Wells Fargo Tower (Roanoke)

The Wells Fargo Tower (formerly named Dominion Tower, First Union Tower and Wachovia Tower) is a 21-story, 320-foot (98 m) office building in Downtown Roanoke, Virginia. Completed in 1991, this stands as both the tallest building in Roanoke and the tallest building in Southwest Virginia.

Wells Fargo Tower
Wells Fargo Tower viewed from the south
Location within Virginia
Wells Fargo Tower (Roanoke) (the United States)
Former namesDominion Tower, First Union Tower, Wachovia Tower
General information
TypeOffice
Architectural stylePostmodern
LocationRoanoke, Virginia
CountryUnited States
Coordinates37°16′22″N 79°56′24″W
Construction started1990
Completed1991
Cost$34,500,000
($64.8 million in 2019 dollars)[1]
Height
Architectural320 ft (98 m)
Antenna spire369 ft (112 m)
Technical details
Structural systemRigid frame
Floor count21
Design and construction
ArchitectClark Tribble Harris & Li Architects
Structural engineerKing Guinn Associates
Main contractorF N Thompson Company
References
[2][3]

History

The groundbreaking ceremony for its construction occurred on May 11, 1990.[4][5] With both city and business leaders in attendance, a balloon released to a height of 320 feet (98 m) was also on display to give onlookers better context as to the finished height of the structure.[4] By October construction had already brought the tower to its seventh floor.[6] On October 29, a construction worker fell to his death from the seventh floor. This was the only fatality associated with the construction of the tower.[6] The final concrete was poured for the tower in April 1991 and the first tenant moved in by October 1991.[5]

Profile

Designed by the firm of Clark Tribble Harris & Li Architects, the tower is of a postmodern design and is the tallest building in both Roanoke and all of Southwest Virginia.[3][5] It is topped with a 50-foot (15 m) copper pyramid with a 48-foot (15 m) spire atop it, and was designed as a homage to the Hotel Roanoke, located to the north of the tower.[5] At night, the tower is illuminated by 135 floodlights.[5]

Although the tower officially has its floor count at 21 stories, there is not a numbered 13th floor to quell the fear of persons that may have triskaidekaphobia.[5]

Naming

After the purchase of Wachovia by Wells Fargo in late 2008, the name of the tower was set to change for the third time. In July 2011, the tower was officially renamed as the Wells Fargo Tower to reflect the official rebranding of Wachovia to Wells Fargo in Virginia.[7][8]

References
  1. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  2. "Wells Fargo Tower facts". Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  3. "Wells Fargo Tower in Roanoke, Virginia". Phorio. 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  4. "Ground broken for Dominion Tower". The Roanoke Times. May 11, 1990. p. B1.
  5. Historical Society of Western Virginia (May 1, 2012). "One Year in Roanoke: 1991". The Roanoker. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  6. "Tower accident investigated". The Roanoke Times. October 30, 1990. p. A1.
  7. Fifer, Jordan (July 10, 2011). "New Wells Fargo sign to crown Roanoke's tallest building". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  8. Sturgeon, Jeff (August 5, 2011). "Wells Fargo readies for takeover of Wachovia in Virginia". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved October 3, 2016.

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