Bank of Italy Building (San Francisco)

The Bank of Italy Building stands out for its ornate, neoclassical facade and the heavy, sculpted eagles perched high above the street. A.P. Giannini built this structure in nineteen twenty-one to serve as the headquarters for his growing financial empire. He launched his bank after the nineteen oh six earthquake, specifically lending money to immigrant laborers who other banks ignored. When he reopened for business just days after the disaster, he operated from a makeshift desk set up on a wooden plank.