U.S. Bank Tower (Los Angeles)

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.

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. 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.

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. 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. On February 28, 2004, two 23 m “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.

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. 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.

OUE Skyspace

In July 2014, OUE Ltd. (OUE), the new owners of the skyscraper, announced construction of an observation deck named OUE Skyspace. on the 69th and 70th floors and a restaurant named 71Above on the 71st floor. The facilities opened on June 24, 2016, following remodeling and construction costing $31 million 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. 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.

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. 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.

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.

Major tenants

Consultancy

• Cornerstone Research
• Mercer
• McKinsey & Company

Economic development

• Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation

Engineering

• Walter P Moore

Finance

• Bank Mizrahi-Tefahot
• Lincoln International
• U.S. Bancorp

Law

• Akerman LLP
• Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
• Dechert
• Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani
• Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
• Jenner & Block
• King & Spalding
• Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith
• Littler Mendelson
• Morgan & Morgan
• Perkins Coie
• Steptoe

Media

• Pizzaply Media
• Thomson Reuters

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.

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.

In popular culture

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

The building is featured in several disaster films, such as Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, D-War, 2012 and San Andreas.

The building is also featured in the popular video game franchise Grand Theft Auto, appearing as the fictional "Maze Bank Tower" in multiple games set in a fictional version of Los Angeles, called Los Santos. Its most notable appearances are in Grand Theft Auto V as well as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

It is a location in the 2023 video game Starfield.

Gallery

File:Usbnktwr.jpg|From The Maguire Gardens of the Los Angeles Public Library File:Us_bank_tower.jpg|From South Hope Street File:US Bank Tower during 09 Finals.jpg|Lit in purple and gold to support the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2009 NBA Finals File:Libtwr1.jpg|With the AT&T Switching Center to the left and CBRE Tower to the right File:US Bank Tower.JPG|The U.S. Bank Tower is the third-tallest building west of the Mississippi River File:Citibank Center, US Bank Tower and The Gas Company Tower.jpg|From left to right: the Citibank Center, the U.S. Bank Tower, and the Gas Company Tower File:US Bank Tower over Central Library in Downtown LA.JPG|The U.S. Bank Tower towering over Central Library in Downtown Los Angeles File:OUE Skyspace - US Bank Building.jpg|former OUE Skyspace entrance File:OUE Skyspace LA terrace.jpg|former OUE Skyspace outside terrace

References

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