Gulf States Building

1415 Main St. - 1927; 1935; restored 2006

In 1927, Gulf States Security Life Insurance Co. constructed a nine story building at the northwest corner of Akard and Main Streets.  Other insurance companies had already located in two other buildings at the intersection.  The company grew rapidly at its new location, and in 1935, seven additional floors were added on top of the building.  The addition was designed to add Art Deco details to the top of the building.  A two story, stepped penthouse brought the overall number of floors to 18.  The building features a very long and narrow floor plate with 50 feet fronting on Main and a full 100 feet along Akard.  This floor plate did not offer modern office users much efficiency.  Over the years, office tenants moved out, and finally in the 1980's, the ground floor tenants left.  In 2005, Spectrum Properties started converting the building into 68 loft apartments and it will be integrated into a three building complex.  The Mayfair Department Store (1946), to the north, will be converted into 25 lofts and a new building is being constructed on the site of the old Metropolitan Savings Tower (originally First National Bank of Dallas and demolished in 1978).  The new building will have 90 units.  The entire complex will be called the Third Rail Lofts, with each building maintaining its own identity.  The project will have a total of 188 loft apartments.