NEWS
LET’S SAVE THE FORMER U.S. BANK BLDG. DOWNTOWN AND SALVAGE PART OF OUR HISTORY!
It’s been one of our missions at Dapper Companies to buy distressed properties and turn them into beautiful, functioning spaces for our clients who lease from us and their employees and customers who visit them. We have an incredible architectural history here in Las Vegas and it’s important to remember it, savor it and share it for years to come.
The building at 801 E. Charleston is iconic and part of our Downtown Las Vegas history since it opened in 1962 as the Frontier Fidelity Savings and Loan Building. As many of you know, the building was acquired in 1990 by Bank of America and was operated as a branch of US Bank until 2020 when it was purchased by its current owners, Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. We were dismayed when we learned the plan is to demolish this historic landmark and instead build from the ground up. While we are thrilled that the Advocacy & Justice Complex is expanding and fully support the organization, we’re still hoping this historic building can be saved and become a centerpiece of the new campus they are looking to develop. We know it can be done, as we’ve done it time and time again. We’re willing to help guide them through the process, if they are open to saving it.
PLEASE LET THEM KNOW YOU WANT THIS HISTORIC BUILDING TO BE SAVED!
As a developer who has spent the last eight years buying and restoring these historic buildings, we want to volunteer our expertise to make this happen, as we’ve heard they are going to be filing the permit to demolish any day now.
For additional information on this historic building, please read more below:
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The building is a mid-century modern design. At the time, it was considered contemporary and had double wall construction with reinforced concrete block with brick exterior, built on a reinforced concrete foundation. The south side gives access to the ‘main entry’ and is particularly accented by alternating panels of full height glass curtain walls and full height masonry brick in a running bond pattern with every third brick on a horizontal row projecting slightly from the others and is slightly darker in color. A flat canopy encircles the roofline and is supported by metal posts that rest on a ‘floating’ floor level deck surrounding the building. The east side of the building has a recognizable full height concrete Brise Soleil in an Art Deco motif.
The original interior was designed by C. Tony Pereira using gold, green and pumpkin colors. However, the interior was completely remodeled in 1977 by Carson Construction Company. Prior to remodel, the interior had a large mural that was designed by the firm of Kramer & Stone. It was a colorful depiction of a southwest theme that included a sunrise over Sunrise Mountain and an image of John C. Fremont. In an ode to Fremont, the words “From the ashes of his campfires have sprung cities” also appeared on the mural. Other scenes on the mural included miners, showgirls and a train.
Additionally, the center of the lobby also included a huge 14’ diameter, 18’ tall chandelier that allegedly represented the spines of cacti.
Harley A. Harmon, father of Harley E. Harmon, was president of Frontier Fidelity when the bank was commissioned and opened. Mr. Harmon was one of the original founding members of the “Responsible Members of Las Vegas Pioneer Families” that founded the bank. This is likely the origin of the institution’s name and the Pioneer Statue that originally stood outside of the east side of the building, but was removed in the early 1990’s. Frontier Fidelity Savings and Loan Association continued to occupy the building at 801 E. Charleston Blvd. until December 1990 when the bank was acquired by Bank of America. The property was operated as a branch of US Bank until 2020 when the building was purchased by its current owners, Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. Story on the expansion – https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/vegas-strong-resiliency-center-to-be-renamed-as-legal-aid-center-expands/
To contact the Legal Aid Society and have your voice heard, comment here on this post and contact them at https://www.lacsn.org/contact-us