Turk's Head Building

Infobox Skyscraper
building_name= Turk's Head Building
location= Westminster and Weybosset Streets, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
roof= 215 ft (66 m)
height_stories= 16
built= 1913
use= Office
ZIP Code: 02903
architect= Howells and Stokes
developer= Brown Land Co.

The Turk's Head Building is a 16-story office high-rise in Providence, Rhode Island. Completed in 1913, the building is one of the oldest skyscrapers in Providence. Standing 215 feet (66 meters) tall, it is currently the 11th-tallest building in Providence. When completed in the 1913, the Turk's Head Building surpassed the 1901 Union Trust building to become the tallest building in downtown. [The Rhode Island State House was taller and finished in 1904.] It retained that title until 1922, when the Providence Biltmore was completed.Woodward, Wm McKenzie. "Guide to Providence Architecture". 1st ed. 2003: United States. ISBN 0-9742847-0-x. p81]

The building is designed in a V-shape, and architectural historian McKenzie Woodword asserts that the architects of the building "clearly had in mind Daniel Burnham's Flatiron Building" (in New York City). The skyscraper's peculiar name dates back to the early nineteenth century, when shopkeeper Jacob Whitman mounted a ship's figurehead above his store. The figurehead, which came from the ship "Sultan", depicted the head of an Ottoman warrior. Whitman's store was called "At the sign of the Turk's Head". The figurehead vanished in a storm and today a granite replica of the original Turk head is found on the building's 3rd floor façade [cite web|url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=turksheadbuilding-providence-ri-usa|title=Turk's Head Building|publisher=Emporis.com|accessdate=2008-03-07] .

After buying the building in 1997 for $4.2 million and spending $3 million renovating it, Brothers Evan and Lloyd Granoff sold the building in 2008 for $17.55 million to FB Capital Partners. [cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/business/content/BZ_TURKSHEAD_SOLD_03-01-08_DI96SV5_v22.2a531b0.html|title=Turk’s Head Building sold|last=Grimaldi|first=Paul|publisher=The Providence Journal|date=2008-03-01|accessdate=2008-03-07] The Granoffs had not been actively trying to sell the building — the Granoff's attorney advisor said the Granoffs allowed the deal because the sum offered was well over the worth of the building.

Notably, this building was also featured in one of the scenes from the Disney's movie "Underdog".

References

External links

* [http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=276 Entry on Skyscraperpage.com]
* [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=turksheadbuilding-providence-ri-usa Entry on Emporis]