Sterick Building, Gothic Revival skyscraper in downtown Memphis, United States.
The Sterick Building is a Gothic Revival skyscraper in downtown Memphis with 29 floors and a distinctive white stone spire topped with a green tile roof. The interior features a grand lobby clad in pink Italian marble and black Belgian marble, which was typical of prestigious commercial buildings from that era.
Completed in 1930, the building held the title of Tennessee's tallest structure until another skyscraper surpassed it in 1957. Its construction marked a turning point in Memphis's urban development during the height of the skyscraper building era.
The building's design reflects how business owners in the 1930s wanted to display their success through luxurious materials and craftsmanship. Walking through the lobby, visitors see how marble and fine detailing communicated wealth and professional importance to clients and workers.
The building once housed multiple services for workers, including offices, banking facilities, and personal care services, all within a single structure. Visitors can view the exterior and lobby today, with the best perspective from Madison Avenue, where the distinctive green spire is fully visible.
The land was subject to a lease agreement requiring monthly payments in gold coins, which created legal complications decades later. This unusual clause became the subject of a court dispute in 1975 when questions arose about how to properly value such payments in modern currency.
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