Bank of Italy Building

Infobox_nrhp | name =Bank of Italy Building
nrhp_type =nhl


caption = Bank of Italy Building, 552 Montgomery St., San Francisco. Also known as the Clay-Montgomery Building.
location= 552 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, California
lat_degrees = 37
lat_minutes = 47
lat_seconds = 40.26
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 122
long_minutes = 24
long_seconds = 5.59
long_direction = W
locmapin = California
area =
built =1908
architect= Shea,F.T.
architecture= Other, Renaissance
designated= June 02, 1978cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1747&ResourceType=Building
title=Bank of Italy Building |accessdate=2007-11-17|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = June 02, 1978cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
governing_body = Private
refnum=78000754

The Bank of Italy Building, also known as Clay-Montgomery Building, is a building in San Francisco, California. This eight-story building became the headquarters of A. P. Giannini's Bank of Italy (precursor of the Bank of America) in 1908 after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire destroyed the original bank building on Montgomery Avenue (now Columbus Avenue) in nearby North Beach.citation|title=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/78000754.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Bank of Italy Building] |470 KB|date=June, 1977 |author=Ralph J. Christian |publisher=National Park Service]

History

Following the destruction of the original headquarters, the Bank of Italy was briefly run from two locations, one on the Washington Street wharf and the other from the home of Giannini's brother on Van Ness Avenue. Shortly thereafter, more permanent accommodations were found in a building on Montgomery Avenue near the site of the original headquarters.

During this period, Giannini and the bank directors decided to construct their own bank building. A parcel of land was purchased for $125,000 at the corner of Clay and Montgomery Streets. Due to demands on the bank's funds following the fires, construction was not started for nearly a year after the land purchase.

The building opened on August 17 1908 and served as the headquarters of the Bank of Italy until 1921 when operations were moved to a newer building at 1 Powell Street. Following the headquarters move, the building served as the headquarters for Giannini's Liberty Bank System. In the 1930s, the building became a Bank of America branch. Some time between the National Register of Historic Places application in 1978 and the present day, the bank has become a First Bank branch.

Preservation

The Bank of Italy Building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1978.

The external structure is predominantly original with the exception of the replacement of the original doors and the addition of another entrance. Additionally, the windows that originally existed on the south side of the building were bricked over when the neighboring Scatena Building was constructed.

The interior of the upper floors (2-8) have seen extensive modification and little remains of the original design. The basement has also been heavily modified with the exception of the original safe containing 5,000 safe deposit boxes. The first floor retains much of the original plaster and marble work. The tables, marble counters, wainscoting, and light fixtures are also originals. The original bronze teller cages have been replaced with newer protective cages that retain the look of the originals.

References

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