Elm Place

1401 Elm - 1965

The architect for this skyscraper was George L. Dahl of Dallas and the building was originally designed for the First National Bank of Dallas.  When it opened, it was the tallest building in the city, culminating a multi-decade challenge of constructing the tallest.  Through a series of bank mergers, the First National has now become Bank of America, whose headquarters are now a few blocks to the west.  The base of the building, which is six stories, takes up the entire block.  This base features a continuous set of four story arches that are present on all four sides of the building.  The lower two floors of the base are deeply recessed, providing large public walkways around the building, yet protected from the elements.  The two floors above the arches that are still within the base do not have any windows and are clad with pre-cast concrete panels.  The tower that rises out of this base was placed off center and is six sided, with four of the sides only slightly angled; therefore, giving the tower a more rectangular appearance.  The tower itself is clad in dark glass with white vertical elements in front of the columns.  These white elements contain fluorescent lights and once were turned on every night.  Now the building is only illuminated at Christmas.  This skyscraper is 625 feet tall with 52 stories, and is the 10th tallest building in Dallas.  Bank of America still operates a branch bank at this site.