In 1924, the Union Bank and Trust Company commissioned the architectural firm Meanor & Handloser to design a Renaissance Revival-style office building at the corner of 9th Street and 4th Avenue.

The fifteen-story structure featured an ashlar stone façade on the bottom and top floors, with brick in between.

Initially, this building served as the new home for the Union Bank and Trust Company, replacing their previous frame structure on the same corner.

[2][3] Despite extensive promotion during its construction, the Union Bank and Trust Company closed following the 1929 stock market crash.

[5][6] In 1949, when news station WSAZ transitioned from radio to television, their offices were temporarily located in the West Virginia Building to utilize its height for broadcasting.