Bank of Italy Building (San Jose, California)
| Bank of Italy Building | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Former names | Bank of America Building |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| Location | 12 South First Street San Jose, California |
| Coordinates | 37°20′09″N 121°53′24″W / 37.3358°N 121.89°W |
| Construction started | 1925 |
| Completed | 1926 |
| Cost | US$1 million |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 77.72 m (255.0 ft) |
| Roof | 69.2 m (227 ft) |
| Top floor | 53.65 m (176.0 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 14 |
| Floor area | almost 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m2) |
| Lifts/elevators | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Henry A. Minton |
| References | |
| [1][2][3] | |
The Bank of Italy Building is a 14-story, 77.72 m (255.0 ft) Renaissance Revival high-rise office building on the corner of South First Street and Santa Clara Street in downtown San Jose, California. Built in 1925–26 as San Jose's first skyscraper, it has a red-tile hip roof and a decorative cupola with a needle-like spire featuring a tall green light. It is a designated San Jose Historical Landmark and part of the Downtown Historic District.
History
[edit]Built in 1925–26 to a design by architect Henry A. Minton, the Bank of Italy Building is one of the oldest skyscrapers in Silicon Valley. Until 1970, it was the tallest building between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It was the second home of the first San Jose branch of the Bank of Italy (which later became the Bank of America).[4] That branch, the first Bank of Italy branch outside San Francisco, was opened in 1909 in the Commercial and Savings Bank building further west on Santa Clara St. at the corner of Lightston Alley; a reconstruction is at History Park in San Jose.[5]
Present
[edit]The building is a San Jose Historical Landmark, and in a National Register of Historic Places-designated Historic District. In the 21st century, its office space has housed many companies including law firms, tax services, and an AIDS advocacy group.[6] The street-level retail space has housed a pawn shop and a nightclub.
In December 2017, local real estate investors and developers Gary Dillabough and Jeff Arrillaga bought the Bank of Italy Building for $27.04 million; it had previously had several partial owners on a condominium basis.[7] The original plan was a gut rehabilitation to net zero standards to create small office spaces; following the COVID-19-related downturn, a 2021 concept envisaged a mixed-use conversion including retail and food and with the addition of garden terraces;[8] in early 2024, work began on a residential conversion to include at least 100 apartments on the upper floors of the tower.[9][10] In June 2024, it was announced that the building is to be the location of the Center for AI Excellence, an incubator for AI start-ups managed by Plug and Play Tech Center.[11]
See also
[edit]- Bank of America History
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Santa Clara County, California
References
[edit]- ^ "Emporis building ID 118602". Emporis. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Bank of Italy Building". SkyscraperPage.
- ^ Bank of Italy Building at Structurae
- ^ "Old Bank of America Building - San Jose, CA". Waymarking. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ^ "Bank of Italy". History San Jose. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ Julia Prodis Sulek (May 23, 2010). "Taste of Silicon Valley attracts restaurants, foodies in name of fight against AIDS". The San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ^ Janice Bitters (December 18, 2017). "Historic Bank of Italy building sells to local developers with big plans". Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ George Avalos (June 28, 2021). "Real estate: Bank of Italy is key part of Westbank downtown San Jose revamp". The Mercury News. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ Alyson Chuyang (January 3, 2024). "Historic Bank of Italy Tower to convert to housing". SJ Today. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ George Avalos (May 21, 2024). "Work begins to convert San Jose office tower to housing high-rise". Silicon Valley.com. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ Chase DiFeliciantonio (June 13, 2024). "Exclusive: PG&E to help fund budding South Bay AI innovation center". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Bank of Italy Building (San Jose, California) at Wikimedia Commons
- NRHP Historic District Contributing Buildings - Old Bank of America Building, Waymarking
- Image, National Parks Service (archived from the original on November 6, 2012)
