First Federal Savings and Loan Building

First Federal Savings and Loan Building. . , The First Federal Savings and Loan Building opened in 1954 to accommodate the needs of the expanding Arlington community. After experiencing rapid post-war expansion, Arlington County grew into a thriving suburb that required new commercial buildings and services to accommodate customers. As Arlington's commercial presence continued to flourish, the bank building was expanded in 1966 with the construction of a third story and an addition on its east side that completed the original design., International Style and Architectural Façadism. Architecturally, the First Federal bank building embodies the distinctive characteristics of the International Style, with its use of clean lines, lack of ornamentation, and the asymmetrical front entrance. The International Style became synonymous with corporate America. The building's modern appearance is emphasized by its smooth limestone and marble panels, ribbon windows throughout, a large lobby window, and a minimalist approach with an angled corner main entrance., The bank building was one of the few remaining International Style commercial buildings in Arlington. Following the practice of façadism, its historic elevations to the north and west were carefully dismantled, cleaned, repaired, and reinstalled on the new building. These façades were returned to their original orientation and reflect their original appearance. Reuse of the historic façades on the new construction required adaptations to facilitate connection to the new construction and to accommodate new uses.