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Central Tower Building (First National Tower) Youngstown

Introduction

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Youngstown's Central Tower Building has been known by several names since its construction in 1929. Originally designed by Morris Scheibel for Central Savings and Loans, the building became the home of Metropolitan Savings and Loan in 1976. Four years later that company purchased the building for $2,000,000 and renamed the building the Metropolitan Tower. The building's name changed again in 2007 when it became First National Tower after Metropolitan Savings and Loan was acquired by First National Bank.

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First National Tower was constructed in 1929 and remains the tallest structure in Youngstown

First National Tower was constructed in 1929 and remains the tallest structure in Youngstown

Backstory and Context

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Youngstown's Central Tower Building has been an prominent feature of the downtown since its construction in 1929. Rising 224 feet tall, it was one of the tallest buildings and represented the economic growth of the late 1920s and the willingness of banks to make substantial loans and investments under the assumption of continued economic growth in major industries such as construction, real estate, and railroads. The building changed hands several times in the late 20th and early 21st century and is known today as the Metropolitan Tower. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and remains the tallest building in Youngstown.

The building began its life as the Central Tower building. The banking corporation Central Savings and Loan were the original constructors of the building. The Central Savings and Loan Company commissioned Morris W. Scheibel to design the tower and its construction was completed in 1929.

The name of the building “Central Tower” remained unchanged until 1976, that year a new banking company Metropolitan Savings and Loan took up residence in the tower. Then in 1980 Metropolitan bought the building outright for a price tag of 2 million dollars. They renamed the tower “Metropolitan Tower” after the company which now owned it. This was not to be the last of the name changes for the old Central Tower. The final name change for the Central Tower Building came in 2007, being renamed to First National Tower. This change occurred because of another buyout, when Metropolitan savings and loan was bought by First National Bank in 1985.

Sources

Tube , Robert. Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown — Central Tower , https://bobonbooks.com. May 25th 2019. Accessed August 11th 2019. https://bobonbooks.com/2019/05/25/growing-up-in-working-class-youngstown-central-tower-first-national-tower/.

Johanneson, Eric. Central Tower Building. National Register of Historic Places Inventory . Published July, 1979.

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