U.S. Bank Tower

The U.S. Bank Tower at 633 West Fifth Street in downtown Los Angeles, California is the tallest North American skyscraper west of Chicago, the tallest building in California, and the tallest building with a helipad on the roof. Standing 1,018 feet (310 m) high, it is also one of the tallest in the world. Until the construction of Taipei 101, it was also the tallest structure in an actively 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 begun in 1987 and was completed in 1990. The building was designed by Henry N. Cobb of the architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and cost $350 million to build.

Related Topics:
Downtown - Los Angeles, California - Skyscraper - Chicago - California - Taipei 101 - Earthquake - Richter Scale - 1987 - 1990 - Henry N. Cobb - Pei Cobb Freed & Partners

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The building is also known as Library Tower due to its proximity to the Los Angeles Central Library; it was built as part of the Library's $1 billion redevelopment after a fire damaged a significant portion 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 bought by U.S. Bancorp and the building was renamed U.S. Bank Tower. Residents, however, continue to refer to it as Library Tower and are unlikely to stop doing so.

Related Topics:
First Interstate Bank - Wells Fargo Bank - 2003 - U.S. Bancorp

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The tower has a large glass "crown" at its top that is illuminated at night. The crown is lighted with red and blue on the 4th of 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. 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).

Related Topics:
4th of July - Christmas - Los Angeles Lakers - NBA Playoffs - February 28 - 2004

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On June 16, 2004, the 9-11 Commission reported that the original plan for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks called for the hijacking of ten planes, one of which was to be crashed into the building. And on October 6, 2005, White House officials stated that the government had foiled a previously undisclosed plot to crash a plane into the building in mid-2002. However, because of its earthquake-resistant construction, U.S. Bank Tower appears to be unlikely to collapse (as the World Trade Center towers did) if struck by an airplane.

Related Topics:
June 16 - 2004 - 9-11 Commission - September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks - October 6 - 2005 - World Trade Center

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