Alex. Brown & Sons Building

The Alex. Brown & Sons building, located at 135 East Baltimore Street in Baltimore, Maryland, served as the corporate headquarters during the 20th century for the banking firm Alex. Brown & Sons, which was the oldest banking firm in the United States when it was purchased by Bankers Trust in 1997. The two story building, completed in 1901 and designed by the partnership of J. Harleston Parker and Douglas H. Thomas. Jr., survived the 1904 Baltimore fire. The building was modified on the Calvert Street side and in the interior by the firm Beecher, Friz, and Gregg in 1905. [Dorsey, John & Dilts, James D., "Guide to Baltimore Architecture" (1997) p. 151-2. Tidewater Publishers, Centreville, Maryland ISBN 0-87033-477-8]

The building was sold to Chevy Chase Bank in 1997. A plaque on the side of the building states:

:"A thorough historical renovation of the building was completed in 1996 when it was reopened as a traditional retail bank branch. The beautiful stained glass dome, probably the work of Baltimore artist Gustave Baumstark (who studied under both Louis C. Tiffany and John LaFarge) was cleaned and refurbished. The marble columns and the plaster moldings of the great banking hall were restored to their original designs. During the renovation the original teller line was reconstructed. Even such details as the design and placement of the freestanding furniture now in existence in the bank branch were designed to mimic the original furniture."

References