American Federal Building

Last updated
American Federal Building
American Federal Building 2009.01.09.23.01.40.jpg
American Federal Building
Alternative namesThe Round Building
General information
Architectural style Mid-Century modern
Address455 South Orange Ave
Orlando, Florida 32801
CountryUnited States
Coordinates 28°32′14″N81°22′42″W / 28.537357°N 81.378230°W / 28.537357; -81.378230 Coordinates: 28°32′14″N81°22′42″W / 28.537357°N 81.378230°W / 28.537357; -81.378230
Construction started1962
Completed1963
Renovated1973
Demolished2015
Technical details
Floor count7
Floor area66,000 sq ft (6,100 m2)
Design and construction
ArchitectRobert Murphy
Architecture firmRobert B. Murphy AIA
Main contractorJack Jennings & Sons
References
[1] [2]

The American Federal Building, also known as the American Federal Savings and Loan Building, the Coral Gables Building, [2] and the Round Building, was an iconic seven-story office building in downtown Orlando, Florida. The bottom two floors, encircled with a cast concrete brise soleil comprise the original building, completed in 1963. The building's unique architecture and history have inspired efforts to preserve it from demolition. [3] [4]

Contents

History

American Federal Savings and Loan Association acquired a 60,000-foot (18,000 m) lot In 1961 for US$400,000. [5] The American Federal Building was designed by architect Robert Murphy, who had established his practice in Orlando in 1947 and his firm later became HuntonBrady. The building was originally a two story structure, surrounded by pre-cast a concrete brise soleil, giving the building a distinct modern appearance. The construction firm Jack Jennings & Sons erected the original building, completing it in 1963. [2]

In 1973, five additional floors were added to the building with glass-clad outer walls. [5]

The building has had a number of banking tenants during its history including Coral Gables Federal Savings, First Union and Loan and CNL Financial Group. The City of Orlando purchased the building in its final years and used it for overflow office space from City Hall which was directly across Orange Avenue. [3] [6]

The building (shown here in 2009) was demolished (the process, hampered by delays, beginning in the fall of 2014 and completed by the summer of 2015) [7] [8] to provide space for the construction of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Plans were made by The Nils M. Schweizer Fellows, a group of mid century modern architecture enthusiasts and architects from the local American Institute of Architects (AIA) chapter and historians to salvage and repurpose the 120-piece concrete brise soleil latticework that surrounds the building. [9] [1]

The first preserved and re-purposed Brise Soleil segment was installed in front of the Orange County Regional History Center in Downtown Orlando in November 2018.

Related Research Articles

Orlando, Florida City in Florida, USA

Orlando is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures released in July 2017, making it the 23rd-largest metropolitan area in the United States, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States, and the third-largest metropolitan area in Florida behind Miami and Tampa. Orlando had a population of 307,573 in the 2020 census, making it the 67th-largest city in the United States, the fourth-largest city in Florida, and the state's largest inland city.

Coral Gables, Florida City in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Coral Gables, officially the City of Coral Gables, is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, located southwest of Downtown Miami. The United States Census Bureau estimates conducted in 2019 yielded the city had a population of 49,700. Coral Gables is a Mediterranean-themed planned community known for its historic and affluent character reinforced by its strict zoning, popular landmarks, and tourist sights.

Disney Springs Shopping and entertainment complex at Walt Disney World

Disney Springs is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando. The complex opened on March 22, 1975, and has been expanded and renamed over the years. In 2013, plans were announced for a three-year renovation and expansion of the complex, and on September 29, 2015, the name officially changed to Disney Springs.

Downtown Orlando Neighborhood of Orlando in Orange County, Florida, United States

Downtown Orlando is the historic core and central business district of Orlando, Florida, United States. It is bordered by Marks Street in the north, Mills Avenue in the east, Orange Blossom Trail in the west, and Kaley Avenue in the south. There are several distinct neighborhoods in downtown; "North Quarter" to the north, "Lake Eola Heights Historic District" just north of Lake Eola, "South Eola" contains Lake Eola Park and continues to the east and south of Lake Eola, "Thornton Park" in the east, "Parramore" in the west, "Lake Cherokee Historic District" to the south, and the "Central Business District" between Colonial Drive and Lake Lucerne in the center. In 2010, the estimated population of downtown was 18,731. The daytime population was estimated to be 65,000. The 5-mile radius population of downtown is 273,335.

Great Western Bank was a large retail bank that operated primarily in the Western United States. Great Western's headquarters were in Chatsworth, California. At one time, Great Western was one of the largest savings and loan in the nation, second only to Home Savings of America. The bank was acquired by Washington Mutual in 1997 for $6.8 billion.

Amway Center Arena in Florida, United States

Amway Center is an indoor arena located in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The arena is home to the Orlando Magic of the NBA, the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, and the Orlando Predators of the National Arena League.

Orange County Library System Public library system in Florida

The Orange County Library System (OCLS) is a public library system located in the Orlando area of Central Florida. Its headquarters are located in the Orlando Public Library in Downtown Orlando. The System is made up of 16 total locations, one main library and 15 branch locations. In 2020, the library system employed over 350 staff throughout the system, serving more than one million Orange County residents. The Orange County Library System is a 501(c)3 organization. The library system is led by its Library Director/CEO Mary Anne Hodel and a five-member Library Board of Trustees.

Southeast Banking Corporation was a bank holding company based in Miami, Florida. On Friday, September 19, 1991, during the savings and loan crisis, Southeast failed and was seized by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. It was placed into the receivership of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), who sold almost all of Southeast's assets to First Union. The bank failure is notable since it is the one of the first instances of the FDIC liquidating a bank using loss sharing provisions. As a result of several mergers over the next two decades, most of what was once Southeast is now part of Wells Fargo.

Geraldine Thompson Florida state senator

Geraldine Fortenberry Thompson is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party, who currently serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 44th District. The district includes Windermere, Winter Garden, Gotha, Lake Buena Vista, Oakland, parts of Ocoee, and the Dr. Phillips, Horizon West, and Williamsburg communities in Southwest Orange County, FL. The district contains Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida, SeaWorld, International Drive, and the Orange County Convention Center.

Mill Owners Association Building

Mill Owners’ Association Building, also known as Ahmedabad Textile Mill Owners' Association House , is a modern architecture building in Ahmedabad, India designed by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier.

Wenceslao Sarmiento

Wenceslao Alfonso Sarmiento, also known as W.A. Sarmiento, was a Peruvian-born American modernist architect.

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center in Downtown Orlando, Florida, United States. It replaced the Bob Carr Theater, originally opened as the Orlando Municipal Auditorium in 1927, as Orlando's main theater. The center's grand opening was held on November 6, 2014.

SunRail Commuter rail system in the Greater Orlando, Florida, area

SunRail is a commuter rail system in the Greater Orlando, Florida, area. Services began on May 1, 2014. The system comprises 16 stations along a former CSX Transportation line connecting Volusia County and Osceola County through Downtown Orlando. The SunRail system is financed by the state and federal governments and the counties it serves. SunRail is Florida's second commuter rail system after South Florida's Tri-Rail.

SunTrust Center American skyscraper located in the Central Business District of Orlando, Florida

200 South Orange, formerly known as the SunTrust Center and Sun Bank Center, is a skyscraper located in the Central Business District of Orlando, Florida. Rising to 441 ft (134.4 m), it is the tallest multi-story building in Orlando and Central Florida outside of Tampa. Completed in 1988, it has 35 stories and 30 floors of usable office space. Originally named the Sun Bank Center, the name changed after SunTrust Banks began its series of mergers and acquisitions in the 1990s. It was originally built to serve as the Florida headquarters for SunTrust Banks, but as recently as 2009, SunTrust has vacated over 150,000 square feet (14,000 m2) in an effort to downsize.

Orlando City Hall

Orlando City Hall is the headquarters of the City of Orlando government. The downtown city hall is a 9 floor, postmodern building constructed by Lincoln Property Company and completed in 1992. The building is located in downtown Orlando at the CNL Center City Commons building complex, on the corner of South Orange Avenue and South Street.

CNL Financial Group private investment management company

CNL Financial Group (CNL), formerly Commercial Net Lease, is an Orlando, Florida based private investment management and commercial real estate company. It was started in 1973 by James Seneff. The company has been a major player in efforts to redevelop Orlando's downtown. The original CNA tower was downtown Orlando's first modern skyscraper when it was completed in 1971. A new CNL Tower was constructed on the east side of Orange Avenue.

Citrus Center Commercial office building in Orlando, Florida

The Citrus Center, also known as the BB&T building, originally known as the CNA Tower, is a commercial office building in Orlando, Florida, United States located at 255 South Orange Avenue. Topped out in December 1970 and completed in April 1971, it was the first modern skyscraper in Orlando. It is 281 feet and 19 storeys tall, the first five storeys of which are a parking structure with an entrance lobby and some tenants on the first floor. There is an upper mechanical floor of 1+12 storeys above Floor 19 but they are not counted as floors. The roof contains a large structure to house electrical power switching circuitry, seven elevator winches and window-washing equipment mounted on rails.

Walter De Garmo American architect

Walter C. De Garmo (1876–1951) was a prominent architect in Miami, Florida and its surrounding communities. His buildings include the Woman's Club of Coconut Grove and the 1907 Miami City Hall. He is known for his residential work in South Florida, especially large luxury residences in the Mission Revival and Mediterranean Revival styles.

Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building United States historic place

The Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building, also known as American Federal Savings and the Catholic Pastoral Center, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Completed in 1962, it is considered to be "one of the most well-known examples of mid-century modern architecture in Des Moines." It was designed by the prominent Chicago architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and it is one of the first steel and glass modernist buildings in the city's downtown. Initially, the roof was designed to be suspended from two lengthwise trusses, similar van der Rohe's designs at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. That design was abdoned for a simpler and more direct design that features a steel-frame, glass-infill, and granite and travertine marble on the base. The three-story building rises to the height of 40.25 feet (12.27 m). It was built for the Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines and later American Federal Savings, which failed in 1990 amid the country's Savings and loan crisis. There was concern that the building would be torn down so the Des Moines City Council designated it as a local landmark. In 1992 philanthropist Ed Ochylski acquired it and donated it to the Diocese of Des Moines, who converted it into their headquarters. From 2016 to 2017, the building underwent a $10 million renovation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.

Kurt Werner Meyer was a Swiss-born American architect active from 1948-1993. Working primarily in the Los Angeles area, Meyer is known for numerous financial institutions, educational building, civic buildings, and civic service.

References

  1. 1 2 Maxwell, Scott (July 3, 2011). "Round O-town icon just might live on". Orlando, Florida. Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 "American Federal Building". Central Florida Modern. April 24, 2013. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Jackson, Jerry W. (May 1, 2008). "Landmark's last go-round - Architects want to preserve a piece of it to be used in the new Dr. P. Phillips Performing Arts Center". Orlando, Florida. Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  4. Kaiser, John (April 24, 2013). "Round Building Donations". Central Florida Modern. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  5. 1 2 "The Round Building, Orange Ave and South St". Orlando Retro Blog. May 19, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  6. Jackson, Jerry W. (June 15, 1995). "Bank Name Makes 3rd Stop - First Union's Announcement Ended Speculation That It Might Sell The - Cylindrical Coral Gables Building In Downtown Orlando". Orlando, Florida. Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  7. Brinkmann, Paul (June 11, 2015). "CNL shows sketches, but no official plan for Tower III". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  8. Weiner, Jeff (May 12, 2015). "City to consider new contractor for Round Building demolition". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  9. Palm, Matthew J. (October 25, 2011). "Orlando Round Building: Hope grows for saving distinctive latticework". Orlando, Florida. Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved July 26, 2013.