U.S. Bank Tower (Los Angeles)

U.S. Bank Tower, known locally as the Library Tower and formerly as the First Interstate Bank World Center, is a 1,018-foot (310.3 m) skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles, California. It is, by structural height, the third-tallest building in California, the second-tallest building in Los Angeles, the 24th-tallest in the United States, the third-tallest west of the Mississippi River after the Salesforce Tower and the Wilshire Grand Center, and the 129th-tallest building in the world, after being surpassed by the Wilshire Grand Center.[8] However, the U.S. Bank Tower does surpass both the Salesforce Tower and the Wilshire Grand Center in roof height, making it the only building in California whose roof height exceeds 1,000 feet (300 m). Because local building codes required all high-rise buildings to have a helipad, it was known as the tallest building in the world with a rooftop heliport from its completion in 1989 to 2010 when the China World Trade Center Tower III opened.[9] It is also the third-tallest building in a major active seismic region; its structure was designed to resist an earthquake of 8.3 on the Richter scale. It consists of 73 stories above ground and two parking levels below ground. Construction began in 1987 with completion in 1989. The building was designed by Henry N. Cobb of the architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and cost $350 million to build. It is one of the most recognizable buildings in Los Angeles, and often appears in establishing shots for the city in films and television programs.

"U.S. Bank Tower" redirects here. For other uses, see U.S. Bank Tower (disambiguation).
U.S. Bank Tower
U.S. Bank Tower (Los Angeles) is located in Los Angeles
U.S. Bank Tower (Los Angeles)
Location within Los Angeles
Former namesLibrary Tower
First Interstate Bank World Center
Record height
Tallest in California from 1986 to 2017[I]
Preceded byAon Center (4th)
Surpassed byWilshire Grand Center (since 2017)
General information
TypeCommercial offices
Architectural stylePostmodernism[1]
Location633 West Fifth Street
Los Angeles, California, United States
Coordinates34.0510°N 118.2542°W / 34.0510; -118.2542
Current tenantsSee Tenants
Construction started1987[2]
Completed1989
CostUS$350 million
OwnerSilverstein Properties, Inc.
LandlordSilverstein Properties, Inc.
Height
Architectural1,018 ft (310 m)
Top floor968 ft (295 m)
Technical details
Floor count73
(+2 below ground)
Floor area1,432,540 sq ft (133,087 m2)
Lifts/elevators24
Design and construction
Architect(s)Pei Cobb Freed & Partners
Ellerbe Becket
DeveloperMaguire Properties
Structural engineerCBM Engineers
James A. Knowles & Associates
Main contractorTurner Construction Company
References
[3][4][5][6][7]

Ownership

U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles was sold to OUE Ltd (OUE), a diversified real estate owner, developer and operator group, in 2013. OUE, a Singapore-listed company run by Indonesian billionaire Stephen Riady, acquired the tower and other related assets for $367.5 million. OUE acquired the 72-floor office building, the adjacent Maguire Gardens park, and a parking lot from a unit of Los Angeles-based real-estate investment trust MPG Office Trust Inc.[10][11]

On July 20, 2020, it was announced that Larry Silverstein (Silverstein Properties), the developer of the World Trade Center, purchased the building for reportedly 430 million dollars. The deal closed in late September.[12][13][14] They held a grand opening in April 2023 after creating a brand new lobby and more food options. The renovations included flexible workspaces, an art installation, and other improvements for the tenants.[15]

History

The building was first known and is alternatively known today as the Library Tower, because it was built as part of the $1 billion Los Angeles Central Library redevelopment area, following two disastrous fires at the library in 1986, and its location across the street.[16] The City of Los Angeles sold air rights to the developers of the tower to help pay for the reconstruction of the library. The building was also known for a time as First Interstate Bank World Center but the name Library Tower was restored after First Interstate Bancorp merged with Wells Fargo Bank. In March 2003, the property was leased by U.S. Bancorp and the building was renamed the U.S. Bank Tower.

The tower has a large glass crown at its top that is illuminated at night.[17] On February 28, 2004, two 23 m (75 ft) “U.S. Bank” logo signs were installed on the crown, amid controversy for their effect on the aesthetic appearance of the building, much like the previous First Interstate Bank logos were placed on the crown between 1990 and 1998.

Terrorist target

On June 16, 2004, the 9/11 Commission reported that the original plan for the September 11 attacks called for the hijacking of ten planes, one of which was to be crashed into the building.[18]

On October 6, 2005, House officials stated that the government had foiled a previously undisclosed second plot to crash a plane into the building in mid-2002. In his televised 2007 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush asserted that American counterterrorism officials foiled a plot to fly planes into the tower.[19] According to President Bush, Al-Qaeda leader Khaled Sheikh Mohammed's plan was to use Asian confederates from Jemaah Islamiyah recruited by Islamic militant Hambali for the hijacking. President Bush asserted the hijackers were going to use shoe bombs to breach the plane's cockpit door. Some counter-terrorism experts have expressed doubt that the plot was ever fully developed or likely to occur.[20]

OUE Skyspace
Interior of the OUE Skyspace on the 71st floor of the U.S. Bank Tower looking northwest.

In July 2014, OUE Ltd. (OUE), the new owners of the skyscraper, announced construction of an observation deck named OUE Skyspace.[21] on the 69th and 70th floors and a restaurant named 71Above on the 71st floor.[22] The facilities opened on June 24, 2016,[23] following remodeling and construction costing $31 million[24] that included a makeover of the ground floor lobby as well as a separate second floor entrance for tourists, and a skylobby and exhibit hall on the 54th floor. Access to the observation deck cost $25 per person.[25] For an additional $8, visitors could take a trip down a transparent glass slide affixed to the outside of the building between the 70th and 69th floors known as the Skyslide.[26]

OUE Skyspace closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. On October 26, 2020, it was announced that the closure was permanent.[27] In May 2021, it was announced that a renovation by the new owner of the tower would result in the conversion of the observation deck attraction back to office space and the removal of the slide, due to complaints from office tenants.[28]

Silverstein Properties

With the building 78% leased, New York developer Silverstein Properties announced plans in 2021 to make changes to the building to attract tenants. The tourist attraction will be converted to office space or communal areas. The 71Above restaurant will remain open while the 54th floor, where people going higher must change elevators, will be turned into a co-working lounge with workstations, food and beverage options and a catering kitchen for events.[29]

Major tenants

Tallest rooftop helipad

The US Bank Tower was the world's tallest building with a rooftop helipad until the China World Trade Center Tower III in Beijing, which was completed in 2010 and whose rooftop helipad is 1,083 feet (330 m) high.[9]

As of March 2018, the world's tallest building with a rooftop helipad was the Guangzhou International Finance Center, which also was completed in 2010 and whose rooftop helipad is 1,439 feet (439 m) high.[34][35]

In 1994, the building was featured on Visiting... with Huell Howser.[36]

  • From The Maguire Gardens of the Los Angeles Public Library
    From The Maguire Gardens of the Los Angeles Public Library
  • From South Hope Street
    From South Hope Street
  • Lit in purple and gold to root for the Los Angeles Lakers advancement into the 2009 NBA Finals
    Lit in purple and gold to root for the Los Angeles Lakers advancement into the 2009 NBA Finals
  • With the AT&T Switching Center to the left and CBRE Tower to the right
    With the AT&T Switching Center to the left and CBRE Tower to the right
  • The U.S. Bank Tower is the third-tallest building west of the Mississippi River
    The U.S. Bank Tower is the third-tallest building west of the Mississippi River
  • From left to right: the Citibank Center, the U.S. Bank Tower, and the Gas Company Tower
    From left to right: the Citibank Center, the U.S. Bank Tower, and the Gas Company Tower
  • From OUE Skyspace outdoor area
    From OUE Skyspace outdoor area
  • The U.S. Bank Tower towering over Central Library in Downtown Los Angeles
    The U.S. Bank Tower towering over Central Library in Downtown Los Angeles
  • former OUE Skyspace entrance
    former OUE Skyspace entrance
  • former OUE Skyspace outside terrace
    former OUE Skyspace outside terrace

See also

References
  1. "US Bank Tower". Emporis. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  2. Myers, David W. (June 21, 1987). "L.A. Tower to Be Tallest on Coast: Ground Breaking Due Tuesday for 73-Story Downtown Building". Los Angeles Times.
  3. "U.S. Bank Tower". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.
  4. "Emporis building ID 116498". Emporis. Archived from the original on October 17, 2015.
  5. U.S. Bank Tower at Glass Steel and Stone (archived)
  6. "U.S. Bank Tower". SkyscraperPage.
  7. U.S. Bank Tower at Structurae
  8. Curwen, Thomas (June 27, 2017). "LA now has a new tallest building". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  9. "Tall Buildings in Numbers: Tallest Helipads". CTBUH Journal, 2014 Issue II. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  10. Ananthalakshmi, A.; Rodney Joyce (March 11, 2013). "U.S. Bank Tower, tallest building west of Mississippi, changes hands". Reuters. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  11. "Indonesian billionaire Stephen Riady to buy U.S. Bank Tower for $367.5 mn news". Domain-b. March 11, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  12. "LA's US Bank Tower sold to World Trade Center developer". Fox Business. Associated Press. July 22, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  13. "Silverstein Properties Closes on $430M US Bank Tower Buy". The Real Deal Los Angeles. September 16, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  14. Bergholz, William (August 6, 2020). "U.S. Bank Tower sold to Trade Center developer". Los Angeles Downtown News. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  15. "US Bank Tower in downtown LA holds grand reopening Friday after $60M renovations | abc7.com". ABC7. April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  16. "First Interstate World Center (Library Tower)". Building Big. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  17. "Second Library Tower: Construction Scheduled for Fall". Los Angeles Times. June 19, 1988.
  18. Baker, Peter; Susan B. Glasser (October 7, 2005). "Bush Says 10 Plots by Al Qaeda Were Foiled". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  19. Bush, George W. (February 9, 2006). "President Discusses Progress in War on Terror to National Guard". The White House. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  20. Coultan, Mark; Tom Allard; Mark Forbes (February 11, 2006). "Bush seizes on al-Qaeda plot to hit Los Angeles". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  21. Painter, Alysia Gray (July 15, 2015). "Look Up: U.S. Bank Tower's OUE Skyspace LA". KNBC News. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  22. Balla, Leslie (June 29, 2015). "Get Ready to Dine Way, Way Above L.A." Los Angeles (magazine). Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  23. "Oue Skyspace La Celebrates Grand Opening Weekend: California's Tallest Open-Air Observation Deck Now Open". Multivu.com. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  24. "OUE unveils OUE Skyspace LA and first-of-its-kind Skyslide at U.S. Bank Tower" (Press release). OUE. June 25, 2016. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2021 – via PR Newswire.
  25. Vincent, Roger (July 16, 2014). "L.A.'s tallest skyscraper to get observation deck". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  26. Khouri, Andrew (March 1, 2016). "Glass slide suspended from 1,000 feet up? It's coming to U.S. Bank Tower in downtown L.A." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  27. "OUE Skyspace LA, California's 'Tallest Open-Air Observation Deck,' Permanently Shutters". whatnowlosangeles.com. October 27, 2020.
  28. "Thrill is gone: Los Angeles skyscraper slide won't reopen". Yahoo! News. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  29. Vincent, Roger (May 21, 2021). "Bye, Skyslide. U.S. Bank Tower will get a $60-million redo that nixes the tourist attraction". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  30. "MPG Office Trust Signs Approximately 25,000 Square Feet Lease At U.S. Bank Tower With Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP" (Press release). MPG Office Trust. July 27, 2011. Retrieved January 29, 2021 – via Business Wire.
  31. U.S. Bank Tower Signs New Tenant
  32. Los Angeles Offices
  33. Segal, David (October 28, 2020). "A Podcast Answers a Fast-Food Question That Nobody Is Asking". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  34. "Tall Buildings in Numbers: Tallest Helipads". CTBUH Journal, 2014 Issue II, page 48. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  35. pinnacleadmin (October 21, 2015). "The World's Highest Helipads". ThorTech.com. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  36. "Tallest Building – Visiting (227) – Huell Howser Archives at Chapman University".
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