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Madison & Main Building -
801-05 8TH ST
 Print Listing
Historical Name -
Union Bank/Greeley National Bank
Style -
Modern Movements
Built Year -
1888
State ID -
5WL4124
Description -
Two-story rectangular brick building with flat roof with metal coping. West third of building is slightly set back from east part. Walls of variegated shades of red brick. Two bands of molded brick create frieze along upper wall. Second story of façade (south) has five evenly spaced two-part windows with tall sash over short sash. Rectangular oriel window at west end of building. First story of façade has central entrance with double paneled and glazed doors with large rectangular lights and large rectangular transom. Also inset paneled and glazed door with sidelight on west part of façade, with plate glass display windows to west. Brick planter under window west of main entrance. Paneled and glazed door on east end. Metal ribbed awning shelters windows on south and east. Rectangular metal bay windows under awnings on south and east. Basement level slanted glazed light well on south at east end (with low brick wall and wrought iron fence). The rear of the building has the same type of windows on the second story as the east wall and the fenestration of the first story has been altered. The rear of the one-story building to the west incorporated into the current building is visible.
Historical Background -
This building was erected in 1888 as the headquarters of the Union Bank and housed stores on the east side, as well as professional offices on the upper floor. Among the early stores were boots and shoes, a clothing store, and a gun shop, while offices included a dentist, a realtor, and an abstract office. In 1921 the bank took over the entire building, except for a telegraph office at the rear. The Union Bank had incorporated on 31 March 1877, and had previously existed as the financial firm of Flowers, Cameron & Benedict. The first bank building in the 700 block of 8th Avenue burned in 1883; this was the second building. In 1905 the bank became the Union National Bank, and, in 1914, it merged with the City National Bank. In 1926 the firm merged with the Greeley National Bank, which had been chartered in 1890. The new bank was called the Greeley Union National Bank and it operated out of this building. The bank closed for 10 days in 1933, but reorganized and reopened. By 1934 it had become known as the Greeley National Bank. During the Depression, no depositor lost money at the bank.
In the 1950s the city’s first drive-up window was added. The bank was also the first in the city to install a computer system. In 1974 a new seven-story bank building was completed for the Greeley National at 9th Avenue and 7th Street. This building was dramatically remodeled in 1983 at a cost of $850,000. The building has been called “a cornerstone of the downtown redevelopment district.”
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