, the company had offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa; Fort Smith, Arkansas; Houston, Texas; and, Mobile, Alabama. Manhattan Construction built fifteen county courthouses across Oklahoma spanning the years 1907 to 1955; school, university, and other public buildings; as well as many commercial and industrial buildings. The county courthouses were Bryan County, Durant; Coal County, Coalgate (1909, demolished); Craig County, Vinita (demolished); Creek County, Sapulpa; Garvin County, Pauls Valley; Hughes County, Holdenville (1920, demolished); Lincoln County, Chandler (1907, destroyed by fire); Logan County, Guthrie; McCurtain County, Idabel (1920, demolished); Muskogee County, Muskogee; Noble County, Perry; Oklahoma County, Oklahoma City; Pawnee County, Pawnee; Stephens County, Duncan (1921, demolished); and, Tulsa County, Tulsa. Buildings constructed by the firm in Oklahoma City include the Oklahoma State Capitol; the Perrine Building (directly west of the First National Bank, 1926); the First National Bank and its addition (1931 and 1956-57); the Hightower Building; St. Luke's Methodist Church; Congregation Emanuel Synagogue; Temple B'Nai Israel; and, Penn Square Shopping Center (1960). Manhattan Construction continues to construct high-profile projects and retains offices in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Dallas and Houston, Texas; Fort Myers, Naples, Springdale, and Tampa, Florida; and Washington, D.C.

Edgar Spier Cameron, Artist

Edgar Spier Cameron (1862-1944), born on May 26yh, 1862, in Ottawa, Illinois, grew up drawing cartoons and engraving them on wood. Summers were spent studying at the Chicago Academy of Design. As a student at the Art Students League in New York in 1882, he was admitted to a life drawing class and "was spared from the influences of tradition." He then went to Paris and studied at the Julian Academy for six months and was quickly admitted to the Ecoles des Beaux Arts. While in Paris, his teachers included Louis Boulanger, Jules-Joseph Lefebvre, Jean-Paul Laurens, and Benjamin Constant. He studied under Cabanel, described as "one of the most liberal of masters," and modeled clay at the Ecoles des Arts Decoratifs in the evenings. Landscapes were the focus of study during Cameron's summers spent in the country among older artists, mostly at Barbizon and Greza. Following two years at the Ecoles des Beaux Arts, he went to Venice, and was then admitted to the Paris Salon where he had his first public exhibition of one of his paintings in 1888. Cameron met his future wife, Marie Galon, in Paris who also became a well-known artist.

Cameron was back in Chicago by 1890, and from 1891-1900, he supplemented his income working as an art critic for the Chicago Tribune. He was credited with introducing and publicizing new art work at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Since Cameron was a newcomer, he worked as an assistant under more established artists who had received commissions for murals for the 1893 exposition. He worked on the dome of the Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building with Robert Reid and on large tympana for the same building with Walter McEwen. Cameron also completed two seven- by seventy-foot panels for the interior of the Transportation Building. He continued his academic training in Paris after the World's Fair. He also painted while traveling, including landscapes along the Seine and forest scenes in Fontainebleau. He considered his most important work, "The Youth of Christ," a painting of a young Jesus standing beside a work bench in Joseph's carpenter shop. A light falls upon Jesus' face who is wearing a simple white tunic. This painting suggests that Cameron was contemplating his divine calling.

Cameron painted his subjects in muted or bright colors, depending on the appropriateness. He worked with landscapes, figures, and classically-inspired or historic events. Some paintings were described as "[having] something of the quiet melancholy which is characteristic of the works of the Israels and some of the other modern Dutch painters."> His work included private commissions, exhibitions, and commercial work. It was acquired for private collections or institutions such as the Chicago Historical Society, the Union League, and Woman's Aid Club, Chicago, and he painted many murals in early Chicago movie theaters. Surviving murals in public buildings can be found in the main reading area of the Illinois Supreme Court Library, Springfield, Illinois (c. 1908), the Genesee County Courthouse, Flint, Michigan, (c. 1926), and the Riverside Public Library, Chicago (c. 1931). Other surviving murals in Chicago can be found in the grill room of the former Railway Exchange Building (now Santa Fe Center, c. 1904), the former Fort Dearborn Hotel (now Traders Building, 1913-14), and City Hall (1911) for which he created twelve murals portraying Chicago's history. Seven of these murals still remain outside the Mayor's Office. Cameron also completed a number of paintings for the Works Progress Administration that were placed in schools, a park, and an army post in Illinois. Perhaps it was his Chicago connections and fondness for painting historic events that led to his commission for the murals in the banking hall of the First National Bank and Trust Company Building.

Cameron's work received numerous awards that included an honorable mention for the Yerkes Prize Competition in 1892, a silver medal at the Paris Exposition in 1900 and the Municipal Art League Prize in 1909, and the Butler Prize from the School of the Art Institute in 1913. He was also awarded Clyde Carr and Rosenwald prizes. In 1920, he received the Palmes Academiques from the French government for the work he completed during World War I, in which he created pictorial publicity for French patriotic drives in 1917 and 1918.

Cameron spent several months studying at the Oklahoma Historical Society to find inspiration for the First National Bank and Trust Company Building murals. He then returned to Chicago to complete the paintings in his studio. The four large murals drew from events significant to the development of Oklahoma. The title of the mural in the southwest corner of the banking hall is "Louisiana Transfer: December 20^th, 1803." It depicts the day that the U.S. flag was raised over New Orleans following the treaty of cession between the United States and France that was signed on April 30^th, 1803. The Louisiana Purchase included present-day Oklahoma. The mural in the northwest corner of the banking room is titled "Sunset Trail" and depicts a group of Native Americans on horseback and foot heading toward the sunset. According to Cameron's notes, the painting was suggestive of the "general displacement of Indians toward [the] west" and the departure of the buffalo. The east wall of the banking room has two murals titled "Land Run" with the date of April 22^nd, 1889, below the title. The mural in the northeast corner depicts horse-drawn wagons and riders on horseback racing across the open prairie. The mural in the southeast corner depicts two soldiers on horseback observing the great race. A photograph of this painting appeared in the Chicago Evening Post on March 15^th, 1932. A photograph of "Sunset Trail" appeared in the Chicago Daily News on April 9^th, 1932. The four murals were painted with muted green, blue, and brown tones and framed with yellow and golds that complemented the ceiling stencils, marble, and bronze decoration in the banking hall. Cameron died on November 5^th, 1944.

Sorey Hill and Sorey, Architects

The origin of the architecture firm of Sorey Hill and Sorey dates back to the 1920s. The firm's senior partner, Tom Sorey, studied mechanical engineering at the University of Oklahoma (OU) in Norman. He suspended his studies to work as a testing engineer for the Bureau of Standards in Washington, D.C., during World War I. Upon returning to OU to complete his studies, he was also employed as an assistant professor of mechanical and architectural drawing at the university. Sorey spent his summers taking courses at the Chicago Art Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and working for an architectural firm in Chicago. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1920. Because of his training, Sorey created the first architectural courses at the university. He resigned in 1923 to go into private practice in Oklahoma City with MIT graduate Walter Vahlberg under the name Sorey and Vahlberg. Their first commission was the design of OU's Student Union Building which was followed by other commissions at the university. The firm also designed residences, including a few in Wichita Falls, Texas.

In 1925, Sorey's 22-year-old brother-in-law, Alfred Hill, joined the firm. Hill had attended the architecture school at Oklahoma A & M College in Stillwater and had worked with an Oklahoma City architect. In 1931, Sorey and Hill, and Sorey's cousin, Lee Sorey, an architect trained at the University of Kansas, formed the firm of Sorey Hill and Sorey. Their first office was located in the newly completed First National Bank and Trust Company Building in downtown Oklahoma City where they designed quarters for other tenants of the building in lieu of paying rent. The Great Depression brought challenges to the firm. Both Tom Sorey and Lee Sorey found part-time work with the federal government but maintained their partnership with the firm. The partners had residential commissions in several Oklahoma City neighborhoods that were still benefiting from the city's oil boom from the previous decade. The firm also had commercial work that included an addition to the John A. Brown department store and interior work in the Huckins Hotel. Sorey Hill and Sorey benefited from projects partially funded by the Public Works Administration. These included a post office in Duncan as well as dormitories at Oklahoma A & M and Panhandle A & M College in Goodwell. Oklahoma A & M's Cordell Hall was designed by the firm and was reported to be the largest dormitory in the Southwest at the time of its construction. Between 1948 and 1962, the firm completed the Edmond Low Library and the Student Union and an addition for the Union at Oklahoma A & M. The two buildings were centerpieces for the college and followed the pseudo-Georgian Revival architecture favored by Henry G. Bennett, president of the college from 1928 to 1951.

After World War II, the firm followed a modern, or contemporary, idiom for its work with notable exceptions such as their work at Oklahoma A & M. Previously, the firm had experimented with the Art Deco or "PWA Moderne" styles in works completed in the late 1930s as evidenced by its design for Stillwater's Municipal Building. In the post-war era, the firm designed some highly visible buildings that brought a modern tone to downtown Oklahoma City. These included the YMCA Building, an eight-story concrete structure built in 1948 that combined elements of the International Style and the Dutch De Stijl movement. It was a major departure from downtown's Period Revival and Art Deco buildings constructed before the war. This building was demolished in 2001 as a result of damage it sustained during the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995. The firm's design for the 1955-57 14-story addition to the First National Bank and Trust Company, as well as the accompanying parking garage on Main Street, also was illustrative of the International style. During this same period, Sorey Hill and Sorey designed the Fidelity National Bank Building at Harvey and Park avenues (1956-57), said to be the best example of a stand-alone high-rise International style building in downtown Oklahoma City. The firm also designed a ten-story office building for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company at North Robinson Avenue and Northwest Sixth Street (1958) that bears an International influence.

In 1958, younger members of the Sorey family became partners of the firm. In 1964, the firm's name was changed to Sorey Hill Binnicker following the addition of Ray Binnicker, an architecture graduate of the University of Kansas. The firm's 1957 parking garage it designed for First National Bank and its Local Federal Bank Building were demolished in later years for further additions. After 1973, members of the Sorey and Hill families were no longer associated with the firm.

Hudgins, Thompson, Ball, Inc. (HTB), Architects

The architecture firm of Hudgins, Thompson, Ball & Associates (HTB, Inc.) was formed in 1942 in Oklahoma City. Architects Ralph M. Ball and Ed Hudgins and Verlin G. Thompson, an engineer were the founding partners. Their first project was the design and construction of Altus Air Force Base in Altus, Oklahoma. The firm grew to become one of the largest architecture firms in Oklahoma City. In 1962, Ball's son, Rex, opened a branch of the firm in Tulsa. Projects designed by HTB included Central Fire Station, Oklahoma City (1948); Will Rogers Turnpike Restaurant, Vinita, Oklahoma (1957); United Founders Life Tower, Oklahoma City; Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma City (1965); Myriad Gardens, Oklahoma City (landscape design c. 1976-1988); Mid-Continent Building, Tulsa (addition 1981); Francis Tuttle Vocational-Technical Center, Oklahoma City (c. 1982); Robinson Renaissance Building/Perrine Building, Oklahoma City (renovation 1985); Charles Haskell Elementary School, Oklahoma City (c. 1985); Gallagher-Iba Arena, Stillwater (renovation 1987; University Center of Tulsa (1987); Eugene Field Elementary School, Oklahoma City (1987); and, Temple Funeral Home Chapel, Oklahoma City (1988). Several of HTB's projects were done during the early years of the historic preservation movement in Oklahoma. These included the renovation of Oklahoma City's Central High School to become One Bell Central and Tulsa's Philcade Building. The firm also had projects across the country and in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. In 1996, HTB, Inc. was purchased by Dewberry & Davis of Arlington, Virginia.

Howard Samis Porch, Architects

Howard Samis Porch's origins date to 1958 when W. L. (Bill) Howard (1923-2012), James M. Samis and Frank Davies, Jr. (1927-2008) formed an architectural and engineering practice in Oklahoma City. Stanley E. Porch joined the firm in 1964. Howard, Davies, and Porch had all studied architecture at the University of Oklahoma under Bruce Goff, chair of the School of Architecture from 1947 to 1955, and a noted practitioner of organic architecture. The firm designed projects for a variety of clients. Documented examples of their work in Oklahoma City include Sunbeam Home and Family Consulting Services Building (1964), a post office in South Oklahoma City (1964-66), and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (1966). One of the works the firm is best known for is Quail Creek Country Club, constructed c. 1962 when the firm's name was Howard Samis Lyons. The Wrightian-inspired clubhouse, called "a graceful, native stone and glass masterpiece that is completely casual and vividly awe inspiring at the same time" was designed by Bill Howard." Howard Samis Lyons had an office in the First National Bank Building around the time the bank was planning its last expansion program. The firm later practiced under the name Howard and Porch. Documented examples of their work in downtown Oklahoma City include the Sheridan-Walker Parking Facility (1983).

Harmon Construction Company

Harmon Construction Company was formed in 1933 by D. Allan Harmon. The company had numerous high profile projects in Oklahoma City as well as projects throughout Oklahoma and in other states. Oklahoma City projects included Mummers Theater (Demolished); the First National Bank and Trust Company's drive-in facility (1972); and, 50 Penn Place, designed by Sorey Hill and Binniker (1972-73). Projects elsewhere in the state included Eastern Oklahoma Tubercular Sanatorium, Talihina; Stillwater Medical Center, Stillwater (1973); Owen Field, Norman (expansion, 1974); and, the University of Oklahoma Energy Center (first phase).

Property Description

The First National Bank and Trust Company Building is a complex of three interconnected elements in downtown Oklahoma City consisting of the main Art Deco-style 33-story tower, with a 14-story original rear section, and two Postwar International Style 14-story additions attached to its rear. Although no longer the city's tallest, the 33-story Art Deco building is notable for its signature tapered beacon atop a stepped-back tower. Its exterior gray limestone walls and opulent silver-toned aluminum ornamentation provide a striking contrast to the gold and pink hues of the grand banking hall on the building's second floor. This complex building is located in Oklahoma City's downtown financial district among other buildings dating to the oil boom of the 1920s and 1930s, reflective glass buildings of the 1980s, and the state's tallest modern building, Devon Tower, completed in 2012.

The First National Bank and Trust Company Building stands at the southeast corner of North Robinson Avenue and Park Avenue in the financial district at the heart of downtown Oklahoma City. The building has evolved through time from its initial construction in 1931 in the Art Deco style designed by Weary and Alford from Chicago Illinois to include a 14-story International Style building designed by Sorey Hill Sorey in 1957 and the 1972 building designed by Hudgins Thompson and Ball (HTB) and Howard Samis and Porch of Oklahoma City. The First National Bank and Trust Company Building is near other notable downtown buildings including the Skirvin Hotel, the Colcord Building, the Chase Bank Building (formerly Fidelity Bank Building, c. 1972), the Medical Arts Building, McGee Tower (1970-72), and Leadership Square (1983).

1931 First National Bank

The original portion of the First National Bank and Trust Company Building is a 33-story skyscraper. The exterior walls of the first floor on the Robinson Avenue and Park Avenue elevations (west and north elevations, respectively) are sheathed with polished black granite. The remainder of the facades are clad with gray Indiana limestone. The first thirteen floors of the building were constructed in a "U" shape, with the bottom facing Robinson Avenue, the north section facing Park Avenue, and the south section facing the alley. The rear elevation is clad in brick. The entire building is constructed of reinforced concrete and structural steel.

The tower, which represents floors 14 through 33, extends upward with setbacks on the 22^nd, 26^th, 28^th, 30^th and 32^nd floors. The 32^nd floor has a ribbon of fixed windows on the south, west, and north elevations, and on portions of the east elevation. The windows are not original and likely infilled a terrace previously at this level. These windows provide a panoramic view of the city. The windows on the 33^rd floor pierce the hipped aluminum-ribbed roof and are flush with it. The roof is capped by a tapered, octagonal aluminum beacon with a long lightning rod. The beacon and setbacks are illuminated at night, giving the building a striking presence.

The first floor along Robinson and Park Avenue has large storefronts with recessed center doors, display windows, and glass transoms with raised aluminum trim above the three center units. At the corner of Park and Robinson, an aluminum-framed four-sided clock projects above the 1^st floor. At the center of the Robinson facade is the building's main entrance, which is surrounded by an elaborate cast aluminum frame extending up to embrace the 3^rd and 4^th floor windows. Birds, swirling foliage, animals, and human figures are among the decorative motifs of the main entrance. These same natural elements are a common theme found throughout the building's exterior aluminum trim. A recessed portico is centered in the decorative aluminum frame, and uses aluminum framework to form a four-pointed star on the ceiling with opaque glass and translucent panels to infill the star pattern. An aluminum grille covering the transoms above the two revolving doors and center swinging door is inscribed with "First National Building". The entrance is flanked by large octagonal lanterns which are suspended between the 1^st and 2^nd floors. Two elaborate aluminum flag pole holders are above the 4^th floor on either end of Robinson facade. The building's south facade faces a narrow alley, and the ground floor is clad in brick with a limestone wainscoting, while the remainder of the elevation is clad with limestone.

On the Robinson, Park, and alley facades, casement windows on the 2^nd and 3^rd floors are connected by elaborate aluminum spandrels between the floor levels. The 3^rd-floor windows are capped with ornate, lintel-like aluminum trim. The 4^th floor has aluminum-framed casement windows along with the remainder of the tower. However, the tower windows have aluminum-framed hung windows which are connected between floors with olive green spandrels. Below each 5th-floor window is a medallion-like aluminum ornament. The 14-story north and south wings wrap around the rear elevation of the tower section. The wings form an exterior light well around the banking hall and its massive skylight, which was later covered over. The windows are evenly spaced on this elevation.

Exterior changes to the original building include the covering of the original flat banking hall skylight with a composition membrane, and the enclosure of the 31^st floor, originally exterior setbacks with awning-like roofs and ribbon windows.

A lobby off the Robinson Avenue entrance provides access to stairs and escalators that lead to the second-floor banking hall. Two flanking elevator banks of four elevators each provide access to the upper floors. Escalators were not included in the original building design; however, during renovations to the building in the 1950s, the original grand staircase was replaced and retrofitted with two escalators, one on each side. Upon entering the ground floor lobby, one can go right to the elevators that serve the 1^st through 14^th floors and one of the commercial spaces. Access to the escalators that serve the 1980s glass skybridge addition is also in this area. To the left of the ground floor lobby are elevators that serve the 14^th to the 29^th floors and access to another commercial space.

The stainless steel elevator doors are etched with intricate floral designs. The ceiling treatments in the elevator lobbies consist of plastered cornices adorned with yellow flowers and brown cattails. The ceilings are plastered and decorated in metallic effect in dull green gold and silver. Round aluminum and glass light fixtures hang from the elevator lobby ceilings. Other decorative elements near the front entrance include a floral-inspired drinking fountain and directory boards and mail boxes with a heavy, modeled aluminum half-polished finish reminiscent of the exterior applications. On the south side of the grand staircase is a hall that leads to a shopping arcade. On the north side of the staircase is a short hall that leads to the stairs to the basement where the vaults and safety deposit boxes are located. Public access to the stairs are blocked by an ornate iron gate.? Walls in the entrance and elevator lobbies are clad in warm-toned marble, and the floors are a combination of cream, gray, and black travertine.

Upon ascending the staircase or escalators to the second floor, the eye is drawn to the most prominent space in the entire building - the banking hall. It is so impressive that the architects called it "the Great Banking Room." Its Italian Renaissance motif juxtaposes the building's more modern exterior. However, details such as the tiered, geometric pendant light fixtures with frosted glass connect it back to the Art Deco exterior. The hall is 120 feet long, 91 feet wide, and two stories in height (41 feet high at the center). Italian travertine stone in three colors is laid in a geometrical design on the floor.

The banking hall is organized around a colonnade of 16 massive fluted marble columns with Corinthian capitals; seven on north and south sides and two across the east end. A large barrel-vaulted skylight dominates the ceiling, centered above the colonnade. As originally designed and constructed, natural light filtered through the exterior light well to the skylight, which illuminated the banking hall. It is believed that the original glass in the skylight was removed in the late 1950s and replaced with translucent glass that was lit overhead. At some point, the skylight was covered with a gravel roof, which remains there today.

The remainder of the banking hall's ceiling consists of geometrical-shaped paneling painted in oil on plaster. Human and floral figures and geometric elements adorn the ceiling panels. A technique called "Stippling" or "Rag Rolling" was used to hand-brush a glaze all over the surface. Recent restoration reports indicate that the structure of the plaster is in relatively good condition and should be easy to patch where damaged. The overall aesthetic of the banking hall was meant to be of quality, grandeur, and permanence. This was achieved through the consistent use of hand-brushed glazes, waxed and buffed Kasota Stone columns, and ornate metal work with a deliberate patina.

The Art Deco suspended light fixtures are comprised of aluminum and frosted glass. The light fixtures' intricate aluminum patterns ties into the exterior ornamentation with swirling foliage, swans, eagles, and nude figures.

The open area in the center of the hall is reduced to 67 feet wide and 83 feet long by bank teller counters, which frame the north, east, and south walls. Original bronze and glass privacy screens are still intact on the teller stalls. Clerical and general office spaces were concealed behind the walls of the banking hall. These spaces are accessed behind the teller areas through a marble-framed opening infilled with decorative metal scroll-work, lead glass windows, and an elaborately adorned door frame. Natural elements such as foliage, peacocks, and a pair of eagles are found in these panels. Balconettes with lead glass are located behind and above the teller areas. These balconettes are accessed from the 3^rd floor, that served as lookout stations for security personnel as banking transactions proceeded below. Elaborate bronze grilles span across the fronts of the balconettes, and large reproductions of ancient coins are on either side of each balconette.

The same richly-veined rose-tinted marble used for the 1^st through 3^rd floor elevator lobbies is continued into the banking hall and mezzanine. This marble is used for the hall's wainscoting, pilasters, teller counters, and the lower portions of the columns. The upper portions of the columns are fluted, clad in a warm-toned Kasota stone, and are capped with extravagant Corinthian capitals. The original finish was waxed onto the Kasota stone, which typically gives a warm luster and antiquing to the stone. These columns support the raised portion of the ceiling where the skylight is located. Above the wainscoting on the walls is sandstone cut in ashlar form. Lining the top of the walls and pilasters is a cornice with human, animal, and plant forms.

Four large oil paint on canvas murals by Chicago artist Edgar Spier Cameron depicting events associated with the development of Oklahoma are prominently displayed on the west and east walls banking hall. Of the murals on the west wall, one depicts the lowering of the French flag in New Orleans in 1804 as a part of the transfer of the Louisiana Territory to the United States; the other, titled "Sunset Trail," represents the displacement of Native Americans as a result of the expanding frontier. The two murals on the east wall portray scenes associated with the Land Run of 1889. The murals are framed with wood painted to look like stone with decorative motifs encompassing the perimeters. The oil paint was sealed with wax to give it a gentle glow and aged look, which is a common French technique.

Two original octagonal marble benches served dual functions as not only a resting spot, but also as part of the building's ventilation system, as evidenced by decorative vents in the bases of the benches. Two marble pedestal drinking fountains are located on either side of the grand staircase and escalators.

A portion of the 3^rd floor overlooks Robinson Avenue to the west and the banking hall to the east. Decorative iron railings, rose-tinted marble walls, and geometric travertine floor tiles are all continued from the 1^st and 2^nd floors to this area. The elevator doors are covered with intricately engraved stainless steel panels. The plastered ceiling of the elevator lobby is stenciled with muted tones and features a geometric border with a floral inlay, similar to the ground floor elevator lobbies. The multi-colored travertine patterned floor continues into the space. Decorative iron grilles, fluted pilasters, and an ornately painted geometric ceiling are also familiar features that are carried into this space.

Located on the north side of the staircase are marble stairs that lead to the basement. The stairs are flanked with wrought iron gates at the top and bottom. The lower gates that lead into the vault are topped with silhouettes of squirrels, which symbolize savings and thrift. The bank vaults and safety deposit boxes are located in the basement. A large rectangular vault door serves as the entryway for the safe deposit lobby. The walls of this lobby are sand-blasted fumed oak. On one wall is a drinking fountain shaped like a floral basket and an original clock is on another wall. The ceiling is painted with patterns reminiscent of the ceiling in the banking hall. Wood-paneled privacy booths that were available to customers to examine the contents of their boxes are still intact. The vaults are located in an enclosed structure that measures 50 feet by 67 feet. The massive, round Diebold vault doors are impressive and were state-of-the-art in terms of security when the building was constructed. Polished steel covers the vault walls, and the ceiling is covered with blue enameled steel panels framed by steel planks. Each vault contains its own ventilation system.

The circulation pattern of the third through thirteenth floors is dictated by the U-shaped configuration. A double-loaded central corridor runs the length of each leg of the floor plate, with office space accessed on each side. The tower for floors fourteen and above has a similar floor configuration but with much shorter legs. The typical condition of corridors consists of seven-foot-high marble wainscoting and marble tiles on the floors. Original doors were typically wood paneled with frosted glass, and some are still in place. Some of the doors have vertical mail slots near the door knobs. The ceilings typically have acoustical tile, which was added during renovations and with the construction of the mechanical system. Elevator doors are painted a light yellow with black and yellow vertical lines at the center of each door. Mail chutes are found near the elevators on each floor. Above the fourteenth floor, the restrooms are located at the half-floor level in the stairwells. A barbershop on the 14^th floor is a unique space that has been relatively well preserved.

1957 Building

An addition was constructed at the east end of the 1931 building in 1956-57. The site had been occupied by First National's first motor bank, which opened in November 1948 and was demolished for the construction of this addition. The addition's main facade faces Park Avenue and is 14 stories high. With the exception of the retail stores on the 1^st floor, it was built as an office tower with floors two through four devoted to use by the bank. The 2^nd floor included a direct connection to the banking hall of the First National Bank building. The 1957 design reflects the popularity of the Miesian grid design during the mid-twentieth century, and is a stark contrast to the Art Deco style of the 1931 building. The building reads as a separate structure from the 1931 building.

Like its neighbor to the west, the 1^st floor is clad in polished black granite. Large storefront windows with aluminum frames are on either side of the centered entrance which is located in a recessed portico, The doors are glass with aluminum frames. Protecting the portico's opening is a flat canopy. The front edge of the canopy is shaped like a flattened "V". Yellow trim covers the edges of the canopy. Above the first floor is a glass curtain wall that is divided horizontally and vertically by aluminum mullions. Colored spandrel panels serve as dividers between each floor. Below the 2^nd-story windows are yellow spandrels, and between the 2^nd and 3^rd floors are two rows of blue spandrels. Above the third-floor windows is another row of blue spandrels, and above them is a row of precast concrete ribbed spandrels. Precast concrete panels are used as dividers between the remaining floors. Beginning at the 4^th floor, the window openings are smaller than those on the 2^nd and 3^rd floors. They are filled with two small operable panes of glass at the bottom, topped by a larger single pane.

The interior of the 1957 addition retains the shopping arcade and concourse on the 1^st floor. The Park Avenue entrance consists of a long hall flanked by commercial and retail spaces with floor-to-ceiling glass walls. This hall continues south towards an alley and adjacent parking structure not associated with the First National Center. It intersects with another hall that extends from Robinson to Broadway Avenues that is also lined with floor-to-ceiling glass walls. At the northwest corner of the intersection of the two halls is the escalator that provided access to the 2^nd floor banking hall. At the southwest corner of the intersection are three elevators. All of the tenant spaces, including the 1^st floor retail spaces and the 2^nd floor bank spaces, have been renovated or gutted over the years, and there is no remaining historic fabric.

1972 Building

In 1969, The First National Bank and Trust Company announced plans for a 400,000 square foot expansion that would wrap around the Medical Arts Building at the southwest corner of Broadway and Park Avenues. The expansion consisted of two facades - one facing Park Avenue that would abut the 1957 addition, and the other facing Broadway Avenue. The new structure would take over sites occupied by the bank's Auto Hotel on Park Avenue, an alley running north-south, and a hotel and restaurant located on Broadway Avenue. There was much contention over the expansion as another bank also had plans for the property and opposed First National's claim to the alley as it was in the city's jurisdiction. Ultimately, First National prevailed and secured the approval for the expansion. Unlike the previous addition, the 1972 buildings were not associated with the bank, but instead would provide general office and retail space. Except for the arcade and concourse on the ground floor, there are very few interior connections to the 1957 building.

Park Avenue Facade

The facade of this addition matches the style and materials of the 1957 building, in order to avoid mixing styles and creating confusing facades. One notable difference is that the upper-story window openings do not have the divided pattern as those on the 1957 addition. It has a recessed entrance at the east end of the facade. The rear of the building is sheathed with tan brick and the 2^nd through 14^th stories extend over the alley to connect with the adjacent parking structure not associated with the First National Center. These connections have been closed and abandoned over time.

Broadway Avenue Facade

The 14-story addition fronting Broadway Avenue reads as a separate building although it is structurally connected to the 1972 Park Avenue addition. The 1^st floor of the facade features six rectangular white marble columns that frame a shallow portico that protects the main entrance. The entrance features a revolving door and an aluminum and glass door. The exterior wall at the 1^st floor consists of narrow full-height windows with smoked glass separated by white marble pilasters, mimicking the spacing of the facade columns. A curtain wall with smoked glass covers the 2^nd through 14^th floors. Divisions between the windows give the building a vertical emphasis. White marble cladding wraps around the south elevation for a few feet. The rest of this elevation is constructed of tan brick and features numerous small aluminum-framed windows on the upper floors. The northern edge of the facade appears to abut the adjacent building but is actually separated from it by a false wall fronting the street. The north elevation is also sheathed with tan brick and has numerous windows on the upper stories. Portions of the south side of the building extend over an adjacent alley.

The 1972 addition has a bank of elevators on the south side of the arcade's hallway. The elevator lobby walls are clad with marble. The east bank of elevators is no longer operable. The Broadway Avenue addition has an escalator on the south side of the hallway that accesses the 2"4 floor. The upper stories have a more open floor plan than 1931 and 1957 portions of the building, reflecting changes in commercial and work space design as they have been renovated numerous times by tenants in the years since initial construction. The floor plates of the 1972 addition align with the floor plates of the 1957 addition, however there are no direct connections between these two additions above the 1^st floor. There is little to no original fabric remaining inside the 1972 addition. It is evident that the spaces have been renovated over the years by multiple tenants.