Marine Bank Building, 315 Madison Street

Marine Bank Building, 315 Madison Street, looking southeast. 1962 Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System

Tampa Police Headquarters, 315 Madison Street, looking southeast. 2021. © Chip Weiner

Nicknamed Big Blue, the 10-story Marine Bank building was constructed in 1961 at 315 Madison Street on the southwest corner of Franklin St. for an estimated $ 4 million. The property was the former site of the county courthouse. The bank moved from its former location at 500 Franklin St diagonally across Franklin Street, a building it took over in 1953 after Madison Drugs moved out. The new building opened in January 1962, and over 5,000 people attended the open house. The top floor was home to the University Club, a group of prominent businessmen (at the time - men only) who moved to the Exchange Bank in 1966. The Marine Bank merged with SunTrust, who moved to their new financial center and vacated the building in 1994.

At that time, the city was looking for a new home for its police headquarters. SunTrust sold the building to the city for $ 2.8 million, part of a $14-million bond issue that also helped renovate the former bank. One Police Center, as it is now called, was dedicated in December 1997 and is still the police department headquarters. In March of 2021, city officials proposed the sale of the property to help fund a new center in east Tampa. The idea was dropped, but the building sale is still being discussed.

From Burgert Brothers: Look Again, Vol. 1

The original Marine Bank and Trust Company building, 500 Franklin Street. 1953. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System

Marine Bank and Trust Company under construction on north end of block between Franklin Street and Florida Avenue. 1961. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System