Bradenton Bank and Trust Company Building, Chicago School bank building in Bradenton, Florida.
The Bradenton Bank and Trust Company Building is a seven-story structure displaying steel-frame construction with large windows and minimal external decoration. The design uses efficient construction principles to maximize office and commercial space throughout the tower.
The building opened in February 1926 during Florida's real estate boom, marking a period of rapid economic growth in the region. It initially housed a bank on the ground floor and numerous commercial tenants and offices above.
The ground floor, restored to its original appearance, housed Sharp's Drug Store for decades, a name locals still associate with the address. The building is on a walking tour of downtown Bradenton and appears on the city's master list of historic buildings.
The building is located on Manatee Avenue West and now functions primarily as office space for legal professionals and business service firms. Keep in mind this is an active commercial building, so public access to the interior may be limited.
The bank that gave the building its name failed in 1933, after which the ground floor became retail space; Sharp's Drug Store traded there for decades. The upper floors were gradually taken over by doctors, dentists, lawyers and accountants. The ground-floor exterior has since been restored to its 1926 appearance.
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