Santa Fe Building

1114 Commerce - 1926 (D)

With construction beginning in 1924, this building was designed by Dallas architect Lloyd R. Whitson as the headquarters for the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railroad. This building was the anchor of a massive four structure complex that was connected by underground railroad tunnels built to centralize the railroad's transfer and warehouse operations. While allowing the transfer operations to remain in the heart of the city, the underground tunnels removed the surface tracks that plagued downtown traffic.

The design of the building features a buff brick exterior with cast stone trim.  Five arched windows that are four stories tall flank the base of the building.  At the 17th floor the building has a slight set back and at the 20th floor another set back occurs.  Above the 20th floor is a copper covered mansard roof.  At each end of the building stair and elevator towers rise above the mansard and are capped with vaulted forms.  It is unfortunate that the sides of this building cannot be seen due to the construction of the Earl Cabell Federal Building butting to it on the west side and only an alley separating the Santa Fe Building from the Manor House on the east.  At an even 300 feet, the skyscraper has 20 stories and is the 50th tallest building in Dallas.