Chase Tower (Phoenix)
| Company type | Commercial office building |
|---|---|
| Industry | Real estate / Office space |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Headquarters | Phoenix, Arizona , United States |
| Products | Office space |
| Website | www |
Chase Tower—previously known as Valley Bank Center and Bank One Center—is a 40-story high-rise located at 201 North Central Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona. Completed in 1972, the building was the work of architects Welton Becket and Fred M. Guirey. Positioned within the Central Avenue Corridor of Downtown Phoenix, this tower functions as a prominent commercial office space.
The structure was originally constructed for the Valley National Bank. Following a series of mergers, Valley National combined with Bank One in 1992, which itself was later acquired by Chase in 2005. The building adopted the Chase Tower name that December.
Standing at , it continues to hold the title of Arizona’s tallest building.
Site
Occupying an entire city block at 201 North Central Avenue in Downtown Phoenix’s Central Avenue Corridor, Chase Tower boasts a unique three-leaf clover-shaped footprint. The southern facade features a slender elevator core with a rough concrete finish, marking the tallest portion of the structure. The building’s wings vary in height: the west wing reaches 34 floors, the north wing 38 floors, and the east wing 36 floors. Its exterior is composed of concrete and glass curtain walls.
The highest floor accessible to tenants is the 38th level; a former observation deck on the 39th floor was closed during redevelopment efforts. Unlike many skyscrapers that provide street-level retail or lobby access, entry is gained through an underground concourse housing restaurants and shops, set back from street edges to improve security and tenant convenience.
History
Designed by Los Angeles-based firm Welton Becket and Associates (now Ellerbe Becket) alongside local architects Guirey, Srnka, Arnold & Sprinkle, construction was carried out by Henry C. Beck Company (currently The Beck Group). Upon its completion, the tower sparked nearly twenty years of downtown Phoenix revitalization until the real estate downturn in 1989. Located at 201 North Central Avenue, it underwent renovations in 2003 to accommodate an additional 800 Bank One employees.
In March 2007, CRZ Phoenix, LLC—a subsidiary of Crystal River Capital—purchased the property for $166.9 million, setting a record for office building sales in Phoenix. The owners secured financing amounting to $198.5 million, which subsequently defaulted.
The building was featured on the History Channel’s Life After People series. In May 2018, Wentworth Property Company acquired it via foreclosure for $79 million—less than half its peak valuation from 2007. Within six months, Vincent Viola purchased it for $107.5 million.
By July 2021, Chase began vacating the premises as most staff relocated to a new corporate campus in suburban Tempe, with complete departure anticipated by September 30. Following this transition, the tower remained vacant without announced plans for redevelopment. The Chase signage was removed by November 1, 2021.
On February 7, 2023, Maison DesChamps—a pro-life activist known as "Pro-life Spiderman"—scaled the tower without safety equipment to promote awareness for a pro-life organization. After reaching the rooftop, he was arrested on charges of trespassing and criminal nuisance.
See also
External links
- http://www.chase.com
- http://www.coppersquare.com
- Phoenix Architecture 1895 thru 2010: Documentary covering Phoenix architecture