First National Bank Building

Details

Printers Alley National Register Historic District

First National Bank built this 12-story building in 1905. It was Nashville’s first “skyscraper,” a type of building made possible by the advent of rapid, reliable elevators. Over the years it has been known as the Independent Life Building, Third National Bank Building, the J.C. Bradford Building, and, since 1998, the Courtyard by Marriott. Third National Bank acquired the building in 1938, and, with an addition to the east side, doubled the size of the building. New Art Deco detailing replaced the exterior’s original Neoclassical ornamentation. In 1986, the last tenants moved out and the building sat vacant for a decade. The building was threatened with demolition until its renovation for use as a hotel.