Union Bank

Located at 945 East Grant Road was the third branch for the Tucson based Union Bank. The banking industry in Arizona was an essential catalyst in the expansion of the post WWII era optimism and development. Arizona’s banks were on the leading edge of progressive banking policies and these policies were reflected in the architectural design. These buildings expressed the core values of security, integrity, experience, partnership and forward thinking. The use of cast concrete and brutalist design tenets in this branch created a physical sense of assurance and permanence.  The expansion was approved by the State Banking Department in April 1971 and the architectural renderings for the branch publicly unveiled in the Tucson Daily Citizen on April 1971 with the branch opening planned for later summer of that year. The buildings was 2,100 square feet and including four drive-in windows and six teller stations. The branch was commissioned under the direction of bank president Robert Patton designed by the Architect Ivan A. Sarkiss (Jerry Roberson, lead designer). Union Bank had been established in 1963 and by 1971 held 48 million of desposts and had 53.5 million in assets. The bank also included a “large ceramic fountain” designed by noted artist Barbara Zion Grygutis. (Written by Demion Clinco, Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation)