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Name:  Tower Building
Address:  600-606 Olive St.
Year:  1913
Date of Demolition:  1988
Architectural Firm/Architect:  Albert B. Groves
Front facade:  Terra Cotta
Property Type Codes:  Commercial building, Central Business District masonry
Dimensions:  88´ x 150´
Ward:  7
Neighborhood:  35
History:
The six-story Tower Building was designed by Albert B. Groves, and built in two stages, 1913 an 1920-21. The original section abutted the Erker (Boyd´s #2) Building and extends two bays east. The steel frame structure created a grid pattern which was expressed in the facade through narrow, glazed white terra cotta covered piers and spandrels. The second and third floors were divided into two bays, one triple-windowed and one quadruple-windowed. The top three floors have broad single bays of nine windows. The spandrel panels above the first and second floors were adorned with terra cotta rosettes set in quatrefoils which formed a band. The above next three stories were unadorned paneled terra cotta spandrels. The bracketed cornice was underscored by egg-and-dart molding, with a simple, unembellished terra cotta parapet wall finishing the facade. In 1920, the building was leased by Boyd´s Clothing Store, the city´s leading retailer of men´s clothing.

The 1921 addition, supervised by Tom P. Barnett, fronted both on Olive and 6th Streets. The reinforced concrete addition continued the pier and spandrel pattern of the original building. The tall first story introduced a mezzanine level, which was carried through to the Tower Building. The Tower Building was altered to accomodated the new level. The addition added two six-story bays on Olive. Corner piers accentuated by corner beads with reveals framed the entire Olive Street facade (Olive Street Terra Cotta District, NR 1/2/86).

Boyd´s later expanded to fill 608 and 610 Olive along with the Tower Building.




People
Barnett, Thomas P.
 Groves, Albert B.

Structures
Boyd´s #3
 Olive Street Terra Cotta District
 Boyd´s #2

 

 

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