Arizona Then and Now: Downtown Phoenix
It took about 90 years for Phoenix to take on the look of a big city.
From the establishment of the original town site in 1870 into the early 20th century, Phoenix established itself as a hub for agriculture and mining and the look of its downtown reflected that. With a population of 29,053 according to the 1920 census, the city kept a fairly low profile when it came to buildings and architecture.
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While large cities on the East and West coasts sported skylines dominated by skyscrapers, bridges and other towering structures, Phoenix retained the look of a Western town.
At 10 stories, the Luhrs Building was the tallest in town when it was completed in 1924. A few years later the Luhrs Tower topped out at 14 stories to become the city’s tallest.
The Luhrs buildings are still in use, by the way, recently having undergone a $10 million renovation.
They didn’t hold the title of the highest structures in the city for long, however, as the 16-story Westward Ho Hotel (also still in use) followed in 1928.
World War II and the years that followed brought new industry to the area and by 1960 the city’s population had swelled to 439,170. About that time, Phoenix underwent a vertical growth spurt that began the big-city look that residents are familiar with today.
In 1960 the 20-story Guaranty Bank Building (now the Meridian Bank Tower) became the tallest building in town and remained so for about five years until the 26-story First Federal Savings Building (now the Phoenix Corporate Tower) was completed in 1965.
Things escalated in 1971 with the completion of the First National Bank Plaza (now Wells Fargo Plaza) reached a height of 372 feet with its 27 floors.
It didn’t hold the title of Phoenix’s tallest building for long. About a year later the current leader, Chase Tower was finished.
Chase Tower was named Valley Center when it opened in 1972. The 40-story building’s roof tops out at 483 feet.
Several other skyscrapers have been built in Phoenix since Chase Tower opened, including lofty structures such as Viad Tower, 44 Monroe, Century Link and US Bank Center Phoenix, but Chase Tower remains the tallest building in Arizona.
