The first building on the property, the Merchants Bank Building, was built in 1915 and opened in 1916. Rising 228 feet tall and with 16 stories, the building was the tallest in Saint Paul until it was overtaken by Wells Fargo Place. The First National Bank Building was designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White in 1931 after Merchants National Bank was absorbed by First National Bank. The 32-story structure struggled to acquire materials in 1930 due to the construction of the Empire State Building at the same time. In 1932 the cost of the building was $3,340,185.44

The worlds first modern skyway

It is believed that the world’s first modern skyway was built to connect the two towers. The skyway connects the building’s 17th floor with the adjacent 16-story Merchants Bank Building, which is part of the same property. It is the Twin Cities’ tallest skyway. The skyway with six tinted windows was built in 1931 in conjunction with the building. The Merchants Bank Building was the tallest in Saint Paul from 1915 to 1931, when the First National Bank Building overtook it.