For Throwback Thursday, we have the Professional Building circa 1970, in its last years as headquarters of Valley National Bank, the state's most important financial institution. To the left, the new Valley Center tower is being built and the bank will move its headquarters to the glass prism skyscraper within a couple of years.
Completed in 1932, the Professional Building is one of Phoenix's few examples of the magnificent Art Deco style in a skyscraper. The iconic Valley National revolving sign was added to the roof around 1960. Before that, the bank's name was on a rooftop neon sign. But the one you see was said to be the largest moving neon sign in the world. The top story with the large windows was added in 1958 for the executive dining room.
One of my early memories was when my grandmother and I parked in the alley between the building and the Hotel Adams (far right in the photo), around 1962, to wait for my mother who worked across the street. A man ran past our car followed by several Phoenix Police officers. A bank robber. He was soon led back past us in handcuffs.
After a stint as Merabank in the S&L hustles, the building has sat empty for a shamefully long period. Perhaps it may finally be revived as a boutique hotel. An earlier effort collapsed in the recession. Maybe this time…
The revolving sign was dismantled in 1972 and hauled away to a junk yard.
Jon,
My family has eyed this building for decades as it sits just across the street from our Hotel San Carlos, which we have owned on and off since 1973. It looks like work is finally being done on it to make it a boutique hotel, which we welcome as this beautiful building has sat empty for decades. My brother Robert ( author of the book ‘Vanishing Phoenix’) is pleading with the present owners to try to save the little historical building just to the east of the Professional Building as it is much older and has historic significance, but they have not responded to his inquiries.
One of my earliest memories is also about that alley. In 1970 I was 18 and working at Valley National Bank on the night shift in their operations center. I had to do a daily mail run to the “home office” at the Professional Building. The run was at 2:00 AM. I drove down that alley and had to get out of the car and ring a buzzer on the back alley door. It always took what seemed like a lifetime for someone to answer and take the mail I was delivering. The alley was not very well lit and you would often have drunks hanging out there from a bar just east of the Professional Building. Never had any really bad experiences just panhandling from bums. But I was always leery and somewhat scared.
James, I believe those buildings are the oldest remaining downtown. Would be a shame if they demolished them.
Maybe cal ran by you that day RC!
Started in 68 Jerry. Alleys then with the police call box in Paris Alley. Now alleys and streets are dark canyons of steel and glass and the cops are on bicycles.
Jerry I’ll send U an Email for coffee with me, Ruben, Petro and maybe Emil?
What’s up Cal? I don’t get a coffee invite?
gotta find your email addresses
ck your email Roger
RC a special request. Can you warm up your Pen from Hell? I wish I had your talent – this is a topic where only a true Pro is needed. When it comes to architecture in the 1945-2000 period, only the worst scorn possible is merited.
The title building is an excellent example. The 1932 Professional Building is handsome. A job well done.
Then we come to the ham-fisted addition in 1958 of the Arizona Club.
No architects are mentioned in the article. Perhaps someone in the time and knowledge (James Melikian?) can do some research on who a building’s history. Who can we praise for the original? Who can we scorn for the Arizona Club turd on top?
Arizona Club: Some of Arizona s crookedest pols played poker there. Including Gary ?? and one arm Hank or something like that.
Emil. A good article on The River went Dry in the New Yorker and PBS has a good piece on the war between Nuts and fish
That’s nuts and fish in California.
Yes, the buildings is being restored. But I’m a little disappointed that they seemed to have opted to keep the 1958 addition. Or is it old enough to that it too is considered historical? It does appear in the infamous opening scen of Psycho; still, I think we would’ve been better off without it.
I’m with you, Fareed. The old roofline is more attractive. But maybe they can put a view restaurant in the addition.
Ramjet looks like you and I R Historical?
The top floor addition was VNB’s executive dining rooms. The Arizona club was on 7-10 floors of the Luhrs Building from 1924 until it moved in 1972 to the top floor of the first interstate tower (now Wells Fargo)
At Luhrs, the main dining room was on the 10th floor (with arched windows), the men’s grill and pool room in the 9th (with French doors onto small balconies) and 7-8 were sleeping rooms (spartan, showers down the hall, but a refrigerated place for men whose families were at Iron Springs or on the coast. No women were allowed on floors 7-9; men stayed with women at the Adams Hotel.
Thanks, Marc. Duly noted.
I spent a considerable amount of time inside the empty building around 1998-99 when it was being evaluated for conversion to a hotel. The developer needed more space, and wanted to tear down the small building to the east, but it was designated as a historic structure. At the time, this was apparently a deal killer. Was in PHX last week and glad to see the building in use as a hotel.