U.S. Bank Tower
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| U.S. Bank Tower | |
| Information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Status | Complete |
| Constructed | 1987-1990 |
| Use | corporate offices |
| Height | |
| Antenna/Spire | none |
| Roof | 1,018 ft (310.3 m) |
| Top floor | 967.5 ft (294.92 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 73 |
| Floor area | 1.3 million sq ft 121,167 sq m |
| Elevator count | 24 |
| Companies | |
| Architect | Pei Cobb Freed & Partners |
| This article is missing citations or needs footnotes. Using inline citations helps guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. (November 2007) |
The U.S. Bank Tower (Library Tower, First Interstate World Center) at 633 West Fifth Street in downtown Los Angeles, California, United States is the eighth tallest building in the US, the tallest North American skyscraper west of Chicago, the tallest building in California, and the tallest building with a helipad on the roof (required by the city building code). Standing 1,018 feet (310 m) high, it is also one of the tallest in the world (28th as of 2008). Until the construction of Taipei 101, it was also the tallest structure 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 was started in 1987 and was completed 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[citation needed] in Los Angeles, often used in establishing shots for the city in films and television programs.
The building is also known as the Library Tower due to its location across the street from the Los Angeles Central Library; it was built as part of the $1 billion redevelopment of the Library following two disastrous fires in 1986. 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 World Center after being bought by First Interstate Bank. After First Interstate merged with Wells Fargo Bank the name Library Tower was restored. In March 2003 the property was leased by U.S. Bancorp and the building was renamed U.S. Bank Tower. Residents, however, generally continue to refer to it as the Library Tower.
The tower has a large glass "crown" at its top that is illuminated at night. The crown is lighted with red, white, and blue on 4 July and red and green during the Christmas holiday season. It is also lit with purple and gold when the Los Angeles Lakers are playing in the NBA Playoffs and blue and white on Opening Day for the Los Angeles Dodgers. On February 28, 2004, two U.S. Bank logo signs, each standing 75 feet (23 m) high, were installed on the crown, amid controversy for their effect on the aesthetic appearance of the building (as was the case previously when First Interstate Bank's logos were placed on the crown between 1990 and 1997).
Major occupants include:
- Latham & Watkins
- White & Case
- U.S. Bank
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[edit] Terrorist target
On June 16, 2004, the 9/11 Commission reported that the original plan for the September 11, 2001 attacks called for the hijacking of ten planes, one of which was to be crashed into the building.
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 a televised speech on February 9, 2006, US President George W. Bush asserted that American counterterrorism officials had foiled a plot to slam planes into "Liberty Tower".[1] He said that "Liberty Tower", in Los Angeles, was the tallest building on the West Coast. Commentators believe that Bush meant to say "Library Tower".
According to 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. 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.[1] Planning for the attack allegedly began as early as October 2001.
[edit] In popular culture
The Library Tower is featured prominently in several movies, usually in establishing shots of the Los Angeles Skyline. The Tower has become an iconic part of Los Angeles and is one of the most recognizable buildings in L.A..
- In the 2007 South Korean movie D-War, a gigantic snake-like Imoogi serpent winds up the cylindrical U.S. Bank Tower to the roof, damaging the tower. The official movie poster shows the Imoogi wrapped around the damaged U.S. Bank Tower.
- In the 2007 movie Transformers, the tower is seen when Autobots and Decepticons fight from the Hoover Dam, concluding in Downtown Los Angeles.
- Nearly every episode of Alias (2001 - 2006) featured a flyover camera shot of the U.S. Bank Tower.
- In the 2005 video game, Godzilla: Save the Earth, it was shown in a smaller version of Los Angeles surrounded by highways.
- In 2005 the 3-dimensional puzzle franchise, Puzz3d by Wrebbit, added the tower in its Towers Made To Scale Collection, and came with the Transamerica Pyramid and the AIG SunAmerica Building, with the U.S. Bank Tower being the tallest of the three.
- In the 2004 movie The Day After Tomorrow it is severely damaged by a massive tornado.
- In the 2004 game Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, the Venture Tower, seat of the game's primary antagonist, seems to have replaced, and bears slight resemblance to, the U.S. Bank Tower.
- In the 2004 movie Collateral, it can be seen several times throughout the film.
- In the 2004 TV series 10.5, the U.S. Bank Tower can be seen when Los Angeles is struck by a massive earthquake that cuts California in half. The tower collapses in its mid section during the chaos.
- In the 2004 video game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, in the fictional city of Los Santos, the U.S. Bank Tower stands as the tallest building in the fictional state of San Andreas. The Player can climb the tower, where they can then parachute off the top.
- In the 2003 video game, Midnight Club 2, Los Angeles is featured as one of the three playable cities in the game. The US Bank Tower is recreated as well as many other notable Los Angeles landmarks.
- In the 2003 video game, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee, it was shown in the heart of the virtual Los Angeles. The tower can be toppled after enough damage but due to its size it would severely hurt the "player's" monster if caught under it.
- Seen in almost every episode of the 1999 to 2004 series Angel.
- Seen in the 2002 television hit drama, The Shield.
- In the 1997 direct-to-video movie Skyscraper, the U.S. Bank Tower (then Library Tower) was featured as the 86 floor Zitex building. In reality the building has 73 floors, not 86.
- In the 1996 movie science fiction film Independence Day, the U.S. Bank Tower's (Then First Interstate World Center) helipad was used the location of festivities for UFO enthusiasts greeting the aliens. The tower was destroyed in the film as a result of a later alien attack, first completely destroying the tower, then Los Angeles.
- In the 1994 movie Speed, the U.S. Bank Tower is seen in several shots during the elevator hostage crisis in the beginning of the film. The skyscraper where the crisis is occurring is right next to the tower.
[edit] Trivia
- The tower stands at 1,018 feet, when it was completed in 1989 it was the 8th tallest building in the world.
- Originally the Library Tower, officially US Bank Tower, was supposed to be called the Library Square Phase One.
- Construction Started in June 1987 and opened in late 1989.
- It is the tallest building in California, 8th tallest in the United States, tallest building in a major seismic region and the tallest building in the world west of Chicago and east of Hong Kong.
- The building is designed to withstand an 8.3 richter scale earthquake.
- The Building has 73 floors, 66 of them are offices while the rest are mechanical, restaurants, and lobbies.
[edit] Companies
- Main Tenant: US Bancorp
- Architect: Pei Cobb Freed & Partners
- Executive Architect: Ellerbe Becket Associates
- Structural: CBM Engineers, Inc
- Mechanical / Electrical: James A. Knowles & Associates
- Electrical: Levine / Seagel Associates
- Landscape Architect: Lawrence Halprin & Associates
- Owner: Maguire Properties
[edit] Gallery
Librarytwr.jpg
From Figueroa and 5th Streets. |
US bank time-lapse-still-2006-02-06.jpg
From Hope and 8th at night. |
USBank Tower.JPG
Looking Above from the Bunker Hill Steps. |
Uslibraryhope.jpg
From Hope & Wilshire Street. |
Libtwr2.jpg
With the Gas Company Tower to the left and Citigroup Building to the right. |
US Bank Tower-Figueroa.jpg
From street level on Figueroa Street. |
Libtwr1.jpg
With the AT&T Building to the left and Mellon Bank Plaza to the right. |
US Bank Tower Skid Row.jpg
From LA's Skid Row. |
[edit] See also
- Skyscrapers in Los Angeles
- Downtown Los Angeles
- Los Angeles
- 50 Tallest buildings in the U.S.
- List of skyscrapers
- List of tallest buildings by U.S. state
[edit] External links
- official website
- Entry on Skyscraper.com
- Outline of the 9-11 Plot (Staff Statement No. 16, National Commission on Terrorist Attacks)
- Washington Post, "Bush Says 10 Plots by Al Qaeda Were Foiled"
| Preceded by Aon Center (Los Angeles) | Tallest Building in Los Angeles 1990—Present 310m | Succeeded by None |
| Preceded by Aon Center (Los Angeles) | Tallest Building in California 1990—Present 310m | Succeeded by None |
| Preceded by JPMorgan Chase Tower (Houston) | Tallest building west of the Mississippi 1990—Present 310m | Succeeded by None |
U.S. Bank Tower
- U.S. Bank Tower is at coordinates Coordinates:
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