Stangenwald Building, Honolulu

The Stangenwald Building has the distinction of being Honolulu's first high rise office building, and one of the earliest electric elevators in the state as of 1901. Since it was built with a woodless, concrete, stone, brick, and steel design, with fireproof vaults and hoses on each floor, it was also considered virtually fireproof. This was a big deal at the time, since the city was still recovering from the aftermath of a devastating fire that had nearly destroyed Chinatown a year prior.

A local architect, C.W. Dickey (famous for developing some of the most famous buildings in Hawaii, like Halekulani Hotel), created the building to evoke Italian architecture. It has arching windows, terra cotta ornamentation, a broad balcony with intricate iron grillwork, and each floor has a subtly different exterior. Inside, the vestibule and halls were originally decorated with mosaic tile floors, and paneled with marble, and the stairs have marble and slate steps. The building's interior and exterior were so striking, that a very faithful restoration was attempted in 1980 by architect James K. Tsugawa, to preserve the building's beauty.

Today, the building is the home base for several architect firms, including Mason Architects and The American Institute of Architects.