Schiffman Building: A Huntsville Landmark

Located at 231 Eastside Square in Huntsville, Alabama, the Schiffman Building is a tangible link to the city's vibrant past. The original building, constructed around 1845, was a three-bay brick building in the Federal style. In 1895, the Southern Savings and Loan Association commissioned architect George W. Thompson of Nashville, Tennessee, to remodel the building's facade in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. This transformation resulted in what is now considered Huntsville's only surviving example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture.The facade is constructed of rough limestone blocks and is dominated by turrets on the corners that extend above the cornice. The arched entry sits beside a large, arched window on the first floor. The window's keystone acts as a corbel for a massive bay window on the second floor. Above the door is a stone panel, flanked by turrets and marked with "I. Schiffman".The Schiffman Building has witnessed significant events in Huntsville's history. William B. Bankhead, Huntsville's city attorney from 1898 to 1902 and later Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, had an office in the building. His daughter, actress Tallulah Bankhead, was born in an apartment on the second floor. Isaac Schiffman, a German immigrant who made his mark in Huntsville as a businessman and banker, purchased the building in 1905. The Schiffman family's ownership has continued for over a century. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.