Print ArticleImmediately following the Great Fire of 1901, the skyscraper made its way to Jacksonville. Over the decades to follow, the city's tallest building has changed nine times. Here's a look at those buildings.
4. Heard National Bank Building
Year completed: 1913
Height: 180 feet/15 Stories
Also known as the Graham Building, the Heard National Bank Building is a result of construction plans put forward by John Joseph Heard, a capitalist who moved to Jacksonville to take advantage of the city's flourishing market. In 1911, Heard announced that he was going to construct a building for his bank, one so large, it would be the biggest building south of Atlanta.
Duval County Judge John Dodge would enter the picture, and Heard would suddenly find himself at the center of a huge extortion scandal. Dodge liked the idea of a skyscraper, and he happened to own the land to the south wall of Heard’s new project. Draftsmen on Dodge’s project were instructed to create a building the same height and width as Heard’s building. This would block the riverfront view and ventilation of Heard’s building, rendering it virtually useless. Heard had no choice but to pay Dodge not to build his skyscraper.
Dodge agreed and went back to practicing. Unfortunately it was all for naught, as Heard would go bankrupt less than 5 years in to his business. The building remained the city's tallest until 1926. It remained part of the Northbank skyline until 1981, when it was demolished to make room for a parking lot.
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