| Professional Building | |
|---|---|
| ProfessionalBldg.JPG Professional Building |
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| General information | |
| Status | Under Re-Construction |
| Location | North Central Avenue and Monroe Street Phoenix |
| Coordinates | |
| Construction started | 1931 |
| Completed | 1932 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 171 ft (52 m) |
| Top floor | 12 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 12 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Morgan, Walls & Clemmets |
The Professional Building in Phoenix, Arizona is an Art Deco skyscraper in the state of Arizona. Built in 1932, it is 171 feet (52 meters) tall. The Professional Building is designed in the Art Deco style. Angles and setbacks are played up in this streamlined design. A central tower rises from the two story base with a wing on the western side of the building. The entrances on Central Avenue and Monroe Street feature decorative grills above the doors, which add elements to the deco design.
In 1930, members of the Maricopa County Medical Society met to discuss the need for a major facility for medical, dental and laboratory offices. Coincidentally, the Valley Bank and Trust Company was preparing plans to build their headquarters. The Professional Building is the result of combining the office space needs of both entities.
Upon completion, in February 1932, the Valley Bank moved into the bottom three floors with medical offices occupying the top seven.
In 1958 a large rotating Valley Bank sign was added to the top of the tower. It measured 49 feet across and could be seen from miles around. Also in 1958 another floor was added to the western wing. This floor differs slightly from the rest of the building, as it is mostly glass and it is attached to the central core tower by a 45 degree angled cantilever. (In the opening shot of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film Psycho, the building along with the rotating sign can be seen as the camera pans across the then-skyline of downtown Phoenix.)
In 1972 the Valley Bank moved across the street to the tallest skyscraper in the state, its newly built headquarters, now known as Chase Tower.
In the next two decades occupancy dwindled, yet on January 8, 1993 the Professional Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
By the early 2000 the building had been vacant for years and the revolving sign had been removed.
Scottsdale based Grace Communities purchased the Professional Building. It is in the midst of a major renovation. The Professional Building will be transformed into the Hotel Monroe, a 150-room boutique hotel. Originally slated to open in October 2008, the Hotel Monroe project is temporarily on hold.
The Professional Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.ref name="nris">"National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.</ref>
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