Simmons Tower
| Company type | Office building |
|---|---|
| Industry | Commercial real estate |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Little Rock , United States |
Area served | Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Tennessee |
Key people | John Flake (developer), Jerry Maulden (former president of Arkansas Power & Light) |
| Products | Office space leasing and property management |
| Parent | Simmons Bank |
Simmons Bank Tower stands as a 40-story skyscraper located at 425 West Capitol Avenue in the heart of downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. Measuring 454 feet in height, it holds the distinction of being the tallest structure within Arkansas.
Construction
The concept for this tower emerged from conversations between John Flake, a real estate developer based in Little Rock, and Jerry Maulden, then-president of Arkansas Power & Light (currently Entergy). Groundbreaking took place in 1984 for the $72 million development, which was finalized in 1986 under the name The Capitol Tower. Today, Simmons Bank—headquartered in this building—operates across Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Tennessee. Leasing and property management are handled by Kelley Commercial Partners, with Doyle Rogers Company acting as the special asset manager.
In April 2014, the building’s name was officially changed to Simmons Tower.
History
Upon its completion in 1986 as Capitol Tower, it exceeded the height of the nearby Regions Center by 92 feet, securing its status as the tallest building in Arkansas—a title it continues to hold.
In 1991, naming rights were obtained by Little Rock-originated frozen yogurt company TCBY, resulting in its rebranding as TCBY Tower. Following TCBY’s sale and exit in 2000, the building underwent another renaming in August 2004 when Metropolitan National Bank acquired naming rights and moved its headquarters there, calling it Metropolitan Tower. The following year, Metropolitan Bank installed programmable LED lighting on the exterior to highlight branding initiatives and celebrate national holidays. Simmons Bank acquired Metropolitan National Bank in 2014 and subsequently rebranded the tower under its own name.
The facility includes a parking garage with a capacity of 952 vehicles situated across the street and connected via a skywalk. Inside, there are 17 elevators servicing tenants. On the roof, antennas and satellite dishes support radio transmissions, cellular communications, and local network affiliate broadcasting.
Notably, Timothy McVeigh once contemplated targeting this building prior to the Oklahoma City bombing but ultimately decided against it after noticing a florist shop located on its ground floor.