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Postcard displaying downtown Waco, including the ALICO building (circa 1913) -
The ALICO building looming over the destroyed downtown area of Waco, in the aftermath of the 1953 Waco tornado outbreak
| ALICO Building | |
|---|---|
 Upper floors of ALICO building | |
  Location within Texas  ALICO Building (the United States) | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Office |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| Address | 425 Austin Street |
| Town or city | Waco, Texas |
| Country | United States of America |
| Coordinates | 31°33′25.2″N 97°7′55.2″W / 31.557000°N 97.132000°W |
| Current tenants | American-Amicable Life Insurance Company of Texas |
| Construction started | August 1910 |
| Opened | August 1911 |
| Renovated | 1966 |
| Cost | US$755,000 (equivalent to US$24,688,500 in 2023) |
| Height | 282 feet (86 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Steel |
| Material | Brick, Terra Cotta |
| Floor count | 22 |
| Lifts/elevators | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Sanguinet & Staats |
| Website | |
Official website
 | |
ALICO Building | |
| Part of | Waco Downtown Historic District ( ID11001094 [1]) |
| RTHL No. | 118 [2] |
| Significant dates | |
| Designated CP | February 3, 2012 |
| Designated RTHL | 1982 |
| References | |
| [3] | |
The ALICO Building is a 22-story office building in downtown Waco, Texas, United States, located at the intersection of Austin and 5th Street. [3] The building is currently owned and operated by the American-Amicable Life Insurance Company of Texas (a subsidiary of Industrial Alliance). At 282 feet (86 m) tall, it is currently the tallest building in Waco. [4]
History
The ALICO building was built in 1910 by the architectural firm Sanguinet & Staats for the Amicable Life Insurance Company at a cost of US$755,000 (equivalent to US$24,688,500 in 2023), and was completed in one year. [4] [5] [6] It is the second oldest skyscraper built in Texas as well as the oldest skyscraper in Texas still standing, after the Praetorian Building in Dallas, built in the year prior to ALICO, [7] was demolished in 2013.
The ALICO Building was not heavily damaged by the 1953 Waco tornado outbreak, unlike many buildings in downtown Waco. [3] It swayed several feet when directly hit by the tornado, although the building escaped severe damage or collapse. [5] [8]
In 1965, Amicable Life Insurance Company and American Life Insurance Company merged to become the American-Amicable Life Insurance Company, the current tenant of the building. In 1966, the building underwent renovations, including the addition of the large neon sign at the top of the building displaying the acronym "ALICO". [4]
In 1982, the ALICO building was designated a historical landmark by the Texas Historical Commission. [2] In 2012, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Waco Downtown Historic District. [9]
References
- ^ "Waco Downtown Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
- ^ a b "Details for ALICO Building (Atlas Number 5309000118)". Texas Historical Commission. Archived from the original on 2022-06-08. Retrieved 2022-06-08. Alt URL
- ^ a b c "ALICO Building". Emporis. Archived from the original on 2017-10-01. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
- ^ a b c "History of the ALICO Building". ALICO Building. Retrieved 2017-10-05.
- ^ a b Ryan, Terri; Fiedler, Randy (2011-04-08). "The story of the ALICO building: 100 years, 22 stories and 1 towering ego". Waco Tribune. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
- ^ Baughman, Kyle; Sawyer, Amanda. "Amicable (ALICO) Building". Waco History. Archived from the original on 2022-06-08. Retrieved 2022-06-08. Alt URL
- ^ "Praetorian Building". Archived from the original on 2022-06-08. Retrieved 2022-06-08. Alt URL
- ^ Troessner, John. "Ten Things You Should Know About the ALICO Building of Waco". Texas Escapes. Archived from the original on 2022-06-08. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
- ^ "Waco considers making ALICO building a local historic landmark". KXXV. 2018-06-23. Archived from the original on 2022-06-08. Retrieved 2022-06-08. Alt URL
Further reading
- "Statement of Significance".
Texas SP Waco Downtown Historic District. 2011-12-23. pp. 59–62. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
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Media related to
ALICO Building at Wikimedia Commons -
Official website