Robert Gere Bank Building121 East Water Street |
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| Designed by Charles E. Colton and completed in 1894, this structure was built
for James J. Belden and named after his father-in-law, Robert Gere. This
building is considered by some to be Colton's finest design. The base is of gray
granite and the windows are grouped vertically beneath arches. Colton's use of
terra cotta between floor levels and under the cornice appears to be inspired by
the work of Chicago architect Louis Henry Sullivan. Although the fire-proof bank vaults still exist beneath the sidewalk, the building has not been used as a bank since 1906. (Click thumbnail image for enlargement)
1963 |
