[3] From December 7, 1903, until April 29, 1950, the site was home to the Nixon Theater, built by Samuel F. Nixon-Nirdlinger and Senator George T. Oliver.

An ornate Beaux Arts structure, crowned by a large dome it was arguably the most opulent theater in city history.

The sale of the site to Alcoa in 1950 was met with protests, with actress Katharine Hepburn writing to the city before demolition: "I'm infuriated, The new skyscraper will be just another building -- maybe fascinating, but not glamorous.

That playhouse had opened in 1914 and previously operated under the names "The Victoria", "The Shubert" and "The Senator" but was renamed and refurbished by September 1950.

A unique radiant heating and cooling system is contained in the ceiling: since there are no pipes, radiators, or air conditioning units along the exterior walls, an additional 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) of rentable space was gained.