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The Lutheran Brotherhood building, built in 1953, was generally unloved until its execution was announced; then everyone suddenly realized how virtuous a structure it was. After 20 years of big bland buildings, something this clean and modest suddenly looked refreshing. But it was doomed; the floors were too small for high-buck tenants, and more money could be m
ade building a new structure on the site.
As an example of International Style architecture, it's ambivalent - the facade is clean and cerebral, but they couldn't resust sheathing the bottom floor in stone. No matter - it was a modest little gem, a human-scaled version of its monstrous New York brethern. Lutheran Brotherhood (an insurance company) abandoned this home for a bizarre, cash-register-shaped building in the 80s; it was then occupied by a local utility firm. It was demolished in the summer of 1997; a new tower for American Express is rising on the spot. |
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Note: the Neimanesque postcard shows the building at six stories; two more were eventually added. I'm trying to get permission to post a Star-Trib photo of the building in its final form. I wish I had demolition pictures, but to be honest, I couldn't stand to see them knock it down.
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