First face of former Texarkana National Bank to be revealed

Developer David Peavy in a bucket truck takes down a strip of siding on a historic downtown bank Friday evening. Underneath are architectural ornaments that Peavy and his group will restore when they remove the facade, put on in about 1970, covering the eight-story brick building. (Staff photo by Les Minor)
Developer David Peavy in a bucket truck takes down a strip of siding on a historic downtown bank Friday evening. Underneath are architectural ornaments that Peavy and his group will restore when they remove the facade, put on in about 1970, covering the eight-story brick building. (Staff photo by Les Minor)

TEXARKANA, Texas - Local developers will reveal the former Texarkana National Bank's original architecture Tuesday in an event aimed at generating excitement about the building's coming renovation.

At 10 a.m., developers Texarkana Renewal Properties LLC will remove portions of a modern aluminum, stucco and marble facade with which former owners covered the building around 1970.

The company, led by local entrepreneur David Peavy, promises to bring back much of the building's historic character as it is redeveloped into luxury apartments and condominiums, overnight and extended stay residences, and retail and office spaces.

"When we start on this, we will be removing the exterior metal first on the lowers section. Then we will remove the marble down below. Once that is complete, we will be removing the white rock panels, which will be done with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, because hazardous materials are associated with that part, that we want to keep control of," Peavy told the Gazette last week.

Made of red brick with classical-style ornamentation, the eight-story Texarkana National Bank was built between 1914 and 1920 - sources differ on the construction date - at West Broad Street and North State Line Avenue. Originally tall and narrow, the bank doubled its available rental space between 1926 and 1928 by expanding to the west.

Texarkana National Bank remained the building's prime occupant between 1920 and 1997. Doctors, lawyers, dentists, architects, investment firms and construction companies also operated in the building.

Texarkana National Bank's departure in 1997 led to a mass tenant exodus from the building between 1997 and 2004. By that time, New Orleans-based Hibernia Bank had become the sole tenant, eventually giving way to Capital One.

 

Gazette reporter Junius Stone contributed to this story.

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