Wells Fargo Center (Portland, Oregon)
| Company type | Office building |
|---|---|
| Industry | Commercial real estate |
| Founded | April 17, 1972 in Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Headquarters | Portland , United States |
Area served | Portland metropolitan area |
| Products | Office space |
| Owner | Starwood Capital Group (since November 2017) |
| Website | www |
Wells Fargo Center is a 40-level skyscraper located in Portland, Oregon, accompanied by a five-story office structure and three subterranean parking floors. Completed in 1972, it held the distinction of being Oregon's tallest building at that time.
History
The design was crafted by Charles Luckman and Associates, and the building initially opened under the name First National Bank Tower on April 17, 1972,[1] with its official dedication occurring on May 25, 1972.[2] The first 21 floors along with the connected five-story Data Processing Building were occupied by the bank.[2] In the period of 1980–81, the tower was renamed First Interstate Tower following Western Bancorporation’s rebranding to First Interstate Bancorp.[3] After Wells Fargo acquired First Interstate in 1996, the building adopted its current name.[4] Its considerable height triggered public concerns about obstructing views of Mount Hood, which subsequently led to height limitations on future construction projects.
A renovation costing $35 million was finalized in 2002, improving the retail spaces and public areas, including a lobby exhibit showcasing the bank’s history.[5] The tower functioned as the headquarters for Willamette Industries until its takeover by Weyerhaeuser in 2003.[6] In November 2017, ownership transferred to Starwood Capital Group, who acquired both the tower and the adjacent carriage building from Wells Fargo.[7]
Details
Situated in Downtown Portland, Wells Fargo Center serves as the regional headquarters for Wells Fargo Bank. It occupies an entire city block bordered by Southwest Fourth and Fifth Avenues as well as Columbia and Jefferson Streets. A skybridge links the primary tower—the tallest structure in Oregon and ranking as the third largest office building with —to the neighboring five-story Data Processing Building within the same complex. The main lobby features a genuine 1870 stagecoach, symbolizing Wells Fargo’s historical roots.
From an architectural perspective, the building prominently features thick panels of white Italian marble. Its façade integrates bronze-tinted glass columns alongside white Italian marble and anodized aluminum elements extending throughout its full height.
Reception
The architectural design of the building has attracted criticism for its perceived shortcomings. In 1976, Ivan Doig characterized it in The New York Times as "immense, polished, and lacking distinctive features."
Museum
Located in the lobby, the Wells Fargo History Museum branch presents a variety of exhibits, including an 1854 stagecoach, telegraph and mining apparatus, as well as displays highlighting the company's steamboat activities on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.
See also
- List of tallest buildings by U.S. state
- Architecture of Portland, Oregon
- List of tallest buildings in Portland, Oregon
External links
- Wells Fargo Center official website
- ↑ The Oregonian, April 18, 1972; Section 3 (Business), p. 7.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Sorensen, Donald J. (August 19, 1980). "Firm, banks to change name". The Oregonian, p. A10.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).