PROVIDENT BANK OF MARYLAND

240 N. HOWARD STREET
1903 J. E. SPERRY & YORK & SAWYER

The Provident Bank of Maryland (originally Provident Savings Bank) is probably the finest example of the Second Renaissance Revival style in Baltimore. Designed to resemble Italian Renaissance palaces, this massive structure bears a remarkable similarity to Dahlgren Hall at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, designed by Ernest Flagg in 1899 and completed in 1903, the year construction began on the bank building. Provident Savings Bank was chartered in 1886 to encourage "thrift and providence" among wage earners whose small deposits had not been sought after by the existing banks. Six branch offices was established at 407 East Baltimore in April, 1887. In July 1888, the central office was moved to the corner of Howard and Franklin Streets, into a new building built especially for Provident. As the bank grew larger, it was recognized that the central office would soon be too small and a search was undertaken for a suitable corner lot in the downtown area. The search ended in 1901 with the purchase of the old Saratoga (Gibbons) Hotel lot on the southwest corner of Howard and Saratoga Streets. The present structure, begun in 1903 and completed in 1904, was designed by Joseph Evans Sperry, one of Baltimore's most important and prolific architects, who has planned successful branch buildings for Provident, and by York and Sawyer of New York, architects of a number of major bank buildings, including the Riggs Bank of Washington. The central office was located in this building until recently, when Provident purchased the Old Federal Reserve Bank Building. In 1949 and 1953 the interior of this building was altered to provide additional space.

ORDINANCE 0851 12/12/86