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The
People's Building was Charleston's first "skyscraper,"
erected in 1910-11 at a cost of $300,000. It was designed by
a Swedish architect, Victor Frohling of Thompson & Frohling,
of New York, and built by the Hadden Construction Co. The
pile driving for the structure so weakened a nearby ancient
residence that the People's Building and Investment Company had to
buy it.
The project was organized by R. Goodwyn
Rhett, mayor of Charleston and president of the People's National
Bank. By many it was seen as a sign of "progress",
while others were afraid it would ruin Charleston's skyline.
President Howard Taft, who viewed the city from the top of the
building, said, "I don't believe that it did ruin the
skyline, but if it did the view from up here makes it worth
it." When the building opened in April 1911, people
came just to ride the steel frame elevators.
The first two
floors of the building are faced with Winnsboro granite, while the
upper floors are faced with buff-colored brick and terra
cotta. The eight story building is constructed of concrete
and steel and rated as fireproof. Originally it had, in
addition to the banking space, 9 rooms on a mezzanine and 13 rooms
on each of the upper floors, and the building was steam
heated.
The People's Bank closed in 1936 and the
building was purchased by the Southeastern Securities Co., Charles
L. Mullaly, president. Mullaly installed the two white
marble leopards at the main entrance. Carved from Italian
marble by an unknown 18th century artist, the leopards were
brought to Charleston from an estate near Boston, Mass. (Stockton,
DYKYC, Nov. 13, 1972. Green, unpub. notes,HCF)
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