Mercantile Continental Building
Encyclopedia
The Mercantile Continental Building is located at 1810 Commerce Street in downtown
Dallas, Texas
(USA
). It is a contributing structure at the edge of the Government District and adjacent to Main Street Garden Park
. The building was built and owned by Mercantile National Bank and connected to their complex by an underground walkway.
The building was constructed for Mercantile National Bank as an underground garage adjacent to their main offices at the Mercantile National Bank Building
. Designed by Walter W. Ahlschlager
, the structure contained 4 levels of underground parking and 3 levels of air conditioned office and retail space. Constructed as the first real underground parking structure in Dallas, the garage was accessed from Jackson, Prather and Harwood Streets and was capable of holding 1,250 cars in a continuous spiral.
In 1958 Mercantile National Bank renovated and expanded the building. Broad & Nelson designed an 8-floor, 201297 sq ft (18,701.1 m²) addition on top of the existing structure, and the building was connected by an underground pedestrian tunnel to the growing Mercantile complex. The pedestrian tunnels were later incorporated into the Dallas Pedestrian Network
.
The building was renamed to "Mercantile Continental Building," and an adjacent building (formerly Vaughn Tower) was purchased by the bank and took the name "Mercantile Commerce Building."
Over the years the building housed expanding offices for Mercantile National Bank and other tenants. The FBI occupied the second floor from April 1964 to June 1980.
The Continental Building's office space became vacant when Mercantile National Bank moved to new headquarters at Momentum Place in 1987, but the garage continued to be used. During rehabilitation of the Mercantile Building in 2007 the underground connection was severed and the Continental Building's garage closed.
entered into a deal with the City of Dallas to redevelop the Mercantile National Bank Building
. That building was converted to luxury apartments and opened in 2009. As part of the deal, Forest City received $5 million from the city to convert the Continental Building into 150 residential units, but the building remained vacant after the economic downturn in 2008. In October 2009 the city approved $17.5 million in tax increment financing in a new contract with Forest City. The new deal will result in 180 units and 500 square feet (46.5 m²) of retail by December 31, 2011. Because the deal includes federal housing loans, 20 percent of the units will be set aside for low-income residents.
, one-time president of Mercantile National Bank (and later Mayor of Dallas) commissioned a 30 feet (9.1 m)-high mosaic sculpture for the building by acclaimed California artist Millard Sheets
.
The sculpture includes a cowboy, native Americans, horses and wild animals made of carved stone and brightly colored Italian glass mosaic tiles and 22-karat gold ornamentation. Sheets also designed several mosaics for the Mercantile National Bank Building.
Local concern arose that the iconic artwork may be destroyed with redevelopment of the building, but Forest City stated in 2009 that they intend to preserve the mural.
Downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District in Dallas, Texas USA, located in the geographic center of the city. The area termed "Downtown" has traditionally been defined as bounded by the downtown freeway loop: bounded on the east by I-345 Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District...
Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). It is a contributing structure at the edge of the Government District and adjacent to Main Street Garden Park
Main Street Garden Park
Main Street Garden Park is a public park located in downtown Dallas, Texas, USA The $17.4 million park was primarily funded through the City of Dallas’ 2003 and 2006 bond programs and is the first of several planned downtown core parks, including Pacific Plaza Park and Belo Garden Park...
. The building was built and owned by Mercantile National Bank and connected to their complex by an underground walkway.
History
Originally named the Mercantile Commerce Building and designed in contemporary style using stone and tile, the building and garage opened in late 1948 at a cost of $1.65 million.The building was constructed for Mercantile National Bank as an underground garage adjacent to their main offices at the Mercantile National Bank Building
Mercantile National Bank Building
The Mercantile National Bank Building is the former home of the Mercantile National Bank, later MCorp Bank, located at 1700 Main Street in downtown Dallas, Texas . It is a contributing structure in the Main Street District. The design of the skyscraper features Moderne styling from the Art Deco...
. Designed by Walter W. Ahlschlager
Walter W. Ahlschlager
Walter W. Ahlschlager was a twentieth century American architect who had his offices in Chicago for many years. Later he established an office in Dallas, Texas...
, the structure contained 4 levels of underground parking and 3 levels of air conditioned office and retail space. Constructed as the first real underground parking structure in Dallas, the garage was accessed from Jackson, Prather and Harwood Streets and was capable of holding 1,250 cars in a continuous spiral.
In 1958 Mercantile National Bank renovated and expanded the building. Broad & Nelson designed an 8-floor, 201297 sq ft (18,701.1 m²) addition on top of the existing structure, and the building was connected by an underground pedestrian tunnel to the growing Mercantile complex. The pedestrian tunnels were later incorporated into the Dallas Pedestrian Network
Dallas Pedestrian Network
The Dallas Pedestrian Network is a system of grade-separated walkways covering thirty-six city blocks of downtown Dallas, Texas, USA. The system connects buildings, garages and parks through underground tunnels and above-ground skybridges...
.
The building was renamed to "Mercantile Continental Building," and an adjacent building (formerly Vaughn Tower) was purchased by the bank and took the name "Mercantile Commerce Building."
Over the years the building housed expanding offices for Mercantile National Bank and other tenants. The FBI occupied the second floor from April 1964 to June 1980.
The Continental Building's office space became vacant when Mercantile National Bank moved to new headquarters at Momentum Place in 1987, but the garage continued to be used. During rehabilitation of the Mercantile Building in 2007 the underground connection was severed and the Continental Building's garage closed.
Redevelopment
In June 2005 Forest City EnterprisesForest City Enterprises
Forest City Enterprises is a $9-billion diversified real estate management and development company based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Its portfolio includes interests in retail centers, apartment communities, office buildings and mixed-use projects in the U.S...
entered into a deal with the City of Dallas to redevelop the Mercantile National Bank Building
Mercantile National Bank Building
The Mercantile National Bank Building is the former home of the Mercantile National Bank, later MCorp Bank, located at 1700 Main Street in downtown Dallas, Texas . It is a contributing structure in the Main Street District. The design of the skyscraper features Moderne styling from the Art Deco...
. That building was converted to luxury apartments and opened in 2009. As part of the deal, Forest City received $5 million from the city to convert the Continental Building into 150 residential units, but the building remained vacant after the economic downturn in 2008. In October 2009 the city approved $17.5 million in tax increment financing in a new contract with Forest City. The new deal will result in 180 units and 500 square feet (46.5 m²) of retail by December 31, 2011. Because the deal includes federal housing loans, 20 percent of the units will be set aside for low-income residents.
Artwork
During the building's expansion in 1959 R.L. ThorntonRobert L. Thornton
Robert Lee Thornton, Sr. was a Dallas, Texas businessman, philanthropist, and mayor of the city....
, one-time president of Mercantile National Bank (and later Mayor of Dallas) commissioned a 30 feet (9.1 m)-high mosaic sculpture for the building by acclaimed California artist Millard Sheets
Millard Sheets
Millard Owen Sheets was an American painter and a representative of the California School of Painting, later a teacher and educational director, and architect of more than 50 branch banks in Southern California.-Early life:...
.
The sculpture includes a cowboy, native Americans, horses and wild animals made of carved stone and brightly colored Italian glass mosaic tiles and 22-karat gold ornamentation. Sheets also designed several mosaics for the Mercantile National Bank Building.
Local concern arose that the iconic artwork may be destroyed with redevelopment of the building, but Forest City stated in 2009 that they intend to preserve the mural.