Fifth Third Center, Nashville

The Fifth Third Center is a tall skyscraper, standing at 490 feet (about 150 meters) with 31 stories. It was built in 1986 and can be found at the intersection of Church Street and Fifth Avenue North. For eight years, it held the distinction of being the tallest building in both Nashville and the entire state of Tennessee, until it was surpassed in 1994 by the AT&T Building. This impressive structure serves as the headquarters of Fifth Third Bank in Nashville.

Originally, this tower was designed to serve as the headquarters of the Third National Corporation and was named the Third National Financial Center. However, after SunTrust acquired Third National, the tower's name changed to SunTrust Center. It retained this name until 2004, when SunTrust decided to relinquish the naming rights as part of their plans to relocate to the forthcoming SunTrust Plaza.

Interestingly, this site has historical significance as it was once the location of the First Masonic Hall, designed back in 1818. Unfortunately, the original structure was destroyed by fire in 1856. It was subsequently rebuilt as another Masonic Hall, which had a unique history during the American Civil War when it served as a hospital supply store for Federal troops. This reconstructed building also included a theater known as "the Masonic" and "the Grand." However, by 1914, the Masonic/Grand Theater was no longer used for theatrical purposes, and in 1915, it was purchased by Joe Fensterwald, who demolished it to make way for the steel and concrete building that would later house Burk and Company.