jameswahrenberger

Commerce Str., Looking East.

from SMU Libraries Digital Collections

• Pixel Wrangler said:

  Google Street View (2011)   On the corner is the Old Alamo National Bank Building/Commerce Building, designed by architects Atlee B. Ayres and James Wahrenberger.

  "The Alamo National Bank, chartered in 1891, built this elaborate Renaissance Revival style building on the south side of Commerce Street. "In an impressive engineering feat, construction workers raised the building onto rollers and moved it south twenty feet when Commerce Street was widened in 1913-1915. The upper three stories were added in 1916 after the move." No longer a bank, the property is now "The Vault", which serves as Boudro's specialty bar for large parties. You can go inside the actual vault, but it is too small for a table. [1] [2]

  From what I've read, these buildings along East Commerce Street were designed and built in the 1880's. The Pancoast Building is still there. Designed by architect Alfred Giles for "A. Pancoast and Sons, Clothing Merchants and Tailors", the building is now condominiums. This building, along with others on the south side of Commerce Street, lost fifteen feet of its facade when the street was widened. The present facade was reconstructed, reusing the iron columns, and a plain third floor replaced the ornate cornice. [3]  

• Olivier Jeannin said:

  Well done!