Submitted by Kristi Wachter on
Pei Cobb Freed and Partners
About the Building
Like many skyscrapers, Library Tower's main materials are concrete and steel. The exterior uses granite and glass.
The building is a round tower. It gets narrower as it rises.
Its enormous height and distinctive shape make it a recognizable part of the Los Angeles skyline.
A large glass crown tops the building; it's often lit with colored lights for special occasions (such as red for Valentine's Day and the colors of local sports teams during important games).
At 73 stories, it's the tallest building in California.
History
The building was originally used as office space by First Interstate Bank; at that time the building was known as the First Interstate Bank World Center.
In 2003, U. S. Bancorp leased the building and renamed it the U.S. Bank Tower.
However, Los Angeles residents have long called it Library Tower, because it's across the street from the Los Angeles library - and because it was built as part of a massive redevelopment project to revitalize the area around the library after two major fires in 1986.
