The Security Building is a building in downtown

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...

, completed in 1928 and listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1985.

History

The Security Building was constructed for the Security Improvement Company, whose President was prominent Phoenix realtor Dwight B. Heard. From 1897 until his 1929 death, Heard was one of the most powerful men in the state, owning an investment company, a cattle company, and the ''

Arizona Republic ''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. History Early years The newspap ...

an'' newspaper. The building would serve as a headquarters for produce growers and law firms over the years. In 1958, the ninth-floor penthouse apartment was added, serving as the home of Walter R. Bimson, the chairman of the successful

Valley National Bank of Arizona Valley National Bank of Arizona was a bank based in Phoenix, Arizona, founded in 1900 and acquired by Bank One in 1992. The bank was one of Arizona's leading financial institutions during the 20th century and the last major independent bank in Ar ...

. In 2001,

Maricopa County Maricopa County () is a county in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census the population was 4,420,568, or about 62% of the state's total, making it the fourth-most populous county in the United States and ...

acquired the property, and historical renovations began in 2005 to restore the building. The Security Building currently houses county offices; the

Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...

Phoenix Urban Research Laboratory occupied the former penthouse until May 2012.
Phoenix New Times, March 2012

Architecture

The building was designed by Claud Beelman, Curlett & Beelman, with regional contractors Edwards, Wildey and Dixon constructing the building. The Security Building is an example of Second

Renaissance Revival architecture Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th-century Revivalism (architecture), architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival architecture, Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival ar ...

, using copper and hand-molded bricks. The structure uses reinforced concrete, while the interior includes marble floors and walls, as well as brass elevator doors.

References

{{Maricopa County, Arizona Office buildings in Phoenix, Arizona Office buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Arizona National Register of Historic Places in Phoenix, Arizona Arizona State University buildings and structures Second Renaissance Revival architecture Renaissance Revival architecture in Arizona Office buildings completed in 1928