Questions & answers Ask a questionBe the first to ask a question Add a photoThanks for sharing!Your photo will be posted publicly on Google.Contribute MoreDone Upload public photos of Laguarda.Low Architects LLC Posting publicly on the Web Write a review Reviews 4 Google reviews From Laguarda.Low Architects LLC Unable to add this file. Please check that it is a valid photo.Add missing information Add business hours Unable to add this file. The restoration project was completed in 2010.Address: 25 E 21st St, New York, NY 10010 Phone: (646) 823-9770: : Category: : Place name: : : Hours: : Website: Website: Category: Architect Suggest an edit Unable to add this file. The architect for the restoration and office remodel was Schwarz-Hanson Architects of Fort Worth. The new base building matches as close as possible to the original. They were removed because the patching of the new to the old would be obvious and all of the pieces would age differently. After molds were cast of the original detailing, the original terra cotta on the base was removed. Then, the mosaic tiles of that base were removed to reveal a large portion of the original terra cotta base still intact. The 1988 base was removed to reveal the 1960 base behind it. XTO continued the construction and renovated the building to meet the needs of the growing Fort Worth company. In 2007, the remodeling began, but before it was completed, XTO Energy purchased the building. At that time, the downtown office market was changing and the developer decided to remodel the building and use it again for office space.
In January of 2004, the building was purchased by a local developer and his plans were to convert the historic skyscraper into 70 loft apartments. Several deals to purchase the building have fallen through since that time.
In 1997, Transport Life moved out, leaving the building vacant. Beck was the contractor for this project. The new owners hired Omniplan Architects of Dallas to design a new base to the building that gave the feel of the original. In 1988, Continental Life was bought by Transport Life, and again the building was renamed. Also in the 1960’s Conoco had offices within the building and they erected a large revolving sign of their logo on the roof. Tom Stanley was the architect of the renovations and Childs Construction was the contractor. The old bank interior was removed to accommodate retail uses. In 1952, the bank moved across 7th Street and in 1960, the terra cotta and granite base of the building was covered over with blue Mexican tile and a glass curtain wall. The signs were removed in the early 1980’s after Carter+Burgess Plaza blocked the view of the building from I-35W. Around that time, a red neon sign reading “Continental Life” was installed on the roof along the south and east sides of the building.
In 1950, the building was sold to Continental Life Insurance Company, and the building was renamed. The bank later became the Fort Worth National Bank.
OMNIPLAN ARCHITECTS LOGO WINDOWS
The building, originally built for the Farmers and Mechanics National Bank, featured 4 story arched windows on its base and arched windows on the 24th floor. When it opened, and for a short time after, it was the Tallest Building in Texas.
This 24 story building was designed by Sanguinet & Staats with Mauran, Russell, and Crowell as Associate Architects. Farmers and Mechanics National Bank Building Architecture